Generators Diesel vs PTO

[CowwFace]

Hey List,

I'm looking for a backup generator for my house .. we typically loose power a few days a year due to snow ... but one never knows what the future will hold.

I'm leaning toward a 3600rpm portable Diesel motor generator .. can get one (Looking at ETQ 6000 model) for about $1100.00 ... vs a PTO driven unit for the tractor ... Can get one at this site for about $500.00 plus shipping.

Do any of you's guys have any experience with the ETQ brand .. I don't think it would last forever... but for only a few days a year I would hope I could get 10 years out of it?

My Kioti has a 540 PTO, so I don't know what ENGINE RPM I would have to run to get the pto generator to spin at the correct speed ... It would kill me to leave the ol girl screaming over the idle speed for hours at a time??

Any Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Duffster]

It would kill me to leave the ol girl screaming over the idle speed for hours at a time??.

This seems to be popular sentiment here. So I have to ask why?

I have left a tractor running at PTO rpm on a generator for days and had tractors blowing silage at WOT for 10-12 hours a day.

 

[mrpoppy58]

Any Engine, Gas or Diesel that runs at 3600 R.P. M. wil not last very long if used very much. I would go with the P.T.O. type.
Poppy

 

[Travelover]

Any Engine, Gas or Diesel that runs at 3600 R.P. M. wil not last very long if used very much. I would go with the P.T.O. type.
Poppy

"Very long" is kinda subjective. At two days a year, maybe your whole lifetime.

 

[manganos]

I like having my PTO generator BUT take this into consideration. Do you live where you get a lot of snow? Keep in mind that the tractor is useless to move snow while it is pulling PTO Generator duty. You will have to shut down the operation in order to use the tractor for other duties.


Personally we loose power more in high wind / tropical type storms (hurricane) in VA. Once in a while we will get a heavy dose of snow or ice but it shouldn't take me very long to clear the driveway for my 4x4 truck or Subaru.

Something to think about.

 

[CowwFace]

"Very long" is kinda subjective. At two days a year, maybe your whole lifetime.

Well Travelover, you have to remember I'm a spry young 44yo ... with a prostate the size of a coconut ... I might just outlast any diesel eh? ... hehehe

 

[CowwFace]

Any Engine, Gas or Diesel that runs at 3600 R.P. M. wil not last very long if used very much. I would go with the P.T.O. type.
Poppy

But wouldent that apply to my tractor screaming away at a high enough RPM to get the generator head up to the proper speed...

But a thought is to use a larger pulley on the PTO and smaller on the generator to get some mechanical advantage there?

 

[kennyd]

Do you have LP or NG available?

 

[CowwFace]

This seems to be popular sentiment here. So I have to ask why?

I have left a tractor running at PTO rpm on a generator for days and had tractors blowing silage at WOT for 10-12 hours a day.

Hey Duffster,

I think you are right. On the farm I would run the tractors and combine etc at high RPM's all day and not even wince ... (but of coarse that was on my father's dime) ... I think looking at the tractor as a tool instead of a toy would help me in this area... dang!

 

[CowwFace]

I like having my PTO generator BUT take this into consideration. Do you live where you get a lot of snow? Keep in mind that the tractor is useless to move snow while it is pulling PTO Generator duty. You will have to shut down the operation in order to use the tractor for other duties.


Personally we loose power more in high wind / tropical type storms (hurricane) in VA. Once in a while we will get a heavy dose of snow or ice but it shouldn't take me very long to clear the driveway for my 4x4 truck or Subaru.

Something to think about.

Hey Mango,

Yes this is a great point.. In Colorado here if/when we loose power it is typically due to large snowfall or wind pushing trees over the lines. I can keep my boiler going with a 12v RV battery, and we have a small 1000 watt honda generator I keep the pellet stove running with ... so it's warm. .. .And I have to use the tractor to clear the drive and road so I can make it to the liquor store .. .. maybe I can talk the wife into another tractor for PTO generator?

As I look for these things.. I had no idea some of the road lights etc you see ... them generators are $30k plus!!! dang!!!

 

[CowwFace]

Do you have LP or NG available?

Hey Kennyd,

We are on Propane for the boiler.. .. .. I had not thought of an LP unit.. then I could put it in the boiler room and pipe the exhaust outside ... I'm going to price some out.

Thanks

 

[crazyal]

I think if you kept up on oil changes and run it every so often to make sure it didn't sit too long you may be OK. I'm not sure if I would want to rely on it as a must be able to run.

I'm not sure if running a PTO generator would be bad for your tractor but I'm the type pf person who thinks like you. I really don't want to rack up lots of hours turning something like a generator. After all if your tractor is hydrostatic you'll be putting hours on that fluid as well. In a little more than 4 days of straight use and you'll be over 100 hours.

