PTO Generator

[ColoradoBound]

Let me start off by saying I don't have my tractor yet so I can't go experiment.

I was wondering if tractors have a "kill" switch that won't let you get out of the seat with the PTO engaged then how do you run a PTO generator without sitting on the tractor the whole time?

 

[MikeInEburg]

Most tractors have some method to do this. My Kubota requires that the operator seat be flipped forward quickly after dismount for PTO to continue.

 

[buickanddeere]

Stationary in neutral with the brakes on, no problem. Purchase a generator larger than what is needed. Absolute bare minimum of 1-1/2 Pto HP per KW. Safe number is 2HP per KW. Using a proper transfer switch ? A Murphy switch on oil pressure and coolant temp is peace of mind .

 

[ColoradoBound]

Stationary in neutral with the brakes on, no problem. Purchase a generator larger than what is needed. Absolute bare minimum of 1-1/2 Pto HP per KW. Safe number is 2HP per KW. Using a proper transfer switch ? A Murphy switch on oil pressure and coolant temp is peace of mind .

The tractor I am looking at is the XR4140 with 32hp at the PTO and a 16kw generator.

The house is 100% off-grid solar so I have the generator input handled.

Good idea on the oil pressure and coolant temp.

 

[chris1006]

I have an XR4046 and use a 16 kw PTO generator. My tractor is hydrostatic. Put the gear selector in neutral, engage the park brake, engage the pto and run the rpm up to what is required for your generator to output proper hertz/voltage and just get off tractor. Mine works fine. Previous poster is correct about sizing it properly. I had a Kubota with only 24 pto hp and it would run it pretty good but on the LS it doesn't even flinch when starting the air conditioning or anything else I have run with it. You should be just fine as looks like you have 2HP per 1KW.

 

[oosik]

My tractor "beeps" a few times when I get off, if the PTO is in use. Otherwise, all PTO driven implements continue to run. I have a stand alone gas generator. In case of extended power outage I don't want to tie up the tractor running a generator.

 

[buickanddeere]

The tractor I am looking at is the XR4140 with 32hp at the PTO and a 16kw generator.

The house is 100% off-grid solar so I have the generator input handled.

Good idea on the oil pressure and coolant temp.

Someday you will be happier with a 20Kw generator .

 

[Industrial Toys]

My JD 770 that I ran an Oan 15KW set with had a switch under the seat. You would fold the seat forward and pull up on the switch.

My two cents worth. Unless the tractor has Murphy style gauges that shut the tractor off in the case of a malfunction, I would not use a tractor regularly for this purpose.

I would also, not even consider a generator as a quality standby unit unless it ran at 1800 rpm (or lower).

 

[ColoradoBound]

Someday you will be happier with a 20Kw generator .

Why would I be happier with a 20k generator?

 

[Industrial Toys]

On a Diesel, you don't want wet stacking, under low loads. I live in an electrically heated house. I have a 7.5 KW Onan/Kubota for Main, 3.7 KW Yanmar for back-up and a 3KW ALPHA 220 Telecom Inverter for night time use. In the winter I heat with wood in an outage.

There are things I cannot run. BIG welders and compressors. I have six buildings and everything gets cut over in an outage via 200 amp transfer switch. With a little load management, I have never been short on power. I only generate 220 which goes into a transformer so my legs are always balanced.

I have never missed having my 15 KW Onan PTO set. One day, using the 15KW, I turned on every baseboard heater in the place, every element on the range and oven, basically every domestic thing I had, and still did not run out of power.

Who needs 20KW?

Get a KW meter and see how little power is used much of the time. Yesterday during the day I was using around 400 watts. And for that I need a 20KW genset running?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I also have a pto genset, and I have no problem leaving my tractor running it for hours on end, if I want to.

I have no need for a 20kw genset, we just aren't that power Hungary... In fact, most times I power my genset with my 12.5 pto hp Kubota tractor, with no problems at all. It powers my whole house...

SR

 

[chris1006]

One other thing I think needs to be stressed is you need a way to check what the output is if the generator does not have a built in voltage meter on it(pretty sure most do have it). Don't just run the tractor up to its 540 pto rpm setting and think that is right. Both tractors I have had my generator hooked to operated 3 to 4 thousand rpm below 540 setting to even out at 60 hertz/ 240 volts.

