Mowing How much horse power is sufficient for A/C?

[dovetail]

I've noticed most replies are from members in cooler climates, with some very technical answers - I understand it can get hot up north. My mistake for not asking the correct question? Do members in the southern states mowing with a small 33 hp enclosed cab with the A/C running in 100 plus degree summer weather, do you wish you had more horsepower - are you satisfied with your cab A/C output comfort? I've read some are, but we have a lot of hot weather in Texas, sometimes year round. I'm looking at John Deere, and Kubota, because they offer a 60" belly mower, thanks to all the replies.

 

[Tx Jim]

IMHO AC efficiency in hot Texas high humidity weather is more dependent on size of condenser/associated AC components & ""how clean the tractor operator keeps cond/radiator/filters"" than engine HP. I once owned a Kubota M4900 that required very regular cleaning of cond/rad/filters to keep operator comfortable in hot weather. On the other hand my newer M7040 does a much better job of keeping tractor operator comfortable without so much cleaning maintenance. I agree window tinting really helps AC efficiency.

 

[joeu235]

IMHO AC efficiency in hot Texas high humidity weather is more dependent on size of condenser/associated AC components & ""how clean the tractor operator keeps cond/radiator/filters"" than engine HP. I once owned a Kubota M4900 that required very regular cleaning of cond/rad/filters to keep operator comfortable in hot weather. On the other hand my newer M7040 does a much better job of keeping tractor operator comfortable without so much cleaning maintenance. I agree window tinting really helps AC efficiency.

My dad had a Deere 6200 with a cab that he used for cutting and raking hay. The AC filter clogged up so frequently with chaff that it became useless. A cab tractor with no AC when it's 105F is much worse than an open cab tractor. The JD 6200 got traded in on a different tractor.

I agree with you that design is important.

 

[majorwager]

A properly maintained tractor will not injest dust. Nor will it loose power to any noticeable level for thousands of hours of use. I really wonder where people come up with some of this crap.

Agree with this position. Some folks spew "speculation" that is unfounded, and quite honestly harmful to new and impressionable members.

 

[joeu235]

Agree with this position. Some folks spew "speculation" that is unfounded, and quite honestly harmful to new and impressionable members.

Properly maintained is the key. I was running my skid steer hard in sugar sand once. Twice a day I would have to pull the air filter out and bang it on the side to get all the fine dust out of it. If it wasn't set up correctly, I would have killed my machine on that job.

 

[marchanna]

My dad had a Deere 6200 with a cab that he used for cutting and raking hay. The AC filter clogged up so frequently with chaff that it became useless. A cab tractor with no AC when it's 105F is much worse than an open cab tractor. The JD 6200 got traded in on a different tractor.

I agree with you that design is important.

We don't get anywhere near that hot where I live, and in the summer, I drive with the door and window open because of how unbearable the heat can get.

In the dust and chaff, it might be advantageous to keep an air pig with you to blast out the screens and the filters periodically throughout the day. If you wanted to get fancy, you could even plumb it in, so you can just shut off the tractor momentarily and use a button inside the cab.

 

[majorwager]

joeu235,
Yes, well maintained is absolutely critical. Many members here focus their questions toward proper maintenance, so equipment protection may be a given. The condition you described with the sand is somewhat unique, is it not? And not a common experience for you applications? Point is that some members do light or hobby farming with their equipment, fine dust and chaff is not really an everyday exposure? Interested if this premise is accurate.? Although I hay 'bout 105 acres of timothy grass, the conditions are NOT intensely dusty. There is no feasable excuse for contaminated air being introduced into engine combustion chambers. Believe most TBN operations center around the heading of " property maintenance" with a side of firewood collection/processing. Again personal/neighborhood use as opposed to commercial operations.? Not addressing the exception, but rather the rule.

 

[greggyy]

I've noticed most replies are from members in cooler climates, with some very technical answers - I understand it can get hot up north. My mistake for not asking the correct question? Do members in the southern states mowing with a small 33 hp enclosed cab with the A/C running in 100 plus degree summer weather, do you wish you had more horsepower - are you satisfied with your cab A/C output comfort? I've read some are, but we have a lot of hot weather in Texas, sometimes year round. I'm looking at John Deere, and Kubota, because they offer a 60" belly mower, thanks to all the replies.

What are you talking about ?

AC does not vary the power to drive the compressor with the weather or temperature or elevation etc, a little 1.3 petrol engine hardly notices the AC compressor load, a diesel tractor with low gearing and very low gearing would not notice it at all unless already under powered or over worked, buy a decent tractor with decent power and size and a bit left over to use the implements you will use or jobs your doing, forget the AC, if it is installed already, it will be fine and least of your worries