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[email to a blog (Instapundit) ]


Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we decided
to enter the discussion.


I have more than 40 years experience in electric power generation for prime
power applications (seagoing vessels, forward operating bases, field
hospitals) and critical standby power (healthcare facilities, emergency
services, credit card transactions).

My wife has invested a similar amount of time performing research at sea,
and in remote locations, on generator power.


We met shortly after 9-11, and we watched the Pentagon smolder for several
weeks.

Note to deniers: It really happened!


This e-mail is my contribution to the generator discussion.

First, to all those who want a cheap, convenient way to charge their cell
phones and other portable electronics: every motor vehicle includes a one
kilowatt (1kw) alternator for battery charging.


Some vehicles are slightly less (a skinny kilowatt) others are quite a bit
more (2kw) but all vehicles have a battery charging alternator.

The best way to charge portable electronics is to idle your vehicle and use
12 volt DC chargers.


To charge your cell phone, you do not even need to start your vehicle. Just
plug the cell phone charger into your vehicle and let it charge.

To charge larger items, start your vehicle and let it idle.


To operate larger items which require 120 volt AC power, such as your
computer UPS, a drip coffee maker, or a small microwave, use a 1200 watt
(1.2kw) inverter – available everywhere for less than $100.

Most vehicles today will run a 1200 watt inverter indefinitely while idling,
but you may need to turn on the air conditioner (which increases the engine
idle) or turn up the idle speed (not legal – do not do this) to make sure
the alternator is putting out full power.


Also, the family minivan (or coupe, pickup truck, or SUV) is the best
survival pod ever invented – heat, air conditioning, lights, etc. You
already own it, and the fuel to run it is negligible compared to buying,
maintaining, and feeding a generator.

Even more important, you can drive the vehicle to a fuel point to refuel it,
and charge the battery while driving to and from the fuel point.


If you need more power than your vehicle produces, then and only then,
consider a generator.

We can discuss how to size a genset for home use, based on how many items
you desire to run during a power outage, and how much fuel you are willing
to store and consume.


You can use a portable generator, or install a standby generator.

Whatever you do, please follow all safety precautions with respect to
electrical hazards, thermal hazards, and fume hazards.


If you use a portable generator, please use extension cords to power your
loads – do not energize your home wiring unless you have installed an
Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed transfer switch!

I will discuss transfer switches later in this article.


If you choose to install a standby generator, and you live in an urban, or
dense suburban area, a propane (bottle gas) or natural gas (city gas)
powered system is the most popular and cost effective way to go. It is also
the quietest.

Note well: City gas is often shut off during natural disasters. Propane is
stored on your property, and can be stored indefinitely.

If you live in a rural area, you can go with a propane or a diesel unit, or
if you have a tractor, a pto-driven genset.

For almost all tractor owners, I recommend a pto-driven genset. If you buy a
Winco, Onan, or similar high-quality pto-driven genset, you can pass it on
to your grandchildren. It will never wear out.


The beauty of a pto-driven genset is that many tractor owners are already
adept at maintaining their tractors. Also, you can always find someone to
repair a tractor, or, if you really need to, you can buy another tractor,
new or used, almost any time.

It is extremely important to have a generator big enough to start and run
your rotating loads, and to hold frequency and voltage as near constant as
possible.

All rotating loads – well pump, pool pump, air conditioner/heat pump
compressor and fan motor, refrigerator and freezer compressors and fan
motors – require 60 hz alternating current (AC) to operate at the correct,
constant speed, and require full voltage (120 or 240 depending on the motor)
to operate at the correct current under load.


Incorrect voltage, and incorrect or varying frequency, can lead to failure
of rotating equipment.

Let me put that more plainly – a badly regulated generator will burn up
expensive motors!


Home electronics (tv, computer, etc.) are not as sensitive to voltage, and
are relatively insensitive to frequency (they all have power supplies that
convert AC to regulated DC) but they can be damaged by very low or high
voltage.

Most important is your transfer switch.


After the transfer switch is installed, and inspected by your county
building inspector, send a copy of the electrical inspection to your
insurance agent – 2 reasons:

1. Liability – If anyone is ever injured or killed while working to restore
power on your distribution grid, you will have proof that there is no way it
was a backfeed from your generator.


2. Risk Reduction – If you ever have an electrical fire in your house, you
will have proof that the transfer switch was properly installed and
inspected.

My advice is to install a 200 amp (or whatever size your home electrical
service is) manual transfer switch.


That way you will be able to use any lights, anywhere in your house,
including in your basement, regardless of whether you power your house with
a 5kw or a 50kw genset.

I do not recommend an automatic transfer switch for home use.


You want to determine that the power really is out, and will be out for more
than a few minutes (or hours).

You want to start your genset and make sure it is running right – all engine
gauges (oil pressure, battery voltage, coolant or cylinder temperature) and
generator gauges (voltage, FREQUENCY, current) registering correctly, and
then and only then transfer the load.


If the engine parameters are incorrect, you run the risk of destroying the
engine. If the generator parameters are incorrect, you run the risk of
destroying expensive items in your home.

Even if you never have a power outage, throw your transfer switch once a
year to make sure it moves.


Also, open it once a year and blow out the insects. Leave a piece of no-pest
strip or a livestock ear tag with pyrethrins in there to keep it insect
free.

I recommend testing a home generator twice each month.


Just connect an electric stove or similar load to it, and run it under load
for 30 minutes.

If you can start it and run it every 2 weeks, and it takes a full load, you
can depend on it for a power outage when you transfer the house load using
your manual transfer switch.


Takeaway – Generating your own power during an outage requires serious
investment in time and money, and significant fuel and maintenance expenses.

