PTO Generator

[ColoradoBound]

Let me start off by saying I don't have my tractor yet so I can't go experiment.

I was wondering if tractors have a "kill" switch that won't let you get out of the seat with the PTO engaged then how do you run a PTO generator without sitting on the tractor the whole time?

 

[MikeInEburg]

Most tractors have some method to do this. My Kubota requires that the operator seat be flipped forward quickly after dismount for PTO to continue.

 

[buickanddeere]

Stationary in neutral with the brakes on, no problem. Purchase a generator larger than what is needed. Absolute bare minimum of 1-1/2 Pto HP per KW. Safe number is 2HP per KW. Using a proper transfer switch ? A Murphy switch on oil pressure and coolant temp is peace of mind .

 

[ColoradoBound]

Stationary in neutral with the brakes on, no problem. Purchase a generator larger than what is needed. Absolute bare minimum of 1-1/2 Pto HP per KW. Safe number is 2HP per KW. Using a proper transfer switch ? A Murphy switch on oil pressure and coolant temp is peace of mind .

The tractor I am looking at is the XR4140 with 32hp at the PTO and a 16kw generator.

The house is 100% off-grid solar so I have the generator input handled.

Good idea on the oil pressure and coolant temp.

 

[chris1006]

I have an XR4046 and use a 16 kw PTO generator. My tractor is hydrostatic. Put the gear selector in neutral, engage the park brake, engage the pto and run the rpm up to what is required for your generator to output proper hertz/voltage and just get off tractor. Mine works fine. Previous poster is correct about sizing it properly. I had a Kubota with only 24 pto hp and it would run it pretty good but on the LS it doesn't even flinch when starting the air conditioning or anything else I have run with it. You should be just fine as looks like you have 2HP per 1KW.

 

[oosik]

My tractor "beeps" a few times when I get off, if the PTO is in use. Otherwise, all PTO driven implements continue to run. I have a stand alone gas generator. In case of extended power outage I don't want to tie up the tractor running a generator.

 

[buickanddeere]

The tractor I am looking at is the XR4140 with 32hp at the PTO and a 16kw generator.

The house is 100% off-grid solar so I have the generator input handled.

Good idea on the oil pressure and coolant temp.

Someday you will be happier with a 20Kw generator .

 

[Industrial Toys]

My JD 770 that I ran an Oan 15KW set with had a switch under the seat. You would fold the seat forward and pull up on the switch.

My two cents worth. Unless the tractor has Murphy style gauges that shut the tractor off in the case of a malfunction, I would not use a tractor regularly for this purpose.

I would also, not even consider a generator as a quality standby unit unless it ran at 1800 rpm (or lower).

 

[ColoradoBound]

Someday you will be happier with a 20Kw generator .

Why would I be happier with a 20k generator?

 

[Industrial Toys]

On a Diesel, you don't want wet stacking, under low loads. I live in an electrically heated house. I have a 7.5 KW Onan/Kubota for Main, 3.7 KW Yanmar for back-up and a 3KW ALPHA 220 Telecom Inverter for night time use. In the winter I heat with wood in an outage.

There are things I cannot run. BIG welders and compressors. I have six buildings and everything gets cut over in an outage via 200 amp transfer switch. With a little load management, I have never been short on power. I only generate 220 which goes into a transformer so my legs are always balanced.

I have never missed having my 15 KW Onan PTO set. One day, using the 15KW, I turned on every baseboard heater in the place, every element on the range and oven, basically every domestic thing I had, and still did not run out of power.

Who needs 20KW?

Get a KW meter and see how little power is used much of the time. Yesterday during the day I was using around 400 watts. And for that I need a 20KW genset running?