PTO generator who has one??

[16valex]

I've been looking for a generator that would be driven off of my BX23 PTO. So far all the one I've seen are over $1200. I can't justify for this kind of money when 364 days of the year this thing will just sitting there and collecting dirt. Where do I go to get a used one?

There are a bunch of used gas generators forsale for $300-$500. But I don't want another engine sitting around and gum up the carburetor.

What would you do? A PTO generator or a used gas one? Again, I only need this in case of emergency lost of power....

 

[_RaT_]

You can always get a larger generator then your tractor could possibly run. You just can't load it as much. If you look at Noerthern tool, they have a 7800 watt pto generator for $799. On the flip side, I much prefer my portable Honda. Never have gumming up because I always run it dry and also run stabilizer in the large fuel tank.

 

[Zinno87]

I always used to run my machines dry too, but I've recently had two issues with dry seals and diaphragms. I wonder if running them dry could have caused that?

 

[_RaT_]

I always used to run my machines dry too, but I've recently had two issues with dry seals and diaphragms. I wonder if running them dry could have caused that?

Don't have a problem with either on my 1986 Honda 3500 watt generator. I don't think it has a diaphragm.

 

[Shimon]

I use a 13kW PTO generator I got from Northerntools which has served me well. Click here for some photos. It's mounted in my shop and I just back up to the shop and put the shaft through a small, removable panel. It can pretty much run the whole house. Have used it for 3 seasons now about 6-12 times a year...we loose power a lot. I got it because it was cheaper, easier, less stuff to maintain and I can give the tractor a little more exercise during the winter months. The generator itself is not top-shelf but it was cheap. It's got a simple voltage regulator (capacitor) as opposed to an electronic regulator but it hold frequency pretty good. I just check the frequency once in a while and sometimes need to bring it up or down a couple of Hz. The governor on the L3400 actually does a pretty good job keeping up with the generator loads.

 

[Jw5875]

If you spend the $1200.00 for a PTO unit, you never have to worry about the carb / fuel gumming issue, and it will run if your tractor does!!

Generator purchases have a lot of thought needed, frequency when needed. power out put (Watts) and portablity.

Generator's are like a Tow Truck -- WHEN YOU NEED ONE, YOU NEED ONE.

Survival thoughts (Me):

When I need it to work -- New is best! The yard sale never gave a Guarantee!

Recently purchased a Guardian home stand-by unit (Propane fuel) works great.


JW 5875

 

[Harry c]

My Miller gas powered welder is my back up generator. I weld just often enough to keep reasonably fresh gasoline in it. The last power outage, my son pointed out that we were eating a hot dinner and watching a DVD on the big screen in a nice warm house while most of our neighbors were sitting in the dark.

These welders run forever and can be found used at a pretty reasonable price if you keep your eyes open.

Since everyone needs a good welder anyway...

 

[GordNovo]

I use a 13kW PTO generator I got from Northerntools which has served me well. Click here for some photos. It's mounted in my shop and I just back up to the shop and put the shaft through a small, removable panel. It can pretty much run the whole house. Have used it for 3 seasons now about 6-12 times a year...we loose power a lot. I got it because it was cheaper, easier, less stuff to maintain and I can give the tractor a little more exercise during the winter months. The generator itself is not top-shelf but it was cheap. It's got a simple voltage regulator (capacitor) as opposed to an electronic regulator but it hold frequency pretty good. I just check the frequency once in a while and sometimes need to bring it up or down a couple of Hz. The governor on the L3400 actually does a pretty good job keeping up with the generator loads.

Say, I like that setup!! You got that baby hooked up to some kinda fancy transfer switch? Is it backfeeding into your mains?

GN

 

[16valex]

Thanks folks,

I'm leaning toward the PTO generator idea because. 1) love the Kubota diesel 2) less engine to take care.

Now, as I've been looking at Northern Tool PTO generators, there are two sizes a 13KW and a 7.2KW, the 13KW requires 24hp and the 7.2KW requires 13hp and as you all know I own a BX23. Which of the two should I get and what is the pros and cons? And first of all can my BX23 handle the 13KW?

 

[_RaT_]

Thanks folks,

I'm leaning toward the PTO generator idea because. 1) love the Kubota diesel 2) less engine to take care.

Now, as I've been looking at Northern Tool PTO generators, there are two sizes a 13KW and a 7.2KW, the 13KW requires 24hp and the 7.2KW requires 13hp and as you all know I own a BX23. Which of the two should I get and what is the pros and cons? And first of all can my BX23 handle the 13KW?

