My first Kubota tractor B7100D

[Travelover]

I put a temperature gauge on mine using the same copper pipe trick in the upper radiator hose. I was surprised to see that it runs just as hot in the winter as in the summer, when I work it hard (up to 260 degrees F). Never had the soaked clutch problem, but I never overfilled it, either. Looking around, I see there are tractor heaters (core and fan) for about $150. Of course, I made mine for essentially nothing, but this seems like a reasonable price. I was going to put chains on the front,too, but was spooked by the small clearance to the spindle arms. I did load the rear tires with windshield washer fluid and that made a huge difference, in addition to chains.

Auxiliary | Heater | 20,000 BTU | 12V | Volt | Bobcat | Skid Steer | Tractor | Cab | Hot water

This looks like a pretty good deal if it would work with your cab. GMC Chevrolet Safari Astro Topkick Truck Aux Auxiliary Heater Core Fan Unit Air | eBay

 

[Egon]

If you overfill the fuel tank it runs down on the clutch.

 

[jix]

Hi Guys:

Contrary to info in a previous post that I made,

My B7100D DOES NOT have a generator. I was misinformed. My tractor has a dynmo, just as EGON had said. Also, this tractor DOES have a waterpump.
In trying to design my lights, heater and so on, I wouid like to know what the current (charging) output of the dynamo is, If anyone can tell me, I would be grateful.

In the absence of enough current to drive my cab loads from the dynamo, (estimated to be about 19 amps peak ), my idea is to simply install an auxillary battery in the cab, not cinnected to the main tractor battery or the dynamo circuit and to recharge it each night from a 110 volt supply 12 V battery charger. A 600 Amp hour battery should be able to supply all my loads for at least 12 hours and that would suffice for lights, and a heater fan, per day. All these loads would be supplied solely from the aux battery and would not be connected to the main battery. I will still install the aux coolant pump to move hot coolant through the heater, even tho it is not an essential. Such an arrangement does not compromise the main battery nor the dynamo, since it is isolated from the tractor's original circuits. I will use an automatic double-bank marine charger (Pro Sport) to keep both batteries charged each night, however

Given the various costs involved, this is thought to be the easiest and cheapest way to go. It would be very difficult to fit a generator driven by the engine fan belt into the tractor. There is not enough clearance available to do that within the engine compartment unless the horizontal muffler is replaced by a vertical muffler. The maqnifold bolts are very likely to be broken if that were attempted. Not a good idea.

The battery I envision is the same size (R51) as the one in the tractor now...approx. 7x7 x10"..40lbs wt.

My apologies if anyone was contradicted or misled in my earlier posts, guys. We newbies can be kinda easily misled, as I was I beg your pardon, Egon..and thank you for the info which I contradicted.

So, What is the current ouput of the dynamo fitted to the stock B7100D at say 2200 RPM engine speed?:cool2:

 

[Egon]

Think the dynamo on mine was rated at 15 amps. It is mounted on the fan hub which in turn is mounted on what may look like a water pump but isn't.

Some came with a vertical exhaust manifold set up. If recall is correct it involves four bolts on the manifold and just realigning the exhaust outlet.

 

[Travelover]

The I&T shop manual say the dynamo output is 8.5 amperes at 4250 (dynamo, not engine) rpm. I'd swap out all the lights to LEDs before I went with another battery. How did you get to the 19 amps requirement?

 

[PILOON]

If you have a big scrap yard nearby that handles old school buses try to get one of the auxiliary rear heater cores as I did.
Measure about 6 x 6 x 2" and by adding a 5" computer type muffin fan I concocted a very compact cab heater.
Those muffin fans are super efficient and draw a mere 1 amp or less.
The 'however' question is since lacking a water pump I don't know if a cabin heater can actually be of use.
An alternative might be to simply leave all the areas between the engine and cab open and rely on engine heat to 'drift back' into the area and perhaps even adding side curtains to ensure all engine heat is directed out via the cab. (Doing so would necessitate your keeping the engine very clean as otherwise you would be breathing oily smelly air.)

For an engine heater your only option is an external rad hose type as they actually circulate the heated water (coolant). Buddy of mine here in cold Quebec winter has operated one for 8 yrs and always starts even at coldest winter lows.

As previously suggested, LED lighting will be your friend and in fact changing all lights over to LED will be cheaper and more efficient than adding second battery.
Building a cab will prove to be a challenge due to location of the fuel filler location and how the opens. A trap door in the hood might just be the way to go.

 

[Egon]

Frost plug type engine heater will work.

 

[jix]

Hi Piloon; Travelover

Good points, good info, THANKS!

My loads are 3x 5" (individuallyswitchable on-off) floodlights (zenon sealed beams) at 3 amps per, heater fan at 5 amps, aux water pump at 5 amps, Dome flasher and clearance lights..(total 3 amps intermittent)=19 plus...I have a battery already. I like LED lamps too, but they are NOT CHEAP in appropriate exterior mounts. The teeny tiny dynamo cant hack that load, but an isolated auxillary Battery can, easily. I already own a dual bank charger (Pro Sport) which will be used every night to keep the batteries freshened. All this gets connected with just one plug to my 110 VAC supply.. Fast, easy, effective, reliable, simple, economical.

The tractor has a coolant heater in the rad circuit now..It gets plugged in on a temp sensor/Timer controller/ snow sensor device from BRITECH...no energy losses if it isn't cold, or snowing. In winter my tractor is only used for snow blowing, usually only in daylight..but my policy favors overkill. Being prepared gives peace of mind..and independence from unreliable gear/ helpers/contractors.

Hard to farm work out successfully these days.I notice. Even harder to source necessary gear at reasonable prices here in the boonies.

One of the killer loads on the "house" battery in the tractor are the glow plugs..So; No..I don't think that the little 8.5 Amp (peak) dynamo is up to the job, even with LED lights.

It is a Kubota B7100D design issue IMO....the dynamo is a barely adequate system, but apparently pretty durable if not overloaded. It will crap out someday and then the battery and charger system will become the go-to alternative in my case. A 100 watt dynamo is a joke.

My fabricator for the cab has solved the fuel access issue, I think. The hood of the tractor is on a custom-made double-link hinge installed at the usual front anchor points of the hood, so that one simply pulls ithe hood up and forward from the front end and the rear edge of the hood then slides out from under the cab seal far enough to permit access to the fuel tank, or permit it to tip it up out of the way for access to the entire engine compartment.

My fabricator has a 10x10" heater core with a fan in a case for 50 bucks (new) in stock. That's the one I think will be used. It comes from Princess Auto, just down the road.

Oh yeah.. the blower training gear is a small 12V motor that winds the cable to turn the chut, and an 8" linear actuator that tips the chute deflector. All harnessed back to the cab headliner switches.

Another sorta crazy idea is to convert a car back-up camera for rear-view of the blower operations, so no more craned, cricked, stiff neck looking backwards...haven't looked into that yet..just thought of it now.

Stay tuned, friends.. you never know what may be next

 

[PILOON]

Another sorta crazy idea is to convert a car back-up camera for rear-view of the blower operations, so no more craned, cricked, stiff neck looking backwards...haven't looked into that yet..just thought of it now.

Not crazy at all, and I just finished doing that installation on my tractor.
Idea is not mine, copied from another TBN'r.
My install cost me all of $55.00 delivered to my door all the way from China. Ordered the larger display (5 x 7). Install was easy and so far pleased but winter will tell how good it will be. Display specs are the area of concern as they show low end to be 0 deg. Maybe I,m OK as my cab is heated. Time will tell.

 

[jix]

Well, Piloon...Glad you did it. I am gonna do it too.