Solar-Powered "No-Hydraulics" Hoist

Solar-Powered "No-Hydraulics" Hoist ENERGY Solar 34-2-38 "My solar-powered portable boom hoist requires no hydraulics, and I can use it anywhere," says Scott Knutson, Crookston, Minn. The hoist rides on four 10-in. high, 6-in. wide rubber wheels with another large single caster wheel on back. It measures 8 ft. long by 4 ft. wide. A 30 by 20-in. solar panel, mounted on top of the boom, charges a car battery that powers a 12-volt electric winch with a working capacity of 1,800 lbs. The operator grabs a 1-in. dia. pipe handle to move the hoist around. A voltage regulator monitors the battery so Knutson knows when it needs recharging. "With the combination of the car battery and the solar panel for recharging, I can let the unit set outside or under the lights in my shop and it'll charge itself. I never have to plug it in to recharge it," says Knutson. "I use the boom mainly to lift 15-gal. chemical containers into my pickup or semi trailer. By pulling a pin I can adjust the boom's height to different working levels. I also use it to mount quick hitches on tractors, to move combine concaves around the shop, and to mount weights on tractors. With the large caster wheel on back it's easy to maneuver into tight corners." Knutson says the solar panel he uses is typically used to charge RV units. He paid $150 for it. "At the rate I use the lift, I can recharge the battery in only about 2 hours," he notes. Scott and his brother Curtis also own KB Mfg., LLC, through which they sell other products that they use. The company's website is www.rrv.net/kbmfg/ Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Scott Knutson, 31109 290th St. S.W., Crookston, Minn. 56716 (ph 218 281-6426; sbknutson@ymail.com).

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