Looking for some input from the generator guru's

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I was given a 15,000 kw. generator with a seized up motor. I was thinking about trying to hook up the generator section of the unit to the P.T.O. on my tow truck. I still have to do the math on this, but if done correctly with the right size sprockets I think i should be able to make it work. I've heard about some farmers hooking up generators to their tractors, just wondering how they did it. I am concerned mainly with grounding issues and the electronics on the truck such as the computer, alternator  and electronic ignition. I would think that being isolated from the rest of the truck it wouldn't be able to hurt anything but an electrical engineer I'm not.I'd like to get as much input into this as possible before I take the risk of burning up something in the truck. Any ideas will be helpful.I am what I am, Deal with it!If necessity is the Mother of Invention, I must be the Father of Desperation!
Reply:I wonder if the PTO has the horse power to run the genset. The PTO on our Mack only drives a small dia shaft to run the hyd pump for the body. I manually powered the hyd pump with a 1/2" drill when we had the body off the truck for service/replacement, so there really wasn't a lot of torque required. When I looked into a PTO genset / aircompressor for my service truck, IIRC they were all hyd driven. The hyd system powered the air compressor and accesories like porta power, press or crane.I know the PTO shaft on our Kubota tractor that will take a PTO genset is way larger than that of the Mack..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39I was given a 15,000 kw. generator
Reply:You need to know the number of poles in the generator.  It's most likely a 2 or 4 pole generator.  A 2 pole has to spin at 3600 rpm a 4 poll 1800.  Then, you'll need some kind of governor to maintain that rpm as the load changes.
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanAssuming you mean 15kw, or 15000W, that will need at least 20HP to run.  You can calculate the required torque based on the rpm's at the shaft, and see if your PTO will work.If you meant 15,000 KW, then you'd need an engine from a cruise ship or something like that.
Reply:Originally Posted by 76GMC1500You need to know the number of poles in the generator.  It's most likely a 2 or 4 pole generator.  A 2 pole has to spin at 3600 rpm a 4 poll 1800.  Then, you'll need some kind of governor to maintain that rpm as the load changes.
Reply:Originally Posted by dabar39It's a 2 pole, 3600 rpm.The truck has an electric solenoid hooked up to the throttle body from when it was a fuel tanker for the throttle control. I just have to figure out how to adapt it (if possible) to work with a generator.
Reply:What do you need the AC power for and how much do you need? 15kw is enough to run about 75% of the power needs of most homes. Most generators that direct couple to a motor lack a bearing on the front of the generator. The motor end of the generator's shaft usually has an odd tapered end that is designed to be received into the end of the crank on the motor. What type of tow truck? Rollback, boom,?Millermatic 200Hobart Handler 120Victor O/A & Ramco BandsawLincoln 225 ACSnapOn AD HoodMiller XMT304/22AHypertherm Powermax 1650 G3Lincoln Idealarc DC600 w/Extreme 12 VSMiller Digital Elite "Joker"
Reply:Originally Posted by lars66Maybe you can pick up some tips on the relieable power site. They have generators that mount under a truck body and are pto driven. Does the generator have a front bearing on the armature or use the motor crankshaft as support?