Most power you normally/ever use?

[chelydra]

I have a CK20HST with KL120 and KB2365. Total in about five years is around 270 hours, mostly loader work with perhaps 10% each BH and pushing snow.

For most BH work, I run around 1700-1900 RPM, mainly to keep the swing controllable and avoid the need for earmuffs. On tough stumps, I'll run it up to 2200 or so, but more power usually triggers the over-pressure relief rather than adding bite to the bucket. (Higher revs do make tugging and rocking much faster, though.)

I usually use the loader around 2200 RPM, which is enough for anything except digging ground with the toothbar in place. For snow, it's usually 2300-2500 RPM for faster low-range movement (no heated cab) and bashing into banks when needed. Under heavy loads, I'll work near the higher end of this range to avoid lugging.

In all those years and hours, I'm guessing that I've run at PTO speed for no more than 15-20 minutes, and firewall (~3000 RPM) for a total of under five minutes, mainly in scary tight spots.

I'm guessing than running cool is better for the machine, saves fuel, and avoids annoying the neighbors with noise. Are there any adverse consequences to driving this way? Presumably, you mowers out there run at PTO speed for hours at a time. Would there be any benefit to running at higher revs than I need to get the work done?

Thanks-

Chelydra

 

[ERE]

You will probably get different opinions, but in general I agree with you. The hydraulic pump(s) are not piston type pumps but your HST pump is so its important to insure that your RPM is kept up when the hst is in use. If the CK20s are like my CK25, they have a rotary charge pump that keeps a positive head on the HST pump so that it won't cavitate and damage itself. I don't know a magic RPM, but I keep my RPM at or above 2000 when I'm using the HST for anything. The other pumps will tell you when you don't have enough RPM because they will either make the equipment move too slow, or they won't have enough power go get the job done.

 

[boggen]

ford / new holland 555c TLB

1/2 to 3/4 throttle running backhoe. exception when i hit a snag and need brute force for a few moments. (partial is swinging) for reason for not higher throttle, but things just get a rocking and hammering and having a slower speed is easier on the body.

running back and forth property, and changing up gears. i will max throttle for a few moments to get the speed before shifting. once i get to speed i want i normally back off the throttle to about 3/4s

digging with FEL (front end loader), it is between 1/2 to full throttle. pending on how hard of the time the dirt is giving me. but generally only a few minutes at a time.

plowing snow, with FEL. throttle is all over the place but generally 1/2 to 3/4's throttle.

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Allis Chalmers ca

belly mower, i run 7/8ths to 3/4 throttle. not full throttle, and reserve full throttle when i come up on a very thick portion of grass area.

using the disc or plow, 3/4 thorttle and reserve some throttle space for when i need it.

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i generally just do not like running full throttle non stop, ya there is extra power and a tad faster. but i like being able to simply move a lever or foot pedal, to get that little extra power when i need it. vs having to backup change gears and redo things.

*rubs chin* i guess i like going with the flow, vs being a ram jet knocking into everything and yanking, smashing everything i can in sight.

granted i will run full throttle when i need to for some time. but generally i will start taking less amounts of dirt at one time or trying to mow entire width of the mower.

then again some times i am just plain hurry, and i already know the limits of tractor. and i wish smash that lever or foot pedal to the max and past if i could. and run the tractors hard. though generally when in a rush and run them hard like that, i will let them set at idle for 10 to 20 minutes to let everything cool down before shutting the tractor down completely. call it maintance and baby the tractor. but it works for me. and less parts and down time i have to deal with long term.

 

[Bousez]

I run mine at 2400 rpm for backhoe work ...... under that it's too slow......

I got close to 500 hours on mine , and lots of them with the backhoe

You will eventually get comfortable with higher rpms !

 

[Highbeam]

Crank er up to PTO 540, ear muffs on, engage ratary mower deck and move ahead for about 7 hours before the little tank runs out of fuel. The engine is designed to be able to run at that RPM for as long as needed.

For heavy loader work I run 2000-2200 or so. For log splitting, I'll run for hours and hours at 1600 rpm.

No sense in lugging the engine.

 

[Elcid76]

PTO equipment should run near or at rated RPM (540). You have to put fuel in to get work out. It all depends on what you are doing. I am a pilot, and I run my plane at max throttle for all takeoffs, (about 2700 RPM). When I cruise I usually run at 2500, watch EGT and lean the mixture. The engine is made to run like that. The tractor is no different. If you are working it with loader, backhoe, or mower, it needs to have fuel. There is a power curve with all engines. As long as you are on the curve it will run forever. I have an Hydrostat. I use the pedal to move, and the throttle to work.

 

[wade simpson]

I have a year old ck20s with around 200 hrs. I've found that for non fel work I run around 1500 - 1800. That provides lots of flow for the hydraulics and doesn't burn quite so much fuel. For FEL work generally 1800 to 2000 rpm works nice.

 

[Gittyup]

2006 CK25 gear, 430 hours. Run at PTO when using chipper. 1400 for post hole digger. loader 2000 and then throttle up temporarily as needed. Backhoe 1600 for most work, unless i want to run faster. So, basically, the onlyh time I've really used/needed the full hp is running the chipper. I don't mow or snow blow with it. I knew this going in. That's why i only bought the CK25. The CK30 would have been nice, but mostly a waste of money on hp I don't need.

 

[Highbeam]

PTO equipment should run near or at rated RPM (540). You have to put fuel in to get work out. It all depends on what you are doing. I am a pilot, and I run my plane at max throttle for all takeoffs, (about 2700 RPM). When I cruise I usually run at 2500, watch EGT and lean the mixture. The engine is made to run like that. The tractor is no different. If you are working it with loader, backhoe, or mower, it needs to have fuel. There is a power curve with all engines. As long as you are on the curve it will run forever. I have an Hydrostat. I use the pedal to move, and the throttle to work.

This is interesting. I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure that the plane engine you speak of is not a piston powered diesel tractor engine. The throttle setting on your plane might actually be related to the amount of fuel added to the plane engine but on your tractor it is not. On the tractor, your throttle setting is simply adjusting the governor that tells your injection pump where you want the rpms and then the injection pump adds or takes away fuel to maintain that RPM.

So I believe you are mistaken. The tractor is different.

Each rpm has an available amount of power which is often shown as a curve from a dyno. Sometimes a lower rpm at 90% output is better than a higher rpm at 20% output. Each gives the same amount of power and uses almost the same amount of fuel to do it.