Sunday, March 27, 2011

Palouse Empire Home & Garden Show

GREEN HOME POWER

On display is a prototype development featuring a 100% battery powered lawn tractor and a 1000 watt solar array with electronics.
FEATURES
  • Tractor runs on either plug-in or sun produced electricity.
  • Tractor batteries provide up to 4800 watt-hours of home backup power.
  • During idle time, system will sell power back to your power company and lower your electric bill.

Note: This tractor is the personal property of the owner and is not for sale, nor is there any plan to develop an electric tractor for sale. Later, a kit may be offered to interested owners to enable them to change their own tractor to electric. For more info, write: electric@rjrtractor.com

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Lookin' Sharp

Doing Double - Triple - Duty

We are teaming up with RJR Solar LLC: As part of the tractor conversion, appropriate electronics will be added so the stored battery power in the tractor can be used as a backup home power source. Even better, the entire tractor/backup power source will be solar powered, using six solar modules.

With this system, you can mow your lawn using "green" solar power and when not mowing, you will have a 2000 watt battery powered standby power system.

Added Bonus: When not charging the batteries or mowing the lawn, the system can be selling electricity back to your power company, lowering your electric bill!

The prototype system will be on display this month at the Palouse Empire Home & Garden Expo in WSU's Beasley Auditorium (March 18 & 19) and at the "Green Fair" at the SEL Event Center. (March 25 & 26)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Proposed Battery Locations


Initially, I will be running four, 6-volt Golf Cart batteries. (Costco)

Three will be mounted forward, where the gas engine was previously mounted. The remaining battery will be mounted under the seat, between the frame rails. It will be mounted so as to not interfere with the mower deck.

If it is later determined that a higher voltage is needed, I can switch to either 8-volt or 12-volt Golf Cart batteries.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Proposed Motor Placement


This is the proposed electric motor placement.
The motor output shaft is directly coupled to the transaxle input shaft.

Transaxle: Tuff Torq K40
Electric motor: Advanced DC 140-22-4001A (36 volt)

Basic Chassis


Basic L111 Chassis ... Ready for Electric Upgrade.