Buying Advice PTO Driven Generator

[brandoro]

As has been said many times, everyone's situation/needs are different.
Here's my take. I don't worry a bit about putting hours on the tractor, that's what it's for. If I can wear this tractor out in my lifetime I'll be pretty proud of myself.
I am set up so I can run the tractor in the shop, exhaust out the door so heat from the engine heats the shop, power goes to the house, pumps, whatever via the cable that normally feeds the shop from the house.
If I need the tractor to move snow or tree limbs, the house is okay for a few hours without power, even in the dead of winter, which is plenty cold here.

 

[Dargo]

24/7

why?

If I was in a critical situation and needed full 24/7/365 power.. I'd get a standby genny.

the average homeowner don't need 24/7 power.

soundguy

I make several thousand dollars clearing snow most times our power is out. A PTO generator makes absolutely no sense for anyone in my situation or even if they need to use their tractor much at all when power is out. So much time would be wasted unhooking the generator (then, obviously, you'd have no power) and then hooking an implement up to the tractor then reversing that scenario constantly when you need power. If you have 2 tractors, great, I can see where it would work for you. Otherwise, I simply don't see it as a viable solution for most tractor owners.

Besides, I'm one of those who has a lot of other things to do rather than jack around with hooking up a generator and unhooking it etc. I have lots of things to do and I don't want intermittent power. If my power goes out, I want backup power 24/7 until my power is restored. A permanently mounted, or portable, backup generator is a far better solution for me than buying a 2nd tractor and PTO generator for a backup power supply. Besides, if I had a 2nd reasonable sized tractor, it too would be out making money clearing snow or debris when power is out.

 

[Soundguy]

If my power goes out, I want backup power 24/7 until my power is restored. A permanently mounted, or portable, backup generator is a far better solution for me than buying a 2nd tractor and PTO generator for a backup power supply. Besides, if I had a 2nd reasonable sized tractor, it too would be out making money clearing snow or debris when power is out.

in an emergency situation with an extended outtage being possible.. that IMHO seems unreasonable.

when the hurricanes came thru in 04 / 05.. some of our places went without power for right under a MONTH.

during that time.. most fuel stations in my area were CLOSED for 2 weeks.

gas was hard to find.. and diesel virtually non existant. whatever gas that was available was heavilly rationed...

I wouldn't be sitting there burning petrol just to hear the genny run 24/7 when I didn't know where my next gallon was going to come from


soundguy

 

[atgreene]

in an emergency situation with an extended outtage being possible.. that IMHO seems unreasonable.

when the hurricanes came thru in 04 / 05.. some of our places went without power for right under a MONTH.

during that time.. most fuel stations in my area were CLOSED for 2 weeks.

gas was hard to find.. and diesel virtually non existant. whatever gas that was available was heavilly rationed...

I wouldn't be sitting there burning petrol just to hear the genny run 24/7 when I didn't know where my next gallon was going to come from


soundguy

That's why I shy'd away from propane genny's. During the ice storm a few years back we were w/o power over two weeks in January. Propane trucks couldn't make deliveries, those with gen's had to shut them down as the tanks began to freeze-up as they got low on fuel.

Diesel gen's run on about 1/2 to 1/3 the gallons per hour of propane, and I have close to 1000 gallons of diesel on hand, between on road, off road and heating oil. Seemed like the way to go for me.

Feeding a tractor fuel is obviously a little more diesel than a small gen set, but my 50 hp Kubota turned my 15 kw pto unit more than one night for less than 1/2 gallon / hour. Not bad considering.

 

[Dargo]

in an emergency situation with an extended outtage being possible.. that IMHO seems unreasonable.

when the hurricanes came thru in 04 / 05.. some of our places went without power for right under a MONTH.

during that time.. most fuel stations in my area were CLOSED for 2 weeks.

gas was hard to find.. and diesel virtually non existant. whatever gas that was available was heavilly rationed...

I wouldn't be sitting there burning petrol just to hear the genny run 24/7 when I didn't know where my next gallon was going to come from


soundguy

Yeah, probably the big difference between you and I is the fact that my tractor and track loader become worth about $200 to $300 per hour when we have heavy snow. I bid jobs by the job; not the hour. With larger equipment I can turn a decent amount of cash per hour. I don't see where we disagree, just different circumstances.

