PTO driven generator

[Soundguy]

sound guy, Any problems with this unit or things you don't like about it. They are on sale at NT and I'm looking to buy it.


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Stay Classy

I have -0- complaints with mine.. my stepfather has the 24kw unit too.

i've run my welder, an ag well, and the house off it when needed.. everything from an old ford 8n to an old ford 660 to a diesel ford 5000 to my diesel NH 7610s has ran it.

lights, computers, tv, hot water heater.. well pump.. etc... no issues

soundguy

 

[bubbacuse77]

thanks for the reply. I know the argument is that you need more generator than your tractor so that the tractor will give before the generator frys? Since you run it on a big tractor how are you managing the load so you don't go over the 13K watts? Also how hard is it to keep at 60Hz as large loads kick on and off such as a well pump or electric dryer?

 

[Soundguy]

loads are managed via brain.. IE.. know the wattage or amperage you have plugged in.. keep track of it.

as for more tractor than genny, or more genny than tractor.. it works both ways.

if you have a 25kw genny, and enough tractor to make only 20kw, while you have un-used capacity. you also have built in thermal load protection, knowing you can't smoke the genny. if you have more tractor than genny, you have to watch genny laod, but know you won't run out of hp, and large loads make less of an impact.

for instance... a 12.5 kw genny wants about a 25 pto hp tractor... when large laod kicks in, it's up to the tractor governor to keep rpms where they should be, or get them back there fast.. rotational mass of the engine and flywheel and the genny itself helps absord some of this, as you have built up inertia. now.. powering that wiht a much larger tractor, like I have, it makes less of an impact. IE.. kick on an 8kw load like a motor starting.. on a tractor just capable of doing 12kw, and you kick it to 2/3's load.. it will probably take an rpm hit... on the other hand.. power that genny with a 95 hp tractor and kick on a 8kw / 16hp load.. and.. well.. you probably won't notice -ANY- rpm change.. so much rotational mass of the large tractor engine and innards and that pto genny mass.. etc..

soundguy

 

[EE_Bota]

I bought the 7200watt Northern model, and made a special pallet for it that attaches to my carry all. It sounds like what Soundguy did, but mine is smaller. It seems like a pretty good rig, but I haven't had much need to use it, since I rarely loose power, and I don't have a farm to maintain.

When I lost power for 10 days, and then later that winter for 5 days, I knew I wanted to do something, but storage space is always a problem for me since I have so little room. If I lost power more frequently, I might have gone for a motor driven instead of a PTO driven. There are always compromises, and this one seems like the best for me. I have not lost power since, and it has been years now. But another freak ice storm can come through any time.

It sits in the corner of my garage, on its pallet, and the pallet is on one of those cheap dollies so I can move it all around. The carry all is used for conventional uses, so it was not a loss, just another handy thing to have.

NorthStar PTO Generator — 7200 Watt, 14 HP Required | PTO Generators | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[RoyJackson]

It sits in the corner of my garage, on its pallet, and the pallet is on one of those cheap dollies so I can move it all around. The carry all is used for conventional uses, so it was not a loss, just another handy thing to have.

NorthStar PTO Generator 7200 Watt, 14 HP Required | PTO Generators | Northern Tool + Equipment

Do you ever break it out to test it?

 

[EE_Bota]

Do you ever break it out to test it?

I have done so, but I usually just rotate it by hand periodically, usually when I fill my tractor with diesel. The rotating by hand thing is just habit from being in a maintenance department. I like to rotate motors in stores too, since I don't think metal on metal should sit still for long periods.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have done so, but I usually just rotate it by hand periodically, usually when I fill my tractor with diesel. The rotating by hand thing is just habit from being in a maintenance department. I like to rotate motors in stores too, since I don't think metal on metal should sit still for long periods.

I agree...

 

[daybreak1998]

thanks for the reply. I know the argument is that you need more generator than your tractor so that the tractor will give before the generator frys? Since you run it on a big tractor how are you managing the load so you don't go over the 13K watts? Also how hard is it to keep at 60Hz as large loads kick on and off such as a well pump or electric dryer?

Howdy,
PTO generators come in many styles and sizes. I feel my Tiger Power 30K is overbuilt. I am sure the specs are derated. Since it is a larger generator, it spins internally at 1800rpm, and has LED lites showing the output volts and the amperage draw.

Over the summer, the power was down for 28 hours. (it was hot and humid (98 deg and around 70 dewpoint) Running the whole house, barn, shop, well etc.. Even with the 4 large A/C units running, it was a moderate 17.4kw draw. Yes, I could watch the surge when the large A/C units first kick on, but then levels out. Because of the size of the tractor, and the size of the generator, you would not even know without seeing the gauge. I now the smaller units will show the Hz cycle meter, and the 240 volts meter and that is all. There are some panels out there that have watt meters, and other have installed other types of meters to not only show the watts used, but also watts used per side. You do want to keep the loads per side kinda balanced. But as others have said, you just need to keep an idea about what you have powered. No unit out there likes to be run at 100% capacity. That is like keeping your car in first gear and driving 60mph down the highway. How long will that engine last always running at redline? The same thing can be said about the average house. 200 amps is a lot of power. Have you ever had every single light on, stove on, washer on, pump on, hot water on, dryer on, A/C on, coffe pot, microwave, all TV's, stereo, garage doors, a 15amp vacuum running in each room, more or less every single circuit full use capacity? Probaly will not be as much power as expected. You would be lucky to get to around 70% capacity of your panel. This is also why a load calculation is important to know what you can run and can't when when on auxiliary power. Large electric motors have a high starting wattage and then level off when running. That is why all generators have a surge rating to help offset those types of motor surges.

Buying advice = a lot of times the next size up is not all that expensive. Think about future use and growth.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

... We could not get fuel for several days so fuel oil was siphoned from the furnace.

That could cause some expensive legal problems down the road as heating oil doesn't have the road taxes levied on it, and has the dye in it to stain your filters so the feds can identify folks avoiding the taxes.

From a practical point of view, I'd have to agree with your decision to do so 100%. It's all diesel fuel, and the furnace isn't any good without electricity to run the burner and pumps.

Of course, unlike any of the Feds and many State folks, I consider tractors to be mobile power sources, and not vehicles.

 

[RoyJackson]

That could cause some expensive legal problems down the road as heating oil doesn't have the road taxes levied on it, and has the dye in it to stain your filters so the feds can identify folks avoiding the taxes.

Very unlikely there would be any problems...just as there are no problems when purchasing Off Road fuel.
Now, if a person put that fuel oil in their truck...maybe a different matter. But, even then considering the conditions...well, a bureaucrat may try to prosecute or fine...but I doubt a jury would even agree with them.