Pieter,
I'm surprised to hear about the cast front axle. First, is it cast
or forged? Usually tube axles are weaker, in fact two things that
tell you if a tractor is robust are cast front axles and rear hubs
that are bolted on and not keyed.
Rob
-----Original Message----- From: elec-trak-request cosmos phy tufts edu
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 4:04 PM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Elec-trak Digest, Vol 11, Issue 12
Send Elec-trak mailing list submissions to
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Elec-trak Digest, Vol 11, Issue 11 (Robert)
2. Re: Loader operation video & restoration (Jim Coate)
3. Re: ET running costs (Theoldcars aol com)
4. Re: ET running costs (james)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 12:50:16 -0500
From: "Robert" <euclid delhitel net>
To: <elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Subject: Re: (ET) Elec-trak Digest, Vol 11, Issue 11
Message-ID: <D2EF6476D251434CB5D51D95F6170E97@RobaroniHP>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Pieter,
I'm in the Catskills west of you around Oneonta area. I'm not sure
what you
need, I'm designing a controller for the ETs. It may blow up in my
face but
so fare it looks like I may be able to pull it off.
Rob
-----Original Message----- From: elec-trak-request cosmos phy tufts edu
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 12:21 PM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Elec-trak Digest, Vol 11, Issue 11
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Elec-trak digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Loader operation video & restoration (Pieter Litchfield)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 12:21:24 -0500
From: "Pieter Litchfield" <pieter_litch yahoo com>
To: "'Greg Curran'" <gcurran323 gmail com>, "Elec-Trak Tractor"
<elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Subject: (ET) Loader operation video & restoration
Message-ID: <016001cdecfb$6bb6c920$43245b60$@com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Sure I could do that. However, the gravel is all under snow just
now. My
batteries are getting very weak, but I can do a short demo in the
spring.
I was at the ET get together last fall in Vermont, and enjoyed
meeting many
ET owners including an owner of the same make & model loader.
I have a web site that has some ET info including diagrams from the now
defunct builder:
http://www.plitch.com/ET_Bucket.html
By the way, I am looking for two things:
1. I have the cast iron front axle. At the ET get-together I
learned that
this is a weak design, and I should get the tube axle and steering
arms with
angle limit stops. I am looking for a source.
2. I have an Alltrax controller, but I am not the sharpest knife in
the
drawer about electrics and electronics. I am looking for a hand
(physical
hand that is) to do a controller conversion. Will pay. I am in the
Saratoga Springs, NY area.
Thanks for any help from all the ET owners on the list.
Pieter
From: Greg Curran [mailto:gcurran323 gmail com]
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 11:39 AM
To: Pieter Litchfield
Subject: Re: (ET) fuel costs
Hi Pieter,
I'm not sure if you have the time to do this but is there any chance
that
you'd be willing to take a video of your ET loading/unloading
gravel? From
my searches I've never come across a video of the ET using a loader
and I
feel like it would be a great benefit to the whole community if
there was at
least one out there. It definitely lends a bit of legitimacy to these
machines as fully functioning garden tractors to see them using
FEL's. Also
it makes convincing others to go the electric route when buying
their garden
tractor a bit easier. Thanks in advance for anything you can do and
I look
forward to hearing from you.
Greg
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*****************************************
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:12:57 -0500
From: Jim Coate <lists freerangeelectric com>
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) Loader operation video & restoration
Message-ID: <50EB1E39 9060401 freerangeelectric com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I can help you on #1, but likely cheaper if you can find someone local
with spares.
For #2, talk to Brian - he is in you neck of the woods.
(I used to live near Chatham and occasionally visited Saratoga
Springs -
never realized you were so close!)
On 1/7/13 12:21 PM, Pieter Litchfield wrote:
By the way, I am looking for two things:
1.I have the cast iron front axle.At the ET get-together I learned
that
this is a weak design, and I should get the tube axle and steering
arms
with angle limit stops.I am looking for a source.
2.I have an Alltrax controller, but I am not the sharpest knife in the
drawer about electrics and electronics.I am looking for a hand
(physical
hand that is) to do a controller conversion.Will pay.I am in the
Saratoga Springs, NY area.
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 16:00:59 -0500 (EST)
From: Theoldcars aol com
To: Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) ET running costs
Message-ID: <1acce be2bb1 3e1c918a aol com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
The other really bad effect of using farm land to create energy.
Inflation on all our food prices.
Don Blazer
In a message dated 1/7/2013 9:23:44 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
martinsprinklerdesign yahoo com writes:
RJ,
Thanks for the tip! I know a couple people that drive E-85 compatible
vehicles. They both claim lower performance and fuel economy
running on E-85.
One said he gets about 50 miles less per tank.
Billy
From: RJ Kanary <rjkanary consolidated net>
To: jim <jiminwis yahoo com>; "elec >> et"
<Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu>
Sent: Monday, January 7, 2013 11:17 AM
Subject: Re: (ET) ET running costs
"Energy Density.The Final Frontier".
That solution still seems after my lifetime far off.And on a
related note,
those of you that drive OBD II compliant vehicles need to know about
another energy density debacle that can empty your wallet, pronto.
