L39 (or similar) Fuel Consumption

avc8130 · Oct 31, 2011

Facing my 2nd week-long power outage this year, I am looking at getting a PTO Genset for my L39. My main concern is how many GPH (gallons per hour) the machine will burn at 2550rpm to run the pto at 540rpm. Does anyone know where to find this information? Anyone know from experience?
ac

JOHNINMA · Oct 31, 2011

I think I would buy a nice gas generator with low idle, low oil protection, large fuel tank for extended run time etc. and save the wear and tear on the tractor and all the filters/fluids that have to be changed after X number of hours of run time. I do not have a pto generator, but I do have other pto powered implements for my L3540 and it really seems to go thru diesel when powering them. You may also want to be able to use your tractor at any given time and not have it tied up running a generator. Thats just my opinion because I to considered one time buying a pto generator, but for me there would be to many drawbacks. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

avc8130 · Oct 31, 2011

JOHNINMA said:
I think I would buy a nice gas generator with low idle, low oil protection, large fuel tank for extended run time etc. and save the wear and tear on the tractor and all the filters/fluids that have to be changed after X number of hours of run time. I do not have a pto generator, but I do have other pto powered implements for my L3540 and it really seems to go thru diesel when powering them. You may also want to be able to use your tractor at any given time and not have it tied up running a generator. Thats just my opinion because I to considered one time buying a pto generator, but for me there would be to many drawbacks. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.

I hear ya. I have been mulling that over. I think I am ok with the hours on the machine. I don't hit 100 annually, so I will wind up changing fluids on calendar time rather than machine time mostly anyways. We don't NEED constant power at my house. Wood stove heats the house well enough and provides us cooking. I need a genset to run the fridges every few hours and run the well pump/furnace for some hot water. Disconnecting the PTO genset to use the tractor for an hour to clear snow/debris wouldn't be the end of the world.

It boils down to one less little motor to deal with (ethanol-10 is all that's available around here). No fuel worries, not another oil/filter to change. ETC.

However, if the tractor is going to chum through fuel that might become quite costly.

Plus, with the 30hp PTO of the tractor I can get a 15kW set. To get that with a standalone gas jobber would be quite a bit more costly.

ac

Singlemalt · Oct 31, 2011

Just sold my L 3710 a few month back. Fuel tank was approx. 9 gal and I would run approx 12 engine hours.

I've lived off grid for six plus years and use a 5000 watt Honda gas gen that supplies all I require and charges my battery bank.

I would agree with Johninma.

crazyal · Oct 31, 2011

If I'm working my 4240 hard it uses about 1 1/4 gallon an hour, if not loading it as much then it uses less. I use a 8hp gas gen when I loose power but have thought about getting a larger gen for backup power when needed. I've seen 10k diesel gens selling for about $5k so a pto or gas powered gen would be quite a bit cheaper. Using your tractor means you need to balance supplying power and being able to use the tractor to clean up from a storm.

avc8130 · Oct 31, 2011

crazyal said:
If I'm working my 4240 hard it uses about 1 1/4 gallon an hour, if not loading it as much then it uses less. I use a 8hp gas gen when I loose power but have thought about getting a larger gen for backup power when needed. I've seen 10k diesel gens selling for about $5k so a pto or gas powered gen would be quite a bit cheaper. Using your tractor means you need to balance supplying power and being able to use the tractor to clean up from a storm.

Balancing supplying power and cleaning up a storm is easy for me. We don't NEED power 24/7. We have the wood stove to heat the house. The fridge can hold food ok for quite awhile if you just leave the doors closed. The truck plows the driveway. The Kubota is only needed for down trees.

The big thing for me boils down to 2 things really:

1. Fuel consumption. Is the Kubota going to burn me out of off-road diesel? How much does a gas generator burn through hourly?
2. Size. I can run a 15kW set off the Kubota. I probably could barely get a 6kW stand alone for similar price.

Even when power is out, I don't see myself running this for more than 3-5 hours AT MOST daily.

ac

PapaPerk · Oct 31, 2011

Buy a stand alone generator. Your tractor is too expensive and valuable to use up turning a generator.

avc8130 · Oct 31, 2011

PapaPerk said:
Buy a stand alone generator. Your tractor is too expensive and valuable to use up turning a generator.

I hear that...often, but I really don't get it. I bought the tractor to make my life easier around the homestead.

I see guys running finish mowers (could have bought a ride on mower), log splitters (could have bought a log splitter), trash pumps (yeah, they make those gas powered too!), and all sort of other "could have had standalone motor" machines.

For me to get a comparable power output, we are talking $1500 for the Kubota or closer to $5k for a standalone. You better believe a standalone will require maintenance. It will have fancy filters and oil too.

I won't feel any pain putting 20 hours annually on my Kubota to have power when/if I want it.

The big question: will it kill me on diesel consumption?

nybirdman · Oct 31, 2011

The argument about Pto driven and stand alone generators has been beat to death here.My choice was a Pto driven 10k.I know my tractor will start and I have plenty of fuel for it.My L4240 burns 1.25 gal. at PTO speeds.

blueriver · Oct 31, 2011

My thought ... even though I don't have a PTO generator. Do it, I run a PTO irrigation pump on my 43 hp Montana that burns per the spec's 1.4 gallons per hour. I have found that actually its shy of a gallon per hour.

I do change the oil every 100hrs (and filter) These diesel engines perform and perform best at PTO rpm's ... whats it take all of a couple minutes to disconnect from the tractor?

For what its worth ... and sure to get some discussion, when I start irrigating I run on the average 10 hrs a set ... I idle down and refuel, reset the reel and back to the PTO rpm's. And yes the hour meter is running up the hours.