PTO Generator Choices

Whether you live on a farm or manage a ranch it is very likely that you live on the outskirts of any major towns or cities and are the first to feel the effects of a power outage and the last to get power back when the storm, tornado, etc. passes. For these areas, having a generator is important to running a farm or ranch; but these areas need more than a standard generator, it is PTO generators (power take off) that provide the necessary power.

A PTO driven generator is a generator that uses a tractor for its source of power instead of running off gasoline or working on its own. PTO generators hook to a tractor via a tumbling bar, when the tractor is turned on the tractor powers the generator, which then provides power to your home, barn, electric power tools and so on. A PTO generator is not portable in the sense that it can be wheeled around, you will need a hitch or a trailer in order to get it where it needs to go.

There are many different types of generators to choose from; however, a popular line of generators are Winco PTO generators. Winco offers a large line generators for every price range, which is why they are so popular. Whether you are buying a Winco generator or a different brand, you need to know that there are two different types of power levels to choose from; a single phase and a three phase generator. No matter which phase generator you purchase, you need to check that it is rated for your tractor's engine size or else you will destroy the generator or it won't work at all.

A single phase PTO generator is ideal for powering your standard home appliances, lamps, etc. Northstar offers a 13,000 kW generator that is ideal for a smaller tractor engine. The cost of this generator is about $1,400, which is considered the low end in terms of price and power for a PTO generator.

As you can imagine, three phase generators are much more expensive, but they also have a much higher electricity output. They can be used for your home or to power a barn, including things like milking equipment and so on. The Winco 145,000 kW 3-Phase Tractor Driven PTO Generator offers a lot of power. The price, however, is much higher at about $12,000.

In addition, as mentioned above, you will need a tumbling bar for whatever PTO generators that you choose. Each tumbling bar is designed for a specific kW rating so it is important that you purchase one that is rated for the generator that you choose. Tumbling bars range from $200 to $800 depending on what you need.

PTO generators can provide you with the power that you need in an emergency or in an area that doesn't have access to power at any time. Knowing how much power you need and what your budget is will ensure that you get the perfect PTO generator for your needs.