using and testing your gear *before* SHTF is essential –– and i always remind myself to test stuff when it's nice outside, because it's a hell of a lot easier to learn/tweak/fix things when the sun is shining on a warm spring day, in contrast to when it's -5'F outside, there's 24" of snow on the ground, and the ice has pulled all the wires down.

since today was beautiful –– i decided to hang the PTO generator on the tractor and tour around the yard with the pole saw (mine –– err, my brother's –– is electric) to trim some branches.  this would both reacquaint me with the operating procedures and also allow a functional check of the unit.

i use this PTO generator primarily for running the 240Vac 20A well pump (it's 200' down), but for the typical light loads (fridge, etc) i use a quiet, fuel-efficient honda EU2000i.  we haven't had an extended power outage in about a year so i haven't really run the PTO generator much.  

and on this nice sunny day i discovered the drain plug on the gearbox exudes a drop of gear oil about every 5 minutes.  

ar-jedi

That is a nice setup, now I want one
Did that skid come with the generator??

I know what you mean. There are some hot springs here that are only a couple miles in where I test lots of gear. If it gets cold or anything I can just go sit in the springs.

Good advice. I forgot to draing the genny last spring and did not run it over the summer or DRAIN IT.  I found my self draining gas and getting it running again during the hours before the first ice storm.

sort of.

i bought the "lightly used" PTO generator off of craigslist about 2 years ago.   at the time it was actually a complete skid frame, see here for the original setup:
http://wopr.losdos.dyndns.org/gallery2/d/22265-3/generator.JPG

while the skid was in fact very nice, i subsequently i discovered two things:

1) the skid was designed for use with a larger tractor, namely one where the PTO shaft is higher off the ground.  attached to my little Kubota, the PTO shaft was actually lower at the tractor end than at the generator end.  now then, whenever there is any misalignment (either horizontally [left to right] or vertically [up or down]) of the tractor PTO output shaft and the generator input shaft, you will end up with slightly "lumpy" AC power.  this is because any offset of the shafts results in a small cyclic variation in speed, it's just the nature of a pair of universal joints.  for this reason it's good practice to get the shafts aligned as best as possible.  for me, this meant the generator input shaft should be lower.

2) i also wanted it to be easier to move the PTO generator around my small workshop, which would make it easier to store and also to position when attaching it to the tractor.  the generator and mount combo weighs in at about 175lbs –– it's not super heavy but it's not exactly light either.

hence, for the two reasons above i cut off the bottom of the skid (sawzall) and built the wheeled carriage that you see in the pics in the top post (2x8's, 2x4's, some bolts, and casters).  

ar-jedi

ps
my first BOTD forum picture on ARFCOM, ever.  my wife, tending to her flowers...

Looks like you have a lovely place there...............

every two weeks i have a "prep day." i pull all my stuff out (not just generators, but saws, blower, etc), PM it, and let it run for 10-20 minutes. this is when batteries get charged, gas cans get rotated, BOV gets driven, etc. it's the only way i can keep up with my stuff and make sure it will work when i need it.

AR-Jedi I could not agree more.
If things have reached the point where you need your stuff, then you need it to work NOW.
Nothing adds to the misery of a power outage like a genny that won't start.
I have a tickler in my day planner that reminds me to fire up all of our gennys monthly, and go through & check on all other preps on a schedule too.
Some folks have trouble believing it, but nothing is harder on an internal combustion engine than sitting without running for months on end. Fuel goes bad, moisture accumulates, seals and gaskets dry up, etc. etc. etc.
Having a regular, "checkup" schedule for all yer stuff is a critical part of the prepping program, IMHO.

Thank you for this information, I did not know this.  It makes perfect sense, but I never thought of it.

i guess that is "sort of" one advantage of a tractor + PTO generator setup –– i use the generator's "engine" to cut the grass at least once a week, if not for some other odd job (spraying herbicide, moving dirt, etc).  so i know that the engine is going to run, or i should say that it is tested at least once a week.  this is also the case for most natural gas generators that have an automatic weekly or every other week "test run", but for a standalone generator unless you are a contractor that uses it frequently it just sits there.

ar-jedi

Nice looking place and rig you have. I have a Cub Cadet with shaft drive and PTO. Now to do some research on your idea.

