Electric Cub Cadet

I have a Cub Cadet 123 that has no engine and thinking about converting it to battery / electric power.

I realize I need between 2500-3500 rpm and a constant duty motor unless I use a controller. I'm also not sure of the required HP. Electric is close to something like 2X gas so a golf cart motor (about 5hp) should work but needs all the electronic control stuff.

I saw a 1hp a 24V 1hp motor for sale and was wondering if that is sufficient to pull a cultivator or do I need something stronger? 2 - 12v batteries vs. 4 - 12v batteries is also a plus on the cost side.

Thoughts?

Sounds like a big project to me. Too many "unforeseeables". I would think that unless you have some of the batteries, electric motors, relays, etc., etc., laying around, it would probably be cheaper and you would probably encounter less problems by just buying a new gas motor but on the other hand, if you went electric, you would have "one of a kind". LOL.

Aw come on. You've got no spirit of adventure at all have you? Where would the world be if nobody wanted to reinvent things?

A complete golf cart system is the answer. Unless you are an electical engineer/technition, use a operating assembly. Do not scrimp on batteries. Deep cycle cart batteries, or similar are much different than the high CCA automotive batteries. Jim

wish you had posted last week I made electric powered pick-up years ao was going to redoo it new batteries make it hybrid and all However after getting too close to 48 vole dc and reseting my pacemaker I decided tostop Still have the forklift motor coupled to chev 3 pseed in ford raner if anybody is interested. I did buy electric forklit for controller 3 montha ago. Then the thing with pacemaker Last friday I took it to scrap yard I did make money on it. It hav 48 vold hyd pump motor as well as really large traction motor. I would have happly let you have it for scrap price. I would sell the pickup to some one wanting to cover my parts cost. Igt was a fun project featured in farm show years ago went 42 miles per hour and pulled well . So GO for it what can you lose !!

Anybody know if there are specifications published for the GE "Electrac" electic tractor?
Was a bust as far as sales were concerned, but guess it worked OK. specifications might give idea where to start....
Once worked for an automotive remanufacturer. Boss there had a electric golf cart. Used starter motor for drive. was constantly replacing motors, but he had the fastest cart on the course!

I'd forgot all about thsoe electracs. The mower deck used a seperate motor for the blades on those too didn't it?

My son and I repowered a CASE 150 with a 24V farm feed cart motor and hyd pump. We did this so my dad could ride around a couple of local tractor shows. We put in 2 12V batteries and it worked fine. Haven't taken it to a show yet, but we have played around with it. It can spin the wheels no problem. The CASE tractor was simple because the original motor just ran a hyd. pump. IT only took us part of a day to make it run on electric. We still have to make it look pretty. (paint and seat cushions special decals) It ought to be fun to drive around at shows, No noise from a Kolher.

How much horsepower did the gas engine have,
and at what RPM? What makes you think you could
get by with anything less with an electric
motor ? A Golf cart motor ? You"d be lucky if
it would pull itself perhaps, but certainly not
an implement !
BUT, how about a DC motor out of an electric
fork lift truck...?? The batteries on some of
them are huge..but thats so they can go a day
or 2 without recharging. if you were only going
to use it an hour or so at a time, maybe some
deep cycle trolling motors would work.

I have a GE "Electrac E20, the charger is bad and the battery boxes are worse for wear, but the electric driveline and electric(3 motors) motor deck is still good.

I mowed my lawn with that machine for over 20 years. The cost of 6 golf cart batteries every 7-10 years was the big operating cost .
Might be a good project for small price if you want to haul it from central ND.

Here's someone who did a Massey Harris 22.
Lots of reading......
Clicky clicky

Yeah, I think they did have separate motors RR.

Oops! Sorry. My apologies!!
Since the last time I was there, to visit that site one must now be registered.
He basically took an old Massey 22 and repowered it with a 48V DC motor and 6 deep cycle batterys.

I used an Elect-trak machine for about 6 years to mow my big acre. Got it for the hauling with the 6 x 6V original batterys in it. Determined that two were bad, bought two, and replaced two followng year. Never did get to use it with all new batterys at any given time. The tractor was called a "16" meaning mebbe 16 HP. Had a peerless 4 speed transaxle innit with reverse missing. You had reverse by reversing the motor in all the gears. Spinning the 23-9.50x12 rears was no problem in 1 & 2. 3D was the most usefull gear for mowing. Mower had three separate DC motors on the deck and was mounted in front of the machine. I believe with all new batteies innit, one coulda mowed for 5 hours. (Longer than I want to sit on one)! If while mowing, the batterys were almost depleted; by turning the mower off, you could always make it back to the shed to plug in overnite to recharge with the build in charger.
Go for th electric repower! Remember an electric motor has max torque at 1 rpm.
At RPU in Bloomsburg, I saw a Farmall regular painted to look John Deere and repowered with an electric motor.

John Deere did that back in the 70's it was a Model 90. about like a Model 68 rear engine rider.

Greygoat

2 reasons why i think i can get by with less

1 - The HP ratings for gas and electric are different for a number of reasons. Some say 1 hp electric equals 2 hp gas and others say a 2 hp electric motor equals a 3 hp gas motor.

2 - Most of the 12 HP motor was to cut grass quickly as the mower is what really needs the hp. Early Cub Cadets pulled cultivators with only 7 HP.

I'm not sure how low I can go re the electric engine HP and looking for advice.

Thanks for all the posts

Ed1

A good place to start might be to look over the Ele-Trak Owner's Club site.
Electric mower, etc.

Sorry, I haven't looked at the site for awhile and now find you can't even read there without registering.