# Electric over hydraulic spreaders



## Bird hunter (Aug 25, 2018)

any information on converting a gas engine powered hydraulic sander to electric motor powered? Wanting to put closed loop on 4 yard spreader, truck does not have central hydraulics and have had enough with the gas pony motor route. Thanks for any help.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Bird hunter said:


> any information on converting a gas engine powered hydraulic sander to electric motor powered? Wanting to put closed loop on 4 yard spreader, truck does not have central hydraulics and have had enough with the gas pony motor route. Thanks for any help.


Short answer: it won't work. Any electric driven hydraulic pack is going to have a flow rate way, way, way too low to operate a hydraulic sander.

I've seen some people convert the gas driven ones over to electric by replacing the gas engine with the electric spreader motor, but you need the gear box, etc. that is missing from a hydraulic spreader


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## Bird hunter (Aug 25, 2018)

Thanks for your input. I was told it can be done? I have seem many gas pony motors powering hydraulic spreaders. Why not turn the pump over with electric motor. As long as enough RPMs are achieved he pump should continue to power the hydraulic drag chain and spinner motors. Maybe I’m missing something.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Bird hunter said:


> tha Is for your input. I was told it can be done? I have seem many gas pony motors powering hydraulic spreaders. Why not turn the pump over with electric motor. As long as enough RPMs are achieved he pump should continue to power the hydraulic drag chain and spinner motors. Maybe I'm missing something.


My opinion is that the electric motor will not have enough HP to run the pump.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Bird hunter said:


> Why not turn the pump over with electric motor.


Reread my explanation of why it can't be done

It has nothing to do with the RPMs, it has to do with the necessary torque to drive the hydraulic pump. A cordless drill might run at 1500 RPMs, it doesn't mean you can run a spreader off of it

Edit: Randall beat me to it


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## Ajlawn1 (Aug 20, 2009)

cwren2472 said:


> Reread my explanation of why it can't be done
> 
> It has nothing to do with the RPMs, it has to do with the necessary torque to drive the hydraulic pump. A cordless drill might run at 1500 RPMs, it doesn't mean you can run a spreader off of it
> 
> Edit: Randall beat me to it


So all the talk of electric motors having more torque is hogswash?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

@Aerospace Eng sounds like this would be something up your alley


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Ajlawn1 said:


> So all the talk of electric motors having more torque is hogswash?


If you are referring to cars, the torque difference they talk about comes from the fact that the electric motor generates 100% of its torque instantly as opposed to a gas engine that needs to get up to full-ish RPMs before it'll generate it's max torque. None of that helps with a spreader


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

I'm pretty sure it can be done, Henderson has done it


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

And there is no reason that an electric motor CAN'T create the HP needed for the spreader, except for the fact that it would need to be motor much larger than what I suspect the OP is looking to adapt.

Far be it from me to stop anyone from trying though; if he does it, I'd love to here what motor he uses to make it happen. I'm all for MacGyvering crap.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Triple L said:


> I'm pretty sure it can be done, Henderson has done it


Holy carp that joystick is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Triple L said:


> I'm pretty sure it can be done, Henderson has done it


Chad, isn't that an electric motor running the spinner?

On edit...the hydraulic pump runs the dump box and plow ONLY. He even says the spreader is electric, not hydraulic.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

cwren2472 said:


> And there is no reason that an electric motor CAN'T create the HP needed for the spreader, except for the fact that it would need to be motor much larger than what I suspect the OP is looking to adapt.
> 
> Far be it from me to stop anyone from trying though; if he does it, I'd love to here what motor he uses to make it happen. I'm all for MacGyvering crap.


Of course there are electric motors that can run it, just not 12v motors. Maybe a 440 would work.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Triple L said:


> I'm pretty sure it can be done, Henderson has done it


I have no speakers on my computer here so I can't hear the video, but it looks like that is just an electric control and a pre-wet system? Or am I mistaken?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

cwren2472 said:


> I have no speakers on my computer here so I can't hear the video, but it looks like that is just an electric control and a pre-wet system? Or am I mistaken?