At present prices, we spend about $90/day for fuel and oil changes during
extended power outages.


We can discuss this stuff further if you like.

We have a 200 amp transfer switch to transfer our house between the electric
grid and generator power, and a second 100 amp transfer switch to transfer
between main generator and auxiliaries. Main generator is a 15kw 1800 rpm
diesel. Auxiliaries are 25kw Winco pto unit (more power than either of our
tractors can provide, but superior motor starting capability), 8.5kw 3600
rpm gasoline powered welder, 3.5kw 3600 rpm gasoline powered welder, 2kw
1800 rpm continuous rated gasoline powered genset (perfect for overnight
refrigeration and entertainment loads, if we don’t need heat or air
conditioning).


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On Wed, 21 Sep 2011 05:15:26 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:




Most vehicles today will run a 1200 watt inverter indefinitely while idling,
but you may need to turn on the air conditioner (which increases the engine
idle) or turn up the idle speed (not legal €“ do not do this) to make sure
the alternator is putting out full power.


Good article, but the above needs checking out.
Way too simplistic.
I looked fairly hard at this when I was considering buying an
inverter.
A typical 100A alternator (I think the alt in my Lumina is 105A) won't
put out nearly that much at idle, so you want to put a meter on your
alternator to know what you're getting.
From what I've seen alt amp ratings assume about 3000 rpm.
You might get 2/3 of rating at idle.
There's some inverter loss.
High output alts are available for most cars, but it's an expense.
Some car ECU's will limit alternator output to gain efficiency, so
check that out.
Inverters should to be wired correctly to the car's charging system
right, with heavy gauge wire and lugs.
Getting by with jumper cables might work, might not.
You'll probably want to add permanent connects to the car.
Good sine wave inverters cost more. No surprise there.
Anyway, you have to check out all the factors to get a realistic
assessment of what you can actually power continually.
I liked the idea, and it's doable, but decided to just buy a couple
extra flashlights and some more candles.

--Vic
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"HeyBub" wrote in
m:

Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


Thanks for the informative and comprehensive post. The difficulties you
point out have indeed prevented me from going forward with getting a gen
set. That and the uncertainty what capacity I really need, e.g. should it
be able to run my whole house A/C?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid
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On 9/21/2011 8:22 AM, Han wrote:
wrote in
m:

Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


Thanks for the informative and comprehensive post. The difficulties you
point out have indeed prevented me from going forward with getting a gen
set. That and the uncertainty what capacity I really need, e.g. should it
be able to run my whole house A/C?


Decent post but not aimed at occasional needs that I have.

To test it by running under load for a half hour twice a month would be
a PITA and use more gas than I usually use in a year.

Also if I ran mine full time, it would cost $900 to 1,200/month
depending on price of gasoline. Not to even count oil changes specified
every 25 hours. Plus, it is only big enough to power half my house.

I run mine every couple of months just to clear gas in carburetor and
sometimes under load to run yard equipment.
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On Sep 21, 8:22*am, Han wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote innews:wMednTF_Y4miJOTTnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@earthlink. com:

Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


Thanks for the informative and comprehensive post. *The difficulties you
point out have indeed prevented me from going forward with getting a gen
set. *That and the uncertainty what capacity I really need, e.g. should it
be able to run my whole house A/C?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid


You live in NJ, no? That's where I am and I wouldn't size a
generator to run my central A/C. Only in the hurricane last
month did I really even need a generator at all in the past 35 years.
Power was out for 3 1/2 days. All other times, it's been out
a few hours at most, except one other time when it was out
for 24 hours.
Also, around here, it's far more likely for power to be out
for an extended period due to winter weather, eg an ice
or snow storm, than it is to be out in summer.

Sizing it for the A/C means it's going to have to be a lot
bigger, cost more, heavier, burns more fuel, etc. For my
needs a portable unit, about 5 or 6KW that runs on
natural gas appears to be the most cost effective solution.
Seems you lose about 20% power when running on
natural gas vs gasoline, so if you're converting one over
you have to keep that in mind.

A neighbor had one of the whole house automatic Generac
natural gas units which was capable of running his A/C.
Paid $7K for it and it was about 5 years
old. During the hurricane it ran for about 4 hours, then
had a major failure in the gen section. It's totalled. He's
buying another one. That seems like overkill too unless
you have a situation where it's critical it automatically
powers up without someone being there.


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Frank wrote in
:

On 9/21/2011 8:22 AM, Han wrote:
wrote in
m:

Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


Thanks for the informative and comprehensive post. The difficulties
you point out have indeed prevented me from going forward with
getting a gen set. That and the uncertainty what capacity I really
need, e.g. should it be able to run my whole house A/C?


Decent post but not aimed at occasional needs that I have.

To test it by running under load for a half hour twice a month would
be a PITA and use more gas than I usually use in a year.

Also if I ran mine full time, it would cost $900 to 1,200/month
depending on price of gasoline. Not to even count oil changes
specified every 25 hours. Plus, it is only big enough to power half
my house.

I run mine every couple of months just to clear gas in carburetor and
sometimes under load to run yard equipment.


