Plug in Tractor?

[MrBilly]

Anyone working on a plugin tractor, or at least a hybrid? When oil hits $200/barrel we will really be over a barrel.

Billy

 

[bigbull338]

i dont think a plug in tractor will have the power todo what diesel tractors to.but thats just me.they maybe ok for light duty stuff.

 

[dun]

Have to be an awfuly long extension cord!

 

[hurleyjd]

You might find this site interesting. GE made an electric yard tractor in the seventys.
http://www.coate.org/jim/ev/tractors/index.html

 

[Earl Thigpen]

I read an article in one of the trade mags. the other day that talked about one tractor manufacturer that was working on a fuel cell tractor but I don't remember who it was. Maybe JD but I'm not sure. It's gonna' be one heII of a fuel cell to produce 100 hp or so.

 

[Farmer Z]

We'd need an extraordinary breakthrough in battery technology to make something like this work. I don't know what we're gonna do when fuel prices double again. It could throw us into a dadburn depression.

 

[Horticattleman]

Have to be an awfuly long extension cord!

You crack me up....and beat me to it! :lol2:

 

[MrBilly]

Anyone working on a plugin tractor, or at least a hybrid? When oil hits $200/barrel we will really be over a barrel.

Billy

I just knew this would get Dun's juices running. :banana:

Billy

 

[MikeC]

There are batteries inside of the "Fast Attack" nuclear submarines that will run those ships for hours and even days at slow speeds. Don't know about the "Boomers" but relatively sure they have the same set up.

Talking about 1,000's or tens of 1,000's horsepower............................

 

[dun]

There are batteries inside of the "Fast Attack" nuclear submarines that will run those ships for hours and even days at slow speeds. Don't know about the "Boomers" but relatively sure they have the same set up.

Talking about 1,000's or tens of 1,000's horsepower............................

The 2 biggest problems with batterys that size is one the physical size and the other is weight.
You could probably run a tractor off of nuclear too, but hauling that huge water cooling system would sure be cumbersome.

 

[MikeC]

There are batteries inside of the "Fast Attack" nuclear submarines that will run those ships for hours and even days at slow speeds. Don't know about the "Boomers" but relatively sure they have the same set up.

Talking about 1,000's or tens of 1,000's horsepower............................

The 2 biggest problems with batterys that size is one the physical size and the other is weight.
You could probably run a tractor off of nuclear too, but hauling that huge water cooling system would sure be cumbersome.

My point was that batteries can be used to develop lots of horsepower for long periods of time.

But no one has gone there yet because diesel fuel has been historically a cheaper alternative.

The first tractors were steam driven, weren't they?

 

[mermill2]

they have battery operated forklifts in packing sheds.They will lift a ton at a time easily for a half a day without a recharge.Could probably use a tow motor batery diesel hybred type deal for jobs like moving round bales and such.

 

[dyates]

Same as cars, how much fossil fuels would you have to burn to produce that much electricity to charge the battery? I'm bettin' it would be more than the diesel engine would burn. Now, if they could be charged with solar, wind or hydro, you might have something.

 

[TexasBred]

Most of those huge draglines used to remove the overburden in open pit lignite mines down here are electric powered. Their power consumption is so great that they have a direct connection to the high-voltage grid.

 

[kickinbull]

Thur. nite there was a documentary on called "who killed the elec. car?"

It was very interesting, and disappointing.

Back in the 80's I think it was, California made a mandate that car makers must build vehicles that were 100% non poluting. So they started making prototypes. GM had the EV1. and they leased it for 3 years to a few people, after which they wouldn't extend the lease and the cars ended up crushed in their test facility in AZ. The people begged to keep them. They loved the car. On the same program they show a man that has developed a battery that is super. But his company sold a controling interest to GM, and he wasnt allowed to go public. Later they sold their interest to Texico. Hmm. The car with that battery had a range of 300 miles. and it was as fast as a vette. But very little service.

Also in Iowa there is a guy that has built a tractor that is elec. He has offered it to all of the major players. No one is interested. He claims that it can be mass built for $20000. Even the hydralics are elec. No oil. It is for light duty jobs, like mowing,raking cultivating and like that. He even used the canopy for solar panels so it can charge some while being used. And it's quiet.

 

[MrBilly]

There are batteries inside of the "Fast Attack" nuclear submarines that will run those ships for hours and even days at slow speeds. Don't know about the "Boomers" but relatively sure they have the same set up.

Talking about 1,000's or tens of 1,000's horsepower............................

The 2 biggest problems with batterys that size is one the physical size and the other is weight.
You could probably run a tractor off of nuclear too, but hauling that huge water cooling system would sure be cumbersome.

My point was that batteries can be used to develop lots of horsepower for long periods of time.

But no one has gone there yet because diesel fuel has been historically a cheaper alternative.

The first tractors were steam driven, weren't they?

I'm looking at two alternatives, one is to bring back the steam tractor and the other is a couple teams of horses. That should show OPEC that we are really serious about having alterntives to THEIR fossil fuels! :roll:

Billy