Thanks
-m-

Ever run into any naked, dirty hippies? happened to me once....

not sure what your PTO setup is on your CC, but just keep in mind that you need approximately 1.75HP (at the PTO) per KW of generator output.  if the engine on a hydrostatic drive tractor is N HP, the hydraulically driven PTO output will be approximately 75% of N.  furthermore, note also that most PTO generators are set up to be spun at 540RPM (the de facto PTO speed), and there will be a gear train to upconvert that input RPM to either 1800RPM (4 pole alternator head) or 3600RPM (2 pole alternator head).  so your PTO output must run at approximately 540RPM unless you go with a DIY/custom gear train.  

does your CC have a three point hitch setup (either Cat 0 or Cat 1)?   you must support the generator head so it absolutely can not twist; when a big load is placed on the generator head, it will want to twist in a big way.  in fact, large towed PTO generators can be rolled over this manner.

ps
keep your eyes open on Craigslist –– there is not a lot to go wrong with a PTO generator so even older units will still have plenty of life.  moreover, you can run into someone with a problem –– such as they just sold the tractor yet still have the PTO generator.   it's a giant paperweight to them at that point, and your offer can reflect this.

ar-jedi

Very cool setup

Nice setup, and nice place!

nice digs and gear. That is a very good reminder for all of us

ar-jedi, do you have any rough estimations on how much fuel the tractor uses while powering the genny?

this is of course dependent on the load on the generator.   more load = more fuel consumption.

in general, you can figure that a diesel generator of approximately this output requires about 0.1 gallons per hour per kilowatt –– at rated load.  at lower loads the efficiency is somewhat lower.  in either case though, fuel consumption is better than with a gasoline engine, as a diesel is by design more efficient.

for reference, Kubota makes a standalone 11KW generator (model GL11000) using the same small 3cyl diesel as my tractor has.  the spec sheet is here, which gives fuel consumption rates at various loads:
http://www.kubotaengine.com/products/gl/gl11000.html

as you can see from the table, at full output (11KW) it uses 1.09 gals/hr, which is about 0.1 gallons per hour per kilowatt.

ar-jedi

Point well taken.  I tested my portable genny last week.  It's been over 6 months now since I last tested it.  I've also tested my 3 400 watt inverters.

Yep. Not always ugly though

gas or diesel?
if gas, do you use Stabil or similar?
if diesel, do you use PowerService or similar?

ar-jedi

What does a Kubota BX1860 go for?

Can it take a back hoe attachment?

I will be looking for something like that in the next couple years.

depends on attachments etc. –– the 0 down, 0% financing is nice.
see
http://www.barlowequipment.com/
and
http://www.messicks.com/
ps: both of these dealers will deliver a BX pretty much anywhere in the country for about $400.


the BX series comes in 4 models, all 3cyl diesels:
BX1860 (18HP)
BX2360 (23HP)
BX2660 (26HP)
BX25 (23HP and has backhoe)

kubota has designed the BX such that with a little practice you can remove the front end loader in 60 seconds, and in the case of the BX25 you can remove the backhoe in 90 seconds.    to hang an implement on the BX25, once the hoe is off you must reattach a couple of pieces (arms etc) to make use of the three-point-hitch and PTO, not a big deal.  see videos here:
http://www.messicks.com/blog/category/Kubota-BX-Series.aspx

note that ALL subcompact tractors are traction-limited, not HP-limited.  by this i mean you will run out of traction before you run out of power –– it's simply a matter of tractor weight and tire size (contact patch).  the real utility of more horsepower on a subcompact tractor is at the PTO, in that there is more power for running a wider mowing deck, larger chipper, or bigger tiller.  if you need more pushing or lifting power, look into a bigger tractor (for example, a kubota B series) before you start looking at the higher HP BX's.

in my case, the smallest BX was well-sized for what i needed, and i can have a Mini-Ex dropped off in my driveway at 8am and picked back up at 5pm for $200 a day, so there was no real economic incentive to get a backhoe with the tractor.  plus the Mini-Ex will work at least twice as fast as the tractor could.

ar-jedi