Indeed. The bad, but not terrible outages we've had here have occurred
about once a year the last 3 or so years. I'm not going to run a
gasoline hog once a month just to make sure it'll work right. That's why
I'm looking really only at NG or propane. As I said, my plans are fueled
by fears that at some point in the future we'll be without power for days
on end in the middle of winter. I know that is highly unlikely, since we
are in a very densely populated area, but somewhat away from the flood-
prone part of town. I expect PSE&G to re-connect us sooner than people
out in the boonies.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid
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" wrote in
:

On Sep 21, 8:22*am, Han wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote
innews:wMednTF_Y4miJOTTnZ2dnUVZ_j

:

Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


Thanks for the informative and comprehensive post. *The difficulties
yo

u
point out have indeed prevented me from going forward with getting a
gen set. *That and the uncertainty what capacity I really need, e.g.
should

it
be able to run my whole house A/C?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid


You live in NJ, no? That's where I am and I wouldn't size a
generator to run my central A/C. Only in the hurricane last
month did I really even need a generator at all in the past 35 years.
Power was out for 3 1/2 days. All other times, it's been out
a few hours at most, except one other time when it was out
for 24 hours.
Also, around here, it's far more likely for power to be out
for an extended period due to winter weather, eg an ice
or snow storm, than it is to be out in summer.

Sizing it for the A/C means it's going to have to be a lot
bigger, cost more, heavier, burns more fuel, etc. For my
needs a portable unit, about 5 or 6KW that runs on
natural gas appears to be the most cost effective solution.
Seems you lose about 20% power when running on
natural gas vs gasoline, so if you're converting one over
you have to keep that in mind.

A neighbor had one of the whole house automatic Generac
natural gas units which was capable of running his A/C.
Paid $7K for it and it was about 5 years
old. During the hurricane it ran for about 4 hours, then
had a major failure in the gen section. It's totalled. He's
buying another one. That seems like overkill too unless
you have a situation where it's critical it automatically
powers up without someone being there.


Yes, I live in Bergen county, a mile and a half east of the Home Deppot
on the Passaic river, 75 McLean Blvd, Paterson, NJ 07514. The bridge
there, and Rt 20, become impassable during flooding ...

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid
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On 9/21/2011 8:47 AM, wrote:
On Sep 21, 8:22 am, wrote:
wrote innews:wMednTF_Y4miJOTTnZ2dnUVZ_jCdnZ2d@earthlink. com:

Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


Thanks for the informative and comprehensive post. The difficulties you
point out have indeed prevented me from going forward with getting a gen
set. That and the uncertainty what capacity I really need, e.g. should it
be able to run my whole house A/C?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid


You live in NJ, no? That's where I am and I wouldn't size a
generator to run my central A/C. Only in the hurricane last
month did I really even need a generator at all in the past 35 years.
Power was out for 3 1/2 days. All other times, it's been out
a few hours at most, except one other time when it was out
for 24 hours.
Also, around here, it's far more likely for power to be out
for an extended period due to winter weather, eg an ice
or snow storm, than it is to be out in summer.

Sizing it for the A/C means it's going to have to be a lot
bigger, cost more, heavier, burns more fuel, etc. For my
needs a portable unit, about 5 or 6KW that runs on
natural gas appears to be the most cost effective solution.
Seems you lose about 20% power when running on
natural gas vs gasoline, so if you're converting one over
you have to keep that in mind.

A neighbor had one of the whole house automatic Generac
natural gas units which was capable of running his A/C.
Paid $7K for it and it was about 5 years
old. During the hurricane it ran for about 4 hours, then
had a major failure in the gen section. It's totalled. He's
buying another one. That seems like overkill too unless
you have a situation where it's critical it automatically
powers up without someone being there.


You might mention to your neighbor that Generac makes big box versions
to meet their price point and better versions that are sold through
generac dealers.
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On 9/21/2011 6:15 AM, HeyBub wrote:
[email to a blog (Instapundit) ]


Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we decided
to enter the discussion.


I have more than 40 years experience in electric power generation for prime
power applications (seagoing vessels, forward operating bases, field
hospitals) and critical standby power (healthcare facilities, emergency
services, credit card transactions).

My wife has invested a similar amount of time performing research at sea,
and in remote locations, on generator power.


We met shortly after 9-11, and we watched the Pentagon smolder for several
weeks.

Note to deniers: It really happened!


This e-mail is my contribution to the generator discussion.

First, to all those who want a cheap, convenient way to charge their cell
phones and other portable electronics: every motor vehicle includes a one
kilowatt (1kw) alternator for battery charging.


Some vehicles are slightly less (a skinny kilowatt) others are quite a bit
more (2kw) but all vehicles have a battery charging alternator.

The best way to charge portable electronics is to idle your vehicle and use
12 volt DC chargers.


To charge your cell phone, you do not even need to start your vehicle. Just
plug the cell phone charger into your vehicle and let it charge.

To charge larger items, start your vehicle and let it idle.


To operate larger items which require 120 volt AC power, such as your
computer UPS, a drip coffee maker, or a small microwave, use a 1200 watt
(1.2kw) inverter – available everywhere for less than $100.

Most vehicles today will run a 1200 watt inverter indefinitely while idling,
but you may need to turn on the air conditioner (which increases the engine
idle) or turn up the idle speed (not legal – do not do this) to make sure
the alternator is putting out full power.


Also, the family minivan (or coupe, pickup truck, or SUV) is the best
survival pod ever invented – heat, air conditioning, lights, etc. You
already own it, and the fuel to run it is negligible compared to buying,
maintaining, and feeding a generator.

Even more important, you can drive the vehicle to a fuel point to refuel it,
and charge the battery while driving to and from the fuel point.


If you need more power than your vehicle produces, then and only then,
consider a generator.

We can discuss how to size a genset for home use, based on how many items
you desire to run during a power outage, and how much fuel you are willing
to store and consume.


You can use a portable generator, or install a standby generator.

Whatever you do, please follow all safety precautions with respect to
electrical hazards, thermal hazards, and fume hazards.


If you use a portable generator, please use extension cords to power your
loads – do not energize your home wiring unless you have installed an
Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed transfer switch!

