PTO Gen for bx2670... Does this work?

[crazyal]

Are you actually putting hyd 'work' hours on you system, with it running a stationary pto load?

Free? Hardly. The dini oil I run in mine costs more that your synthetic.

If I run off my 7610s, that's 3 5g pails of oil , plus a filter, not counting air, eng oil filter, and 3g engine oil.

Running a tractor is an expense. Don't want the expense? Time to sell the tractor

Back to the hyd oil wearing out when parked.

I dont count stationary hours as straight hours on the Hyds. Even on a hst, they should only be just circulating.

Sure my tractor can power a PTO generator but before I go that direction I weigh the total cost. Your tractor, just like mine, will wear out, it's just a matter of when. What that means is sooner or later you will have to do a costly rebuild or replacement. Sure you could try to estimate how many hours you worked the transmission hard and how many were idling but since I don't know how the mfg, in this case Kubota, determined the longevity of the oil? Did they assume that every hour would be working the HST hard or did they assume that a percentage of the time was going to be using the just the PTO? I'm not sure so I'll stay on the recommended schedule. I'm not saying I wouldn't use a PTO generator but before I would invest in one I would do the math for my situation.

I would also look the fact that my cheap little Generac with a Honda on it has ran without fault for 20 years. At my age I may only have 25 more years before I'm not going to be living here and dealing with power outage problems. That means I would like to get 25 more years out of my tractor so being selective as to what I use it for makes sense. A portable generator for my needs, as long as it's not a low quality one, should outlive me. But noise is also a factor and has value. Small gas engines tend to make a lot. If you want to move up to a nice quiet Honda generator you will pay a lot more. In fact I have seen stand alone Kubota powered diesel generator for not much more than a high end Honda.

Just like when I decided I wanted hst over gear. It's not a fear of wearing something out. It's balancing all my needs/ tasks vs cost of the equipment I want and the cost of servicing/ consumables vs longevity.

Of course then there's the used market. I have seen a few nice PTO generators on Craig's list, a little too far away to make it worthwhile so far. But unlike a gas powered one I would feel very confident buying a used good brand PTO generator. Like has been said the bearings are about the only thing that could go and they aren't hard to change or expensive.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

In short, this is the way I look at it, tractors are made for diggin in the dirt and generators are made to generate electricity so each does what it's designed to do best. I wouldn't try to dig dirt or mow grass with my generator although with a long enough extension cord I suppose I could try. Nuff said.

Actually, unless you buy a dedicated TLB, tractors really aren't made for digging and never were...

In fact, digging with a loader is quite hard on the rather "lightly" made front end of a tractor, especially these tinker toy tractors...

Tractors were made to "power things", starting out with a belt pulley, THEN evolving to pto's to power "things"!

They also were made for "pulling" things with their drawbar.

Some tractor mfg sold gen sets for the tractors they also mfg'd...

NOW, that THAT is "straightened out", we are closer to having...........Nuff said! lol

SR

 

[buickanddeere]

Good thing there are not Republican and Democrat generators.

 

[the old grind]

What Rob said. (all of it) :thumbsup:

What Soundguy said. (all of it) :thumbsup:

The original plan? :thumbsup: (Simplicity, versatility, portability ... wise use ...)

(IMO, a KISS opportunity ...)

 

[PHILIP8N]

Actually, unless you buy a dedicated TLB, tractors really aren't made for digging and never were...

In fact, digging with a loader is quite hard on the rather "lightly" made front end of a tractor, especially these tinker toy tractors...

Tractors were made to "power things", starting out with a belt pulley, THEN evolving to pto's to power "things"!

They also were made for "pulling" things with their drawbar.

Some tractor mfg sold gen sets for the tractors they also mfg'd...

NOW, that THAT is "straightened out", we are closer to having...........Nuff said! lol

SR

Did someone say belt driven?

