45 hp electric tractor

[Paul Wheaton]

I've been reading lately about electric cars and the like. And I just read this page: http://www.badboybuggies.com/index.html --- a 4WD electric cart - silent and able to crawl up a wall. All electric vehicles get a better $ per mile than gas or diesel.

My 2WD cart is silent and .... if I had to pick between it and my 45 hp john deere tractor, I think I would pick the cart!

So here is an electric tractor: http://www.renewables.com/Permacultu...ricTractor.htm

But it doesn't have a loader! I do tons of stuff with my loader. Half the use of my tractor is for use of the loader.

Somehow I thought that if I were to do some whining here, others might say "me too!" and then we could forward this thread to some of the tractor people ....

[uncle Will in In.]

I could see the 4x4 cart doing a good job and selling well if the price wasn't out of reason. The farm tractor has a long way to go before it can do the field work that even small tractors are doing now.

[arabian knight]

lol ya They won't be in any "Pulling" contests for eons to come the key here being "Light Duty Work" not many who even have small tractors use them in Light Duty Work.

[logbuilder]

Interesting but I can't see how it can run that long with any type of load. Maybe battery technology has come a long way since I last looked.

I'd put my 64 year old tractor (1942 Ford 9N) against it any day when it comes to doing anything hard for very long. But I'm also partial to older machines that were well designed.

[mightybooboo]

Originally Posted by logbuilder

Interesting but I can't see how it can run that long with any type of load. Maybe battery technology has come a long way since I last looked.

It has,lithium-ion powered cars are getting 250 miles per charge,recharge 80 miles in 1 hour,full recharge 3.5 hours.

They have indeed come a Loooooong way.

And nothing fossil fuel powered out torques electric.A biggy I would think for a tractor.

Oh,and Lithium Ion large size battery package ISNT controlled by an Oil company,unlike Large NiMh tech(EV-1),which was bought by GM (GM bought Ovonics,the battery manufacturer and large format patent holder) and sold it to I think it was Exxon/Mobil,and then,you guessed it,they COMPLETELY shelved it.Along with GM CRUSHING the EV-1's produced,they could outrun a Porsche and had at least a 150 mile range.

BooBoo

[LagoVistaFarm]

Our little tractor boy (20yo 6'4") grew up a couple of miles away from this guy. We were just out there. We may have to stop by and take a look. Tractor Boy aka "Calorie" may be going out that way next week. Let me know if you want him to deliver some comments. Better yet book a stay at the Albion River Inn and tell him in person. Its one of the most beautiful spots on the coast.

[Paul Wheaton]

Imagine moving the portable hog shelter and the only sound is the dragging of the shelter skids.

Or how about moving that 1200 pound feed tote off of the truck and hearing "I think you have a hole in the tote! put it back!" as opposed to the waving of hands because nobody can be heard over the tractor engine.

[HermitJohn]

I dont like batteries much, but have to say on a tractor weight of batteries not a problem!!!!

[rambler]

Without hydraulics, a pto, and loader options, it's 'just interesting', not a real tractor.

If it can't plow a field for 6 hours or more on 'one fill' it won't appeal to people who want 'a tractor'. Then it's only a stripped down golf cart.....

Interesting tho, & a work in progress. I don't expect it to be a perfect replacement at this time.... Thanks a bunch for the link.

[LagoVistaFarm]

Originally Posted by rambler

Without hydraulics, a pto, and loader options, it's 'just interesting', not a real tractor.

If it can't plow a field for 6 hours or more on 'one fill' it won't appeal to people who want 'a tractor'. Then it's only a stripped down golf cart.....

Interesting tho, & a work in progress. I don't expect it to be a perfect replacement at this time.... Thanks a bunch for the link.

They do use different tractors in many operations in California. Many of the farms are multi crop and done with transplants. My best guess is that he's so busy with solar instalations these days he spends very little time working on a tractor. The new solar regs in California make it a no brainer for wineries. They start paying for themselves on day one. It is kind of funny seeing a solar panel on a tractor in Albion. They have fog most of the summer.

[Boleyz]

At this point, as much as I dislike middle-eastern fascists, I'd be willing to pay for something hybrid that ran on electric and grain...

I think it's time to quit feeding people who hate us and put our grain to better use.

Let em eat sand and drink oil...might calm em down a bit...JMHO.

[MELOC]

Originally Posted by rambler

Without hydraulics, a pto, and loader options, it's 'just interesting', not a real tractor.