I will discuss transfer switches later in this article.


If you choose to install a standby generator, and you live in an urban, or
dense suburban area, a propane (bottle gas) or natural gas (city gas)
powered system is the most popular and cost effective way to go. It is also
the quietest.

Note well: City gas is often shut off during natural disasters. Propane is
stored on your property, and can be stored indefinitely.

If you live in a rural area, you can go with a propane or a diesel unit, or
if you have a tractor, a pto-driven genset.

For almost all tractor owners, I recommend a pto-driven genset. If you buy a
Winco, Onan, or similar high-quality pto-driven genset, you can pass it on
to your grandchildren. It will never wear out.


The beauty of a pto-driven genset is that many tractor owners are already
adept at maintaining their tractors. Also, you can always find someone to
repair a tractor, or, if you really need to, you can buy another tractor,
new or used, almost any time.

It is extremely important to have a generator big enough to start and run
your rotating loads, and to hold frequency and voltage as near constant as
possible.

All rotating loads – well pump, pool pump, air conditioner/heat pump
compressor and fan motor, refrigerator and freezer compressors and fan
motors – require 60 hz alternating current (AC) to operate at the correct,
constant speed, and require full voltage (120 or 240 depending on the motor)
to operate at the correct current under load.


Incorrect voltage, and incorrect or varying frequency, can lead to failure
of rotating equipment.

Let me put that more plainly – a badly regulated generator will burn up
expensive motors!


Home electronics (tv, computer, etc.) are not as sensitive to voltage, and
are relatively insensitive to frequency (they all have power supplies that
convert AC to regulated DC) but they can be damaged by very low or high
voltage.

Most important is your transfer switch.


After the transfer switch is installed, and inspected by your county
building inspector, send a copy of the electrical inspection to your
insurance agent – 2 reasons:

1. Liability – If anyone is ever injured or killed while working to restore
power on your distribution grid, you will have proof that there is no way it
was a backfeed from your generator.


2. Risk Reduction – If you ever have an electrical fire in your house, you
will have proof that the transfer switch was properly installed and
inspected.

My advice is to install a 200 amp (or whatever size your home electrical
service is) manual transfer switch.


That way you will be able to use any lights, anywhere in your house,
including in your basement, regardless of whether you power your house with
a 5kw or a 50kw genset.


I heard new code calls for generator sizing dependent on full load for
all circuits powered, and no allowance for rotating loads. Not hard
wiring it in and using extension cords instead would be the only way
around that. Don't know if it's true but that's "watt" I heard.
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Ideally, the generator helps with your furnace and
refrigerator.

Rather than buying flashlights, buy more batteries, instead.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Vic Smith" wrote in
message ...

Anyway, you have to check out all the factors to get a
realistic
assessment of what you can actually power continually.
I liked the idea, and it's doable, but decided to just buy a
couple
extra flashlights and some more candles.

--Vic




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In the box with my generator, is a quart of motor oil, and a
spray can of ether starting spray. I've had to spray ether
on the air filter, to help get the machine to run.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Han" wrote in message
...


I run mine every couple of months just to clear gas in
carburetor and
sometimes under load to run yard equipment.


Indeed. The bad, but not terrible outages we've had here
have occurred
about once a year the last 3 or so years. I'm not going to
run a
gasoline hog once a month just to make sure it'll work
right. That's why
I'm looking really only at NG or propane. As I said, my
plans are fueled
by fears that at some point in the future we'll be without
power for days
on end in the middle of winter. I know that is highly
unlikely, since we
are in a very densely populated area, but somewhat away from
the flood-
prone part of town. I expect PSE&G to re-connect us sooner
than people
out in the boonies.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid


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Thanks for the comprehensive write-up. I printed it out and saved it.

I have a few very basic questions, if you don't mind my asking.

One is about the car inverter idea. Does that mean that I could buy a car
inverter and use that to power an oil or gas fired home heating system
during a power outage? -- and/or maybe a few lights and the refridgerator?

Another is about the possibility of buying a portable generator. I have
been thinking about buying a portable gasoline generator like the ones that
I see contractors using on job sites where there is no power. I don't know
anything about them, but it seems like that would work as a way to power an
oil or gas fired home heating system during a power outage, and/or maybe
some lights and the fridge. I would have to look and see how much they cost
and what size to get. Since it would be portable, I'm thinking I could
bring it to wherever it may be needed during an outage (my home, my
relative's home, etc). If I did that, could you suggest what size or
type/brand to consider getting?

And, what does "pto" mean in the part you wrote about tractors etc?

Thanks.

HeyBub wrote:
[email to a blog (Instapundit) ]


Having enjoyed about one-third of our lives on generator power, we
decided to enter the discussion.


I have more than 40 years experience in electric power generation for
prime power applications (seagoing vessels, forward operating bases,
field hospitals) and critical standby power (healthcare facilities,
emergency services, credit card transactions).

My wife has invested a similar amount of time performing research at
sea, and in remote locations, on generator power.


We met shortly after 9-11, and we watched the Pentagon smolder for
several weeks.

Note to deniers: It really happened!


This e-mail is my contribution to the generator discussion.

First, to all those who want a cheap, convenient way to charge their
cell phones and other portable electronics: every motor vehicle
includes a one kilowatt (1kw) alternator for battery charging.


Some vehicles are slightly less (a skinny kilowatt) others are quite
a bit more (2kw) but all vehicles have a battery charging alternator.

The best way to charge portable electronics is to idle your vehicle
and use 12 volt DC chargers.


