Disconnect the PTO shaft and use the tractor for something else, then hook it back up. Unless someone's doing surgery in your house it should be OK for an hour or two without power. The other problem with small portable generators is that they like to be stolen.
PTO generator
- Thread starter Tcfake613
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Disconnect the PTO shaft and use the tractor for something else, then hook it back up. Unless someone's doing surgery in your house it should be OK for an hour or two without power. The other problem with small portable generators is that they like to be stolen.
Charlesaf3
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I have a ?16 or 20kw Pto generator (tiger) I bought from messicks last year. I like it, but almost immediately bought a house with a 16kw natural gas generator. So I'm actually thinking right now might be a good time to put it on it on eBay.
I use it for construction, and was thinking I would get one that wouldn't be another engine to maintain and woulD power the house if I needed it. I'm also sick of maintaining little gas engines. Thing is, the tractor now lives an hour from me and I've got the big whole house.
If I were in a rural area I think pto is great bang for buck. Equivalent whole house is twice the price
I use it for construction, and was thinking I would get one that wouldn't be another engine to maintain and woulD power the house if I needed it. I'm also sick of maintaining little gas engines. Thing is, the tractor now lives an hour from me and I've got the big whole house.
If I were in a rural area I think pto is great bang for buck. Equivalent whole house is twice the price
Because I'm using my PV so much now I'm going to electric motors. Lawn mower, weed eater, etc. all run on rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries and charged by my PV. I just bought an electric tractor from the 70's that I'm restoring to do the large part of my lawns, till the garden and plow snow.
I've had it with finicky 2 and 4 cycle gas engines that never start, stink if you work on them, etc.! My 3320 is the exception, it can do big jobs like dig the holes for my concrete forms on the the PV stands and it uses so little fuel and always starts that I'll stay with it as long as I can. But at the fuel prices now I'm working up to building an electric car. I'll see how the restore goes on the GE Elec-trak E15 this winter as I have to make all my own charging circuits and motor controllers.
I've had it with finicky 2 and 4 cycle gas engines that never start, stink if you work on them, etc.! My 3320 is the exception, it can do big jobs like dig the holes for my concrete forms on the the PV stands and it uses so little fuel and always starts that I'll stay with it as long as I can. But at the fuel prices now I'm working up to building an electric car. I'll see how the restore goes on the GE Elec-trak E15 this winter as I have to make all my own charging circuits and motor controllers.
GPintheMitten
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Rob-D said:
What's a PV?
GPintheMitten
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I could have gone either way. PTO and portables each have advantages and drawbacks. But I just purchased a Generac 5500 portable. It will supply the critical circuits in the house by me being selective about what to run when.
JoelT
Silver Member
I've got a 12K (15Kload) PTO style running off about 27HP PTO. I've got a tail to the main on a 50amp breaker with a 16' cord coiled up that plugs into the the genny when needed. We only run it a couple hours in the am and a couple hours at night. We have 500gal diesel storage so don't have to run around filling 5's up. What I don't like is to get PTO at 540rpm the tractors running at 2600rpm - screaming to me. I'd like around 18 or 1900 or so. Somebody know a good way to gear down?
General Lee
Veteran Member
In my opinion it all comes down to lifestyle and affordability. I hemmed and hauled about what kind of genny to get when I upgraded from my little 5500W portable.
Certain times of the year when the power the goes out, its easy to stay busy all day and not need creature comforts. Some people may not have the option to be readily available to hook up a portable genny, gas it and control essential circuits when SHTF. Some weather events leave you hunkered down inside and me personally I just can't sit around and play cards or read a book all day. I got to have some entertainment, whether its piddling in the garage, watching tv, or surfing TBN. I also have to be clean and polished for my job so roughin it with no power for a week doesn't work for me.
Certain times of the year when the power the goes out, its easy to stay busy all day and not need creature comforts. Some people may not have the option to be readily available to hook up a portable genny, gas it and control essential circuits when SHTF. Some weather events leave you hunkered down inside and me personally I just can't sit around and play cards or read a book all day. I got to have some entertainment, whether its piddling in the garage, watching tv, or surfing TBN. I also have to be clean and polished for my job so roughin it with no power for a week doesn't work for me.
zoltanthegypsy
Gold Member
Related to JoelT's post - a little: are there such things as inverter PTO generators? If they exist, are they more tolerant of lower PTO RPMs?
Z.
Z.
crazyal
Super Member
Solar panels. Ideally an array of photovoltaic panels and enough batteries to last several days would be the best way to go. Of course you then have batteries to maintain but no fuel costs.
I have a 4200w Generic with a Honda GX powering it and I've never had any problems getting it started. It'll sit for months if not a year or more and it'll start up, 5 pulls or less. My plan is to get a stand alone diesel that can be hard wired into a panel that's designed to shut the main line off when the gen is running. There's no way I could get my tractor close enough to the panel which would mean manually shutting off the main and then plugging the get into the welder outlet in the garage. It works but it's not safe and it could even be illegal.
I figure with a diesel I could plumb up the fuel tank so I can use it to fuel the tractor. That way the diesel doesn't sit too long and it has anti-gel in the winter. As long as you run a diesel a couple of times a year for a few minutes it'll be fine.
Good question I would be interested if there is.