External power

[MossRoad]

Those smaller gas engines are meant to be run at 3600rpms for proper lubrication and cooling. And, you have to run them at higher RPMs to get the hydraulic pump to put out enough pressure AND flow to run your backhoe cylinders with any power AND speed.

So, yes, it would be very loud compared to the tractor.

I also think it would be hard to plumb it through the existing tractor's hydraulics in order to use the tractor's fluid reservoir. Why? Because if the tractor is off, there's no air flow through the hydraulic cooler (and probably no hydraulic fluid flowing through it at all). With any serious work, you'd overheat the hydraulic fluid.

 

[RPW]

What you want to do technically is possible but you've only scratched the surface to get it to work. Sizing the engine, sizing the pump for correct volume and pressure, creating a cooling system and an appropriate resivoir for the fluid. By the time you do all of your calculations and figure out how much it will cost you it won't make sense. Now to the matter of your tractor. It was built for this kind of work so everything has already been done for you. Tractor hours have little meaning when the machine is well maintained and you can find many used tractors with thousands of hours that still have a high resale value. In my opinion spend your money wisely and maintain your tractor and spend quality time using your machine.

 

[Henro]

Has anyone here ever considered an external power source for running their backhoe?

I'm wondering if it's doable and cost affective rather than having their tractor engine revving high all day long just to use that particular attachment. Harbor freight predator engine is cheap, pump might be the tricky part.

Do you use your back hoe all day long, day after day? Last summer over a three month period I used my backhoe A LOT every day the sun shined (I mean no rain) and it never occurred to me to want a separate power source for my PTO driven hydraulic pump for the backhoe.

I usually run the tractor at 1500 to 1800 rpm when using the backhoe. 2000 RPM max in a rare case, but almost never.

What you are considering is not something I would ever do...just don't feel the need. Actually I think it would make my life more miserable rather than better...:laughing:

 

[1930]

What you want to do technically is possible but you've only scratched the surface to get it to work. Sizing the engine, sizing the pump for correct volume and pressure, creating a cooling system and an appropriate resivoir for the fluid. By the time you do all of your calculations and figure out how much it will cost you it won't make sense. Now to the matter of your tractor. It was built for this kind of work so everything has already been done for you. Tractor hours have little meaning when the machine is well maintained and you can find many used tractors with thousands of hours that still have a high resale value. In my opinion spend your money wisely and maintain your tractor and spend quality time using your machine.

Do you use your back hoe all day long, day after day? Last summer over a three month period I used my backhoe A LOT every day the sun shined (I mean no rain) and it never occurred to me to want a separate power source for my PTO driven hydraulic pump for the backhoe.

I usually run the tractor at 1500 to 1800 rpm when using the backhoe. 2000 RPM max in a rare case, but almost never.

What you are considering is not something I would ever do...just don't feel the need. Actually I think it would make my life more miserable rather than better...:laughing:

I understand and lean toward agreeing, just curious if it had been feasibly done by anyone

 

[John_Mc]

I run my Woods 7500 backhoe off a PTO pump, rather than off the tractor hydraulics (the backhoe has it's own hydraulic reservoir). Since the pump has much higher flow than my tractor's rear remotes, I don't need to run the tractor RPMs very high to get good performance from my backhoe. I also like the fact that my tractor's hydraulic system is isolated from the backhoe's system.

 

[ArlyA]

I'm not sure what tractor and hoe that 1930 has.. Nonetheless, I do thinks its doable and would be much easier if its a "added on hoe". He asked if it would be "cost effective" and I can not see how it could be done to be that,,, although I would like to see how it goes if you do it! Its still a very interesting project.

 

[Baby Grand]

Other considerations: How much gasoline will you need to bring with you and how often will you need to refuel? If the gasser dies while you're digging, can you move the tractor, or are you stuck until you can get the hoe back in transport configuration? At a minimum, I'd want to be able to switch back to the tractor pump without a major effort. Can you even access the hydraulic hoses with the hoe mounted on the tractor?