Generator PTO Generator?

[PUSHINDIRT]

Wanted to say thanks for all the great reading over the past few months! I'm not sure how I survived with-out TBN! Quick question??? Does anyone have any experience with a PTO generator? I have a Kubota 2920 with 21 PTO hp. I can get a pto generator for about $1000.00 (7200kw) do you think it is worth the money? Or would I be better off getting an automatic stand-by unit? Pro's and Con's would be appreciated!
I also noticed the rear PTO has 2 speeds 540 and 960. Is there a generator that runs at the higher pto speed?

Thank-you!

 

[JohnDeere4300]

Wanted to say thanks for all the great reading over the past few months! I'm not sure how I survived with-out TBN! Quick question??? Does anyone have any experience with a PTO generator? I have a Kubota 2920 with 21 PTO hp. I can get a pto generator for about $1000.00 (7200kw) do you think it is worth the money? Or would I be better off getting an automatic stand-by unit? Pro's and Con's would be appreciated!
I also noticed the rear PTO has 2 speeds 540 and 960. Is there a generator that runs at the higher pto speed?

Thank-you!

You can go to page 2 and read up on some different opinions.

"Chinese diesel genset or PTO generator"
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I bought a Northstar PTO Generator with 13,000 surge watts and 12,000 running watts, paid over $1,475 and used it for 3 days.

I was supplying power for the house do to an outage, and i didn't like my tractor running all day running up the hours on it, and couldn't use my tractor for other things if i needed to, so i sold it.

I bought two gas generators so my tractor isn't just sitting in one place.

I use the yellow one for the main house and i already had a 5000 watt for the hot water tank if needed.

 

[George2615]

PTO generator is nice but it will tie up your tractor any time you have an outage.
PTO generator is really nice for use out in the field where there is no power.
For the same money you can get a gas powered standby generator that won't tie up your tractor and could be used in the field. I guess it depends on how much you use the tractor.

In my case I needed a new welder and a larger generator so I bought a Miller NT250 welder generator to serve my welding needs, power in the field, and back up power needs.
To me, an automatic generator is costly. I guess an automatic unit would be fine if your away on vacation and your power goes out for a week while your gone. I'd hate to come home to a freezer full of spoiled food.
These are just my views. The choice is yours.

 

[john_bud]

PTO gen is a good deal as they are small and relatively cheap. You don't have to diddle with an extra engine either.

You can use the high speed pto, but run at a lower rpm engine speed. Normally better on fuel if you are only running light loads.

If you get a dedicated system, get one that runs on propane or natural gas (assuming you have one of them to the house). That will give you enough run time during times of trouble. But, you may run out of house heat if you suck all the propane down !!

jb

 

[bncsauve]

My opinion: for what its worth, less engines to maintain - good, less fuels to maintain - good, having power when needed - priceless! I have a pto generator, because I want to move toward only storing diesel. So, that meant a diesel generator or pto. When I looked around, I found that the cheap diesel generators seemed to have brushes while the pto versions were brushless. For my money, brushless is better from a maintenance and power cleanliness perspective. Seemed to answer the question for me.

 

[LBrown59]

]*[/SIZE]You can go to page 2 and read up on some different opinions.

"Chinese diesel genset or PTO generator"
______________________________________________

*
And here's the link
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/138340-chinese-diesel-genset-power-take.html

 

[PUSHINDIRT]

Thanks to all! I should have done a search or just continued to page 2 first! Thanks for the link!

 

[JB4310]

Thanks to all! I should have done a search or just continued to page 2 first! Thanks for the link!

Yeah, I'm kind of generator talked out, as some others probably are as well, this seems to be a popular discussion in the fall. If You have specific questions there are some highly skilled/ experienced people here (not me).

But when it comes down to comparing pto to stand alone, it turns into arguing personal preferences. I would say it's a pretty even split here on the two, people are passionate on both sides of the issue.

I have both a 10 kw pto and 3 stand alones from 2 - 5.5kw.

Here's a link to a thread I started about my purchase of the pto unit, there are other threads with more in depth discussion comparing the two.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/111344-ford-1700-power-take-off.html


What brand of pto for $1,000 and is it new? I've seen them cheaper in the past but that's probably around the going price.

As far as the 2 speed pto, the generator has to be spun at 3600 which equals 540 pto speed, with the higher pto speed you would have to lower engine rpm's to maintain 540 output. lowering engine rpms means less power, thus the fact that only light loads would be able to be maintained, also more difficult for tractor to maintain correct rpms while varying load on genny.

That said, I wish I had 2 speed pto just for those times when you just want to have a few lights on and don't want to leave your tractor at high rpms. It was my first question as a new pto genny owner as well as many others, how can I slow my engine down but still get output on genny.

Good luck, JB.

 

[Soundguy]

For the same money you can get a gas powered standby generator that won't tie up your tractor and .

I havn't found a good source where to buy a gas powered genset that is the same wattage for the same $$ as a pto genset.. kinda seems like a falacy.. since the gen heads will be mor eor less equal price.. and one unit has an engine.. and the other merely has a small gearbox to match rpm's. or were you going for a grape to watermellon comparison of a small gasser vs a larger pto gen?

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I bought a Northstar PTO Generator with 13,000 surge watts and 12,000 running watts, paid over $1,475 and used it for 3 days..

Dang.. I'd say you got ripped in price. I bought mine for 1000$ back in 04.. and they still are only 1400$ now. ( Don't buy the 260$ pto shaft from northere.. hit your local TSC and pay 80$ ). The 7.2kw units are 930$

I was supplying power for the house do to an outage, and i didn't like my tractor running all day running up the hours on it, and couldn't use my tractor for other things if i needed to, so i sold it.

If you absolutely can't live without power 24/7 at your house for whatever reason.. I suggest getting a auto-backup and transfer setup. save the portable and pto gens for situations where you don't need 24/7 power.

As for reliability? I'd trust my tractor 10x over some aluminum block chinese origin lawnmower engine running WOT for when the lights go out.. and I need some electricity...

building up hours on my tractor? that's what their for right? to use? that's why they put tachs on them.. to see those usefull hours roll up.

soundguy