Thank you! Is there some way to "like" a response on this forum? Good discussion from all of you. The trailer mount is likely to be permanent. Trailer is a little misleading. I want it to be a flat platform that is powered by low speed (10 mph) electric motors, and remote controlled. The first two years will be used extensively in construction. After two years or so, I may switch out some of the tools that are no longer necessary, putting a much smaller compressor on it, a couple of 48v alternators on it (for back-up charging of PV battery packs - maybe even putting a 250 or 500 gallon water tank on it for distributing water. The point is, the little lister will have two lives
I can understand the potential nightmare of direct drive, but I also see the benefit. If running directly off the motor, a tool will have much greater potential - only limited by the load on the engine. If running off of an electric motor, the tool will be limited to the power of the electric motor, regardless of the load on the engine. Also, if the generator dies, nothing will be useful. If pulleys can be attached to both flywheels, if one side goes down, I still have the other side to power things. One of the reasons for putting a water pump on the "trailer" is for fire control - it is desert property. A belt driven high pressure water pump can run a large gamut of power ranges - devoting the whole engine to the pump would help more quickly put out a fire. If tools are belt driven, I can buy more powerful tools for the same $$ as a tool with an attached electric motor. Lights, on the other hand, require a fixed voltage and wattage - they have to be run off of a generator or alternator - or a battery pack. More and more tools are coming out in cordless versions - charging these has to be a generator/alternator function and it eliminates some of the air hoses that come with a compressor. At least, this is the theory behind what I am thinking. I have used generators before (engine attached to the genset as a set) but never had the option for anything more creative. I envision having 4 devices hooked up directly to the motor: a compressor pump; a water pump; a 48v alternator set and a bigger generator (110v and more)