BX AC Power inverter

[Tollster]

Anyone mount an inverter on their BX series yet? I was thinking about doing it this fall and wanted some ideas on where to put it. I thought it may come in handy around the yard, say for a circular saw, drill, or some other project tools.
Any suggestions on which one and size would help too? Anyone know how much amperage the BX can run constant? I was thinking about some additional lighting and maybe a cigarette lighter too. If I had too i could throw in a fuse box, and use switched power.
Thanks,
Toll

 

[tommu56]

Tollster
Double check your alternator size I think it will be about 20-25 amps at 12volts a 120v load at 5 amps is like 50 amps at 12volts in round numbers,so you would be pulling 25 amps out of battery.
Check your tools I think its not too practical unless its short bursts drill a hole and wait 10 min for battery to charge?
Circular saw will be up around 10 amps so you are at 100 for it at 12.

tommu

 

[dodge man]

My 2350 they list the charging output at 40 amps. I don't know if that means it has a 40 amp alternator or not? I have a cigarate outlet on mine, it came that way. I would think you could hook up an inverter and power some low power items, but I don't know about saws and that kind of thing.

 

[BXpanded]

You didn't specify which BX you have. The 2200, 2230 series have a dynamo with little capacity (15 amps or so?). The 2350 series has a 40 amp alternator.
Most tools like a drill, small grinder etc. pull approximately 8 amps. Some like saws can be much higher (up to 15 amps). An inverter has some losses, maybe as much as 20%. Running an 8 amp tool requires roughly 100 amps draw from the battery. The battery can supply that much for several minutes at a time. The alternator can recharge the battery during breaks in the operation. With the correct inverter you can run these tools longer than you would expect since you seldom drill continuously and at max load.
Downside is, the inverter will be quite expensive and quite large. The inverter will need to be rated for at least 1,200 watts continuous output. It will require a direct hook up to the battery. The size will make it very difficult to permanently mount on a BX since there is little unused space.

My suggestion would be save lots of money and get a good rechargeable tool system.

 

[Travelover]

My local Costco is selling this inverter for about $35 - a great deal for an efficient inverter. I paid about $65 a year ago.

Costco - Xantrex? XPower? Inverter 1000 - 120 VAC/60 Hz

 

[Tollster]

Its a BX23 that I have, I am not too swift on the electicat end of maintence, I can do wiring and fuse box installs with soldering connections, but the amperage draw and math I have trouble with. More mechanically inclined I recon. I thought the inverter may fit in the battery compartment, then it would be out of the weather with easy access. Not sure what the alternator puts out on the BX23 though.
Thanks

 

[radioman]

Hmm. Just thinking out loud here. What if there was a RV marine battery with a battery isolator to charge RV battery only when tractor is running. Have the invertor only run off the RV battery only? Wouldnt there a degree of protection and it can run all the lights saws/etc all you need?

Lets see. 100 bucks for RV battery, 100 bucks for isolator, 100 bucks for invertor=$300. Plus need a place for all this . you can buy a cheap gas gen for about same amount

 

[BXpanded]

My local Costco is selling this inverter for about $35 - a great deal for an efficient inverter. I paid about $65 a year ago.

Costco - Xantrex? XPower? Inverter 1000 - 120 VAC/60 Hz

$35 (even $75) is definitely a better price on that inverter than I expected. I confess, I have not looked at inverters for quite some time and was also looking at larger units. I have so many rechargeables now that I haven't needed one. Apparently the price has dropped pretty drastically. That one could run some stuff up to about 8 amps. If I had a Costco nearby I might consider one just to be able to run a Porta-Band from my truck. I have 2 plug-in Porta-bands and can't justify a cordless. I use my rechargeable reciprocating saw if I need to cut something.

Tollster, The BX23 has a dynamo (old style generator) instead of an alternator. The output is only about 15 amps if I remember correctly. The later versions have the 40 amp alternator. There is a kit available to upgrade the charging system on the BX23 if you really need more capacity.

The inverter is still pretty large to mount on a BX. The one Travelover mentioned is about 9 1/2 x 11 1/2 x 3. or about the size of a big school notebook. I have no idea where that would fit for a permanent installation. Kubota packed a lot of tractor in a really small package so there's just not much room for other stuff.

Radioman's idea of a generator has some merit. You might pick up a small one used for not much money. Mount it on a pallet and carry it wherever you need it with the loader. Also gives you a little backup power for the house during power outages.

 

[tommu56]

As for the power question take the tool and read the lable it says 8 amps mutliply it by 10 in round numbers to getthe current at 12v in to the iinvetor
This is tha same as moving the demimal point 1 place to right 8 amps @120 becomes 80 at 12v
This donen,t count in invertor loss but for a novice it gets you in the bal park.
tommu

 

[mentat30]

I would go with a generator.

 

[LRH]

$35 (even $75) is definitely a better price on that inverter than I expected. I confess, I have not looked at inverters for quite some time and was also looking at larger units. I have so many rechargeables now that I haven't needed one. Apparently the price has dropped pretty drastically.

