How does one use a PTO chipper with an electric PTO clutch?

[Rock knocker]

I've been around a ton of engine driven chippers, and the huge flywheel of a chipper means you really have to feather the clutch in. How do people do it with modern electric PTO clutches which don't allow a feathering? Or do the manufacturers install a mechanical clutch on the chipper itself which is user adjusted?

 

[ericm979]

The electric over hydraulic PTO clutch on my Branson gives a bit of a soft start by design. The tractor does not stall when I engage it with a Woodmaxx 8H chipper hooked up and the tractor engine at idle.

There's no clutch on the chipper. It's got a 200 lb flywheel that's geared up to turn twice as fast as the pto (effectively the same as a 400 lb flywheel at pto speed).

 

[3Lfarms]

Ditto what Eric said.
There is still a hydraulic clutch that soft starts the PTO and gets it up to speed as quickly as possible without bogging down the tractor engine. Engaging the PTO at idle means the clutch slips as little as possible and should make it last a long time.

 

[LouNY]

Yes, idle it down and engage your pto,
I have had a few implements that would slip their slip clutches engaging the pto.
I concern I have with heavy flywheel effect loads is the wear on the internal pto brakes.
But unless you use an over riding clutch there is not much you can do other then bring
your tractor down to idle before disengaging or engage your pto.

 

[ptsg]

Some tractors have 2 PTO speeds with a neutral in between.

I usually bring the RPMs down to idle while also applying at the same time just a tiny bit of pressure on the PTO gear selector to move it to neutral, then it will coast to a stop and I can turn the PTO off on the switch and save the PTO brakes from all that momentum of the mower, in this case.

 

[oosik]

I engage my tractor PTO by soft engagement at idle. Mine is completely mechanical engagement. NO PTO braking system. The heavy 'ol chipper flywheel will continue to spin for a loooong time after PTO disengagement. Even as I disengage at idle.

My riding mower is electric engagement. Engage at idle with an almighty - "clunk".

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a 14" chipper with a thousand pound flywheel. It troubles me to engage the electric pto clutch. There is a slip clutch on the chipper, but it only helps so much. I give the pto a kick, then release and re-engage. Don't know why, but this seems easier on the tractor.

 

[mjlennon]

I have a 14" chipper with a thousand pound flywheel. It troubles me to engage the electric pto clutch. There is a slip clutch on the chipper, but it only helps so much. I give the pto a kick, then release and re-engage. Don't know why, but this seems easier on the tractor.

Wow, would you mind posting a pic of that beast? The gyro effect of that bad boy must alter the planet's rotation!

 

[Texasmark]

I've been around a ton of engine driven chippers, and the huge flywheel of a chipper means you really have to feather the clutch in. How do people do it with modern electric PTO clutches which don't allow a feathering? Or do the manufacturers install a mechanical clutch on the chipper itself which is user adjusted?

I have Ind. PTOs in my 6530 and 3910. The 6530 is electrically activated and has 24 discs to spread out the transitional stress of on-off operation. The Ford has 16 I think I recall. Point is, many discs are used and the torque is spread out over the engagement times of the different contact areas which mitigates to some degree the impact.

Owner's manuals suggest that engagements are to be done at idle rpms. The chippers may have an overrun clutch in the PTO shaft, like is on my drum mower that allows the load to spin faster than the power source, like you would need if you were running the chipper, disengage and reengage with the chipper still running, or when you shut off the drive to quit what you are doing and the load is still spinning.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Gladly. I love posting as well as looking at pictures. No pictures, it never happened!

Arriving home from MN.



Unloading




I need to take some pictures while in use.

 

[LouNY]

Now that looks like a chipper should look like, :drink:

 

[Industrial Toys]

The JD 6200 is little underpowered to run it at max capacity. The guy that had it used a 5000 series. I have a sneaking suspician, he didn't have much luck.

When I get a few old projects out of the way, I would like to put an auto-feed system on it. Stop hyd infeed when RPMS drop. One electric valve and a tach with alarm output should do it.

 

[dfkrug]

Engaging the PTO at idle means the clutch slips as little as possible and should make it last a long time.

...and stopping the PTO at idle.

Both of the JD4300 rental tractors I had had broken PTO brakes. The PTO brake has several less clutch discs versus the
clutch that engaged the PTO. I fixed the first one, but deleted the brake on the second unit.

The PTO brakes on both tractors were likely broken by renters who turned off the electric PTO switch at speed while
operating the large rotary mower. A chipper would have been worse.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have no choice other than to engage at 3/4 or so RPM. But I could try and slow it before disengaging, to save the brake, as I usually disengage at full RPM. The chipper does have an over-running mechanism.

I have always been able to turn my PTO by hand, when the tractor is off. I wonder if that changes with it running.

 

[dfkrug]

I have always been able to turn my PTO by hand, when the tractor is off. I wonder if that changes with it running.

Deere has a cool setup on the 4300, and probably their other newer tractors with electric-engaged PTO: with the tractor off, the PTO can be turned about 30-45-degrees. I assume this is to help getting the drive shaft aligned correctly when attaching it. Beyond that, it does not turn.

If a tractor has a PTO shifter, allowing for a neutral position, that would be a plus if it can be shifted with tractor ON.

 

[Fallon]

Deere has a cool setup on the 4300, and probably their other newer tractors with electric-engaged PTO: with the tractor off, the PTO can be turned about 30-45-degrees. I assume this is to help getting the drive shaft aligned correctly when attaching it. Beyond that, it does not turn.

If a tractor has a PTO shifter, allowing for a neutral position, that would be a plus if it can be shifted with tractor ON.

My Kubota L4060 does the same. Can get a partial turn before it stops.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Since my LS is a manual transmission, I have a clutch to go along with the electric PTO switch. I start my bushhog with the clutch fully engaged, then pop the electric PTO button and then slowly release the clutch. The PTO engages prior to the transmission engagement so it is easy to feather it in. Some HST tractors also have a clutch that I suspect is useful for that purpose.

 

[jones6780]

The JD 6200 is little underpowered to run it at max capacity. The guy that had it used a 5000 series. I have a sneaking suspician, he didn't have much luck.

When I get a few old projects out of the way, I would like to put an auto-feed system on it. Stop hyd infeed when RPMS drop. One electric valve and a tach with alarm output should do it.

Might want it to stop feed and back up too. Helps return to rpm as no drag on the chipper knife face, Tech Tips

 

[Industrial Toys]

Do factory setups do that? It would make my project much more difficult and expensive. If it had electric valves it wouldn't be that hard, but it doesn't.