# Anyone have or use a PTO driven elec. generator?



## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

Pincor and GE made attachments for various garden tractors in the past that allowed you to use the PTO to run a 4 to 7 KW generator to supply electricity on remote areas of your land. Does anyone here have one and how well does it work? Any experiences in the past with these? I see I can buy the generator head from Northern Tool as well as other places and probably make my own set up. I kinda like the idea of the tractor powering the unit as it is one less motor I need to maintain. Plus the tractor will drive my power anywhere I need it.


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## ducati996 (Dec 27, 2003)

They absolutley have a place and fit, but I would never feel good having my machine running full boar driving a PTO generator. 
For 500-600 you get a gas 7KW or higher generator that can be just as portable. It blows up your only out $500-600, your tractor blows up well your out much more than that....
But having a diesel motor power it is much more fuel efficient then gas, I know...

Ducati


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## KDTravis (Nov 19, 2004)

*PTO-driven generator thoughts*

I wouldn't necessarily worry about the engine - it depends on the size of the engine vs. the generator. With big generating units by Caterpillar and such companies, they simply de-rate the engine for longer life. The same engine rated at, say, 50 kilowatts intermittent use might be rated at 30 for continuous use. Similarly, a 5500 watt generator set normally driven by an 11 hp Briggs I/C motor would not strain your garden tractor with a 20 HP Briggs Vanguard. If I used the right engines in my example, one is both more powerful and inherently more durable.

I wonder about the aspects of motor RPM vs. generator output. Do they need to run at high speed? Probably depends on what you buy, but you could rig it so your engine didn't necessarily have to be turning fast in order to spin the generator fast.

I think you'd want the engine governor working well.

One thing about generator engines is they usually have a low oil shutdown. That's for folks who might forget - not like us guys - but something to remember.

I saw a setup like you're talking about in the ColtCaseIngersoll users group on Yahoo in the files section. The guy used the mule drive bracket for a mower or snowblower adapted to hang a generator on the front of the tractor.

good luck
KDT


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## guest2 (Dec 27, 2003)

Here's one on a 6hp Bolens 650

http://www.tractorforum.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=49890


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Welcome KD!

I belong to that board and have not seen the picture. I will have to check that out.


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## balmoralboy (May 22, 2004)

Joe, 

The other thing people usually do with generators is run out of fuel. If you run your tractor out of gas you will be humping fuel to wherever the tractor is!


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

I'm leaning pretty darn hard this way, but still alot of pluses and minuses. Just need to find a generator that will effectivly run electronics. Any suggestions ?


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