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FARMVEE

rossbart

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Waurika, Oklahoma
Have a new (to me) M1123 that I’m transforming to a farm truck. Coming along nicely. Even beginning to ride well WITH the MAK springs. (Full cube feeder is about a ton). Will be adding round bale hay spike too. So, weight ought to max out about same as it was up armored.
My question: my cube feeder is designed for 12volts. It would probably run on 24v just fine (just double speed). But, since the truck has the 200 amp dual voltage alternator, can anyone tell me how/where to tap into the batteries (or system) to safely pull off 12-14 volts? Those alternators look pretty pricey and I don’t want to ignorantly blow it up, lol..
Thanks I’m advance. I’ll include few pics so y’all can see what I’m doing.
 

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Milcommoguy

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Have a new (to me) M1123 that I’m transforming to a farm truck. Coming along nicely. Even beginning to ride well WITH the MAK springs. (Full cube feeder is about a ton). Will be adding round bale hay spike too. So, weight ought to max out about same as it was up armored.
My question: my cube feeder is designed for 12volts. It would probably run on 24v just fine (just double speed). But, since the truck has the 200 amp dual voltage alternator, can anyone tell me how/where to tap into the batteries (or system) to safely pull off 12-14 volts? Those alternators look pretty pricey and I don’t want to ignorantly blow it up, lol..
Thanks I’m advance. I’ll include few pics so y’all can see what I’m doing.
There is a good chance your design will work (y) with the dual voltage alternator. May need to simply wire up the 12-14 volt feed . To better understand the operation... What is the current draw of the 12 volt motor and any other 12 volt loads.

Bombs away to the farm critters 🐐🐷🐔🐄 CAMO
 

Coug

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12V can be pulled directly off the rear battery with the dual voltage alternator.

Supposedly it's good for up to 50 amps of 12V, but it's not recommended that you pull more than about 20 amps of additional load. If you need more than that, you should wire in an Orion 24-12V 70 amp converter. If you need even more than that, Victron says you can run up to 5 of the 70 amp converters in parallel.
 

rossbart

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Location
Waurika, Oklahoma
12V can be pulled directly off the rear battery with the dual voltage alternator.

Supposedly it's good for up to 50 amps of 12V, but it's not recommended that you pull more than about 20 amps of additional load. If you need more than that, you should wire in an Orion 24-12V 70 amp converter. If you need even more than that, Victron says you can run up to 5 of the 70 amp converters in parallel.
Having difficulty Finding amp draw from mfg of feeder. This is what that say about the motor:

These are not starter motors. These 12 volt motors are Constant Duty and are C-Face bolted to an oil bath gear reducer.They run for power and not speed.”

That said, they spec 6 gauge wire through a 50 amp breaker. I seriously doubt it pulls more than 25-30. Definitely less than 50. Maybe more than 20. But, it only runs usually less than a minute for each use.
 

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NVAM998

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Virginia
Are you going to add hydraulics for the spear? How about a round bale unroller off the back instead? I’ve been thinking of something similar but I have more ideas than time. Please post your progress!
 

Coug

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Having difficulty Finding amp draw from mfg of feeder. This is what that say about the motor:

These are not starter motors. These 12 volt motors are Constant Duty and are C-Face bolted to an oil bath gear reducer.They run for power and not speed.”

That said, they spec 6 gauge wire through a 50 amp breaker. I seriously doubt it pulls more than 25-30. Definitely less than 50. Maybe more than 20. But, it only runs usually less than a minute for each use.
The regulator for the alternator can be found in the $500+ price range, and often more.
The Orion converter is about $125 all day long on Amazon.

Yes, it will work on the rear battery, but not really designed for that large of a load, even intermittently. In this case I'd view the Orion as a cheap insurance that you won't cause issues with the regulator.
 

peggrw

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Location
West Virginia
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong... Thinking the Horsepower to Watts conversion is HP * 746. So your 0.26hp 12V motor at steady state needs (0.26hp X 746) /12V = 16.2amps
 

swbradley1

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I love farmers. Can do attitudes. Real patriots. Nice work with that rig!
I like the idea of using the truck on the farm. I might have gone with a trailer feeding operation but with the HMMWV you can go places you won't be pulling a trailer.

We own a small farm. Anyone with more than 1 acre needs a backhoe and a truck. It was the first thing (hoe). I got it a month before we inherited this place.

I plan on using my newly acquired 915 to run over squirrels. No mods necessary.
 

rossbart

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Location
Waurika, Oklahoma
I like the idea of using the truck on the farm. I might have gone with a trailer feeding operation but with the HMMWV you can go places you won't be pulling a trailer.

We own a small farm. Anyone with more than 1 acre needs a backhoe and a truck. It was the first thing (hoe). I got it a month before we inherited this place.

I plan on using my newly acquired 915 to run over squirrels. No mods necessary.
That’s funny. Here’s this same feeder on a generator trailer as I’ve been using behind an M1009 for the past several years. Just got tired of heavy trailer yankin my ass around.
Just filled the feeder with 1,500 pounds of feed on humvee (on top of 700# feeder). Actually can’t even feel the load. Maybe a little smoother ride. Better than my F350 already.
 

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rossbart

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Location
Waurika, Oklahoma
Are you going to add hydraulics for the spear? How about a round bale unroller off the back instead? I’ve been thinking of something similar but I have more ideas than time. Please post your progress!
Are you going to add hydraulics for the spear? How about a round bale unroller off the back instead? I’ve been thinking of something similar but I have more ideas than time. Please post your progress!
Yes Sir. Will probably either buy a 24v hydraulic pump or else do the Orion that you guys have recommended. But, have a bit of metal fabrication to do before I have to deal with the electrical component…
And, PS, not big into unrollers. Usually drop round bales into round bale rings. Have an F250 with Dewez so can do that. But, seems a waste of hay to me 🤷🏼‍♂️
 

swbradley1

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Do you plan on putting the spear on the back or front? with just a cylinder to raise and lower?
 

rossbart

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Location
Waurika, Oklahoma
Do you plan on putting the spear on the back or front? with just a cylinder to raise and lower?
Back. Picture a heavy duty tailgate, hydraulically actuated. Mechanically not much different that our flatbeds.
 

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