I don't know all of what is being offered on the "upgraded" machine, but I think if your budget is $25k, you'd be limiting yourself considerably purchasing an Elec-Trak size machine. While the Elec-Traks can do this work, it's going to be a struggle on a daily basis moving gravel, dirt, plowing lots of snow, etc. I've used Elec-Traks for a long time, fixed more than I could use, but I spent a little more than your budget on a 35hp Mahindra diesel TLB (tractor-loader-backhoe) and it does everything and more with ease. You can probably stand to buy one at 25-28hp range with mid and rear pto, plus attachments to serve your needs for $25k. You will be much happier in the long run. Trust me. This thing has been a lifesaver to me, even on my 2 acre property.

Chad Bush

On Aug 6, 2022 3:26 PM, RJ Kanary via Elec-trak <elec-trak@cosmos.phy.tufts.edu> wrote:

The Brute Force approach that I would employ would entail
re-fitting the control system to employ the use of armature contactors
for reversing. Unless there is a superior method of surge suppression
available during cycling from F to R, that poor relay ALWAYS takes the
hit. :(

On a lark, I put a set of contactors in my E-10, just to see the
results. With the permanent magnet motor, the stops from F to R were
violent, but tolerable. :)

RJ

On 8/6/2022 1:16 PM, Larry Chace wrote:
> Greg Curran asked about wishes for a beefier ET. What an interesting
> idea!
>
> Greg, can you tell us where in the Northeast you will be? I'm near
> Ithaca, NY, "centrally isolated" with plenty of winter weather, but
> probably not as severe as Maine or northern Vermont or New Hampshire.
> I have an E15 for plowing and mowing and an I-5 for hauling and
> snowthrowing. The 700 foot long driveway is somewhat sloped, enough
> that the tractors clearly prefer to go downhill rather than uphill,
> especially with the snowthrower (aka "battery eater").
>
> Both tractors seem to have about the same power, with the E15 running
> somewhat more slowly than the I-5. They are usually run with the speed
> control set to maximum, using gears to select the appropriate ground
> speed: LL for in-garage movements, L for hauling and meadow mowing, D1
> for lawn mowing and snow plowing, and D2 mostly for moving from place
> to place. Snowplowing and lawn mowing need more frequent fwd/rev
> switching, and so the E15's hand control is more convenient. For
> hauling, the I-5' foot controller and cruise control is convenient.
> However, I added a switch to each tractor to avoid getting into
> electric speeds 5, 6, and 7. On the I-5 that also gives an increased
> amount of dynamic braking.
>
> For driveway clearing (700' by 12'), the E15 and plow do a great job
> unless the snow is too deep (a foot or more, depending on moisture
> content). The snowthrower works well but it really drains the
> batteries; one trip downhill is all that they will tolerate. I had to
> replace its drive chain once -- a truly unpleasent task (in the
> winter, of course).
>
> I use a 3-bank 10-amp Minn-kota charger, plugging it into whichever
> tractor needs it most. Both tractors also have their original GE
> chargers and the tractor garage has two 20-amp circuits, so both can
> be charged simultaneously.
>
> Both tractors got new Crown batteries about 10 years ago. There is no
> indication that I can see that they may be approaching their
> end-of-life. The most annoying problem is the infamous reverse relay
> lock-up on the E15. Even being VERY careful to aovid changing the
> FWD/REW switch while in motion, sometimes it just happens and that
> means pushing the tractor into the garage for relay replacement (the
> problem seems to be worse in the winter). Luckily, the house and
> garage are at the downhill end of the driveway.
>
> The I-5's brake is just barely adequate and the E-15 brake does
> nothing. Luckily, the snow plow and mower deck provide a certain
> amount of braking. Both tractors have chains all the time. (The best
> part of the lawn in mowed with a Ryobi cordless push mower rather than
> with the E15.)
>
> What would be good to have? Eliminate the fwd/rev relay problem, have
> a less power-hungry snowthrower, have a good way to clean the bottom
> of the mower deck,
> speed up the E15's transions from electric speed 1 to electric speed 3.
>
> My father worked for GE and I enjoy seeing the GE monogram in the
> center of the steering wheel whenever I drive the tractors.
>
> In Greg's situation, it might be good to have *two* tractors. A few
> times I've had to use one of them to pull the other. (When I had just
> the I-5, my wife said "you should have a spare".)
>
> Larry Chace, Ithaca, NY E15 and I-5
>
>
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>
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