If it can't plow a field for 6 hours or more on 'one fill' it won't appeal to people who want 'a tractor'. Then it's only a stripped down golf cart.....

Interesting tho, & a work in progress. I don't expect it to be a perfect replacement at this time.... Thanks a bunch for the link.

i don't know my arse from a foxhole when it comes to tractors, but i thought i would post the specs page from the site in case someone missed it.

http://www.renewables.com/Permacultu...actorSpecs.htm


how would extreme cold affect this tractor?

i have been thinking about how i plan to use a tractor when i buy one. personally, i doubt i will have to use a tractor for more than three hours at a time. i will be fixing logging roads, skidding logs for a sawmill and for firewood, moving stone for construction and roads, and possibly mowing for an hour or two at a time. my gardening/tree farming needs would probably best be handled by a tiller and be no more than an acre or two at the most at one time.

i need a tractor really bad. i just don't need a huge farm tractor. i need a loader more than anything. i would like to have a backhoe. if i needed to do anything with a plow etc., hopefully it would be a one time affair and be maintained by other means.

also having plans to make a hydro power system, this tractor appeals to me. i cannot say i would definately lean towards buying one, but looking long-term, perhaps it is a good option. i like the idea of not relying on fossil fuels to do small scale farming or timber work.

[LagoVistaFarm]

Originally Posted by MELOC

i don't know my arse from a foxhole when it comes to tractors, but i thought i would post the specs page from the site in case someone missed it.

http://www.renewables.com/Permacultu...actorSpecs.htm


how would extreme cold affect this tractor?

For someone who knows nothing about foxholes you sure asked a good question.

The tractor is in Albion. A place that has not seen frost in decades. How do the hybred cars do in cold?

[Paul Wheaton]

I think most batteries don't do as well in the cold.

[mightybooboo]

Originally Posted by Paul Wheaton

I think most batteries don't do as well in the cold.

Lead acid batts dont,but NiMh are supposed to be stored in the freezer.
What that means to an electric car,I just dont know,cant find answer.Since NiMh large battery packs are patented,and the patent is held by,and withheld from us,by Exxon,the point on that is moot anyhow.

But for lithium ion,efficient at -4 degrees F. is being done
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http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/....cfm?ST_ID=252

In space, there is no place for a spacecraft to plug in a power cord. Not even with an adapter or wireless source of electricity.

Traveling millions of miles from Earth, spacecraft must rely on the sources of power they carry onboard.

NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers are no exception.

Both rovers, dubbed Spirit and Opportunity, are dependent on solar panels for power during daytime operations and advanced lithium ion rechargeable batteries for operations during the night. These batteries are advanced versions of those used in laptops, camcorders and cell phones. NASA researchers specifically designed and developed these power sources to operate efficiently at temperatures as low as -20°C (-4°F).

Because of the tremendous success of these batteries on the Mars Exploration Rovers, NASA plans to continue to develop these advanced lithium ion batteries for future space missions with more challenging environments, such as Venus (460°C/860°F) or the Neptune atmosphere (-170°C/-274°F), or to the icy moons of Jupiter.
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Battery tech is coming into a new millenium,thats for sure.
Forget lead acid,its only 100 years outdated tech.

BooBoo

[Paul Wheaton]

On closer inspection, the page about the electric tractor does mention a loader!

[arabian knight]

They can ALL the electricity they need while flying in the space shuttle. FREE... Just string a Cable out the window well outside the shuttle that is, and BINGO they can get all that electricity they possible could use and more all free and flowing back into the shuttle to power all sorts of things~!

[mightybooboo]

Look at the work electric forklifts can do.Cant see why not a tractor?

BooBoo

[rambler]

Originally Posted by mightybooboo

Look at the work electric forklifts can do.Cant see why not a tractor?

BooBoo

Train locomotives have been diesel/electric for a long time, because it is easy to apply the large power easily, & 'control' things much easier.

However, they use diesel to make the power.

The answer to your question is 'batteries'. There is no good way to store a bunch of power for electric use. So far all battery designs leave something to be desired. Mostly capacity. But, several other issues.

--->Paul

[mightybooboo]

Originally Posted by rambler

The answer to your question is 'batteries'. There is no good way to store a bunch of power for electric use. So far all battery designs leave something to be desired. Mostly capacity. But, several other issues.

--->Paul

Back that up please.

BooBoo