PTO Generator?

TonkaToy · Oct 11, 2009

I use to live in a house that had a hybrid fireplace to heat the place and I have a small 5.6 KW generator which I used for a couple of things during power failures. My current house is all electric and this generator is just way too small to power the heating. We don't have many power failures, but if we have one, not fun during Canadian winters.

I have a BX25, and I am wondering if anyone has ever seen or heard of some kind of generator system that would run off the tractor? Something on the market or maybe something someone concocted on their own. I was thinking something that could run off the PTO? Also, this being as an emergency backup it would be used rarely, but if there is anything of this sort possible, any thoughts if this would be bad for the tractor's engine or just a bad idea?

I would need minimum 100 KW but could really use up to 200 KW. Dedicated units of this size are cost prohibitive, they are as much as my tractor which I can't afford, especially because the use would be just for the odd occasion. But the dedicated generator units I have seen are usually run by a diesel engine about the size in my BX.

Any thoughts guys?

Thanks

kennyd · Oct 11, 2009

This has been discussed LOTS here on TBN (use the search function). There are quite a few units available that are made to run off of the PTO in the 8kw through 25kw or so. General rule of thumb is that you will need about 2HP per kw generated-I believe you BX has about 18 or so PTO HP so your are looking at generating about 9kw maximum with your tractor.

100kw to 200kw is not anything close to what is needed for a standby generator! You could run a small hospital with that! My house is 5000sq.ft. and I get by quite nicely with a 15kw Generac LP fired unit. How did you come up with those numbers?

TonkaToy · Oct 11, 2009

Ahhh....slight error, I need minimum 100AMPS but could use 200AMPS, which should be about 20 KW...sorry

Dargo · Oct 11, 2009

kennyd said:
General rule of thumb is that you will need about 2HP per kw generated-I believe you BX has about 18 or so PTO HP so your are looking at generating about 9kw maximum with your tractor.

Yes, that will be his biggest issue, lack of hp from his tractor. Personally, I find that when the power is out is also a time I need my tractor. I only have two smaller generators, a Honda and a Yamaha, that together put out about 15kw. I've found that to not even be close to what I need. My other issue is that, where I live, the most likely reason I'd be without power for a really long period of time would be due to an earthquake. That eliminates a NG powered generator because it's standard protocol for the utility company to shut off NG in that circumstance to prevent fires. Since I have a diesel tank in one of my barns, a diesel generator seems to be my best bet.

Unfortunately, two different electricians have told me that the absolute minimum size I should consider is a 30kw with a 50kw being about the right size. Buying that size self enclosed diesel generator and setting up an automatic transfer switch puts me into sticker shock. However, I recall how much of a pain it was running on gen power for over a week last winter. I guess I'm going to have to get serious and just bite the bullet and buy what I need. For some people a PTO genset would be fine. I've heard they work well but, just like my little gas units, you still have to keep fuel in the tractor and, as I mentioned, I need my tractor for other things during those times. Oh, as for sizing, I currently have 800 amp service from the utility company. I could get by with a little less, but if I'm going to spend the money, I don't want to have to worry about using something or not when the power is out.

Mickey_Fx · Oct 11, 2009

From a pure power standpoint, 20kw translates to 26.8HP. But with losses and the need for some spare power to handle short transient loads you're going to need more than 27 hp and I'd not want to run my tractor at full load for hrs on end. Your tractor might handle something on the order of 10kw if the genny transmission was fairly efficient and there was a fair amount of rotating mass (flywheel/kinetic energy) to help with transients.

What ever brand you look at, refer to the mfgrs recommendation on power needs for the size genny your looking at.

