PTO Generator Choices

Sawyer Rob · Jan 30, 2015

Well, I have the 15KW Winco, it surges to 18K, it's been a good unit and I'd buy it again.

I like the idea of buying bigger than I needed, as I have no idea what the future will bring, and I can put it on a bigger tractor and run my welder, with lights lighting the area and someone running a side grinder if needed... I can also run it with a smaller tractor when I need less power and save some fuel.

If you are buying one for emergency use, don't try to save money by buying a lower quality unit!

SR

Northcountryboy · Jan 31, 2015

I have my fathers 15kw Winco generator now and it's worked flawlessly for 30 years. I too would go with extra power rather than just enough.

fried1765 · Jan 31, 2015

For: AndyMA

I just checked three different HF coupons, and you are correct!
The HF coupons DO exclude generators.
After giving it some additional thought myself, and reading other comments here, I think I would NOT buy a HF PTO generator.
"xring100" suggests a "propane standby" (fixed?) generator, and that actually may be the best idea.
A portable 8,000 or 10,000KW propane powered unit might be a good idea also.
Propane is the best fuel to use with a generator, as it has a FOREVER shelf life!

s219 · Jan 31, 2015

The only problem with propane is that you need a lot of volume. I would have needed a massive propane tank the size of a mid size car to give the same runtime as a 55-gal drum of diesel.

Sawyer Rob · Jan 31, 2015

s219 said:
The only problem with propane is that you need a lot of volume. I would have needed a massive propane tank the size of a mid size car to give the same runtime as a 55-gal drum of diesel.

Exactly, and I don't have to have a ANOTHER motor to service like I would with a stationary genset... I always have my tractor ready to go, because it's useful all year long...

Do you remember what propane was doing last year??? (price and availability)

Diesel stores just fine, and I "wouldn't" bet that you can run a propane genset cheaper than you can run a small diesel tractor...

SR

Fallon · Jan 31, 2015

I was asking the same question a little while ago. I ended up finally finding a Winco on Craigslist. 20kw 30kw surge & about 20 years old. $1k with the ratty old trailer. I'm hoping it turns out to be a better investment than a $1,500 Harbor Freight.

Still trying to get a disconnect wired up on the house for it.

AndyMA · Jan 31, 2015

I know I've been going back adn forth for ages; I have piped in Natural Gas at the house which is way cheaper than Propane.

I've been trying to figure out if this Winco on Amazon includes the trailer and tumbling bar?

Amazon.com : Winco, Inc. PTO Single Phase Generator, 15000w 99840-003 : Power Generators : Patio, Lawn & Garden

newbury · Jan 31, 2015

While looking further into it I found that Winco once again is producing a "small" PTO generator - a 10 KW WINCO W10PTOS.
When I bought my 12 KW they had discontinued it and the 15KW was their smallest until now.

xring100 · Jan 31, 2015

1 gallon of lpg is ~90,000 btu 1 gallon of # 2 diesel is 134,000 btu.
so 81 gallons of propane has roughly the same energy equivalent of a 55 gallon drum of diesel.

I own my Propane tank at its currently is $1.80 per gallon. So as long as diesel is atleast $2.71 a gallon its cheaper to opperate on propane. Last year during my last 5 day outage gas and diesel were closer to $4 and propane was 1.90
Also during that outage is used my tractor a lot to clean up the mess from the storm.

Operating cost and depreciation
Oil and filters alone cost me over $1.40 an hour on the tractor mostly thanks to 17 gallons of hydraulic oil. My generator holds 1.5 quarts good for 100 hours and a $8 filter. Im sure the standby generators dont cost much more for maintaining.

You can probably repace the whole engine on a 10-12kw standby generator for about the cost of an injection pump replacement or rebuild on a diesel.

Natural gas would be my first choice but i dont have that option.