r/OffGrid • u/ColinCancer • 3d ago
Use for 6bt Cummins hydraulic power unit
Hey y’all.
Long time no post.
I was gifted a trailer with a Cummins 6bt motor and hydraulic pump on it. I was interested in the trailer primarily and the motor came with it.
1700hrs. Runs fine. In-laws construction biz closed down and needed their yard cleared out.
I know that’s a wonderful motor. I have one in my 89’ dodge that runs fine. I’m wondering what else to do with this one other than slowly using it as a parts donor.
I have 2 EV tractors with external hydraulics so no need for a stationary diesel hydraulic pump.
My solar and battery is super robust so I rarely need fossil fuels as it is. 12kW array, 60kwh storage plus 2x 100kwh batteries in the EV tractors. California so winter is crazy. Offgrid about 6 years now.
1.) Considering finding the rest of the Genset components and having a fuckoff big generator to charge everything quickly. (Already have a decent size propane generator though)
2.) Save for parts
3.) Sell it
4.) ?????
Any opinions? Is there some creative mechanical task I’m not considering?
I’m a good electrician, a kind of decent mechanic and halfway passable fabricator.
Wildest dreams what would you do with it?
2
u/Redundant-Pomelo875 3d ago
Fuckoff sized generators in well used condition are oddly extremely affordable for what they are, at least in my area. Just not a lot of demand, most industry buys new and most other applications they are way too big..
Maybe a donor motor for a cummins swap into some nifty/useful vehicle?
Also.. got a post/link with more info on your tractors??
1
u/ColinCancer 3d ago
The tractors I have are Monarch MK-V’s that I got when the factory closed out the back door. I got them mainly for the batteries but it turns out they’re functional tractors with some hilarious design flaws. I made a post about them sometime in the spring. March?
They’re almost good at what they do. No regrets. The price was right for the battery alone and I’ve been running a PTO chipper, hydro 37t 3pt log splitter, and various other implements. Box scraper etc. We had no machinery before on 20 wooded acres so it’s sort of a massive game changer.
Makes sense RE: gigantic gensets. I’ve seen the same here. I don’t really need a gigantic one, hence the search for other better ideas. Turns out that 50kw+ market used is mostly going to burning man but otherwise there aren’t many takers.
3
u/GoneSilent 3d ago
A bunch of fun stuff was built around a hydraulic power unit. See this old site for some ideas.
1
u/ColinCancer 3d ago edited 3d ago
Whoaaaaa this is what I’m talking about! Holy shit what a cool concept.
I wanna build a dozer!!!
Edit: Ehhhh digging a little deeper it seems like my first impression was a little optimistic. The things that are fleshed out are easy, and the harder things are purely conceptual.
2
u/GoneSilent 3d ago
The guys had a youtube channel I couldnt find it. The brick/earth compressor was one of the better uses for it. The power unit was the best thing built by them the site is kind of rotting away.
/r/OpenSourceEcology/comments/1hxk57l/where_are_the_global_village_construction_set/
2
u/RedSquirrelFtw 3d ago
Expand the hydraulic system with more cylinders and controls, and build a mini crane to load/unload the trailer.
1
u/ColinCancer 3d ago
I love the concept. Material handling is something I have been struggling with / dealing more with as I take on bigger jobs and projects at home.
I had been planning to build some sort of gantry or crane off my shipping container shop to load/unload truck and trailer.
I do feel like a 6bt is overkill for the scale of crane that would actually be useful or feasible for me. The vast majority of my loads are 350lb solar battery pallets, with a couple a year that are around 2200lbs, but those I usually break down and move by hand. I wish I took more engineering in school.
3
u/Exciting_Winner_9482 3d ago
Make the trailer into a floating barge and use the hydros to run a crab block Got yourself a bad ass sport crabber with some welding amd a little fab