Thread Number: 81453
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
RETRO-FRIDAY GENERAL ELECTRIC ELEC-TRAK |
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Post# 1054916   12/20/2019 at 11:05 (1,560 days old) by reactor (Oak Ridge, Tennessee-- )   |   | |
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I had the GE Elec-Trak Model E15 for about eight years. It was fun machine! When I lived in Ohio, several of our counties would not allow GE Elec-Trak's at the county fair garden tractor pull contests because the gas tractors would always lose to the Elec-Traks. You can see it in a tug of war contest with a gas tractor near the later part of this video.
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Post# 1054946 , Reply# 1   12/20/2019 at 18:46 (1,560 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)   |   | |
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Post# 1054950 , Reply# 2   12/20/2019 at 20:16 (1,560 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 1054951 , Reply# 3   12/20/2019 at 20:21 (1,560 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 1054954 , Reply# 4   12/20/2019 at 20:34 (1,560 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 1054968 , Reply# 5   12/20/2019 at 23:29 (1,560 days old) by LowEfficiency (Iowa)   |   | |
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>> Watching that GE electric tractor pull a gas powered one like
>> a sack of feathers shows advantage of electric motive power. I’m very much pro-electric, but that’s not what this marketing demonstration shows. Rather, this is just a textbook example of the relationship between weight and friction (traction). And the Elec-Trak, being somewhere in the neighborhood of 350lbs heavier, is (was) always goin to win. You can tell that the gas engine wasn’t lacking in power in any way, because it wasn’t stalling- it was only spinning its wheel. It simply didn’t have as much weight over the drive wheels as the Elec-Trak. It’s the exact same story as the recent tug-of-war video of the Tesla Cybertruck...
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Post# 1054970 , Reply# 6   12/20/2019 at 23:43 (1,560 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 1054972 , Reply# 7   12/21/2019 at 00:01 (1,560 days old) by LowEfficiency (Iowa)   |   | |
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:D
Sorry if that came off the wrong way! It’s a convincing demonstration, just not the whole truth. And if pulling capability is what you are after, then it is a valid strength overall. It’s just that weight typically has its downsides too- turf damage for the lawnmower, or handling impacts for the electric passenger vehicles. Except for the locomotives you mention. It’s perfect for them! |
Post# 1054976 , Reply# 9   12/21/2019 at 00:33 (1,560 days old) by bradfordwhite (central U.S.)   |   | |
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So, we could just throw an old washer dryer pair, or a heavy refrigerator from the 1970s in the truck bed of the F150 and it would blow the Tesla Truck away with no problems?
Wow.
Your screen name is goals. for sure. yep.
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Post# 1055009 , Reply# 10   12/21/2019 at 06:36 (1,559 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
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The Tesla "Truck" looks more like some sort of sports car.How would you carry appliances in that? |
Post# 1055024 , Reply# 11   12/21/2019 at 11:34 (1,559 days old) by reactor (Oak Ridge, Tennessee-- )   |   | |
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GE clearly states the Elec-Trak has an advantage in weight distribution. It also had great weight..period. Mine was roughly 860lbs with batteries. If I recall the next model up, the E20 was 900 bs. Despite the weight, it handled beautifully, I loved the front mounted deck so I could ease it under bushes, etc.
I agree with Oliver, an electric motor when matched against a gas motor of equivalent horsepower, will always be the victor, with all other things being equal A gas engine can only provide its rated horsepower/torque. An electric motor can provide well over its rated horsepower under load. (A point will, however, be reached, when the protective circuitry will eventually cut cut off the current if the load is sustained.) There is much less potential "turf damage" damage with the Elec-Trak despite it's heavy weight. When my dad passed away, I inherited his Sears/Craftsman riding lawn tractor, so I sold my Elec-Trak. Quite contrary to LowEfficiency's statement, the extra weight of the Elec-Trak prevented "turf damage." I had several areas in my yard with steep inclines with which the Elec-Trak never had any problem traversing with the because of its power and its weight distribution. The Craftsman would lose traction, spin its tires, and then trench the lawn as it tried to go up the incline. I even changed the rear tires and put aggressive tread all turf tires on it. they only gave me a slight increase in traction and then when they did break free, they just dug much deeper gouges in the soil. I wish I had my Elec-Trak back. Shouldn't have sold it, but I didn't have room for two tractors in the garage and I wanted to keep my dad. On the bright side, with the GE being a valued collector's item I gained quite a bit of profit off of it. |