No fireplace in your current home? If you have one, you could add a wood burning stove insert which could take off a large portion of the electrical load now being used to heat the house. I have a pellet insert, rated for up to 37k btu's and only takes 100w to run. Fan(s) whether part of a home forced air system or portable, can aid in air circulation throughout the house.

brin · Oct 11, 2009

I pretty much agree wtih Mickey_Fx - I bought a 20KW PTO generator with a 40KW surge capacity and it runs fine with my NH TC- 29 - it is 29 HP and will power my whole house. I put an ad in our State Farmers bulletin for a PTO Generator Wanted and bought it from a chicken farmer who had used it only 3 times..and got a real deal on it..so you need more horsepower for 100KW ..geez, you would need a bunch ..I think it is 1.5 HP to every KW..

coobie · Oct 11, 2009

Dargo said:
Yes, that will be his biggest issue, lack of hp from his tractor. Personally, I find that when the power is out is also a time I need my tractor. I only have two smaller generators, a Honda and a Yamaha, that together put out about 15kw. I've found that to not even be close to what I need. My other issue is that, where I live, the most likely reason I'd be without power for a really long period of time would be due to an earthquake. That eliminates a NG powered generator because it's standard protocol for the utility company to shut off NG in that circumstance to prevent fires. Since I have a diesel tank in one of my barns, a diesel generator seems to be my best bet.

Unfortunately, two different electricians have told me that the absolute minimum size I should consider is a 30kw with a 50kw being about the right size. Buying that size self enclosed diesel generator and setting up an automatic transfer switch puts me into sticker shock. However, I recall how much of a pain it was running on gen power for over a week last winter. I guess I'm going to have to get serious and just bite the bullet and buy what I need. For some people a PTO genset would be fine. I've heard they work well but, just like my little gas units, you still have to keep fuel in the tractor and, as I mentioned, I need my tractor for other things during those times. Oh, as for sizing, I currently have 800 amp service from the utility company. I could get by with a little less, but if I'm going to spend the money, I don't want to have to worry about using something or not when the power is out.

WOW Dargo,that 30kw-50kw seems very high to me.Being a electric lineman a 25 kv tranformer will run about 2-6 houses.I run my house(3200 sq ft)and 30X40 & 24X34 barns off my 6500 watt kubota gas gen.My house and two barns run off a 4800 volt 10 kva transformer.coobie

whistlepig · Oct 11, 2009

Trying to go whole house with a generator is a pretty expensive project. In some places the cost is very well justified. We went with a portable generator. Our 220V well pump is wired to a disconnect with a pigtail. When the power goes out we pull the disconnect and plug the generator directly in to the pigtail for the well pump. For backup heat we have a pellet stove. This is all the money I was comfortable spending on a place with so few power outages. I have about $2,800 invested in this basic setup including the $2,500 spent for a Honda 6,500W generator. We could get by for a good while. The only thing we would miss is hot water.

Diamondpilot · Oct 11, 2009

I just have a 200 amp transfer switch between my meter and panel. When the power goes out I just flip the switch then roll my 8550 Watt Troy Built Genny out of the barn and plug it in with a 25' cord I made up. It will run my whole house but my heat and hot water are on propane. We have electric for the well pump, stove, dryer, and everything else. I have been without power for 8 days at one time and 3 days another in the 5 years I have been here along with 4-5 single day outages. It averages 9 gallons a day. I let it run 24/7 when the power is out just shutting down every other day to change the oil. I keep 25 gallons of gas on hand if its been 6 months or so I just run the gas though my boat or gas cars, trucks, and equipment and buy fresh.

The genny I got on sale for $799 and the transfer switch was $300 at the local electrical supply house. I have about $50 in the plugs and had a 25' piece of 8/4wire I scavenged from a boat dock. My neighbor is a electrician so he installed the switch and outdoor weather tight plug in about 1 hour. I made up the cord while he did it.

Its worked great for me. I have used the genny a few times away from home like at a camp ground and at the lake to run welders. Its a little heavy so I put 4 lifting rings so I can put it in my truck with my FEL and some lifting straps.

This is the same transfer switch I have but the cost has went up a little.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42163

Chris

Travelover · Oct 11, 2009

I don't think is reasonable to try to heat a house electrically during a Canadian winter with a generator. You would do better with a small genset (5000 watts or so) and a propane heater.