It was good to have an emergency generator today

[HankB 16]

Last night we lost power about 8:00 PM when a storm came through. This morning I saw that 288,000 customers were still without power and it could take days to restore. By 7:00 AM I had dropped my mower deck and put the generator on. By 8:00 AM the tractor sputtered to a stop with an empty tank.

It took me almost an hour to get gas because several traffic lights were out resulting in long backups.

Eventually I got home with more gas and got the generator going again. I don't have a transfer switch so I just ran extensions to critical things like freezer. refrigerator, reef tank and coffee pot. I also kept my cell phone charged so I could do some surfing and monitor the news.

About an hour ago power was restored and I switched everything back to line power and put the tractor back in the garage. Looks like we might have more rain coming.

-hank

[corn53 4]

Nice setup!!! I`m glad the saved the day!!! Definately earning her keep!!! :hide:

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

Nice set-up.Is that a home made framework?Also,how big is that generator?Where did you buy the generator?I'd like to do the same thing.

[oldredrider 2,547]

A little "heads up"; I'll have a 4000w generator with mount for sale at the show. :hide:

[HankB 16]

Nice set-up.Is that a home made framework?Also,how big is that generator?Where did you buy the generator?I'd like to do the same thing.

Yes, home made frame. Pulley from McMaster Carr. My son has a little gas welder that is ideal for stuff like this. He also has a metal cutoff saw for cutting the pieces. I just need to buy the metal and figure out a design. Of course I studied pictures of several that other members on this site have made so nothing on mine is really original.

This is a Harbor Freight 10/7.2KW generator. http://www.harborfreight.com/10000-watts-m...head-45416.html It was $300 when I bought it and I was able to use a 20% coupon. :hide:

[VinsRJ 721]

Very nice set up! :hide:

[Operator 7]

I was going to ask if yu happen to be in IL, then I see you are.

I was sitting at the TA truckstop in Morris IL when the storms [tornado?] hit

[mr.pipes 4]

I don't have a transfer switch so I just ran extensions to critical things like freezer. refrigerator, reef tank and coffee pot. I also kept my cell phone charged so I could do some surfing and monitor the news.

-hank

We had a bad ice storm two years ago and were helping customers with frozen pipes and trying to prevent whole house freeze ups.

We would back feed the panel through two electric outlets.

Taking two extension cords with male ends on both ends.

Find two outlets with breakers on opposite sides of the panel and

run them both to the generator and the whole house is live.

Just shut off the main so someone working on the line doesn't get bit.

And don't touch the male end if the other end is plugged into the running generator.

I'm sure some electricians wouldn't approve but this was just easier for us to power the boiler and have lights.

[HankB 16]

We would back feed the panel through two electric outlets.

...

I'm sure some electricians wouldn't approve but this was just easier for us to power the boiler and have lights.

It's the utility linemen that would take issue. If you don't pull the main breaker/fuse, you energize the incoming line as well. They come out to work on a line that's supposed to be dead but isn't because a homeowner is back feeding it.

I hope they check and ground the supposed dead line before working on it, but in general, you want to be more than one mistake away from a hazardous situation.

[Ken B 3,116]

Very nice setup. I bet you were happy you had that! I'm going to look a Wheel Horse genie tractor mount this weekend.

[Actonhorse 26]

Nice set up for sure, I especially like how you classify the coffee pot as a "critical" item. :hide:

[rexman72 210]

We would back feed the panel through two electric outlets.

...

I'm sure some electricians wouldn't approve but this was just easier for us to power the boiler and have lights.

It's the utility linemen that would take issue. If you don't pull the main breaker/fuse, you energize the incoming line as well. They come out to work on a line that's supposed to be dead but isn't because a homeowner is back feeding it.

I hope they check and ground the supposed dead line before working on it, but in general, you want to be more than one mistake away from a hazardous situation.

all you need to do is buy a main breaker interlock switch for 50 bucks and then you will be protecting your main panel from the generator and then you wont be sending power back out to the line.Also the lineman know better as most people backfeed onto the system so they are very well prepared for that but it can be very dangerous to your house if you dont have something to take the load from the generator to the house.

[bk-scouter 93]

HankB, VERY nice set up you have there

What was your throttle set at ? And how long does it take to go through an entire tank of fuel at that engine speed?

-BK

[Cleaverkid 11]

Man I want one of those!

Very nice setup, HankB!!!

If I ever get the college loans for the kids paid off and then two weddings covered, maybe I'll buy me of those someday! :hide:

[JC 1965 1,528]

:WRS: That's really A very clever idea. Is their any way you could post A rough drawing of how the generator frame mounts to the tractor? Also do you think my 312-8 would have enough power to run one of those generators? Very nice!! :hide:

[JC 1965 1,528]

:WRS: Forgot to ask this in my other post. What size pulley do you have on the generator? (I mean o.d. size, I know the i.d. is 1 inch ) Thanks!! :hide:

[HankB 16]

HankB, VERY nice set up you have there

What was your throttle set at ? And how long does it take to go through an entire tank of fuel at that engine speed?

