Is it time to consider electric?

[Snobdds]

Remember the construction company that bought CASE Electric backhoes, then they had to buy huge diesel generators to charge them all night.

I know someone has the picture.

 

[Hay Dude]

There are more fires from gasoline cars than battery powered cars. Better also park all your gas and diesel equipment out back, spaced at least 50 feet apart.

But, yes, I might also consider design requirements of electric vehicles and equipment. A good place to keep them weather protected and considering how to recharge them.

Those Nesher machines look interesting. And a heck of a lot less expensive than the Bobcat electrics.

Interesting choice of video clip with the machine slowly driving across a field unloaded.

Cute, but yeah only problem with that is we aren’t talking about cars.

Show me some unbiased statistics that support that in electric heavy equipment versus diesel heavy equipment and I’ll believe you.
But you don’t have any.

 

[Hay Dude]

Remember the construction company that bought CASE Electric backhoes, then they had to buy huge diesel generators to charge them all night.

I know someone has the picture.

That’s lunacy.
“No joke”.

 

[CliffordK]

Cute, but yeah only problem with that is we aren’t talking about cars.

Show me some unbiased statistics that support that in electric heavy equipment versus diesel heavy equipment and I’ll believe you.
But you don’t have any.

I'm not seeing any reports of electric construction equipment fires. There are some bus fires, semi fires, and etc that are being evaluated.

There is a DeWalt Zero Turn YouTube video that claims to be an Electric at an equipment show. But I'm not finding the model available retail, so it was either pre-production demo, or mislabeled. DeWalt does make gas mowers.

Hopefully there is an agency that is tracking equipment fires. NIOSH, NHTSA, OSHA, BBB, NFPA, etc.

Farm fires certainly occur for a variety of reasons including moist hay. Gas/Diesel equipment fires also occur due to some of the same factors as car fires including electrical, oil/fuel leaks, poor maintenance, muffler/exhaust, and dust/hay, accidents.

One should expect some electric fires to occur due to either battery failure, or some of the same causes as gas/diesel fires. Yet, they may be different. If the electric equipment runs cooler than gas/diesel counterparts, it could reduce the chance of dust/hay fires.

There is an effort to bring safety into EVs including battery monitoring systems and the use of pyrofuses.

Some EV powerpacks can actually survive an external vehicle fire without going up in smoke.

Now, if you're driving your heavy equipment into a swamp, I might not choose an EV. Although at least some seem to have moderate water protection. Not all diesels will run underwater with a snorkel.

 

[Hay Dude]

I'm not seeing any reports of electric construction equipment fires. There are some bus fires, semi fires, and etc that are being evaluated.

There is a DeWalt Zero Turn YouTube video that claims to be an Electric at an equipment show. But I'm not finding the model available retail, so it was either pre-production demo, or mislabeled. DeWalt does make gas mowers.

Hopefully there is an agency that is tracking equipment fires. NIOSH, NHTSA, OSHA, BBB, NFPA, etc.

Farm fires certainly occur for a variety of reasons including moist hay. Gas/Diesel equipment fires also occur due to some of the same factors as car fires including electrical, oil/fuel leaks, poor maintenance, muffler/exhaust, and dust/hay, accidents.

One should expect some electric fires to occur due to either battery failure, or some of the same causes as gas/diesel fires. Yet, they may be different. If the electric equipment runs cooler than gas/diesel counterparts, it could reduce the chance of dust/hay fires.

There is an effort to bring safety into EVs including battery monitoring systems and the use of pyrofuses.

Some EV powerpacks can actually survive an external vehicle fire without going up in smoke.

Now, if you're driving your heavy equipment into a swamp, I might not choose an EV. Although at least some seem to have moderate water protection. Not all diesels will run underwater with a snorkel.

Just let me know when you have the diesel v. electric heavy equipment fire stats.

I’ll be here.

 

[ArlyA]

I'm not seeing any reports of electric construction equipment fires. There are some bus fires, semi fires, and etc that are being evaluated.

There is a DeWalt Zero Turn YouTube video that claims to be an Electric at an equipment show. But I'm not finding the model available retail, so it was either pre-production demo, or mislabeled. DeWalt does make gas mowers.

Hopefully there is an agency that is tracking equipment fires. NIOSH, NHTSA, OSHA, BBB, NFPA, etc.

Farm fires certainly occur for a variety of reasons including moist hay. Gas/Diesel equipment fires also occur due to some of the same factors as car fires including electrical, oil/fuel leaks, poor maintenance, muffler/exhaust, and dust/hay, accidents.

One should expect some electric fires to occur due to either battery failure, or some of the same causes as gas/diesel fires. Yet, they may be different. If the electric equipment runs cooler than gas/diesel counterparts, it could reduce the chance of dust/hay fires.

There is an effort to bring safety into EVs including battery monitoring systems and the use of pyrofuses.

Some EV powerpacks can actually survive an external vehicle fire without going up in smoke.

Now, if you're driving your heavy equipment into a swamp, I might not choose an EV. Although at least some seem to have moderate water protection. Not all diesels will run underwater with a snorkel.

I was looking at a electric zero steer mower and started a thread asking if anyone has one. Not a single person responded who had but the snide remarks came rolling in. One said "are you buying it for political or religions reasons?" and I gave up. Just wanted a new damn mower.

 

[ruffdog]

Gee, all them years of electric forklifts, man lifts, and other equipment with a very good maintenance record.

 

[RcOz]

Regardless of fuel type, good engineering should nearly eliminate the risk of fire.

These machines aren’t fast and are built of thick steel, does anyone worry about puncture in a PT product? I doubt it.

I don’t want a Chinese tractor but those things ran non stop for almost 7 hours. That’s getting close to meeting a lot of people’s needs.

 

[CliffordK]

Just let me know when you have the diesel v. electric heavy equipment fire stats.

I’ll be here.

Right now on COPART, there are:

2015 CASE SR210 loader that is listed as having an engine burn.
2022 JOHN DEERE 333G that is a total burn.
2005 BOBCAT S250, Engine/rear end burn.
2021 JCB LOADER (big one), Engine burn
2014 BOBCAT T750, Engine Burn
2022 JOHN DEERE 333 G BOBC Another one that is pretty toasty.

And on IAAI:

2000 NEW HOLLAND LX865, Engine burn
2021 Geihl Tracked Loader, Engine/Cab burn.
2013 TIGERCAT 610C LOG SKIDDER, burn
2003 CATERPILLAR 262 Engine Burn
2015 BOBCAT T650 SKID STEER Engine Burn / Total Burn
1995 Caterpillar 350F wheel loader (big one) Engine/rear end burn

So, a dozen skidsteers and loaders of various types.

Want to guess how many Electric Bobcat T7x and S7x loaders were listed as burnt? Total?

 

[fatjay]

Longevity of battery packs with current technology will never not be a concern. From anyone that's seen my projects, I run machines from the 1950's through the 1970's. Maybe in the future they'll figure out a compact and easy replacement battery for the battery machines they built today. But as of now, these machines will be dead in 10-20 years and won't stand a chance at being viable after 70 years. Which means that I, the homesteader, who doesn't make my living with a machine and can't afford to pay 70k for one, will be up ***** creek without a paddle.