His Tractor Is Solar Powered
Already an Allis-Chalmers G owner, Tom Galazyn bought a second one for parts but decided to electrify it instead. He swapped a 52 Dodge truck with a hydraulic lift with a friend who handled the conversion. Mike Bandow, who did solar and wind installations, had the expertise needed.
“He followed the directions he found on the internet,” says Galazyn. “Ron Khosla had received a SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education) grant to electrify a G. He created a website that provided detailed instructions.”
Unfortunately, the Khosla website is no longer accessible. However, the SARE grant project report and a FARM SHOW story (Vol. 32, No. 4) on a similar conversion by Tom Ruggieri are still available.
“The converted G worked well,” says Galazyn, who produces fruits and vegetables in far northern Wisconsin, close to the edge of Lake Superior. “The only problem came after the coldest winter with temperatures as low as -27 F. The tractor had been stored outside, and it wouldn’t start the next spring. I called Bob Batson at Electric Vehicles of America, and he suggested the problem was likely the motor controller. A new one cost $400.”
Galazyn says he learned his lesson. Since then, the eG has been stored under cover. He made the electric tractor even more efficient by adding solar panels mounted over the battery box behind the operator’s seat. He also made a rack to hold four 2-sq. ft. panels that he can raise to match the sun’s angle.
“The panels start charging the battery as soon as I shut down the G,” says Galazyn. “If I’m working in a remote field and the battery charge goes down, I just shut it down and walk home. I can come back later, and it’s charged back up.”
Galazyn uses the G to cultivate his strawberry beds and vegetables. He also pulls a four-wheel trailer with it when picking apples or gathering firewood. The G also comes in handy when moving his broiler chicken tractor.
“The chicken tractor is a little too heavy to move by hand,” he says. “I still have my old gas-powered G, but years can go by without starting it up.”
Galazyn estimates his total cost over the 14 years he’s had the eG at around $2,000, none of which was energy. Living off-grid, his electricity is entirely supplied by solar panels and a wind generator.
“The only drawback is we used four 12-volt batteries when converting the G,” says Galazyn. “They take up too much room for me to use rear cultivators. If we had used eight 6-volt batteries instead, they would’ve had a smaller footprint.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, North Wind Organic Farm, 86760 Valley Rd., Bayfield, Wis. 54814 (ph 715-779-3254; tomgalazyn@hotmail.com; www.northwindorganicfarm.org) or SARE (https://projects.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/910807converting-an-allis-chalmers-g-cultivating-tractor-into-an-electric-vehicle.pdf).
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His Tractor Is Solar Powered ENERGY Solar Already an Allis-Chalmers G owner Tom Galazyn bought a second one for parts but decided to electrify it instead He swapped a 52 Dodge truck with a hydraulic lift with a friend who handled the conversion Mike Bandow who did solar and wind installations had the expertise needed “He followed the directions he found on the internet ” says Galazyn “Ron Khosla had received a SARE Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education grant to electrify a G He created a website that provided detailed instructions ” Unfortunately the Khosla website is no longer accessible However the SARE grant project report and a FARM SHOW story Vol 32 No 4 on a similar conversion by Tom Ruggieri are still available “The converted G worked well ” says Galazyn who produces fruits and vegetables in far northern Wisconsin close to the edge of Lake Superior “The only problem came after the coldest winter with temperatures as low as -27 F The tractor had been stored outside and it wouldn’t start the next spring I called Bob Batson at Electric Vehicles of America and he suggested the problem was likely the motor controller A new one cost $400 ” Galazyn says he learned his lesson Since then the eG has been stored under cover He made the electric tractor even more efficient by adding solar panels mounted over the battery box behind the operator’s seat He also made a rack to hold four 2-sq ft panels that he can raise to match the sun’s angle “The panels start charging the battery as soon as I shut down the G ” says Galazyn “If I’m working in a remote field and the battery charge goes down I just shut it down and walk home I can come back later and it’s charged back up ” Galazyn uses the G to cultivate his strawberry beds and vegetables He also pulls a four-wheel trailer with it when picking apples or gathering firewood The G also comes in handy when moving his broiler chicken tractor “The chicken tractor is a little too heavy to move by hand ” he says “I still have my old gas-powered G but years can go by without starting it up ” Galazyn estimates his total cost over the 14 years he’s had the eG at around $2 000 none of which was energy Living off-grid his electricity is entirely supplied by solar panels and a wind generator “The only drawback is we used four 12-volt batteries when converting the G ” says Galazyn “They take up too much room for me to use rear cultivators If we had used eight 6-volt batteries instead they would’ve had a smaller footprint ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup North Wind Organic Farm 86760 Valley Rd Bayfield Wis 54814 ph 715-779-3254; tomgalazyn@hotmail com; www northwindorganicfarm org or SARE https://projects sare org/wp-content/uploads/910807converting-an-allis-chalmers-g-cultivating-tractor-into-an-electric-vehicle pdf
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