IC engine tractor conversion query

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IC engine tractor conversion query

This topic has 20 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 29 August 2020 at 08:59 by not done it yet.

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)

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29 July 2019 at 16:40 #421480
Plasma
Participant
@plasma
Fellow tinkerers.

I have a wheelhorse C125 garden tractor fitted with a Kohler 12hp petrol engine.

Is it possible to ditch this and fit an electric motor and batteries with enough power to drive the thing?

I contacted a motor supplier (used to dealing with industry not a shed engineer) and was quoted over 2k for a motor and 48v lead acid battery system which would still need a controller etc.

In my simple imagination a foot mounted motor with enough grunt and a sufficient battery pack would get things moving, but you folk who power locomotives with electrickery will hopefully provide some technical knowhow to my concept.

It has an 8 speed gearbox and the petrol engine runs at 3500 rpm. I have all the weights and specs if needed.

I think the firm I wrote to thought the motor would be driving the wheels direct rather than through a gearbox.

Thinking caps on please

Plasma.
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29 July 2019 at 16:40 #1847
Plasma
Participant
@plasma
Can it be done for a decent cost
29 July 2019 at 17:12 #421491
Tim Chambers
Participant
@timchambers76147
Plenty to see on YouTube https://youtu.be/NMWQxc9Ch2w

This firm are local to me but the website doesn't seem to have changed much recently.

https://www.everything-ev.com/

Edited By Tim Chambers on 29/07/2019 17:17:28

Edited By Tim Chambers on 29/07/2019 17:28:53
29 July 2019 at 17:19 #421492
Tim Chambers
Participant
@timchambers76147
Edited By Tim Chambers on 29/07/2019 17:20:34

Edited By Tim Chambers on 29/07/2019 17:23:44

Edited By Tim Chambers on 29/07/2019 17:26:51

Trying to embed with mobile is impossible.

Edited By Tim Chambers on 29/07/2019 17:27:56
31 July 2019 at 12:31 #421847
Plasma
Participant
@plasma
Thanks Tim.

Some food for thought there. Plenty to keep me thinking about while I plan things.

I've been offered an electric airport luggage tug, capable of towing 6000kg for the job I have in mind.

Trouble is it's in Buckingham and I'm in Barnsley.

Never organised transport like this so I'm having fun calling haulage firms.

Regards mick
31 July 2019 at 13:47 #421864
AdrianR
Participant
@adrianr18614
I think the conversion to an electric motor is easy, the hard bit is getting the batteries.

The energy density of batteries is very low compared to fuel and to have a decent run time you need huge batteries. Which if are lead acid are also very heavy.

Your 12HP engine would need to be replaced with a motor would draw 11KW assuming 80% efficiency of the controllers etc. At 48V that would be 229A, so for 1hr at full power you would need about 500AH of battery (lead acid max discharge 50%).

If you want to be green, buy biofuel.
31 July 2019 at 14:39 #421874
V8Eng
Participant
@v8eng
Edited By V8Eng on 31/07/2019 14:40:31
31 July 2019 at 15:36 #421880
pgk pgk
Participant
@pgkpgk17461
Posted by Plasma on 31/07/2019 12:31:34:

Thanks Tim.

Some food for thought there. Plenty to keep me thinking about while I plan things.

I've been offered an electric airport luggage tug, capable of towing 6000kg for the job I have in mind.

Trouble is it's in Buckingham and I'm in Barnsley.

Never organised transport like this so I'm having fun calling haulage firms.

Regards mick

I wonder if it'd be better to just use the tug and try to find a way to get a PTO off it?

pgk
31 July 2019 at 15:46 #421884
stevetee
Participant
@stevetee
I think it's fair to remind ourselves that whilst the petrol engine runs at full speed, it doesn't run at full load much of the time.
31 July 2019 at 18:55 #421929
Tim Chambers
Participant
@timchambers76147
Posted by AdrianR on 31/07/2019 13:47:47:

If you want to be green, buy biofuel.

If you really want to go green ,buy a goat.
31 July 2019 at 19:28 #421935
Philip Burley
Participant
@philipburley44197
Hello , well if you remove the engine , I need a kohler for my Wheel horse , that would go towards the cost of an electric !!!!

regards Ohil
31 July 2019 at 19:31 #421936
Robert Atkinson 2
Participant
@robertatkinson2
Have you actually investigated the size of the motor in the tug? I looked at a baggage tug some years ago for a possible full size electric vehicle project. It was huge and very heavy for it's output. The tug was up for grabs and literally 1/4 of a mile away on the same industrial estate as my work but I still passed on it.

