Generator Attachment for PT-1430

[joshlee]

With my 422 hooked up to my log splitter run through the pt hydraulic system, the cooling fan will kick on in less than an hour. I run the pt at less than half throttle when using it.

How does the log splitter work out for you, being hooked up to the PT? Is it a horizontal or vertical? How well it works letting go of the wood and walking around to actuate the directional control valve lever for splitting the wood, is what I'm curious about?

 

[ernemats]

I use a horizontal log splitter that I bought several years ago without a motor.. I removed the hydraulic tank from the splitter and just use the hydraulics of the power trac. I have not found a log that it will not split, hickory, elm ,locust , maple , ash, oak, etc. I just put the log on the splitter pull the lever and when it reaches the end of the stroke the lever trips and then you just push the lever back , remove the log if it hasn't fallen off and put another log on. The stroke of the hydraulic cylinder is about 4 inches short of the wedge so sometimes you have to finish the last several inches by hand or backing the cylinder up and inserting a piece of 4 x 4 to push the log the full length . I had posted some pictures of it several years ago.

 

[joshlee]

That sounds like a awesome attachment. I always been a big fan of log splitters and with these PTs being as versatile as they are, allows us to use fluid power to use all kinds of working equipment with them. If most people only knew how many things you can do with these PTs compared to the common garden tractor, there would probably be allot more of them around. The FEL, OA, and hydraulic PTO all being one unit is what sets these machines apart from others. As busy as they have been down at Tazewell (as of last year) it sounds like more people are finding out about them?I guess?

I use a horizontal log splitter that I bought several years ago without a motor.. I removed the hydraulic tank from the splitter and just use the hydraulics of the power trac. I have not found a log that it will not split, hickory, elm ,locust , maple , ash, oak, etc. I just put the log on the splitter pull the lever and when it reaches the end of the stroke the lever trips and then you just push the lever back , remove the log if it hasn't fallen off and put another log on. The stroke of the hydraulic cylinder is about 4 inches short of the wedge so sometimes you have to finish the last several inches by hand or backing the cylinder up and inserting a piece of 4 x 4 to push the log the full length . I had posted some pictures of it several years ago.

 

[SpringHollow]

I have a used log splitter that is meant to be run off of tractor hydraulics but I have never thought it made sense to use a tractor to run a log splitter. The one big plus is one less engine to maintain but it is now more wear and tear on a larger motor/tractor and you do not have the tractor available to do other things without first disconnecting. I converted my old gas log splitter to be an electric log splitter with a larger pump. It takes about 10 minutes to convert it back to gas but it would be rare that I would want to do so (has not happened in 5 years or more). I park the splitter next to the wood storage which is alongside the wood boiler. The PT with the swinging minihoe brings the logs to the splitter and holds them up while I chunk them. Then I split the pile, tossing the wood to where it will be stacked. The splitter gets surrounded on one side by the pile of chunks and the stacked wood is on the other side. I would need more room than I have to do the same thing with a tractor powered splitter unless I had really long hydraulic hoses hooked up. I would be more tempted to use the PT if i was using a gas engine on my splitter.

Ken

 

[MossRoad]

We've got a gas splitter. Its 30 years old, and was given to us by my in-laws. It heated their house for about 24 years and ours for 6. On the rare occasion that I get large rounds to split, I sure do like having the PT425 with forks to set the monsters on the splitter for me.

As for a generator, pretty much the only time we are without power for extended periods of time, its due to storm damage, in the form of branches and trees down do to wind or snow. I'd like to keep the tractor available for cleanup and the generator running on its own.

Other than those two things, splitter and generator, I'm all for getting rid of as many engines to maintain as possible. :thumbsup:

 

[ernemats]

If I wanted to lengthen the hydraulic hoses from my pt to the log splitter could I just use quick attach fittings on the hoses to connect them or would that reduce the flow too much to make it work. Sometimes a longer hose would be nice but most of the time I would not want it longer

 

[SpringHollow]

Longer length and ,more connections cause additional heat but I would not hesitate to extend it you used proper sized hoses and connectors.

Ken

 

[KentT]

Interesting that you're running a 12KW with a 1430. I have a 12.5KW PowerMate that has a 23hp Subaru Robin on it -- essentially the same engine used in the 422s and 425s -- directly connected. It works that 23hp at full load, so with the loss in converting engine hp to hydraulic PTO, and the inefficiencies of hydraulics, you'll be loading the 1430 pretty well putting out the 12kw. I don't think you could have safely gone much bigger. You will be gaining some fuel efficiency most likely -- mine runs about a gallon of gas per hour, on average. At full load, it's burning closer to 1.5 gallons per hour. But with an all-electric home (two heat-pumps) and a 220v well pump, I wanted to make sure I had enough power to start that pump should something else be drawing heavily at the time. I can manually control most things to balance the load, but the well pump is a tad more unpredictable about when it wants to kick on.

 

[BobRip]

I let my well pump run till it cuts off and then trip the breaker. I also upsized the tank. I think it's about 40 gallons.

 

[KentT]

I let my well pump run till it cuts off and then trip the breaker. I also upsized the tank. I think it's about 40 gallons.

I think mine is a 30 gallon air-bladder tank. I can shut off the pump, but I quickly lose water pressure and volume. In addition to the safety interlocks on the panel, I had the electrician also install two meters (one on each hot leg) so I can monitor the loads and see how much I can run at any given time...