PTO Generator

[Mr. Mohon]

I am ordering an new 2017 Ford F-350 long bed and have ordered it with he PTO option. I did this because I would like to add a 10k or more generator to it for multiple reasons. My RV has a 5k generator already but I would like to add the generator to the truck as well. Has anyone added a PTO Generator to they truck? If so what brands do you have and what are the pro's and con's or problems you have ran into.

Thanks.
Todd

 

[RoyM]

I have never seen anyone try that. Where would you mount it? Do you want to listen to the truck roaring while sitting at your campsite?

 

[John From Detroit]

Can not say I have seen it, HAVE heard of it. Generator wants a constant engine speed, (or PTO Speed) generallyh 1200 RPM... 10K is a fairly good size generator and you need to make sure it is properly shielded from road stuff. (IE Salt spray) just so you know. 

 

[Mr. Mohon]

I have never seen anyone try that. Where would you mount it? Do you want to listen to the truck roaring while sitting at your campsite?

The generator mounts under the chassis of the truck next to the transmission. It leaves the bed completely clear except for a small electrical box where you can plug in extension cords. The new diesel trucks are very quiet. Even quieter than the generator that is in my trailer. My has the same truck as me but has the gas engine and the diesel is quieter than his truck. The advantage to it is that most campsites wont let you run a generator at night but wont complain as much if the truck is running for a short amount of time. Like enough time to warm up a bottle for the baby or something quick in the microwave. Not trying to piss anyone off by doing this.

On a side note. I am also wanting this for other reasons than just RVing. I am a welder and it would be nice to be able to use my truck for times when power is not available and to not have to haul around a generator in the back of the truck.

Can not say I have seen it, HAVE heard of it. Generator wants a constant engine speed, (or PTO Speed) generallyh 1200 RPM... 10K is a fairly good size generator and you need to make sure it is properly shielded from road stuff. (IE Salt spray) just so you know. 

I am aware that the RPMs will need to be constant and higher than idle. I'm not exactly sure how ford has done it but they have came out with a new form of PTO that can be used while driving. So I'm kinda assuming that they might have figured out how to have the output of the PTO stay consistent while the RPMs change. Not sure if this is correct but just a guess. Still looking into how the whole "Live Drive PTO" works.

 

[Mr. Mohon]

I have found this one website that makes what I am talking about. I have contacted them to try to get more information but they have not responded. If there are other companies out there I would be grateful to know.

http://realacpower.com

Thanks

 

[Lou Schneider]

Ford Live Drive is just a PTO mounted to the input shaft on the transfer case letting you mount the equipment underneath the truck instead of using a belt drive and mounting it under the hood.

PTO speed is still dependent on the engine speed.  Applications like using the PTO to run a salt blower or a hydraulic pump for a snow plow blade aren't that critical.  For a PTO generator the engine has to run at precisely the right speed.

http://livedrive4x4plus.com/home/livedrive/

 

[Mr. Mohon]

Ford Live Drive is just a PTO mounted to the input shaft on the transfer case letting you mount the equipment underneath the truck instead of using a belt drive and mounting it under the hood.

PTO speed is still dependent on the engine speed.  For applications like salt blowers and hydraulic pumps to run a snow plow engine speed isn't that critical.  For a PTO generator it is.

http://livedrive4x4plus.com/home/livedrive/

Thanks Lou. I cant see any reason why I would want to use it while driving so that wont be an issue. Engine speed should easily be able to maintain a certain RPM while stopped.

 

[Smith]

The advantage to it is that most campsites wont let you run a generator at night but wont complain as much if the truck is running for a short amount of time. Like enough time to warm up a bottle for the baby or something quick in the microwave. Not trying to piss anyone off by doing this.

Speaking from experience as a USFS campground host, I've had people in the campground running vehicles during quiet hours to charge trailer batteries because they don't have a generator. They are treated the same as someone running any noisemaking device. (One guy tried using his truck-mounted Lincoln arc welder to charge his batteries late one night.) When it's quiet time, it goes off. The sites in our campground are close enough that noise from one site is heard in several sites. We have to enforce the rules for the benefit of all campers. I would expect a good host would pay you a visit if you ran your truck for more than a few minutes.

 

[Mr. Mohon]

Speaking from experience as a USFS campground host, I've had people in the campground running vehicles during quiet hours to charge trailer batteries because they don't have a generator. They are treated the same as someone running any noisemaking device. (One guy tried using his truck-mounted Lincoln arc welder to charge his batteries late one night.) When it's quiet time, it goes off. The sites in our campground are close enough that noise from one site is heard in several sites. We have to enforce the rules for the benefit of all campers. I would expect a good host would pay you a visit if you ran your truck for more than a few minutes.

I totally understand and agree with what you are saying. This is not the main reason I would want to install a PTO generator.

With all due respect I would like to redirect this conversation back to the original topic which is, has anyone added a PTO Generator to they truck? If so what brands do you have and what are the pro's and con's or problems you have ran into.

 

[GA_Boy]

Some generators don't rely on engine speed in order to maintain 60CPS.
Marvin
http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/power/5000-plus-watt-inverter-generators.html

 

[Mr. Mohon]

Some generators don't rely on engine speed in order to maintain 60CPS.
Marvin
http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/power/5000-plus-watt-inverter-generators.html

Thanks Marvin for you comment but this is a stand alone generator with an inverter. I am not looking for this type of generator. I want one that uses the trucks diesel engine to create the power and something that is mounted under the truck and not taking up valuable storage space in the bed or the trailer.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

When you order your 2017 truck order it with a PTO Auxiliary Idle RPM Controller. It's a control in the cab that has a digital RPM readout and an up and down button so you can adjust the RPM to what ever you want.

Here is a link to one on Ebay but if you're ordering a new truck just have Ford install it.

The only PTO generators I've been around are larger units that go on a three point hitch on the back of a tractor. They work great.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

How about just mounting an inverter in the truck and driving it from the truck alternator/battery system? Seems simpler and less expensive.  You probably wouldn't mount a 10k inverter, but 2000-3000 watts is plenty to operate that bottle warmer or whatever at night. Or even 1000W.

I Googled it and see plenty of places offering PTO-type generators, but not sure if they all are up to permanent install under a truck.
http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/power/pto-generators.html
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200308467_200308467
http://www.steadypower.com/categories.php?category=Generators/PTO/Single-Phase-PTO

 

[supermanotorious]

oh my! I didn't even know about PTO generators even though I'd seen the tractor one at Harbor Freight before, I certainly didn't realize one could be under a diesel out of sight and after reading this thread I immediately told my dad, who just bought a brand spakin new 3/4 ton GMC Sierra 4x4 Denali diesel and he was surprised to learn he has PTO, so he emailed that ac company for a quote and I'd just bet he'll buy it as soon as the quote come through, now that great's news since I'm a mobile welder and sometimes he needs me, sometimes he'll even let me borrow the truck, and someday, if history continues to repeat itself, he'll sell that Sierra to me, as he did with our 1985 Dodge Ramcharger and the 2003 Avalanche I have now, damit I didn't want to get rid of that Ramcharger but Obama did that cash for clunkers deal and I got over $10,000 trade value for it to buy a new Jeep