# Solar powered skidsteer



## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

I was just reading about the electric car, and didn't want to hijack that thread. I need to replace a 16 hp koehler engine in my bobcat. Has anybody heard of one of these being converted to electric? A solar panel could be mounted on top to help charge. It looks like changing the motor would be fairly simple, but not sure how much battery power would be needed. I know some are made electric now, so surely there is a way. It will be used in and around the barn, so it's work can be limited to allow for longer charging times and sunny days. 
Any ideas?


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,
There are a lot of electric forklifts -- that might a place to look for parts.

Electric tractor conversions work well, so maybe a skidsteer conversion would be good.

A little info here on tractor conversions:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Vehicles/vhehicles.htm#Tractor

Gary


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

1hp = 746 watts. mechanical hp is a little more inefficent than electrical applied hp but still safe to consider around 7000 watts of energy to drive your skidder. a solar panel mounted on the skidder would be useless. you could tile the roof of your barn with say 15,000 dollars worth of panels and charge the skidder mounted battery. there is no easy way out of the fuel mess. not without a lot of work and research.


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

Say it takes 7000 watts of energy, but I only need it ever 1-2 weeks , not every day. Can I use less panels, and let the batteries charge for a longer period of time? 
What size electric engine would be the same power as 16hp. Right now I'm probably looking at replacement gas engine cost of over 1500.00. So I'm thinking it might be worth looking into converting it.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

SolarGary said:


> Hi,
> There are a lot of electric forklifts -- that might a place to look for parts.
> 
> Electric tractor conversions work well, so maybe a skidsteer conversion would be good.
> ...


Fascinating link Gary,thank you!

I flat out love it.


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

"it'll never work" 

http://www.renewables.com/Permaculture/ElectricTractor.htm


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

MELOC said:


> "it'll never work"
> 
> http://www.renewables.com/Permaculture/ElectricTractor.htm


"will too!"


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Wendle, one of the first things you might do is to go price forklift batterys.
Make shure that your sitting down when you get that price.
Might make the replacement price of that Kohler a lot more attractive.
I can get them used (fork batts) but the life remaining is ???????
And some hefty brackets to hold those 500++ lb batterys


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

GE is one dc motor thats used on a bunch of lifttrucks....the local fellow i make parts for uses it for his electric auto conversons (mostly s10 chevy pickups) most people use a series of golf cart batteries. lift truck batteries are very large. the smaller cart batteries might be easier to place in an existing skidder. 

if you downtime is large (more charge time vs run time) then the solar thing becomes more workable. but again not as cheap as purchased grid power (at this time anyway)


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