What?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Of course there are electric motors that can run it, just not 12v motors. Maybe a 440 would work.


Finding a long enough cord would be a real b**ch


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

cwren2472 said:


> Finding a long enough cord would be a real b**ch


Don't be ridiculous, you just need to mount one of these in front of the spreader:


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Don't be ridiculous, you just need to mount one of these in front of the spreader:


How 'bout one of these?


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Any of these will work as well.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

cwren2472 said:


> How 'bout one of these?
> 
> View attachment 183206


Lightning bolt?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Lightning bolt?


If nothing else, at least it would jump start the truck


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## Bird hunter (Aug 25, 2018)

Thanks again. I just spoke to someone who has one that is working for DOT? Going to send me some pics of the set up. I will post when I get them.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

Bird hunter said:


> Thanks again. I just spoke to someone who has one that is working for DOT? Going to send me some pics of the set up. I will post when I get them.


Is it truly an electric motor powering a hydraulic pump that powers the auger and spinner? Or is it just an electric motor turning the auger and another for the spinner?

Can you post a pic of your setup?


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Is it truly an electric motor powering a hydraulic pump that powers the auger and spinner? Or is it just an electric motor turning the auger and another for the spinner?
> 
> Can you post a pic of your setup?


File foto.

Whoops, sorry, too soon.


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## Bird hunter (Aug 25, 2018)

It was a Curtis spreader gas pony over hydraulic 2 yd. He just tore off the gas motor and coupled electric motor to it and went to work essentially. Pump is supplying flow for two Eaton motors Plumbed in series one for drag chain other powers the spinner. I will get details and pics when he gets to his shop later today.


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## Bird hunter (Aug 25, 2018)

He said it is a 1hp 12 volt motor purchase price was 350.00 one full season on it and still running.


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## Bird hunter (Aug 25, 2018)

The only reason I was thinking of staying with the hydraulics was for durability and was under the impression it was required for the closed loop system.. seems like Henderson has come up with a system that does the job.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Bird hunter said:


> He said it is a 1hp 12 volt motor purchase price was 350.00 one full season on it and still running.


Seems surprising that the 1 HP motor managed to replace the 8-10 HP gas engine without issues. But good to know.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Holy carp that joystick is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Calm down there, you ain't fitting that into your center box.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Curtis spreader, that used a small hydraulic motor, had darn near no break out power if the load packed into the chain. Now what brand spreader do you have? With his spreader, did he also set up a way to control speed? 350 for the motor, then controller, relay, battery cables, labor, etc. What was his total cost?


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## John_DeereGreen (Jan 2, 2011)

Bird hunter said:


> It was a Curtis spreader gas pony over hydraulic 2 yd. He just tore off the gas motor and coupled electric motor to it and went to work essentially. Pump is supplying flow for two Eaton motors Plumbed in series one for drag chain other powers the spinner. I will get details and pics when he gets to his shop later today.


I'm guessing that spreader had an engine similar in HP to the Ace Torwell gas over hydraulic. Pretty sure I'd just buy an electric spreader before I bought one that's gas over hydro with a 5hp engine.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

I'm pretty sure Torwell was making them for Curtis.


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## Aerospace Eng (Mar 3, 2015)

Basically, hydraulic horsepower = flow rate (GPM)* pressure (PSI)/1714.

In the metric system, watts = pressure in Pa (N/M^2)*flow rate (lpm)/6000

For what we are talking about here, the pump and motor have fixed displacement. To get the same maximum spread rate/feed rate, you need to spin the hydraulic pump at the same rate (generally a maximum of 3600 rpm for a direct coupled pump as most small motors are designed to be able to run generators). It you can't produce enough power to run the pump at the desired flow, the motor slows down. It will probably spin it fine at no load, since the systems at issue are almost certainly open center.

If you put an electric motor in place of a gas motor, it will turn the pump, and therefore turn the motors, but the maximum pressure and/or flow may be significantly less. Whether what you get is sufficient will depend on your application.


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