Self-Propelled Generator Easy To Move Around

Self-Propelled Generator Easy To Move Around ENERGY Miscellaneous When the power goes out on Bob Johnson’s farm he takes the generator out of his shop and drives it 200 ft away to his yard pole There he plugs the generator into a transfer switch that supplies electricity to his house “The generator weighs about 300 lbs When I bought it 2 years ago it came equipped with 8-in wheels and was very hard to push across the yard ” says the 81-year-old Johnson “I installed 20-in wheels on the generator but it was still hard to push So I decided to self-propel it ” He started with the transaxle off a Sears Craftsman 12 1/2 hp riding mower that has 6 forward speeds and one reverse He cut down the frame and mounted a 1 hp electric motor on it The motor is wired to the generator and used to belt-drive the transaxle Johnson made a pair of wooden handles and added a belt tightener clutch on it “It moves along like a wheelbarrow except that I push down on the handles to give the wheels traction It works great even when the ground is icy or snow-packed ” says Johnson “To operate the motor I start the generator and let it warm up a little and then I plug the motor into the generator After that I select the right gear squeeze the clutch lever and drive away ” Johnson can detach the generator by pulling a pin from a clevis that attaches to the transaxle frame “The pin serves as a pivot point and makes the generator easy to steer ” he says “I already had added a crank-style jack on back of the generator to make sure it runs level on uneven ground ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bob Johnson 11248 398th St Bagley Minn 56621 ph 218 694-6798; rajohnson@gvtel com

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