There is a move afoot to add even MORE ethanol to gasoline.THAT, while
allegedly lowering emissions, also lowers the energy density of the
gasoline
you purchase.Less BTU per gallon, less mileage, less performance.
And you
pay MORE for it.
But here's the MAJOR "Gotcha". The new E-15 blend will damage the fuel
systems and emission control components of pre 2012 model year
vehicles.One
inadvertent tankful could be a largely expensive mistake. PLUS, it is
unsuitable for use in any outdoor power equipment.More so than
E-10. Thought you
had trouble getting things started and running correctly before ? :(
Watch those labels on the gasoline island pumps folks.Or it could be a
financially distressing oversight.
RJ
On 1/7/2013 9:14 AM, jim wrote:
I though that I should comment on battery costs. I bought a new
set this
fall, just after the price went up, and they were about $100 each,
$638 for
the set including sales tax. A week earlier, they would have been at
least $5 each cheaper. The batteries are East Penn/Deka, sold by
Fleet Farm.
Having just sold our John Deere riding mower this summer, I have good
feel for the costs. I spent an average of less than $50 a year on
parts,
maintenance,oil filters, etc., including the occasional repair
part, belt or
blade replacement over 15 years. Never paid to have a tune up or oil
change or other work done, everything was easily done by me with
reference to
a shop manual that was an early purchase. I mow from less than an
acre up
to 4 or 5 acres, depending on whether it is just the yard or if I mow
around the orchard and pole shed, which is less often, and could
use 30 to 40
gallons of gas in a summer if it was wet and the grass grew
fast--not the
case in the last couple of years. I switched to using an
Elec-Trak because
our electricity is "free" (wind and solar systems since 1977) and I
don't
like storing or using gasoline, disposing of used oil, etc., any
more than
necessary. We also use a car converted to all electric for local
driving.
Jim, in Western Wisconsin
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Message: 4
Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:04:28 -0500
From: james <jmurray1232 rochester rr com>
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) ET running costs
Message-ID: <50EB385C 3090905 rochester rr com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed"
On 1/7/2013 11:17 AM, RJ Kanary wrote:
"Energy Density.The Final Frontier".
That solution still seems after my lifetime far off.And on a
related note, those of you that drive OBD II compliant vehicles need
to know about another energy density debacle that can empty your
wallet, pronto.
There is a move afoot to add even MORE ethanol to
gasoline.THAT, while allegedly lowering emissions, also lowers the
energy density of the gasoline you purchase.Less BTU per gallon, less
mileage, less performance. And you pay MORE for it.
But here's the MAJOR "Gotcha". The new E-15 blend will
damage the fuel systems and emission control components of pre 2012
model year vehicles.One inadvertent tankful could be a largely
expensive mistake. PLUS, it is unsuitable for use in any outdoor power
equipment.More so than E-10. Thought you had trouble getting things
started and running correctly before ? :(
Watch those labels on the gasoline island pumps
folks.Or it could be a financially distressing oversight.
RJ
On 1/7/2013 9:14 AM, jim wrote:
I though that I should comment on battery costs. I bought a new set
this fall, just after the price went up, and they were about $100
each, $638 for the set including sales tax. A week earlier, they
would have been at least $5 each cheaper. The batteries are East
Penn/Deka, sold by Fleet Farm. Having just sold our John Deere
riding mower this summer, I have good feel for the costs. I spent an
average of less than $50 a year on parts, maintenance,oil filters,
etc., including the occasional repair part, belt or blade replacement
over 15 years. Never paid to have a tune up or oil change or other
work done, everything was easily done by me with reference to a shop
manual that was an early purchase. I mow from less than an acre up
to 4 or 5 acres, depending on whether it is just the yard or if I mow
around the orchard and pole shed, which is less often, and could use
30 to 40 gallons of gas in a summer if it was wet and the grass grew
fast--not the case in the last couple of years. I switched to using
an Elec-Trak because our electricity is "free" (wind and solar
systems since 1977) and I don't like storing or using gasoline,
disposing of used oil, etc., any more than necessary. We also use a
car converted to all electric for local driving.
Jim, in Western Wisconsin
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Fear and discontent are the roots of all evil...
that being said. Please do not fear changing to ethanol fuel. It is
cleaner, simpler, and more refined. Gasoline is complex, hugely
explosive and hard to control. Debating the merits of loosing
possibly 50 miles per tank, 10 gallon tank? 15? 30? 35? and in most
places 25% cheaper per gallon is a waste of time for all. my car on
regular gas can vary about that much depending on where I fuel up.
A good friend of mine runs a drag racing car, they switched to 100%
ethanol a few years back and are completely convinced it was the best
thing ever. Tuning became easier, fewer engine failures and no
problems
from condensate in the fuel tank.
Think back to the "old" days when people used to by "dry gas" now the
gas comes that way....
By the way, I want a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, fills up on hydrogen
gas and spits out pure water...no emission controls, smooth electric
power, never visit a gas station again...
...yes I am dreaming again...
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