Electric conversion of a Kubota B26 / Similar

[Williy]

To cut down on the batteries just add a Yanmar
diesel generator to the back of your tractor. You
can get one big enough to supply all your power
and a tank full of fuel will last more than a day usually
The generator if its big enough should supply all the
power you need and then only a few batteries or no
batteries will be required??????????????

willy

 

[4570Man]

To cut down on the batteries just add a Yanmar
diesel generator to the back of your tractor. You
can get one big enough to supply all your power
and a tank full of fuel will last more than a day usually
The generator if its big enough should supply all the
power you need and then only a few batteries or no
batteries will be required??????????????

willy

Is this sarcasm or are you serious?

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

It would be a niche market, for very exceptional circumstances, and all of those circumstances already have dedicated equipment available. So, I think it is very doubtful anyone has done it commercially.

For the normal uses a tractor performs, an internal combustion engine is just more practical.

If I were doing it, I would run dedicated electro-hydraulic systems for the loader and each implement. And, one dedicated large motor for the drive system.

 

[Williy]

4570 Is this sarcasm or are you serious?
With a generator you don't have all the
cords from the house/barn etc. You can
run all day on a tank of fuel. Yanmar diesel
generators are heavy but believe all the batteries
needed gen would probablely weight less. Putting
the gen on the back of the tractor leaves more
room for the electric components. Also you might
not need any batteries as you just plug into the gen
as you have 110/120 & 220. Now do you understand??

willy

 

[CalG]

True. Part of why I am encouraging galstaf to consider a cord / cable option for this. Will also save a ton of money on the battery. Can build it with a little battery, and then add if he discovers he needs more. Covered part of this on this thread >>> Cord Management on Grid-Connected Electric Tractors and Mobile Equipment

Gee guys

Read the original post:

"I am really interested in converting it to use a bunch of lithium battery packs from eBikes I got at an auction. There are 36V and 48V packs (42V to 54V when fully charged). Decent capacity.. 500Wh to 1kWh each."

The fellow is interested in the build BECAUSE he has batteries!

 

[CalG]

4570 Is this sarcasm or are you serious?
With a generator you don't have all the
cords from the house/barn etc. You can
run all day on a tank of fuel. Yanmar diesel
generators are heavy but believe all the batteries
needed gen would probablely weight less. Putting
the gen on the back of the tractor leaves more
room for the electric components. Also you might
not need any batteries as you just plug into the gen
as you have 110/120 & 220. Now do you understand??

willy

How long have diesel electric locomotives been in service?

A LOOOOONG time. It's a proven technology that makes the best of electric driven motion.

 

[/pine]

Gee guys

Read the original post:

"I am really interested in converting it to use a bunch of lithium battery packs from eBikes I got at an auction. There are 36V and 48V packs (42V to 54V when fully charged). Decent capacity.. 500Wh to 1kWh each."

The fellow is interested in the build BECAUSE he has batteries!

Why I questioned the amount of work that could be done on a charge...

Personally if I had the batteries...I would look at converting an elec. golf cart etc. from L/A batteries to Li... with the right controller and charging unit an older upgraded cart could be flipped for a nice profit...

Even if the OP replaced the diesel with 3 phase motors...it still would require a controller similar to what is used in elec. carts...

 

[4570Man]

How long have diesel electric locomotives been in service?

A LOOOOONG time. It's a proven technology that makes the best of electric driven motion.

Yea except they’re using electric drive. Using a Diesel engine to drive a generator to drive an electric motor to drive a hydraulic pump that could just as well be bolted to the Diesel engine is foolish.

 

[4570Man]

4570 Is this sarcasm or are you serious?
With a generator you don't have all the
cords from the house/barn etc. You can
run all day on a tank of fuel. Yanmar diesel
generators are heavy but believe all the batteries
needed gen would probablely weight less. Putting
the gen on the back of the tractor leaves more
room for the electric components. Also you might
not need any batteries as you just plug into the gen
as you have 110/120 & 220. Now do you understand??

willy

Why wouldn’t you just take that Yanmar diesel or better yet the kubota diesel that came out of it and bolt it up to the pumps. Your proposed conversion is totally foolish. You loose the only advantage the electric once had of being quite. You loose the fuel efficiency of a hybrid without the batteries. A backhoe really has no potential as a hybrid anyway.