-BK

I sized the pulley to operate at full throttle. The generator produces 60 Hz power at 3600 RPM. Also that's where the engine generates maximum power. That's also where it uses the most fuel, loaded or not. Based on how long it operated and how many times I refueled, I think about 3 1/2 hours/tank.

That's really A very clever idea. Is their any way you could post A rough drawing of how the generator frame mounts to the tractor? Also do you think my 312-8 would have enough power to run one of those generators? Very nice!!

The frame is really simple. Just picture two pieces of angle that run from a mid mount (3/4" bar) out to the front and something across the front on which to mount the generator. I put a bend in the angles to provide some clearance for the front axle without dropping the generator too close to the ground. The belt supports the generator, providing adequate belt tension.

What you cannot see is a pair of washers welded inboard of the attach points to keep it located.

The rule of thumb is 2 hp/KWH. This is a 7.2 KWH generator so I'm right at the limit with an M14. You could run it with an M12 or K301 and it would work fine if you weren't looking for full output. In fact, w/out a transfer switch to run my full household, I will probably never come close to full output. But this was the cheapest pulley driven generator head I found. (Direct drive generators do not have bearings designed to handle the side loads imposed by a drive pulley.)

Forgot to ask this in my other post. What size pulley do you have on the generator? (I mean o.d. size, I know the i.d. is 1 inch ) Thanks!!

This is the pulley I used: http://www.mcmaster.com/#6204k243/=cviw38

I was trying to match the size of the smaller groove on the PTO shaft because I was looking for 1:1 ratio. However in that groove, I found I was getting about 100V at 57 Hz due to belt slip or engine rpm not quite 3600. I tried the larger pulley and got 113V at 59-61 Hz (measured with a Kill-a-Watt.)

In retrospect, I could have gone with a smaller pulley and operated at less than full throttle. However I do not know how good speed regulation is at less than full throttle. I figured it would be good at full throttle. A smaller pulley would not allow full engine output, but I doubt I'll ever need that anyway.

[dkopp 1]

Make sure you have a spare belt on hand...just in case. :hide:

[shorts 182]

From an ex florida standby power technetion,

the hp/kw equivalent factor is 1.54 hp per kw

backfeeding the grid is illegal, and you really don't want to be responsile for causing someone getting hurt or worse.

either use extension cords to each appliance or use a transfer switch at the main panel to disconnect from the grid before you energize your panel.

When I built my doghouse I had the power co put all of my power to the garage and then split it to the house and shop, I also installed natural gas to the garage, now it's just a matter of time for the right genset and transfer switch to follow me home :hide:

[littleredrider 408]

That is awesome, I WILL be getting one, since they just opened a Harbor Freight near me!!!

We had a power outage bout a month ago. Took them three days to get power back. Luckily borrowed a generator for the fridge and a light or two.

At least it was a weekend, but still sucked. Sitting outside camping at home, kept saying that we are getting a generator soon as i can get some money saved up. But didn't want one with it's own motor/frame/wheels, takes up too much room. Got looking at the heads what you have, and thought it would be great since I have 4 tractors that I really don't need. When you don't need it, take off and hang it on the wall or somewhere out of the way.

The unit you have would be great on the 520 diesel I have....have to put it a distance from the house, it's rather LOUD!!!!!

[rexman72 210]

From an ex florida standby power technetion,

the hp/kw equivalent factor is 1.54 hp per kw

backfeeding the grid is illegal, and you really don't want to be responsile for causing someone getting hurt or worse.

either use extension cords to each appliance or use a transfer switch at the main panel to disconnect from the grid before you energize your panel.

When I built my doghouse I had the power co put all of my power to the garage and then split it to the house and shop, I also installed natural gas to the garage, now it's just a matter of time for the right genset and transfer switch to follow me home

shorts a main breaker interlock switch with a 30 amp breaker will do the same thing gentran transfer switch which will cost 300 bucks and you have to wire it up vs a 50 dollar interlock switch.

[JC 1965 1,528]

Hank, Thanks for the photo of your generator mount and the info on the pulley you used on your setup. That's what makes Red Square so special, is people like you that are willing to share ideas and help others. Again !! :WRS:

[dkopp 1]

Here is a link to an easy retrofit for an interlock

http://www.interlockkit.com/?gclid=CJfLgsT...CFUa8Kgod4kCOMQ

[rexman72 210]

Here is a link to an easy retrofit for an interlock

http://www.interlockkit.com/?gclid=CJfLgsT...CFUa8Kgod4kCOMQ

yes thats what i am talking about.you can get them at home depot or lowes.its safe for the homeowner and the power company.

[WheelHorseSteve 48]

Very cool! The perfect compliment to this setup -- an auxiliary fuel tank. My 5kW Honda generator has a 6 gallon tank and runs for ~12 hours / tank... enough to get you through a night of sleep. I'm thinking some sort of high-hung tank that connects to your stock tank w/ another gas cap (that has the hose going into it -- sealed). Any air leak would cause a huge mess though... might be better having a "Y" valve and switching to the bigger tank altogether.