PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done!

   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #21  
Wow! This is amazing. If the engine on my 425 ever burned out, I would love to do an EVersion. Though maybe I should just go ahead and do it as I‘m sure I could sell the engine to help cover some of the cost. Thanks for your post.
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #22  
Any chance that I can get a specific list of components used? IE: model of controller, model of potentiometer, etc. My brother and I plan to convert an 18 HP Power Trac. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
CurtZ, I also would like to try this swap to electric. Have you received a reply yet from Predator Trac? If so have you begun the project?
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #23  
I would love to do this with my 425. Just not sure where to start.
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #24  
We used to use scoops in the mines that were battery powered and we used to sets of batteries one set was charging while we used the other. The scoop had hydraulic cylinders that lifted the batteries up and you would back up to the stand that held the batteries and lower the used up batteries on the stand , disconnect the leads connecting to motor and hook up jumper cables and move the scoop to the newly charged batteries and pick them up on the hydraulic cylinders pull of the battery stand disconnect the jumper up and hook the freshly charged batteries up to the motor. You could then have one set charging while using the other set.
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #25  
There are some who say that Power Trac is better than any CUT ever made. We may now be witnessing an E-Power Trac that is better than any Power Trac ever made ;)
I’ve kind of wondered why power trac isn’t working on one.
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #26  
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

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Thanks for this great post. I’ve been thinking about converting my oldest 1430 to electric for some time, especially now that the engine has given out. Your post gets the juices flowing again. Have to research where to get parts reasonable.
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #28  
Koensig just showed an amazing motor they just designed. Small and super powerful.
But it's only super powerful for just seconds. Then it drops to just regular powerful.

I read an article on it. Very cool.
 
   / PT-422 Electric Conversion.......Done! #30  
PT-180 ELECTRIC CONVERSION COMPLETED
 

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