Buying Advice PTO Driven Generator

[Soundguy]

already been covered many times over.

rarely do you need 24/7 power.. thus driving your tractor away for a few hours to rake up debri should be no big deal. if you are in an outtage and parcticing good emergency procedure anyway, then you know hot to open the reefers too much.. etc. running the electric for an hour every 4 hours should be enough to keep the average freezer froze.

soundguy

 

[RPW]

Definitely been covered many times...and.... here's my take. Each pesonal situation will necessitate there own reasoning for which method to use and there isn't a right way or wrong way. I've got three generators. One in the garage that at some point wil be used for occasional use of tools away from the mains (3kw), one for the horse trailer/camping (4kw) and the last is my bobcat 225 welder/generator (8.5kw) that obviously is used regularly for welding and if necassary to run the house. This leaves my tractor free for other things, don't have to worry about having the wife hook up a PTO genny (even if she new how) and like others have said it's just easier to plug the house into the bobcat. But like I said in the beginning each situation is different.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I think soundguy has summed it up perfectly. But to do the math. Say you have a 10 day outage, and run your tractor 24/7. That's 240 hours. I put 700 hours on my big tractor last year, and I'm guessing for most on this site that's a lot. If you are only running your tractor a 100 hours a year, that extra time might actually be good for it... by all accounts diesels like to run.

More of a concern is the pto generators no liking to be out in the weather. Umm... given that the tractor isn't coming indoors, and would be parked next to the houst to be of use, one kind of needs a weatherproof solution (leaving aside that bad weather is probably when you need it.

Whats the solution? A tarp? Seems kind of mickey mouse for an obvious problem...

 

[tsteahr]

I think soundguy has summed it up perfectly. But to do the math. Say you have a 10 day outage, and run your tractor 24/7. That's 240 hours. I put 700 hours on my big tractor last year, and I'm guessing for most on this site that's a lot. If you are only running your tractor a 100 hours a year, that extra time might actually be good for it... by all accounts diesels like to run.

More of a concern is the pto generators no liking to be out in the weather. Umm... given that the tractor isn't coming indoors, and would be parked next to the houst to be of use, one kind of needs a weatherproof solution (leaving aside that bad weather is probably when you need it.

Whats the solution? A tarp? Seems kind of mickey mouse for an obvious problem...

I don't understand why keeping a PTO generator out of the weather is any different then keeping a portable generator put of the weather. I would not want to have a gas powered portable out in the pouring rain either.

I have a garage, so I just back the generator into the garage and lower the garage door so it is just above the 3ph top link. Keeps the generator inside out of the weather and the diesel exhaust outside. When it is time to refill the fuel tank I just raise the garage door and back into the garage. No I refill the tractor in the dry.

Seems like it would be more effort to come up with a enclosure for a portable that is ventilated, keeps the weather off and allows access for elctrical connections/monitoring and refueling.

 

[Soundguy]

24/7

why?

If I was in a critical situation and needed full 24/7/365 power.. I'd get a standby genny.

the average homeowner don't need 24/7 power.

soundguy

I think soundguy has summed it up perfectly. But to do the math. Say you have a 10 day outage, and run your tractor 24/7. That's 240 hours. I put 700 hours on my big tractor last year, and I'm guessing for most on this site that's a lot. If you are only running your tractor a 100 hours a year, that extra time might actually be good for it... by all accounts diesels like to run.

More of a concern is the pto generators no liking to be out in the weather. Umm... given that the tractor isn't coming indoors, and would be parked next to the houst to be of use, one kind of needs a weatherproof solution (leaving aside that bad weather is probably when you need it.

Whats the solution? A tarp? Seems kind of mickey mouse for an obvious problem...

 

[brin]

24/7

why?

If I was in a critical situation and needed full 24/7/365 power.. I'd get a standby genny.

the average homeowner don't need 24/7 power.

soundguy

Soundguy, of course you are right...Everyone should think about it ....even when you have power you are not using it all the time..you might have a light or two on or a tv or two and your frig and freezer & maybe some heat or air..but as Soundguy suggests you don't need the power to run continuously to keep food cool or frozen or keep the heat or cool in your house. Just run the genny as you need it...you have to ration power in an emergency just like you would food or water..no matter what fuel you use for a genny...diesel from your tractor, gas or propane...you have no way of knowing in a true emergency how long the outage will last or if you will be able to get more fuel....really give this some thought.

 

[slaveToHorses]

already been covered many times over.
rarely do you need 24/7 power.. thus driving your tractor away for a few hours to rake up debri should be no big deal.
soundguy

Agreed. But you guys are totally missing the boat (tractor?).
Yesiree, boy howdy.

The correct answer is to use this as an opportunity to own another tractor!
Now I know soundguy is all over this one

My JD 2355 is basically used as a portable engine (60hp). I mainly use it to run a big-*** chipper. Sometimes it does duty running water pumps or generators.
My neighbor mainly uses his 2755 for field work, until late summer, when it sits and runs an irrigation pump for weeks at a time.

My 3720 could run the same equipment, but too often has the backhoe on, so the answer was clear; I needed another tractor!

Plus, like soundguy, I have a diesel station on property so that favors it as a fuel source.

I still do have a portable gas generator as well. But I don't have much gas around the farm anymore. My car and truck are both diesel. I only use gas for the mower and a dozen or so small gas engines. Those small gas engines are a real pain. I always have to keep them drained and run them dry or I end up with carb problems and they don't want to start. I don't store the gas too long and use stabilizers. Helps a little but not much. Especially with that ethanol crap in the gas during the winter.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. the number of engines requiring gas around my place is dropping like flies. pretty much the wifes truck.. my old farm truck, and some lawn equipment... if I ever find a cheap scut diesel tractor with a belly mower.. the old murray rider mower better start worrying

soundguy

 

[montelatici]

I don't understand why keeping a PTO generator out of the weather is any different then keeping a portable generator put of the weather. I would not want to have a gas powered portable out in the pouring rain either.

Some people have covered porches that you can't drive a tractor into. I keep my Generac 7.5 KVA generator in the porch.

 

[bdw593]

Not sure if you have a Rural King store in your area but mine has that same generator for $999.99.

Chris

I checked on the 25kw from rural king but what worries me is there is only a 90 day warranty

Some of the other ones ive seen have 24-36mo warrantys and made in the usa:thumbsup: though they cost more mayb worth it?.

hard to drop a g on a chinese job with no warranty.