My elderly neighbor has a 2001 BX 2200 and he put a Original Cab on it and wants to use an electric (12V) heater to keep him warm in the winter while plowing his drive. The Dymo will not handle the heater and lights so we know we need to upgrade the alternator. Can anyone tell me the Wholegoods / Kubota kit number for that? I am sure that the kit would of fit many different models but I cannot find the kit number. I've looked at Colemans, and Jacks Small Engines with no success. Thanks in advance.
BX 2200 Alternator upgrade
- Thread starter comforthill
- Start date
The only way that you will be able to find that part number is to call a Kubota dealer and inquire if they have any of the older books. I checked my BX22 & BX1800/2200 Work Shop Manuals as well as the BX1800/2200 parts books and all that it shows is the standard Dynamo that they came from the factory with. I know that there was an accessory alternator since I had installed one on my BX22, but I couldn't find the original instruction sheet. Probably tossed it out 20 years ago.
Looks like it still available but pretty expensive. This is from Messicks.
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I have the higher capacity alternator on my BX 2200. I believe it is 40 amp capacity.
40 A at 12 V is 480 W. To get that much power input to the heater would be no problem, because it would be supplied by the battery, which the alternator needs to replenish over time. But I’m just wondering how much heat during the winter in a tractor cab 480 watts would provide. As compared to taking engine heat and putting it in the cab rather than just blowing it into the atmosphere from the radiator.
Another issue is wire size feeding the heater. We don’t have the heater specs but if it wanted to maximize the power available then it would probably require 40 A. Wiring needs to be sized correctly.
I guess what I’m trying to point out is that I wonder if that electric heater is the right approach… Again you did not ask this question…
40 A at 12 V is 480 W. To get that much power input to the heater would be no problem, because it would be supplied by the battery, which the alternator needs to replenish over time. But I’m just wondering how much heat during the winter in a tractor cab 480 watts would provide. As compared to taking engine heat and putting it in the cab rather than just blowing it into the atmosphere from the radiator.
Another issue is wire size feeding the heater. We don’t have the heater specs but if it wanted to maximize the power available then it would probably require 40 A. Wiring needs to be sized correctly.
I guess what I’m trying to point out is that I wonder if that electric heater is the right approach… Again you did not ask this question…
Another issue is the engine draws air for the radiator from the grill under the dash so it's going to suck heat out of the cab pretty fast. You might get some radiant heat from it but I doubt you're going to be able to heat the air much.
There is a plate that needs to be removed from under the cab battery cover. Once this is removed, you then close up the screen in the battery cover and the tractor draws its fresh air from underneath. A standard truck heater can be installed to provide heat, and if you search the forums, you will find lots of pictures of how to plumb the heater. None of this is rocket science, so just dive in and get it done before winter.
shelkol
Active member
Equipment
bx-2200, Woods BH6000 backhoe, Tach-N-Go quick attach bucket, snow blower
I remove the steel panel under the battery and cover the inside grill so it sucks air from under the tractor. Don't forget to replace everything for the summer or you will plug the radiator with dead grass ( don't ask how I know)
My suggestion is to turn your efforts towards a diesel cab heater like the one in this link for $199 in Canada and sold on Amazon.
cab heater
Taking a full 40 amps from a new alternator will provide 480 watts which will barely be noticeable.
Burning diesel fuel in this heater produces 8 kilowatts of heat. This is 16 times more heat.
Dave
I would go with a hot water heater , in order to get a decent 12 volt heater you'll need more amps than your alternator can put out and you'll kill your battery and probably the alternator over time.
Been there, done that.
Been there, done that.
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
if you want(need) to go electric... consider a seat heater,steering wheel heater and a heated vest. trying to heat the air to heat a human costs a LOT of energy and 500W isn't enough. Was going to use IR LEDS to heat myself,one of those 'projects' I've yet to complete...
the diesel cab heater is a great option, especially if mounted on the cab so when cab comes off, heater does as well, simply unplug the 12v power connector.
hot water heater will work,the most 'involved' to install
adding 'silver bubblewrap' to the roof will help !
lots of options
the diesel cab heater is a great option, especially if mounted on the cab so when cab comes off, heater does as well, simply unplug the 12v power connector.
hot water heater will work,the most 'involved' to install
adding 'silver bubblewrap' to the roof will help !
lots of options
In the specifications for this heater, it says ............
Mighty confusing to an old man like me!
Do the math. You have a 12v system. How much power do you need to keep that cab warm? Well, that's hard to say for sure, but we can probably get close.
A standard plug-in house heater maxes out at 1800 watts (15 amps X 120 volts = 1800 amps).
Would that be big enough? Sure. Not a problem. You are trying to heat a pretty small space.
But wait, that space is drafty and not insulated well. Based on knowing what a plug in house heater can do in a similar small space (my 4x5 office in my basement) I'm guessing you need at least 1,000 watts to keep that cab warm in cold, windy weather.
For the sake of doing a calculation let's call it 500.
To get 500 watts out of 12v you need 40 amps. (500 watts / 12 volts = 40 amps). Continuously.
Can you get that out of a larger alternator on that small machine? Yes, in theory. It will suck less than 1 HP out of your engine (electricity isn't free!) but that's not bad. It's 0.6 HP, actually. You have plenty of HP to spare, right?
But if you need 1,000 watts, it's a different story. It's going to take 80 amps and 1.2 HP. At 1500 watts, you need 125 amps (2 HP).
That's getting ridiculous.
So it's all about how much power you need to do the job you want to do; heating a drafty,
That diesel fired heater is looking mighty attractive.
(EDITED TO CORRECT AUTOCORRECT'S AUTO-ERROR)
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Thanks guys, all great ideas. We are trying to talk him into the plumbed water heater option. We had also suggested the diesel heater but he thinks it will be to much work. As far as the cab it stays on al summer and he just takes the doors off and uses it that way. This upcoming winter will the first winter for the cab and he likes to be out plowing his drive but he has problems with his hands and feet getting cold fast. We have tried the heated gloves and socks and he doesn't like them.
Thanks, I will get with him this week and go over some of these other ideas and see what he says.
Thanks, I will get with him this week and go over some of these other ideas and see what he says.