To charge your cell phone, you do not even need to start your
vehicle. Just plug the cell phone charger into your vehicle and let
it charge.
To charge larger items, start your vehicle and let it idle.


To operate larger items which require 120 volt AC power, such as your
computer UPS, a drip coffee maker, or a small microwave, use a 1200
watt (1.2kw) inverter - available everywhere for less than $100.

Most vehicles today will run a 1200 watt inverter indefinitely while
idling, but you may need to turn on the air conditioner (which
increases the engine idle) or turn up the idle speed (not legal - do
not do this) to make sure the alternator is putting out full power.


Also, the family minivan (or coupe, pickup truck, or SUV) is the best
survival pod ever invented - heat, air conditioning, lights, etc. You
already own it, and the fuel to run it is negligible compared to
buying, maintaining, and feeding a generator.

Even more important, you can drive the vehicle to a fuel point to
refuel it, and charge the battery while driving to and from the fuel
point.

If you need more power than your vehicle produces, then and only then,
consider a generator.

We can discuss how to size a genset for home use, based on how many
items you desire to run during a power outage, and how much fuel you
are willing to store and consume.


You can use a portable generator, or install a standby generator.

Whatever you do, please follow all safety precautions with respect to
electrical hazards, thermal hazards, and fume hazards.


If you use a portable generator, please use extension cords to power
your loads - do not energize your home wiring unless you have
installed an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed transfer switch!

I will discuss transfer switches later in this article.


If you choose to install a standby generator, and you live in an
urban, or dense suburban area, a propane (bottle gas) or natural gas
(city gas) powered system is the most popular and cost effective way
to go. It is also the quietest.

Note well: City gas is often shut off during natural disasters.
Propane is stored on your property, and can be stored indefinitely.

If you live in a rural area, you can go with a propane or a diesel
unit, or if you have a tractor, a pto-driven genset.

For almost all tractor owners, I recommend a pto-driven genset. If
you buy a Winco, Onan, or similar high-quality pto-driven genset, you
can pass it on to your grandchildren. It will never wear out.


The beauty of a pto-driven genset is that many tractor owners are
already adept at maintaining their tractors. Also, you can always
find someone to repair a tractor, or, if you really need to, you can
buy another tractor, new or used, almost any time.

It is extremely important to have a generator big enough to start and
run your rotating loads, and to hold frequency and voltage as near
constant as possible.

All rotating loads - well pump, pool pump, air conditioner/heat pump
compressor and fan motor, refrigerator and freezer compressors and fan
motors - require 60 hz alternating current (AC) to operate at the
correct, constant speed, and require full voltage (120 or 240
depending on the motor) to operate at the correct current under load.


Incorrect voltage, and incorrect or varying frequency, can lead to
failure of rotating equipment.

Let me put that more plainly - a badly regulated generator will burn
up expensive motors!


Home electronics (tv, computer, etc.) are not as sensitive to
voltage, and are relatively insensitive to frequency (they all have
power supplies that convert AC to regulated DC) but they can be
damaged by very low or high voltage.

Most important is your transfer switch.


After the transfer switch is installed, and inspected by your county
building inspector, send a copy of the electrical inspection to your
insurance agent - 2 reasons:

1. Liability - If anyone is ever injured or killed while working to
restore power on your distribution grid, you will have proof that
there is no way it was a backfeed from your generator.


2. Risk Reduction - If you ever have an electrical fire in your
house, you will have proof that the transfer switch was properly
installed and inspected.

My advice is to install a 200 amp (or whatever size your home
electrical service is) manual transfer switch.


That way you will be able to use any lights, anywhere in your house,
including in your basement, regardless of whether you power your
house with a 5kw or a 50kw genset.

I do not recommend an automatic transfer switch for home use.


You want to determine that the power really is out, and will be out
for more than a few minutes (or hours).

You want to start your genset and make sure it is running right - all
engine gauges (oil pressure, battery voltage, coolant or cylinder
temperature) and generator gauges (voltage, FREQUENCY, current)
registering correctly, and then and only then transfer the load.


If the engine parameters are incorrect, you run the risk of
destroying the engine. If the generator parameters are incorrect, you
run the risk of destroying expensive items in your home.

Even if you never have a power outage, throw your transfer switch
once a year to make sure it moves.


Also, open it once a year and blow out the insects. Leave a piece of
no-pest strip or a livestock ear tag with pyrethrins in there to keep
it insect free.

I recommend testing a home generator twice each month.


Just connect an electric stove or similar load to it, and run it
under load for 30 minutes.

If you can start it and run it every 2 weeks, and it takes a full
load, you can depend on it for a power outage when you transfer the
house load using your manual transfer switch.


Takeaway - Generating your own power during an outage requires serious
investment in time and money, and significant fuel and maintenance
expenses.
At present prices, we spend about $90/day for fuel and oil changes
during extended power outages.


We can discuss this stuff further if you like.

We have a 200 amp transfer switch to transfer our house between the
electric grid and generator power, and a second 100 amp transfer
switch to transfer between main generator and auxiliaries. Main
generator is a 15kw 1800 rpm diesel. Auxiliaries are 25kw Winco pto
unit (more power than either of our tractors can provide, but
superior motor starting capability), 8.5kw 3600 rpm gasoline powered
welder, 3.5kw 3600 rpm gasoline powered welder, 2kw 1800 rpm
continuous rated gasoline powered genset (perfect for overnight
refrigeration and entertainment loads, if we don't need heat or air
conditioning).



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On 9/21/2011 11:21 AM, RogerT wrote:
Thanks for the comprehensive write-up. I printed it out and saved it.

I have a few very basic questions, if you don't mind my asking.