 

[Williy]

Then again the generator would not work
and the cost is high also. The really best
solution is repair the engine you have or
get a new one! Less hassle, easy fix and
you won't strain your brain trying to figure
out on what to use in place of your diesel
engine!

willy

 

[CalG]

Then again the generator would not work
and the cost is high also. The really best
solution is repair the engine you have or
get a new one! Less hassle, easy fix and
you won't strain your brain trying to figure
out on what to use in place of your diesel
engine!

willy

Somethings are done just because someone wants to do it.
"The Solution" being sought is to build a battery powered electric tractor.
Hats off to the OP for being creative!

 

[Grandad4]

This thread is definitely going in some very interesting directions! So far we have a Kubota tractor powered by an array of ebike batteries, supported by a trailer mounted generator (Yanmar, no less) and a really long power cord. Hydraulic accumulators and other exotica are also in there somewhere. It can only get better from there!

Galstaf, if you are needing a tractor sometime in the near future, electrifying this poor little orange thing may not be the quickest or cheapest way to get your wheels turning, but it sure will be the most challenging and entertaining! But if you're considering it karma that you have this B26 and all those lithium cells, well maybe this is meant to be. A word of caution: please don't plunge ahead thinking this will be any easy challenge. There is a lot involved here and this may have to be done in stages. I really hope you press on!

 

[Williy]

If you really want to build an electric tractor
Monarch tractors they purchase bare tractor
with no power so they can build up. Perhaps
if you can find a parts list for an electric tractor
it would help you to get the parts that you need
for your tractor and maybe help you figure out
if its feasible to go electric.

willy

 

[Bob Rooks]

Is this sarcasm or are you serious?

He's talking diesel-electric hybrid.

 

[4570Man]

He's talking diesel-electric hybrid.

No he’s not because he suggested leaving the battery off and just using generator power. A tractor isn’t a good potential for a hybrid. For one the fuel bill of a 20 hp tractor is so insignificant it’s not worth worrying about. For 2 a machine that’s running at continuous output has very little potential for savings being a hybrid. It doesn’t take much power to maintain cruising speed on a vehicle and you can save energy by running the generator at its most efficient rpm range and turning it off when it’s not needed.

 

[Bob Rooks]

No he’s not because he suggested leaving the battery off and just using generator power. A tractor isn’t a good potential for a hybrid. For one the fuel bill of a 20 hp tractor is so insignificant it’s not worth worrying about. For 2 a machine that’s running at continuous output has very little potential for savings being a hybrid. It doesn’t take much power to maintain cruising speed on a vehicle and you can save energy by running the generator at its most efficient rpm range and turning it off when it’s not needed.

Ok, then just diesel-electric. Simple concept using DC motor and generator. Speed and power are directly related to engine RPM up to governed speed.

 

[4570Man]

Ok, then just diesel-electric. Simple concept using DC motor and generator. Speed and power are directly related to engine RPM up to governed speed.

You’d have to totally strip the tractor transmission and put the electric motors to the wheels to gain anything. A diesel electric to drive a HST trans is not only pointless it’s a step down in efficiency. You’re still burning diesel and you’re still making noise. The only thing you’ve accomplished is wasting a bunch of money, cobbled up your tractor, and made it less reliable than it was to start with.

 

[dodge man]

Here is an idea, rebuild or get a different engine, put an alternator on it, then that charges a 12 volt battery that powers the starter and the lights.

I realize people are just thinking out loud but……..

 

[Williy]

A little info about an electric tractor that takes the
place of a 40 hp diesel tractor????

eUtility Electric Tractor — Solectrac

The 40 HP diesel-equivalent eUtility is the ideal tractor for any small farm or livestock operation, equestrian centers, and other utility type work.

solectrac.com

Base Price: $45,999 USD​

Front Loader: $9,999 ​

Exchangeable Battery Pack: $9,999 ​

Front Hitch: $4,999 ​

Auxiliary Hydraulics: $4,999 ​

The price is approx $80,000 taxes, fees
etc. then you need attachments to work with??
MORE MONEY??????????

willy
If this was my tractor I would repair the diesel

 

[ptsg]

Sad to see that all the OP asked for, was some tips or ideas on the best way to tackle this post. Instead, all he got was a bunch of naysayers.

He didn't ask for money to be able to fund this project either, so not sure why people try to tell the OP how expensive or not this project can get, which, I'm sure he already know plenty about that.

The OP referred he has the batteries already, which is a big step ahead on this project. He also mentioned that he only needs to use the tractor a couple hours a day. He is not going to do commercial work, doing 8 to 12 hours shifts.

To the OP, hopefully you'll get the project going to suit your needs and please, post updates if you choose to do so.