 

[deputy11]

Your $500 price on the pto gen is a ways off. It does not appear to include gearbox, pto shaft, and either a 3pt platform or trailer or cement pad to put it on. Then add in shipping charges and the realistic cost is somewhere north of $1500. Just something to consider when thinking about what would work best for you,

 

[kennyd]

Hey Kennyd,

We are on Propane for the boiler.. .. .. I had not thought of an LP unit.. then I could put it in the boiler room and pipe the exhaust outside ... I'm going to price some out.

Thanks

Good, How big is your tank?

I installed a Generac automatic 15KW at my house 5 years ago...it now has over 100 hours on it. Best thing is I don't need to be home.

 

[dex3361]

I had been using a 4000W gas coleman powermate generator for almost 20 years and decided last year to buy a small chinese yanmar clone generator. I got it and load tested the unit for 20 hours and the adjusted the alves and changed the oil. It did surprisingly well. I purchased it from Aurora Generator I load tested it with a power quality meter attached and it would produce as promised. It seems like every time I need my generator I need my tractor.

 

[Soundguy]

been hundreds of genny threads here.

in short .. running pto rpm under load won't hurt your tractor... it was designed for it..

soundguy

Hey List,

I'm looking for a backup generator for my house .. we typically loose power a few days a year due to snow ... but one never knows what the future will hold.

I'm leaning toward a 3600rpm portable Diesel motor generator .. can get one (Looking at ETQ 6000 model) for about $1100.00 ... vs a PTO driven unit for the tractor ... Can get one at this site for about $500.00 plus shipping.

Do any of you's guys have any experience with the ETQ brand .. I don't think it would last forever... but for only a few days a year I would hope I could get 10 years out of it?

My Kioti has a 540 PTO, so I don't know what ENGINE RPM I would have to run to get the pto generator to spin at the correct speed ... It would kill me to leave the ol girl screaming over the idle speed for hours at a time??

Any Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dstig1]

If you have LP, you should strongly consider a standby Generac (or Kohler, etc). Fully automatic and not having to worry about filling it up with fuel every day would be major plusses.

Popular online source:
Ziller Electric Inc - Home | Premier Power Supply since 1985

 

[kennyd]

If you have LP, you should strongly consider a standby Generac (or Kohler, etc). Fully automatic and not having to worry about filling it up with fuel every day would be major plusses.

Popular online source:
Ziller Electric Inc - Home | Premier Power Supply since 1985

Yup, I agree...I suggested that above. I bought two units (one for my Aunt) from Norwall Power Systems

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Hey List,

I'm looking for a backup generator for my house .. we typically loose power a few days a year due to snow ... but one never knows what the future will hold.

I'm leaning toward a 3600rpm portable Diesel motor generator .. can get one (Looking at ETQ 6000 model) for about $1100.00 ... vs a PTO driven unit for the tractor ... Can get one at this site for about $500.00 plus shipping.

Do any of you's guys have any experience with the ETQ brand .. I don't think it would last forever... but for only a few days a year I would hope I could get 10 years out of it?

My Kioti has a 540 PTO, so I don't know what ENGINE RPM I would have to run to get the pto generator to spin at the correct speed ... It would kill me to leave the ol girl screaming over the idle speed for hours at a time??

Any Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

STAY AWAY FROM ETQ!!! I had an awful experience with their 1,000 watt unit from Northern Tool. Everything broke, one thing after another. We could not get a hold of customer service, and we had to pay $40 to send it back for a replacement. Then after the replacement came we found out it was refurbished. Then that unit broke. I finally had to eat the $130 + $40 and chalk it up to experience...

 

[Raspy]

I have a portable diesel generator that I built that puts out about 2000 - 2500 watts max. It will run my well pump, or the fridge and a bunch of lights, or power tools. It's good for the necessities. But I would like to have a PTO genny and will one of these days.

With about 25 PTO hp available I can run a much bigger load if needed with the PTO and the tractor gets used a lot and is ready to go. I don't have to have a maintenance schedule on the genny to make sure it will start or have it out and standing by. You can get a lot more Watts per dollar with a PTO unit and you already have a very nice diesel engine to run it.

It's only intermittent duty and the noise either one makes is a non issue to me. In fact my tractor is quieter than most generators I've heard running. If you do need the tractor for another task while generating (unlikely it seems), just shut down the power long enough to do it and come back.

Of course, the best of all, if you really want to be prepared, would be a Witte. I'd love to have one of those, but it's way overkill for my application and would be here just for fun.