One is about the car inverter idea. Does that mean that I could buy a car
inverter and use that to power an oil or gas fired home heating system
during a power outage? -- and/or maybe a few lights and the refridgerator?

Another is about the possibility of buying a portable generator. I have
been thinking about buying a portable gasoline generator like the ones that
I see contractors using on job sites where there is no power. I don't know
anything about them, but it seems like that would work as a way to power an
oil or gas fired home heating system during a power outage, and/or maybe
some lights and the fridge. I would have to look and see how much they cost
and what size to get. Since it would be portable, I'm thinking I could
bring it to wherever it may be needed during an outage (my home, my
relative's home, etc). If I did that, could you suggest what size or
type/brand to consider getting?


Lot of sites discuss this. Here's just one that I found when I looked
up capacity of car inverters:

http://tinyurl.com/3lbapnu

There are numerous sites that detail general wattage requirements for
what you want to run and you also need to consider starting watt
requirements. Generators will be sized for continuous and starting watts.
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I'm not the OP, and neither is Hay Bub. Here are my
comments.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"RogerT" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the comprehensive write-up. I printed it out and
saved it.

I have a few very basic questions, if you don't mind my
asking.

One is about the car inverter idea. Does that mean that I
could buy a car
inverter and use that to power an oil or gas fired home
heating system
during a power outage? -- and/or maybe a few lights and the
refridgerator?

CY: My last furnace was mostly mechanical. Natural gas, and
would not run on 750 watt inverter. You may need more than
"a car inverter" to run oil furnace.

Another is about the possibility of buying a portable
generator. I have
been thinking about buying a portable gasoline generator
like the ones that
I see contractors using on job sites where there is no
power. I don't know
anything about them, but it seems like that would work as a
way to power an
oil or gas fired home heating system during a power outage,
and/or maybe
some lights and the fridge.

CY: I do have a Coleman 2500 watt generator, which runs the
furnace, fine. If you've got the maint skills (similar to
walking or riding mower) you should be able to have a
generator work fine, for you.

I would have to look and see how much they cost
and what size to get. Since it would be portable, I'm
thinking I could
bring it to wherever it may be needed during an outage (my
home, my
relative's home, etc). If I did that, could you suggest
what size or
type/brand to consider getting?

CY: For me, portable use, 2500 watts is about the max. 5,000
is a bit too heavy to carry around. Quality comes in China
(low), domestic (medium) and Honda (high). I havn't tried my
refrig off the generator, but I know my window AC will work.
For furnace, refrig, and lights, a cheapy chinky junky
should do for a couple hours here and there. I'd watch the
swap sheet and Craigs List for people selling off generators
they bought in panic mode. In the 2500 to 5000 watt range
should serve you well.

And, what does "pto" mean in the part you wrote about
tractors etc?

CY: "Power Take Off".

Thanks.




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RogerT wrote:
Thanks for the comprehensive write-up. I printed it out and saved it.

I have a few very basic questions, if you don't mind my asking.

One is about the car inverter idea. Does that mean that I could buy
a car inverter and use that to power an oil or gas fired home heating
system during a power outage? -- and/or maybe a few lights and the
refridgerator?
Another is about the possibility of buying a portable generator. I
have been thinking about buying a portable gasoline generator like
the ones that I see contractors using on job sites where there is no
power. I don't know anything about them, but it seems like that
would work as a way to power an oil or gas fired home heating system
during a power outage, and/or maybe some lights and the fridge. I
would have to look and see how much they cost and what size to get. Since
it would be portable, I'm thinking I could bring it to wherever
it may be needed during an outage (my home, my relative's home, etc).
If I did that, could you suggest what size or type/brand to consider
getting?
And, what does "pto" mean in the part you wrote about tractors etc?


"PTO" = Power Take-Off. Think of it as an extension of the tractor's drive
shaft.

Many attachements towed behind a tractor need power to do their thing, big
rotating wheelie-looking gizmos, giant hedge-trimmer thingies, etc. Of
course the attachment doesn't have to be towed; a sizeable water pump, for
example, might be stationary. PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized so
almost any brand of tow-behind (or stationary) whatcha-macallit will fit any
tractor.




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On 9/21/2011 5:15 AM, HeyBub wrote:
[email to a blog (Instapundit) ]

If you live in a rural area, you can go with a propane or a diesel unit, or
if you have a tractor, a pto-driven genset.

For almost all tractor owners, I recommend a pto-driven genset. If you buy a
Winco, Onan, or similar high-quality pto-driven genset, you can pass it on
to your grandchildren. It will never wear out.


The beauty of a pto-driven genset is that many tractor owners are already
adept at maintaining their tractors. Also, you can always find someone to
repair a tractor, or, if you really need to, you can buy another tractor,
new or used, almost any time.


I know these generators exist. How do you regulate the frequency - just
tractor RPM? Would think that wouldn't be very accurate or stable. They
could generate DC and invert it - seems excessively complicated.

--
bud--

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On 9/22/2011 3:15 AM, bud-- wrote:
On 9/21/2011 5:15 AM, HeyBub wrote:
[email to a blog (Instapundit) ]

If you live in a rural area, you can go with a propane or a diesel
unit, or
if you have a tractor, a pto-driven genset.

For almost all tractor owners, I recommend a pto-driven genset. If you
buy a
Winco, Onan, or similar high-quality pto-driven genset, you can pass
it on
to your grandchildren. It will never wear out.


The beauty of a pto-driven genset is that many tractor owners are already
adept at maintaining their tractors. Also, you can always find someone to
repair a tractor, or, if you really need to, you can buy another tractor,
new or used, almost any time.