 

[woodsman74881]

I have a 24kw generator that I run on my LS3033. I have a total electric house. I have no problems running my generator on that tractor. It doesn't even flinch even under load. However when putting a generator of any size on the back of a tractor you need to use a HZ meter to determine what RPMs on your tractor are needed to run the generator. My LS3033 needs 2000 rpms, but my LS5020 only needs 1800 to spin the generator at the right speed. My old Mahindra only needed 1650 rpms. This is imperative if you have electronics in your house or any of the new fangled LED or fluorescent light bulbs. They won't work or flicker excessively if you don't have 60hz plus or minus 1 hz. Some electronics and tvs won't run at all. (This is for the U.S. many countries use 50 hz but same principle applies.) All generators and tractors are not created equally and will require tweaking the RPMs to get the Hertz right. Generally speaking, if the Hz is correct the voltage will be in tolerance as well depending on generator set. Some generators have the ability to adjust the voltage after the Hz are set and some do it all automatically. What you get depends on your knowledge and skills and the size of your pockets. I am a licensed electrical contractor in Oklahoma and have helped many folks get their generators set up. If you have any questions send me a post and I will reply. Ken

 

[buickanddeere]

Why would I be happier with a 20k generator?

A consumer grade generator should not be operated continuous at full rated current, so de-rate down to about 80%. The larger generator has more capacity to start motors. Someday there maybe a need to operate electrical loads up to the tractor's HP limit. Re-sale is better on larger generators.
If the wife is operating everything at once here in winter the demand will exceed 40KW.
There is a movement to "save the world" from pollution by having households and vehicles 100% electric by law . Fortunately that idea has been shot down for the moment in a media uproar last month.
As previously stated. Ensure the frequency and voltage is checked with instrumentation.

There are those gas supplied properties that the electrical loads consist of a fridge, lights and TV with a $50 a month power bill.

 

[newbury]

The tractor I am looking at is the XR4140 with 32hp at the PTO and a 16kw generator.

The house is 100% off-grid solar so I have the generator input handled.
<snip>

Is the primary purpose of the PTO generator to backup the solar in case of no output from solar? Will it be feeding into an electric storage module (battery bank etc.)? How many KW are your solar panels?
AND
What's your budget?

Someday you will be happier with a 20Kw generator .

By all means definitely, because the OP will need to upgrade his tractor from 32HP to 40HP plus to get full output from the generator.

A consumer grade generator should not be operated continuous at full rated current, so de-rate down to about 80%. The larger generator has more capacity to start motors. Someday there maybe a need to operate electrical loads up to the tractor's HP limit. Re-sale is better on larger generators.<snip>

Good point - OP - try keeping track of local PTO generators for sale on Craigs List etc., if there are any.

OP -
Seems like you have an appropriate package.

 

[buickanddeere]

Is the primary purpose of the PTO generator to backup the solar in case of no output from solar? Will it be feeding into an electric storage module (battery bank etc.)? How many KW are your solar panels?
AND
What's your budget?

32 pro HP will carry 20KW just fine. 20KW will allow full rate bulk charging of batteries while simultaneously allowing operation of high demand electrical equipmemt .


By all means definitely, because the OP will need to upgrade his tractor from 32HP to 40HP plus to get full output from the generator.


Good point - OP - try keeping track of local PTO generators for sale on Craigs List etc., if there are any.

OP -
Seems like you have an appropriate package.

32HP will operate 20KW just fine and allow full rate bulk charging and still allow use of other high demand electrical loads.

 

[ColoradoBound]

16kw will do fine charging my 1585ah 48v battery bank, including any house loads on at the time. Plus it will power all the high demand equipment that I have any plans for.

 

[newbury]

Stationary in neutral with the brakes on, no problem. Purchase a generator larger than what is needed. Absolute bare minimum of 1-1/2 Pto HP per KW. Safe number is 2HP per KW. Using a proper transfer switch ? A Murphy switch on oil pressure and coolant temp is peace of mind .

32HP will operate 20KW just fine and allow full rate bulk charging and still allow use of other high demand electrical loads.

So bare minimum or 2KW/HP? Which is "just fine"?

 

[buickanddeere]

Bare minimum is 1-1/2 pto HP per KW. Rule of thumb to maintain inrush capacity for motor starting and reduce the chance of tractor overheating is 2 pto HP per KW.

 

[Fallon]

A 32 pto HP tractor will run a 50kw generator just fine. However once you try to pull more power than you have HP, you'll bog then stall the tractor. So to big of a generator isn't a problem, but to small can be. It's also much better on equipment to not run them at their limit. Most say don't plan on running your generator at over 80% load except for occasional spikes like starting a motor or compressor.

A bigger generator will have more rotating mass to smooth out spikes as well.

I'm in the process of putting new Anderson plugs into my 30 year old WinCo 25kw (35 surge) generator before getting it setup for emergency power at my place. Disconnects are already installed, just need to finish the generator rewiring & build the umbilacle.