JD 4520 and e-pto to the rescue!

[radman1]

The farm has been without power for over 12 hours. Been snowing for 2 days and started with ice. Currently 17F and 28 mph winds. Over 2500 residences without electricity. Hooked the generator to the tractor. Will probably run all night supplying power to electric portable heaters. Running the gen on the 4520 with E-pto. Runs real nice and smooth. The gen can do 25K but running much less than that. More generator than the tractor can handle but the loads are easily in the range of the 4520. Most of our power lines are underground and it is unusual to have power outages for very long. However, the storm is so bad, that most electric repair crews are not even going out at this time.
I still remember 30 years ago when we had a really bad snow storm. No electricity for 17 days. Melted snow on the gas stove. Used the stove to heat the house. Kersosene lamps, taking showers at the cousins ....

 

[jenkinsph]

Hope it works out for you and is over soon, conserve the fuel as much as you can!

 

[eepete]

Hope you get your power back soon.

Thanks for the post. If everyone keeps posting when, how and with what implements they used their e-pto, it will make it easier for all of us to make use of that feature.

Pete

 

[Kubota 2350]

e-pto, is that different than a regular pto?

 

[radman1]

e-pto, is that different than a regular pto?

The e-pto is an optional feature. On the back of the tractor is a lever that can be lifted to engage the e-pto. What it does is allow the engine to run at at lower rpm but still allow the pto to run at 540. The engine runs about 1750 rpm instead of regular full throttle. It is a nice feature to save fuel and allow the engine to run slower when pto loads are relatively light.

It has been about 42 hours and still no electricity. The generator is hooked up to the furnace which is propane fueled. Can heat the house at intervals to keep it warm. Can run the refrigerator and freezer when needed. No water. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.

 

[radman1]

Power is back on after 43 hours. E-pto and 4520 back in the shed.

 

[AKfish]

That's very good news! Likely days of work ahead for everyone (besides the power crews) - trackin' down missing cows and getting feed to animals that have been waiting out the weather.

Having a tractor and a generator set - especially one with e-pto - sounds like a great idea!

Good luck with the clean-up efforts.

AKfish

 

[JimmyDee]

Glad to learn that you are back under power now and I know that you are..! Can e-pto be retro fitted to a 4520 that left the factory with out it?
Have a great day.......Jim

 

[Mark_in_NH]

Wow 43 hours.
This is one of those times when you sit back and realize that your tractor and it's attachments was one of the best and smartest investments ever made.
Whenever you run accros a person that ask's. "do you Really need that tractor and all it's stuff ?" You will have one heck of a good come back answer.
Glad your power is back on and everybody is ok.

 

[radman1]

Glad to learn that you are back under power now and I know that you are..! Can e-pto be retro fitted to a 4520 that left the factory with out it?
Have a great day.......Jim

Probably cost prohibitive.