I know these generators exist. How do you regulate the frequency - just
tractor RPM? Would think that wouldn't be very accurate or stable. They
could generate DC and invert it - seems excessively complicated.


I think that the PTO on the tractors maintain a steady 540 RPM. If you
needed 50 hz, you'd probably use a different generator. I don't know how
quickly the tractor can make adjustments to the changing loads, as
compared to the regulators on self-contained engine/generators

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On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
....

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.

--
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On 9/27/2011 12:54 PM, dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.

--


How do you get variable land speed and constant PTO RPM?

--
bud--


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On 9/28/2011 8:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
....

How do you get variable land speed and constant PTO RPM?


PTO RPM has nothing to do w/ ground speed--independent drive train
gearing from that to axle drive shaft.

Older tractors (and a very few new/current inexpensive) did generate the
PTO gearing off a transmission gearing such that PTO also free-wheeled
when clutch was in. This is ok for light equipment but definitely not
so much for present large equipment--the inertia there can continue to
power the tractor and lead to real control issues. Modern tractors have
"live" PTO that is fully independent of transmission clutching and is
engaged/disengaged w/ a separate control (generally magnetic-controlled
hand clutch lever altho have seen a few recent w/ just a push-button on
the control panel).

To clarify, on those with both 540 and 1100 RPM the two speeds are
obtained by physically interchanging the tractor external drive shaft in
the same drive hub; the two stub spindles have different spline patterns
on the drive side that match up internally to get the RPM, it is like
two transmission speeds but by actually changing gearing by swapping
spindles, not by an external shift mechanism like transmission. IOW,
one operates at either/or, not selectable "on the fly". Any one piece
of gear is designed for and only uses one or the other drive speed.

--
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On 9/28/2011 9:56 AM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 8:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
....

How do you get variable land speed and constant PTO RPM?


PTO RPM has nothing to do w/ ground speed--independent drive train
gearing from that to axle drive shaft.

....

Well, nothing related outside the obvious that both are (for a given
gear) directly proportional to engine RPM...for the pedants

--
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dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.


Come to think on it, why don't devices with smaller engines have a PTO?

I could imagine a PTO on a lawnmower and a raft of attachements:
* Brush cutter
* Generator
* Black water pump
* Drain snake
* ???


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dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.


To expand on the just-a-minute-ago post, why not a PTO for an automobile?

I can imagine a hook-up that replaces a tire on an auto's drive wheel. This
hook up could connect to a stationary item such as a generator or water
pump.

A car at idle burns about a gallon of gas per hour, which is not too much
different that the consumption of a medium-hefty generator.


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On 9/28/2011 3:32 PM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 9:56 AM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 8:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
....

How do you get variable land speed and constant PTO RPM?


PTO RPM has nothing to do w/ ground speed--independent drive train
gearing from that to axle drive shaft.

...

Well, nothing related outside the obvious that both are (for a given
gear) directly proportional to engine RPM...for the pedants

--


If I am reading that right, the axle has a direct gear ratio to the
engine (which is changed by the gear shift) and the PTO has a direct
gear ratio to the engine (which may be affected by shifting, doesn't
matter). If that is right the PTO RPM depends on the engine RPM. If the
ground speed is faster the PTO RPM is faster?

Are 540/1100 RPM fixed? The way to get a fixed RPM would be a hydraulic
drive or variable ratio transmission (as many cars have)?

If 540 RPM is not fixed how do you run a genset? You don't have to run
the genset while moving, but it would be real nice if there was speed
regulation to control the frequency.

--
bud--



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On 9/28/2011 4:15 PM, HeyBub wrote:
dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.


To expand on the just-a-minute-ago post, why not a PTO for an automobile?

I can imagine a hook-up that replaces a tire on an auto's drive wheel. This
hook up could connect to a stationary item such as a generator or water
pump.

A car at idle burns about a gallon of gas per hour, which is not too much
different that the consumption of a medium-hefty generator.


Some trucks have a PTO. The ones I can think of run a hydraulic pump,
like a dump truck and boom truck.

I think some cars and pickup trucks have an added engine driven
hydraulic pump, which may be more flexible than a PTO.

Presumably if you ran a generator from a PTO the gas consumption would
go up because you are supplying power that has to come from somewhere.

--
bud--


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On 9/28/2011 4:36 PM, bud-- wrote:
On 9/28/2011 3:32 PM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 9:56 AM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 8:59 AM, bud-- wrote:
....

How do you get variable land speed and constant PTO RPM?

PTO RPM has nothing to do w/ ground speed--independent drive train
gearing from that to axle drive shaft.

...

Well, nothing related outside the obvious that both are (for a given
gear) directly proportional to engine RPM...for the pedants

....

If I am reading that right, the axle has a direct gear ratio to the
engine (which is changed by the gear shift) and the PTO has a direct
gear ratio to the engine (which may be affected by shifting, doesn't
matter). If that is right the PTO RPM depends on the engine RPM. If the
ground speed is faster the PTO RPM is faster?


Well, the ground speed may be slower/faster (down/upshift) at the same
engine RPM but the PTO is constant at that same engine speed
irrespective of drive axle RPM...

Are 540/1100 RPM fixed? The way to get a fixed RPM would be a hydraulic
drive or variable ratio transmission (as many cars have)?


They're fixed at the rated engine RPM. Tractors are by nature constant
RPM operations w/ the desired travel speed set by gear choice (which is
why modern tractors may have as many as 24 or more forward/12 or so
reverse gear selections). Smaller utility tractors may have hydrostatic
trannies but generally larger horsepower ones won't owing to the
efficiency losses.