 

[chaser413]

Lots of wise and experienced prepers here! In a outage I use my deep cycle boat battery with a 400/800 watt inverter to run my dsl modem/ router a light when needed and to charge the iPad or laptop. It has not gone dead in a 48 hr outage. I have a 20+ year old Honda EMS4000 watt generator that does run my 3/4 hp well pump. I have never had to use it! I also have a 7000 watt Miller welder generator, haven't need that either. So I guess I'm all set because I practice what you all have been preaching. 3 50 gal. Barrels of water give me a piece of mind also.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Did someone say belt driven?

I have the "factory buck saw" that was made for THAT tractor...

I haven't used it in years...

SR

 

[PHILIP8N]

I have the "factory buck saw" that was made for THAT tractor...

I haven't used it in years...

SR

That is a Dearborn cordwood saw, so it is period and correct saw for my 8N. The only part I could not restore was the paper pulley on the saw, it is steel now. Philip.

 

[gogojuice]

After this discussion.. I think I have my setup at the moment.

I would like to go with the winco 10KW PTO.
It matches my tractor's PTO HP, my electrical power needs, and is about what I can afford.

I am also going to try to go the interlock way if the electrician says that I can do this up here in CANADA

I do still have a couple of little areas to clean up.
1. PTO shaft. Can I find a used one or am I better not skimping on this?
2. Electrical cord (the big kind for whole house... I have only seen them rated to 7.5KW... Is this true? or where should I be looking?

Also.. might seem kind of dumb.. but if the power is out and I can't see my neighbours.. when will I know it is on? Is there a way to somehow put a switch in before the panel or something?

Thanks again to everyone who participated.

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

After this discussion.. I think I have my setup at the moment.
...
Also.. might seem kind of dumb.. but if the power is out and I can't see my neighbours.. when will I know it is on? Is there a way to somehow put a switch in before the panel or something?
...

Not dumb at all. I'm the designated "power's on" caller in my neighborhood. I have 400Amp service - so two main panels. My Honda inverter generator is rigged to only feed one of them. The other - with the heat pump and air handler, range, and other big stuff on it - stays connected to the mains so I can see when the power comes on. The 'stat lights up and the range clock blinks.

Been "blue-skying" with the neighbors and we've never figured out a way for them to know when it's back on. Not a safe and legal (code) way.

Love to find an answer for this.

Z.

 

[gogojuice]

I also just found out that it appears that interlock is not CSA approved.. and can 't be installed by a licensed electrician in CANADA

Back to the drawing board on the one.

 

[wrooster]

I also just found out that it appears that interlock is not CSA approved.. and can 't be installed by a licensed electrician in CANADA

Back to the drawing board on the one.

That's surprising but regulations/people vary.

Nevertheless you can simply fall back to using a ~10 position external transfer switch; while a bit less practical than an interlock, in real world usage with reasonably sized transportable generators the difference is minimal.

wrooster

 

[gogojuice]

Ya.. it sucks.. The interlock seems so practical. It allows me to use my WHOLE panel. How much better can it get.
Now it looks like I will only have a "few" breakers and cost a WHOLE lot more lol

 

[dickfoster]

Did someone say belt driven?

My grand dad had something like that but the PTO was on the side so the saw was up front, the tractor had steel wheels and the drive belt was made of leather. The tractor never moved and was only used to cut firewood. He used horses for plowing and such.

 

[buickanddeere]

Ya.. it sucks.. The interlock seems so practical. It allows me to use my WHOLE panel. How much better can it get.
Now it looks like I will only have a "few" breakers and cost a WHOLE lot more lol

Use a Generlink transfer switch in the meter base.

 

[wrooster]

Use a Generlink transfer switch in the meter base.

