Running generator from tractor and a video of my property
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Industrial Toys
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I tried it with a JD 770 on a PTO set, running at half speed with a JD gearbox. Also total failure.
OP
1930
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I did not know there was so many things to consider, trying to find a use for what will eventually be a perfectly good generator, once the gas engine goes there will be no justification to buy another gas engine. Not when I can buy another complete unit so inexpensively.
WranglerX
Super Member
So what is going to be time factor screwing around with PTO system every time you need it to power home and tractor is in the barn and generator is in the barn sitting on a pallet....
To use PTO you are going to need a gear box of some sort to speed up generator as generally PTO speeds are about 540 RPM and generator requires a speed of about 3600 rpm to produce true 60 hertz power....
To build or buy a PTO system will cost quite a bit more then just replacing engine on generator..... I got one of the 6.5 hp ones to replace the 5 hp B&S the was dead on a used log splitter I acquired, was
pleasantly supersized it was was direct bolt up with no real mods other than a offending bracket on logsplitter chassis mount that I had to notch a bit...
Dale
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LouNY
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One other point on most of the 3600 rpm gensets,
the generator only has one bearing on the far end the engine side is located by the engine rear main bearing,
also most of the engine driven direct coupled gen sets are.
the generator only has one bearing on the far end the engine side is located by the engine rear main bearing,
also most of the engine driven direct coupled gen sets are.
DieselBound
Elite Member
Most anything can be done given enough time and or money. For best results a full set of requirements needs to be specified.
No idea on what your requirements are. May or may not be OK to run something from your PTO, it depends.
My genset requirements were for [emergency] backup power for my house, pump house (well- potable water), garage and a couple of sheds. I of course sought a diesel generator.
Ended up with a 1993 Onan/Cummins 7.5DKD with a Kubota diesel. Figured that 7.5kW was sufficient to meet my power needs: that has been proven true since having it in production use. One of my best acquisitions.
No idea on what your requirements are. May or may not be OK to run something from your PTO, it depends.
My genset requirements were for [emergency] backup power for my house, pump house (well- potable water), garage and a couple of sheds. I of course sought a diesel generator.
Ended up with a 1993 Onan/Cummins 7.5DKD with a Kubota diesel. Figured that 7.5kW was sufficient to meet my power needs: that has been proven true since having it in production use. One of my best acquisitions.BrokenTrack
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The best bang for the buck is to find a used PTO generator because they are everywhere, and are cheap. Since you are not buying the engine to drive them, the cost per KW is incredibly low, and they provide very clean power to the house, something a portable generator will not do. They also have incredible load starting ability since the kinetic energy, mass and governing ability of a farm tractor can really make power spikes a non-issue.
I have a 20 KW PTO generator. Mine is configured to run on either PTO power from my tractor, or a stand alone Perkins Diesel engine...
Dealerships often have used PTO generators for cheap, and I see them listed in TractorHouse Magazine as "We have (17) 20-KW generators for sale"...so they are that plentiful.
If you want to buy cheap new ones, check out Central Georgia Generator. The owner is the nicest guy ever, parts are shipped fast, and they know what they are talking about. He told me personally..."It is guys like you why I started my business".
Whatever you have, you should have a control panel to see what you are putting out. Mine was a 100 amp amp/voltage/hertz control panel, and cost $80 I think, but is well worth the money. Just frying one well pump because of low frequency would cost more in time and labor then the cost of that $80 control panel. Dialing in your backup power to match the quality of grid-power is well worth doing. At 83 amps/20 KW; my kids do not even know when the power goes out because the power quality is that of grid-based power.
I have a 20 KW PTO generator. Mine is configured to run on either PTO power from my tractor, or a stand alone Perkins Diesel engine...
Dealerships often have used PTO generators for cheap, and I see them listed in TractorHouse Magazine as "We have (17) 20-KW generators for sale"...so they are that plentiful.
If you want to buy cheap new ones, check out Central Georgia Generator. The owner is the nicest guy ever, parts are shipped fast, and they know what they are talking about. He told me personally..."It is guys like you why I started my business".
Whatever you have, you should have a control panel to see what you are putting out. Mine was a 100 amp amp/voltage/hertz control panel, and cost $80 I think, but is well worth the money. Just frying one well pump because of low frequency would cost more in time and labor then the cost of that $80 control panel. Dialing in your backup power to match the quality of grid-power is well worth doing. At 83 amps/20 KW; my kids do not even know when the power goes out because the power quality is that of grid-based power.
justman777
Platinum Member
BrokenTrack, that's a pretty sweet setup!
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Sure is
BrokenTrack
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Thanks for your kind words, and yours too 1930...
A genset is pretty easy to set up because there is always power available, so fans, battery charging circuits, etc can all be 120 volt making things pretty easy.
I have a 275 gallon oil tank just out of the picture that holds the fuel: for about 66 days of run-time. I've only been out of power for 14 consecutive days at the most, but still...might as well be ready!
I have had some crappy back-up power set ups in the past, but hard-wired right into the house I am getting full 83 amps/20 kw which is nice. So far I have about $600 into this project, which is pretty reasonable.
The only real downside is that I have (2) engine sources for my generator, but only (1) generator, so ideally I should have a separate generator head on the Perkins Diesel. To get full use of the engine, I should put a 30 KW, 3 phase power generator onto it, but at some point, my ideas just get a little bit ridiculous.