In field operations that aren't at all demanding requiring all the
available torque, operators may throttle back and use a higher gear for
better fuel economy but when a tractor is loaded it generally runs at
full throttle and gear selection alone sets ground speed.


If 540 RPM is not fixed how do you run a genset? You don't have to run
the genset while moving, but it would be real nice if there was speed
regulation to control the frequency.


There is, it's throttle speed (and any tractor any more has a tach for
operator feedback that will show pto as well as engine rpm).

The input rpm is set by the engine throttle speed and it has some but
not perfect regulation w/ load. If one were looking for perfect
frequency control this wouldn't be the way (but very little on a backup
generator will really matter that much on exact frequency control,
anyway, so I'd not expect it to be an issue.

It looks like I was answering a different direction of the question than
the specific answer you were trying to get to which took longer to get
to (I think now) the final destination than perhaps necessary...

--
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On Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:11:36 -0500, "HeyBub" wrote:

dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.


Come to think on it, why don't devices with smaller engines have a PTO?


Cost. Liability. Need more?

I could imagine a PTO on a lawnmower and a raft of attachements:
* Brush cutter
* Generator
* Black water pump
* Drain snake
* ???

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On 9/28/2011 5:10 PM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 4:36 PM, bud-- wrote:

....
If 540 RPM is not fixed how do you run a genset? You don't have to run
the genset while moving, but it would be real nice if there was speed
regulation to control the frequency.


There is, it's throttle speed (and any tractor any more has a tach for
operator feedback that will show pto as well as engine rpm).

The input rpm is set by the engine throttle speed and it has some but
not perfect regulation w/ load. If one were looking for perfect
frequency control this wouldn't be the way (but very little on a backup
generator will really matter that much on exact frequency control,
anyway, so I'd not expect it to be an issue.


....

Speaking of which, is that really any different than the throttle speed
control on conventional gensets? They don't do anything more
sophisticated than that, do they (at least the homeowner variety)?

--
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On 9/29/2011 1:00 PM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 5:10 PM, dpb wrote:
On 9/28/2011 4:36 PM, bud-- wrote:

...
If 540 RPM is not fixed how do you run a genset? You don't have to run
the genset while moving, but it would be real nice if there was speed
regulation to control the frequency.


There is, it's throttle speed (and any tractor any more has a tach for
operator feedback that will show pto as well as engine rpm).

The input rpm is set by the engine throttle speed and it has some but
not perfect regulation w/ load. If one were looking for perfect
frequency control this wouldn't be the way (but very little on a backup
generator will really matter that much on exact frequency control,
anyway, so I'd not expect it to be an issue.


...


You and Roy both talked about a 540 RPM PTO. That sort of implies that
it is a constant speed and I wondered if it was and how they did it -
inquiring minds want to know. Your answer that it is not fixed answered
the question, thanks.

Back when I was around farm tractors (when I was a kid) they had maybe 6
gears forward and one reverse. Now air conditioning and GPS control.
Then again, the farm I used to spend time on was 160 acres, a
significant part pasture. Wouldn't work so good now. Compared to now the
machines were really simple, but I enjoyed nosing around the machinery
shed and tractors.


Speaking of which, is that really any different than the throttle speed
control on conventional gensets? They don't do anything more
sophisticated than that, do they (at least the homeowner variety)?

--


My lawnmower has a very rudimentary governor using a blade in the
cooling air flow. Would think small generators would have something much
better, but I haven't looked at a generator control. There is a big
change in mechanical load from low power use to max, for which there
must be some kind of speed regulation to control frequency.

Or the DC generators feeding an inverter.

--
bud--



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On Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:11:36 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...


_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.


Come to think on it, why don't devices with smaller engines have a PTO?

I could imagine a PTO on a lawnmower and a raft of attachements:
* Brush cutter
* Generator
* Black water pump
* Drain snake
* ???


I was thnking the same thing. I would really like a snowblower /
generator / power washer / pump. It would get used infrequently, but
often enough to keep it in good order.
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paulaner wrote:
On Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:11:36 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...

_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives);
smaller utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be
limited to 540 rpm.


Come to think on it, why don't devices with smaller engines have a
PTO?

I could imagine a PTO on a lawnmower and a raft of attachements:
* Brush cutter
* Generator
* Black water pump
* Drain snake
* ???


I was thnking the same thing. I would really like a snowblower /
generator / power washer / pump. It would get used infrequently, but
often enough to keep it in good order.


Wanna start a business? I can supply the ideas, you the capital. We'll make
millions!


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paulaner wrote:

On Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:11:36 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

dpb wrote:
On 9/21/2011 3:08 PM, HeyBub wrote:
...

... PTOs are (I think) fairly standardized...

_Very_ much so...540 (6-spline) and 1000 (21-spline) rpm are US
standards; virtually all larger tractors now have both as standard
equipment (interchangeable spindles, not two separate drives); smaller
utility tractors of the homeowner variety will generally be limited to
540 rpm.


Come to think on it, why don't devices with smaller engines have a PTO?

I could imagine a PTO on a lawnmower and a raft of attachements:
* Brush cutter
* Generator
* Black water pump
* Drain snake
* ???


I was thnking the same thing. I would really like a snowblower /
generator / power washer / pump. It would get used infrequently, but
often enough to keep it in good order.


My ex's father had something along those lines. He called it a
'tractor'. I know his had snowblower, tiller, snow plow, garden
plow, sickle-bar, attachments. It was in the 15HP range and had a
pair of maybe 4x15" tractor tires. He could hook it to a 4x4
trailer and it would tow him and a jag of wood across a field and up a
pretty steep incline.

I think it was a 1930-40 vintage Ariens--- might have been Gravely.

Jim
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