• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • r ranson
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Burra Maluca
  • Joseph Lofthouse
master gardeners:
  • Timothy Norton
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Maieshe Ljin
  • Nina Surya

Electric Powered Wagon - Any Ideas?

 
Posts: 279
Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a
21
6
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello,

I'm still looking for a good solution for moving stuff around my property. Straight human power is not enough as I have a slope to deal with (at least the going up part . I've looked at the DR Powerwagons but would prefer an electric unit. I'm not our moving stuff all day, I would be fine with 30-60 minutes run time. I've seen some that are electric powered wheelbarrow's, but I'm looking more like a flatbed/box for stuff like firewood. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Jerry
 
pollinator
Posts: 289
Location: Whitefish, Montana
11
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Is a Waste Vegetable Oil powered tractor an option?

 
Jerry Ward
Posts: 279
Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a
21
6
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm looking for something smaller than a tractor.
 
Jerry Ward
Posts: 279
Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a
21
6
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Does anyone else have any ideas?
 
pollinator
Posts: 335
Location: SW Washington State
15
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Not sure what your budget is, but you might want to look into getting the kind of electric cart used at airports. A golf cart with a trailer would also work, or even modify the rear of the golf cart - I think they are all usually fiberglass. To make whatever you buy more useful, you might want to check into mounting a cherry picker on it, so that you can hoist stuff.
 
pollinator
Posts: 4062
Location: Kansas Zone 6a
295
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Something like this?: http://www.thepowerbuggy.com

I have seen a couple DIY concrete buggies using a riding lawnmower transaxle for the transmission and wheels and a 12v motor for the drive.

DR was working on an electric version (they had the prototype at the mother earth news fairs last year), but don't know if they ever actually made it.

I think an industrial electric cart like Paul posted that he used to have is probably the best solution, although finding one at the price point you want may be a challenge.
 
                    
Posts: 238
Location: AR ~ozark mountain range~zone7a
9
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
here is pix of my firewood hauler. I have to load the wheel barrow part with firewood to keep the front wheels on the ground, when the refrigerator trailer is full.

Not electric, but it has made things uphill...a lot easier. The hood had to be strengthened with another hood just like it.

james beam
DSC02182.JPG
A lawnmower with a wheelbarrow mounted on the hood. Open the hood to dump
the hood/barrow opens to dump
DSC02183.JPG
Two hoods put together for strength to hold the wheelbarrow
reinforced 2 hoods into one
 
Jerry Ward
Posts: 279
Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a
21
6
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
An Elec Trak E20 popped up for sale less than 10 miles from our house so we are going that route with a little trailer.
 
steward and tree herder
Posts: 9449
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Nearly 70 inches rain a year
4509
4
transportation dog forest garden foraging trees books food preservation woodworking wood heat rocket stoves ungarbage
  • Likes 6
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I just got my first electric car scooter! Technically it is a 4 wheel invalid carriage, but has a bit of off road capability having reasonable diameter wheels and the grunt to get up and down hills.

off road invalid carriage
arriving home


We were offered it by my husband's cousin who lost their father recently. I understand he used to use it to go to a canal nearby where he was part of a conservation group. He even made a trailer for it!

home made trailer


I think I may modify the trailer though so that the sides fold down, as I think that will be more useful to me.

Technically the excuse is that this will enable less able visitors to go up and down the tree field (and maybe on the road as well - I'll have to check on that) but I think I may well find it handy for load lugging too!

At the moment we are seeing if the batteries (two 12V AGM lead acid) will recover; they were pretty flat but are showing signs of life now, so I'm hopeful we won't need to get new ones.

edit - image from the manufacturer web page:

electric scooter and trailer


I don't think it would manage that load up my hill!

 
pioneer
Posts: 100
21
cat trees urban
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hooray! So exciting!

Gromit is SORN at the moment but could be on-roaded again I think?
 
Nancy Reading
steward and tree herder
Posts: 9449
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Nearly 70 inches rain a year
4509
4
transportation dog forest garden foraging trees books food preservation woodworking wood heat rocket stoves ungarbage
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Ac Baker wrote:Gromit is SORN at the moment but could be on-roaded again I think?


Yes, I gather that road fund license is zero rated for invalid scooters, but the rider needs to be certified with mobility issues. I think it would depend on how far from the house we venture though
 
Ac Baker
pioneer
Posts: 100
21
cat trees urban
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Ah, interesting. There is no such thing really as 'certified Disabled' but I do relevant NHS diagnoses.
 
expectation is the root of all heartache - shakespeare. tiny ad:
Christian Community Building Regenerative Village Seeking Members
https://permies.com/t/268531/Christian-Community-Building-Regenerative-Village
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
OSZAR »