Robert G8RPI.
31 July 2019 at 21:16 #421956
V8Eng
Participant
@v8eng
Electric ride on mowers and garden tractors seem to be available across the pond some seem to run at 48v, do not know if they are available in the U.K. yet.

More info via these links

Ryobi

TodaysMower

Edited By V8Eng on 31/07/2019 21:35:52

Edited By V8Eng on 31/07/2019 21:44:13
1 August 2019 at 05:43 #421981
John Olsen
Participant
@johnolsen79199
Husqvarna do an electric ride on mower, as well as their robotic ones where you don't even need to be there at all. The ride on one is about NZ$7500 which would translate to about 300 to 4000 GBP I guess.

John
1 August 2019 at 07:02 #421990
Sam Longley 1
Participant
@samlongley1
Posted by AdrianR on 31/07/2019 13:47:47:

I think the conversion to an electric motor is easy, the hard bit is getting the batteries.

The energy density of batteries is very low compared to fuel and to have a decent run time you need huge batteries. Which if are lead acid are also very heavy.

Your 12HP engine would need to be replaced with a motor would draw 11KW assuming 80% efficiency of the controllers etc. At 48V that would be 229A, so for 1hr at full power you would need about 500AH of battery (lead acid max discharge 50%).

If you want to be green, buy biofuel.

Look at golf cart batteries. Designed for a bit more than 50% drop . Come as 6V I believe but H duty
1 August 2019 at 08:43 #421999
AdrianR
Participant
@adrianr18614
Yeup, the 50% was for deep discharge batteries. Yes you can discharge them more but it drastically reduces their lifetime. 50% is a compromise between capacity and lifetime.

I note that one of those electric lawn mowers has a 3yr warranty and a 1yr limited warranty on the battery. What a confident manufacturer.
1 August 2019 at 09:23 #422008
RMA
Participant
@rma
Posted by Plasma on 31/07/2019 12:31:34:

Thanks Tim.

Some food for thought there. Plenty to keep me thinking about while I plan things.

I've been offered an electric airport luggage tug, capable of towing 6000kg for the job I have in mind.

Trouble is it's in Buckingham and I'm in Barnsley.

Never organised transport like this so I'm having fun calling haulage firms.

Regards mick

See Parcel2Go website and put in what you want moving, and the quotes come rolling in. Saves a lot of time, but give it time for all the quotes to arrive as sometimes the cheaper ones come in last. Good luck.
2 August 2019 at 06:36 #422177
Plasma
Participant
@plasma
Just an update. The item was listed on ebay, however the seller used three year old photos from a previous sale to advertise it. Something was fishy and the seller lied about the photos so I pulled my bid. Not worth taking a punt and if I had not had the information and advice from you gents I would have bought a 1020kg lemon.

Many thanks plasma
29 August 2020 at 07:02 #493289
Plasma
Participant
@plasma
Just by way of an update on this story.

I decided to rebuild the original Kohler engine and abandoned plans to electrify Fred.

Turned out to be a good call, the engine is in good shape and runs well.

I also decided to look into registering Fred with the DVLA so I can insure and use on the road.

It was a bit of a faff, mainly through the covid shutdown of DVLA operations.

But I finally received a V5 for my now V registered tractor.

I will probably never get stopped by the police but I'm legal and covered fully comp.

Off to the shops on my tractor then lol
29 August 2020 at 07:12 #493291
Speedy Builder5
Participant
@speedybuilder5
Buckingham to Barnsley – was only 130 miles at 10 mph – only about 14 hours with pit stops (Don't forget the charger !!) – Come in handy for the next project ??
29 August 2020 at 08:59 #493303
not done it yet
Participant
@notdoneityet
I once drove a vintage tractor from 8 miles beyond Buckingham to Lincolnshire one sunny Sunday (Silverstone GP weekend) many moons ago. Was a little faster (~12 1/2mph top speed) and I did fit a more comfy seat. 80 miles in the day (with plenty of stops/rests) was enough but not too much. I did watch the GP as well. Driving 30 or 40 miles on the tractor was not unusual.
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