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Thats because as they have become more popular, and cheaper; the market has become flooded with cheap Chinese built versions. Most of the solder joints wouldn't last long bolted to a tractor with no suspension, and the names plastered on the units change on a regular basis so usually they can not be swapped out for another even during the warranty period. Of course, one could buy the cheaper ones from a major retailers and hold on to your paperwork, so perhaps you can swap for the latest one or get money back when/if they fail. The best inverters I know of are the Tripp-Lite brand, but a look at the prices will take you back to the old days of inverters.

 

[burkehill]

Amps times volts equals watts.
AV=W
You need to figure out what you want to run off of the inverter. Say you have a circular saw that is about 10 amps at 120 volts, then it draws 1200 watts. You will need a 1200 watt inverter. To produce 1200 watts with 12 volt power, you need 100 amps of 12 volt coming from the alternator. You will also lose about 20% of the DC power when it goes through the inverter. With that loss, you will need 125 amps of DC 12v to make 1200 watts of AC. There are slightly more efficient inverters, but the price of them would make you want a generator. Most tractor alternators do not put out this much. You can always up the alternator, I think that Kubota makes a larger capacity alternator. I have not done this on a tractor, but I have put bigger alternators on many vehicles. Lestek makes about the best heavy duty alternator out there. They make almost all of the big ones for ambulances, where there is a large load and need to work every time. You can also put on a second battery, and a second alternator. That is how a lot of the ambulances do it, and how I have my service truck. Just buy whatever Lestek alternator you need, and then build a bracket to attach it to your engine. Run a v belt to it, and run the wires to your second battery. Hook the inverter to the second battery, and you have a second electric system delivering 120v power. It will draw very little power from the engine, unless you have it under load, but I assume that you will not be driving while you are using the circular saw? I have my Toyota pickup set up this way, so that I can drive right to where I need, and have plenty of AC for tools, generating off of the engine. It is essentially the same way that some of the newer more efficient generators work. You can also get a belt drive generator head which will produce 120v. Northern has them.

 

[rdsaustintx]

Cheap, low-power inverters are virtually worthless for anything but running a trouble light, which you can do at 12V.

Search the web. People fry transformers on laptop and phone chargers every day because the inverters produce a lousy AC waveform.

I put the 40A alternator on my BX and that's about all there is room for in there.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Anyone mount an inverter on their BX series yet? I was thinking about doing it this fall and wanted some ideas on where to put it. I thought it may come in handy around the yard, say for a circular saw, drill, or some other project tools.
Any suggestions on which one and size would help too? Anyone know how much amperage the BX can run constant? I was thinking about some additional lighting and maybe a cigarette lighter too. If I had too i could throw in a fuse box, and use switched power.
Thanks,
Toll

I mounted an earlier 1000W Zantrex [from the one at Costco now] on my Bx1500 4yrs ago. Runs a Remington chain saw for limbing and emergency treework on the trails. A B&D circular saw takes more power and is touch and go to get started, but once up to speed you can cut with it if you dont press too hard. Ive had no battery or alternator problems. Dont worry about running your battery down if you only use the saws a few minutes at a time. Be sure to keep the engine running for at least 10 minutes after you stop using power - or else use a small charger overnite to bring the battery back up.

Mine lives happily on the hood of the tractor. Even puts up with being rained on. Amazing!
larry

 

[smallfarmer]

Just to throw this in, you have to consider the amp draw when the tool starts. It's momentary but it could draw a hugh amount of juice until it settles down to the rated amperage. Over time, this, as well as the max rated amp draw could damage the diodes in the alternator. $$$$$
For the price of what you need, you might be better off to invest in a cordless system of tools. Then you won't have to bring the tractor inside the house to saw something up
Seriously, the newer systems have batteries that won't "remember" and charge up quickly. When I worked in a shop a few years ago, we had a Makita circular saw that became a favorite. The batteries fit in any one of several tools.

 

[Travelover]

My local Costco is selling this inverter for about $35 - a great deal for an efficient inverter. I paid about $65 a year ago.

Costco - Xantrex? XPower? Inverter 1000 - 120 VAC/60 Hz

I stopped by Costco today to see if these were still in stock and noted the price was actually $29.99. I was impressed with the quality of the one I bought - 2000 watt surge capacity and 90+% efficiency.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I stopped by Costco today to see if these were still in stock and noted the price was actually $29.99. I was impressed with the quality of the one I bought - 2000 watt surge capacity and 90+% efficiency.

I have both that Xantrex and an earlier model- both 1000W rated. I know the old ones are durable due no failures on 3 different applications over 4 yr period, EXCEPT when BIL cut a cord. That killed one of them. The new one seems comparable but has a little less guts in surge. It takes a little more time to get the 10A circular saw to pick up rpm, but once there it seems to hold the same cutting load. I have run these on all 3 Kubs w/o any problems.
larry

 

[pintodeluxe]

Just wanted to note that my Bx2230 (2005) came stock with an alternator. So apparently some pre-2006 models were equiped with the higher output electrical systems. I have run 12 volt sprayers for hours on end, and have never had to charge the battery. I would also like to run a 12 volt actuator for an electric dump grass catcher, so it's nice to know that the tarctor has some additional capacity for electrical add-ons.
Best Regards