Buying Advice PTO Generator

[daybreak1998]

Howdy,
Some points to remember. I would only choose a pto generator if you have a liquid cooled engine. I would also suggest going to the next highest level pto generator. You never want to run a generator at 100 percent capacity. Besides you will probably have larger and future growth. Most of the people with pto generators are operating behind a diesel tractor. If you have an air cooled tractor, you might as well buy a portable generator.

 

[wrooster]

Below, a Tiger Power 10KW unit, which I bought used off of CL. I don't use it 24x7 when the utility power is off -- generally only intermittently to provide 240Vac for the 220' deep well pump, so we can shower etc. Otherwise, I have a fuel-sipping gasoline powered Honda inverter generator to keep the fridge cold, etc.

The receptacle for the generator feed to the house is located out at my detached workshop. Underground conduit carries the generator feed back to the house. Both generator cords use the same interface to the receptacle; it takes just seconds to swap the standby power sources. The only difference at the transfer switch is that the Honda only produces 120Vac, not 120Vac/240Vac split phase like the PTO generator does.

I eventually built a carriage for the PTO generator, which makes moving it around the workshop a lot easier.

The upsides to this "two generator" approach are reduced noise, reduced tractor run time, reduced fuel consumption, and (to a point) generator redundancy -- including the fact that I can loan out a generator to a family member/work colleague without having an attached tractor. The downsides are two different fuel types, and the need to plan for water usage. For my application, I think the upsides outweigh the downsides.

Wrooster

 

[JB4310]

Below, a Tiger Power 10KW unit, which I bought used off of CL. I don't use it 24x7 when the utility power is off -- generally only intermittently to provide 240Vac for the 220' deep well pump, so we can shower etc. Otherwise, I have a fuel-sipping gasoline powered Honda inverter generator to keep the fridge cold, etc.

The receptacle for the generator feed to the house is located out at my detached workshop. Underground conduit carries the generator feed back to the house. Both generator cords use the same interface to the receptacle; it takes just seconds to swap the standby power sources. The only difference at the transfer switch is that the Honda only produces 120Vac, not 120Vac/240Vac split phase like the PTO generator does.

Looks good, but what happens with the Honda, only half of those circuits work?

JB

 

[wrooster]

Looks good, but what happens with the Honda, only half of those circuits work? JB

If you don't make special provisions in the cordset for the 120Vac only generator, then yes only half the circuits in the transfer switch will be powered with this approach.

Otherwise, you can can wire the 120Vac generator cordset such that L1 and L2 are tied together at the feed end; this way, the 120Vac-only generator provides power to both L1 and L2. Note that this should only be done in the 120Vac generator cordset, and not anywhere else. For example, a switch (or other means) located at the transfer switch is an accident waiting to happen. If it is left in the wrong position when the split-phase generator is attached, there will be an L1 to L2 short.

Wrooster

 

[JB4310]

If you don't make special provisions in the cordset for the 120Vac only generator, then yes only half the circuits in the transfer switch will be powered with this approach.

Otherwise, you can can wire the 120Vac generator cordset such that L1 and L2 are tied together at the feed end; this way, the 120Vac-only generator provides power to both L1 and L2. Note that this should only be done in the 120Vac generator cordset, and not anywhere else. For example, a switch (or other means) located at the transfer switch is an accident waiting to happen. If it is left in the wrong position when the split-phase generator is attached, there will be an L1 to L2 short.

Wrooster

I basically want to do your same approach, using 10kw pto for the heavy demand and portable for the lite loads. I have 3 smaller portables 2-4kw, but none are split phase so I'll need to mod a cord too.

JB