Your BX will turn it but probably not at full load. The solution to that is don't load to the point that the BX cannot handle it. As soon as the voltage starts dropping off dramatically and the BX loads up, you will know you have reached that point. With the 7.8kW you would probably trip the main breaker before you overload the BX.
Even though they want 24 PTO HP (or more) you can see from other non PTO driven 13KW generators that they get by on 20HP (gas). The main reason for this is the power loss in the gear drive to get the RPM up from the 540 on the tractor PTO as well as minor losses in the drive line.

 

[Grrrr]

Our neighbours have a PTO Generator for power backup for the farm.

They need electricity all the time to run the farm, chicken house heaters and milking parlour.

But the problem with using it as a standby power source was that you have to have a noisy tractor spinning it at high revs all the time you want power. If it is just for a few hours it is fine, but, if like them you needed it going 24/7, the noise got old quickly.

But, if you can live with the noise, the are good. We dread having to try to sleep with a 60HP tractor thrumming away all night 40' away from us

 

[noe]

I have the 13kw from NT, very good unit. run it with a bx2200, the best tool in my garage,
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78855&d=1181646831

 

[_RaT_]

Seems the Eastern part of the US has more problems with electrical outages. I think ours has been out once and that was from a car taking out a power pole. We so rarely loose power that a generator is unncessary for most of us.

 

[atgreene]

I have a 16 k pto generator to run my garage and house. My Kubota 4150 runs it with no problem and we run A/C's during the summer months or circulator pumps for heat as well as lights in the winter months. I shut off the main and back feed through the welder cord in the barn.

I do have to pay attention to what we load when it's going. It will run a 1600 watt toaster oven, washer, water pump, lights, gas dryer and microwave, all at once, ask my wife .

About 3 times per year I'll loose power for long term and have to run it for 8-24 hours. The tractor is out by the barn, so noise is not much of an issue. I figure between 1/4-1/2 gallon per hour to run it depending upon load.

A couple advantages:
I almost always have a tractor handy to run it
Any tractor can run it
It runs efficently
It is larger than most gas models

Disadvantages:
Ties up the tractor during bad weather (use my excavator to clean-up if needed)
The tractor has to be unhitched from any implement it is connected to (always in bad weather, btw)
My wife cannot hook it up herself

At some point, I plan to find another tractor or carcas that I can leave attached to it and perhaps go to the 25 k model. All I need is the engine and pto, so any "junk" tractor would be fine.

 

[Bill Barrett]

Great post, I'm going to go this route.
Shimon, what kind of instrument/meter is that you have on your system? Very nice!

 

[16valex]

"""I just check the frequency once in a while and sometimes need to bring it up or down a couple of Hz. """"

Hey Shimon, that is a nice setup you've got there. How do adjust the frequency? Do you mean by adjusting the RPM of the engine the frequency changes? All this is new to me so I need to learn as much as I can.

 

[hench861]

yes new york has a lot of outages,bought and installed 10kw nat gas standby

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto what RAT said. the northern 7800w genny will probbaly be as much as a bx wants, and to still have a hp reserve.

I have a northern 12.5kw genny.. it works good.

Soundguy

 

[billbill1]

I have a Coleman gas powered 8hp. It's very noisy and uses lots of fuel. Probably a gallon per hour and the tank is 1-1/2 gallon. It work in a pinch and keeps us in lights and heat. I would prefer a pto unit, it would save on fuel, my tractor uses about 3 quarts of diesel at pto rpm [er hour. The tractor alway starts (so far) and a small gas engine that has sat for long can give up trouble starting. My 2 cents.

 

[atgreene]

I spoke too soon . Lost power last night about 7 pm, ran the old girl till 5 am.

Maybe someone can guide me here, under certain circumstances, the pto gen won't power the well pump (3/4 hp). Last night we lost water, went down and lifted the lever to bring the pressure up and it kept cutting out (internal circuit breaker?).

Went out and checked the gen, meter was reading 230 v or so, so I idled back a hair and it seemed to be fine. Not sure if an a/c was running and caused the pump to kick out or my adjustment fixed it. I know that hz? must be off slightly, as my UPS for the 'puter won't work when powered by the gen, it detects a voltage/hz problem so we don't use it while on gen. All the other electronics are fine, and my outlets read 110-120 depending on load. How do I check hz and where do I get a meter if that's what I need?