Oh, that's also when it is nice that I have a reasonable sized diesel tank on the premises.

 

[brin]

Yeah, probably the big difference between you and I is the fact that my tractor and track loader become worth about $200 to $300 per hour when we have heavy snow. I bid jobs by the job; not the hour. With larger equipment I can turn a decent amount of cash per hour. I don't see where we disagree, just different circumstances.

Oh, that's also when it is nice that I have a reasonable sized diesel tank on the premises.

Dargo..you are right..In your case you need your tractor..In my case it just sits there. We don't get snow in Ga. that needs to be plowed so I have a tractor and PTO genny at the ready and it works for me. I ration my fuel like I would food in an emergency so there is no need for 24/7 power...Each to his own.

 

[Soundguy]

Feeding a tractor fuel is obviously a little more diesel than a small gen set, but my 50 hp Kubota turned my 15 kw pto unit more than one night for less than 1/2 gallon / hour. Not bad considering.

remember.. in the end.. if using a modern diesel.. fuel consumption is primarilly going to be determined by electrical load.

a 40 hp tractor running a 24kw genny and a 30hp tractor running a 12kw genny, both supply a steady 5kw load.. are going to use just about the same fuel.. assuming both machines are in good order with good air filters.

I have noticed -0- difference running a pto gen on my ford 5000 vs my NH 7610s ( 70 vs 95 hp ).. yeah.. some of it is the 7610s has a turbo and is a lil more efficient than the NA 5000.. but mostly.. it was a load issue.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

Yeah, probably the big difference between you and I is the fact that my tractor and track loader become worth about $200 to $300 per hour when we have heavy snow. I bid jobs by the job; not the hour. With larger equipment I can turn a decent amount of cash per hour. I don't see where we disagree, just different circumstances.

Oh, that's also when it is nice that I have a reasonable sized diesel tank on the premises.

don't get me wrong.. I had use for my tractors as well during those storms. My loader tractors were moving tree's and limbs from across roads in our community... I used a SPARE tractor for the power...

Having that big heavy genset on a 3pt carry-all worked great for me. on at least 2 occasions I ran my tractor with genny over to a neighbors house to use electricty to run some power tools and equipment and to pump up a well.

At least for me.. it sure beat lugging a huge 'portable' genny around to get power where needed during clean up.

in some of our areas.. most of us need an 8.5kw peak capable machine to start our deep wells. 5.5 and 6.5k units will not reliable start most of the wells in my area... once running.. sure.. low kw is fine.. thus a unit with a high surge rating generally works.

we have a 6.5/8.5 at work.. it will start em fine.. but another 6.5/7k unit won't reliable do it.. the 5.5k units won't even touch some of the motor loads.. like big air handlers and ac compressors . my 12.5k northern pto genny will kick both easilly, plus the well, and fridge.. if needed.

just got to have a spare tractor that's all... I go the lazy route.. no lugging a heavy genny around.. can even throw the ac buzzbox welder on the carry all and strap it on and do welding repairs on the fly away from power... just drive to location.. burn a rod.. hop on and keep going!

I agree.. we are not disagreeing.. just playing a different ballgame.

ditto on the reserve fuel tank. I can keep about 190g on hand if needed now
.. usually have at least 70 in the tank, and all the diesel tractors topped off ( almost 20g each on the fords.. )


soundguy

 

[keyman1808]

For me I cant see shelling out 6200.00 for a standby generator for a use of 2 -3 days at most every couple of years thats why a PTo genny would suit me better. My tractor sits there anyway. Sure in a snow storm I'll blow the driveway with it but thats less than 30 mins and for that time I'll leave it on the back of the tractor and just unplug it. So if I could find one that had decent power output that my BX24 could run I would do it.

 

[Soundguy]

you are likely limited to a 7200w head.. or a 10k head that will essentially have 'extra' built in thermal load protection due to insuficient hp to peak the genny.

both are 'good' options..

soundguy