It's a thought -- but if OP's Canadian AHJ isn't going to approve an interlock I highly doubt they will go for a Generlink.

wrooster

 

[ehenry]

Been following this thread and have to comment..... Sixteen years ago I paid $100 for a used 8kw Generac NG/Propane standby genset. It has a Briggs and Stratton vertical shaft V-twin engine. Had to buy new the Generac transfer switch for it which cost $250 so it would work like it should. Keep in mind this unit was used...no clue how many hours were on it when I bought it and it is still going strong. When Katrina came through it ran basically nonstop for a little over month and I'm 190 miles from the gulf coast. I would shut it down every morning to check the oil and fire it right back up. I slept cool, lost no food, was able to make ice for others, let family and friends come shower be cool as well.

We had severe storms just last night. Power went out a little after 5 p.m. and to my knowledge still hasn't been restored and old generac 8k was out there genning when I went home for lunch to check it......Will I do another standby genset if I were to build another house or move to another house?? YOU DURN TOOTIN I WOULD!!!! Only it will be a whole house unit with transfer switch and it'll worth every penny no matter how much or how little its needed.

In 16 years it has only needed two cranking batteries, one starter drive, three sets of spark plugs and yearly oil changes.

NG/Propane burn ultra clean. I could probably get away changing the oil every two years.

Just my 2 cents worth

 

[k0ua]

Been following this thread and have to comment..... Sixteen years ago I paid $100 for a used 8kw Generac NG/Propane standby genset. It has a Briggs and Stratton vertical shaft V-twin engine. Had to buy new the Generac transfer switch for it which cost $250 so it would work like it should. Keep in mind this unit was used...no clue how many hours were on it when I bought it and it is still going strong. When Katrina came through it ran basically nonstop for a little over month and I'm 190 miles from the gulf coast. I would shut it down every morning to check the oil and fire it right back up. I slept cool, lost no food, was able to make ice for others, let family and friends come shower be cool as well.

We had severe storms just last night. Power went out a little after 5 p.m. and to my knowledge still hasn't been restored and old generac 8k was out there genning when I went home for lunch to check it......Will I do another standby genset if I were to build another house or move to another house?? YOU DURN TOOTIN I WOULD!!!! Only it will be a whole house unit with transfer switch and it'll worth every penny no matter how much or how little its needed.

Two cranking batteries, one starter drive, three sets of spark plugs and yearly oil changes. NG/Propane burn ultra clean. I could probably get away changing the oil every two years.

Just my 2 cents worth

It is hard to argue with a track record like that.:thumbsup:

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Have Generac 20KW air cooled with 30 second delay to prevent false transfers from wind storms, $4199 delivered, 400 gallon propane tank, average 40 hours of standby a year burning 1 to 2 GPH , takes 2 years to get down over 100 gallons to receive the price break. Change oil every year or so.

Power crews 1 1/2 hours away, being only place on hill that is lit up is priceless and worth it. Have food allergies and sensitivities which makes self reliance a requirement as aid organizations are not prepared for. Waiting for the big Pacific subduction zone earthquake while neighbors are in la la land.

All radios floated off 2 160AH cell site batteries.

David

 

[k0ua]

Have Generac 20KW air cooled with 30 second delay to prevent false transfers from wind storms, $4199 delivered, 400 gallon propane tank, average 40 hours of standby a year burning 1 to 2 GPH , takes 2 years to get down over 100 gallons to receive the price break. Change oil every year or so.

Power crews 1 1/2 hours away, being only place on hill that is lit up is priceless and worth it. Have food allergies and sensitivities which makes self reliance a requirement as aid organizations are not prepared for. Waiting for the big Pacific subduction zone earthquake while neighbors are in la la land.

All radios floated off 2 160AH cell site batteries.

David

Do you have any solar for keeping the radios on line? The reason I ask is that I have considered it but from what I can read all of the charge controllers are extremely filthy RFI wise. Do you have any experience with this? I thought about just building a Linear controller myself, Just a reference voltage and some big pass transistor. But that would not be very efficient, even if it was clean, and would not really float the batteries when fully charged.