Predator Trac
New member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2015
- Messages
- 9
- Location
- Des Moines, IA
- Tractor
- Repowered PowerTrac 422, Mahindra 4530, IH 666, Ferris 3100, Kubota RTV-1100
I have not posted in some time, but I thought the group might be interested in this. Electric conversions have been talked about on here a few times. Here is my successful conversion story.
I have now gone through two engines in my 422, the factory engine threw a rod mowing on slope and the Harbor Freight replacement just ran crappy. The HF engine would surge at certain throttle positions and would take out the Lovejoy inserts.....then the couplings would run and chew on themselves.
I had some electric drive components that never got used for another project, so I decided to put them into the 422. I replaced the HF engine with a ME1004 motor which has very comparable specs, 21HP peak, 8.5HP continuous, 3700RPM no load RPM, 3100 full power RPM. I paired this with a 400A brushed motor controller. I CNC machines an adapter to mount the new motor to an off the shelf pump mount which attaches to the original PT pump stack.
I got a smokin deal on some 100AH lead acid marine batteries, so I installed four of them. The grouped battery is 48V 100AH. 4.8kWh theoretical, but about 2.4kWh usable. I am happy with the performance and longevity, but lithium batteries will be going in soon just to extend runtime. The added batteries, motor, and metal parts decently outweigh the old engine and it is all located in the rear of the machine, so my puckerability went down. I even broke my link arm up front when I tried to lift 1100lbs of concrete.
The biggest question I get is, of course, runtime. I use this as a little loader, forklift, and ride giver. I get about an hour of full runtime before it is time to get back to the garage and charge. I have a four channel charger onboard and it will charge from dead to full in about four hours. Everything stock still works, PTO, lights, hydraulic cooling fan. The motor speed is controlled by the stock throttle tied into a 5k potentiometer in back.
I know this would be terribly impractical for mowing or trenching......but is great for anything involving the bucked, fork, grapple, hole auger........It is quiet, my wife even likes to drive it now.
The thread is getting a little rambly, in conclusion, I have been building a swimming pool and using this almost daily since April. I have racked up around 100kWh on the power meter and am happy with the conversion.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Tyler
I have now gone through two engines in my 422, the factory engine threw a rod mowing on slope and the Harbor Freight replacement just ran crappy. The HF engine would surge at certain throttle positions and would take out the Lovejoy inserts.....then the couplings would run and chew on themselves.
I had some electric drive components that never got used for another project, so I decided to put them into the 422. I replaced the HF engine with a ME1004 motor which has very comparable specs, 21HP peak, 8.5HP continuous, 3700RPM no load RPM, 3100 full power RPM. I paired this with a 400A brushed motor controller. I CNC machines an adapter to mount the new motor to an off the shelf pump mount which attaches to the original PT pump stack.
I got a smokin deal on some 100AH lead acid marine batteries, so I installed four of them. The grouped battery is 48V 100AH. 4.8kWh theoretical, but about 2.4kWh usable. I am happy with the performance and longevity, but lithium batteries will be going in soon just to extend runtime. The added batteries, motor, and metal parts decently outweigh the old engine and it is all located in the rear of the machine, so my puckerability went down. I even broke my link arm up front when I tried to lift 1100lbs of concrete.
The biggest question I get is, of course, runtime. I use this as a little loader, forklift, and ride giver. I get about an hour of full runtime before it is time to get back to the garage and charge. I have a four channel charger onboard and it will charge from dead to full in about four hours. Everything stock still works, PTO, lights, hydraulic cooling fan. The motor speed is controlled by the stock throttle tied into a 5k potentiometer in back.
I know this would be terribly impractical for mowing or trenching......but is great for anything involving the bucked, fork, grapple, hole auger........It is quiet, my wife even likes to drive it now.
The thread is getting a little rambly, in conclusion, I have been building a swimming pool and using this almost daily since April. I have racked up around 100kWh on the power meter and am happy with the conversion.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Tyler
Last edited by a moderator:
I will be waiting to hear how the lithium batteries work for ya. Thanks for the pictures and information.
