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RE: (ET) tiller motor temperature



Steve, Neil, John;
 
I till.  Lots.  1/2 acre of raspberries, 1.5 acres strawberries, 1/2 acre garden.  Sandy soil.
 
When the hitch is RAISED at the drawbar, the tilling is "aggressive", when down it is "cultivating".  Use the chain to set the lowest depth; don't make the tiller bounce too much.  Untwist and remove weeds at the end of each row.  The motor WILL run hot.  It has a thermal shut off; if it overheats (rare for me) let it cool for 10 minutes, then depress HARD the interlock.  I till deep as slow as the tractor goes; I cultivate slow in L.  That's the main reason I'm going to an E-15; slow is slower.  The current may go into the yellow, but not as often as with the snow blower.  I never see yellow unless I'm over 4.5" deep and have weeds collected on the blades.  I have worked with other tillers (Troy-Built, Sears, Ariens, Siemens) for years, and the bolts on the tiller blades are wrong.  They should have used carriage bolts and short, low-profile nuts or better yet; dedicated plow-bolts.  The blade design is good but there is too much bolt drag and weed collection area on their bolts.  I intend to come up with better bolts later this season.
 
Larry Elie
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Naugler [mailto:snaugler earthlink net]
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 10:47 PM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: (ET) tiller motor temperature

John and others,
 
The GE motors aren't labeled, but I'd assume they have a temperature rating the same as industrial motors.  Most industrial motors are rated for a 40 deg C (72 deg F) temperature rise.  Industrial motors can frequently be much too hot to touch when heavily loaded.
 
I believe that tillers when performing normal tilling are expected to move the power meter well into the yellow zone, unlike the mower deck where you should stay in the green.  I don't have a tiller, but my snow blower manual specifically states that the power meter should be in the yellow zone.
 
Hope this helps,
 
Steve Naugler
snaugler earthlink net
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 9:48 PM
Subject: (ET) tiller

Just finished using a tiller for 1-1/2 hours in hard packed sod.  Motor is too hot to touch. Is this normal?
I am thinking about tilling up close to an acre with this. Is that insane?
John Briese