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GE Electrac Tractors

B

Bill(Wis)

Well-known Member
GE built these in a factory in Scotia, NY in the 1970s. The E16, 16 HP, sold for 1950$ in 1973.


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Those were nice little tractors in spite of 1970s battery technology. It would mow about an acre per charge. A few years ago you could get them for nothing because all the parts had to be custom built. But if electric is your thing, this might be twice the tractor it was with todays electrical technology.
 
A coworker has one that his dad bought new.He claims it has been a very good mower.Had a motor rebuild once.
 
I agree. I came close to buying one back then. With today's technology I believe it would be a great machine.
 
We had one built by Cub Cadet. It was a nice mower, quiet and could mow our acre lawn. Had it for many years. then had charger and motor issues.
 
A guy I knew had one and loved the thing.
Bought it cheap at an auction then spent a bunch of $ replacing the batteries.
He had been using an Allis C with belly mower to mow his 3/4 acre but after getting the electric mower the Allis just layed in the shed.
The electric was very quiet too.
 
There were a few in town here,we had the international dealer in the center of town,so we always saw the Cub Cadet version.When the batteries got low the mower would drop out first,and you could drive back to the house to charge it.Quite a few elderly people in town bought them for lawns that they used to do with push mowers.For their INTENDED use they seemed to work fine.
 
(quoted from post at 13:36:04 06/06/22) There were a few in town here,we had the international dealer in the center of town,so we always saw the Cub Cadet version.When the batteries got low the mower would drop out first,and you could drive back to the house to charge it.Quite a few elderly people in town bought them for lawns that they used to do with push mowers.[b:b114596916]For their INTENDED use they seemed to work fine[/b:b114596916].
Click to expand...

That is an often ignored thing.



This post was edited by Carlmac 369 on 06/06/2022 at 09:43 am.
 
What is the Cub Cadet version of these tractors ? Have never seen an IH
mower like this but have come across several of the GE ones.
 
These were also sold under the New Idea name. Have a friend that has (or had) a New Idea branded one.
 
I have a brochure for those around somewhere. My parents must have been looking at one when they were building the house. There were also brochures for Bolens, a local favorite & Cub Cadet as there was an IH dealer in the family. Don't recall seeing the dealer stamp on the back of the GE brochure. Not sure who around here sold them. Haven't seen any at work, but have seen them at local shows. They are indeed a neat machine.

Mike
 
(quoted from post at 12:43:02 06/06/22)
(quoted from post at 13:36:04 06/06/22) There were a few in town here,we had the international dealer in the center of town,so we always saw the Cub Cadet version.When the batteries got low the mower would drop out first,and you could drive back to the house to charge it.Quite a few elderly people in town bought them for lawns that they used to do with push mowers.[b:8f464391a9]For their INTENDED use they seemed to work fine[/b:8f464391a9].
Click to expand...

That is an often ignored thing.



This post was edited by Carlmac 369 on 06/06/2022 at 09:43 am.
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hy would it be ignored? Anyone would immediately know that it was intended for mowing small areas.!
 
(quoted from post at 16:11:48 06/06/22)
(quoted from post at 12:43:02 06/06/22)
(quoted from post at 13:36:04 06/06/22) There were a few in town here,we had the international dealer in the center of town,so we always saw the Cub Cadet version.When the batteries got low the mower would drop out first,and you could drive back to the house to charge it.Quite a few elderly people in town bought them for lawns that they used to do with push mowers.[b:21955ad9e0]For their INTENDED use they seemed to work fine[/b:21955ad9e0].
Click to expand...

That is an often ignored thing.
Click to expand...

............................................................................................................


That is a broad statement which applies to many different scenarios not just these rare mowers.




This post was edited by Carlmac 369 on 06/06/2022 at 12:45 pm.
Click to expand...
 
(quoted from post at 11:21:22 06/06/22) I do not know the point where it actually stops dead, our neighbors had an acre front yard and he loved it.
Click to expand...
Should not discharge even a deep cycle lead acid battery below 50%.
The same tractor with today's lithium batteries would be closer to being practical.
 
My dad bought an electric mower from Sears back in the early 70s.
It had 3 12v deep cycle batteries.
Always had a problem.
If dad hit a rock with a mower, the motor was shot. It would cause the permanent magnets to come unglued.

Constant electrical issues.

Batteries had a short life.

Batteries don't like extreme cold and extreme heat.

Batteries are a problem with cell phones, cordless tools, cars, lawn mowers, and tractors.
 
When I lived over in eastern Fulton County, my neighbor had one of those with the mower deck and snow blower. He used it all the time.
 
I never saw him pull it but the son of the Massey dealer in town pulled one in the garden tractor class. And yes GE built them for other companies too.
 
I had two of them in the mid 80's. One was mostly for mower motor replacement. The deck motors had glued in ceramic magnets and a shock (like hitting a buried stump) would bust the magnets.
I never could afford to buy all the batteries at once, so by individual cell testing and replacing the weakest two batteries (of 6 total) at a time, would still get me over a hour and 1/2 of mowing, which is about all anyone wants to mow ennyway. After turning off the three mower motors, you always had quite a lot of juice left to get back to the shed. Peerless 2300 transaxle with no reverse. (Reverse in every gear by reversing the motor). Could spin 23x10.50x12 tires anywhere.
Quiet. I mounted a radio on mine. Liked the front mounted mower to get up under bushes etc.
Would be fun to rebuild one with modern electronics, batteries, and VFDs etc.
 
(quoted from post at 07:51:56 06/06/22) and only need to stop and charge it 260 time to mow my place. :idea:
Click to expand...


How many trips with your pick-up truck to bring 23 tons of material to your place?
 
(quoted from post at 07:26:25 06/07/22)
(quoted from post at 07:51:56 06/06/22) and only need to stop and charge it 260 time to mow my place. :idea:
Click to expand...


How many trips with your pick-up truck to bring 23 tons of material to your place?
Click to expand...
ou need to learn how to use a calculator. There is one on your phone... Alternatively, pencil & paper. :idea:
 
(quoted from post at 07:02:17 06/07/22)
(quoted from post at 07:26:25 06/07/22)
(quoted from post at 07:51:56 06/06/22) and only need to stop and charge it 260 time to mow my place. :idea:
Click to expand...


How many trips with your pick-up truck to bring 23 tons of material to your place?
Click to expand...
ou need to learn how to use a calculator. There is one on your phone... Alternatively, pencil & paper. :idea:
Click to expand...


Maybe you do, but I need no calculator to know when I am using something outside of its intended use, so perhaps it's my own fault if it is not performing well.
 
(quoted from post at 13:57:30 06/07/22)
(quoted from post at 07:02:17 06/07/22)
(quoted from post at 07:26:25 06/07/22)
(quoted from post at 07:51:56 06/06/22) and only need to stop and charge it 260 time to mow my place. :idea:
Click to expand...


How many trips with your pick-up truck to bring 23 tons of material to your place?
Click to expand...
ou need to learn how to use a calculator. There is one on your phone... Alternatively, pencil & paper. :idea:
Click to expand...


Maybe you do, but I need no calculator to know when I am using something outside of its intended use, so perhaps it's my own fault if it is not performing well.
Click to expand...
'm not using anything outside its intended use. That is why I have 67hp and 14 ft cutter. No calculator needed, just fossil fuel & too many $ of it! Could use wider, but that is cost vs my time....not ready for the trade just yet.
 
I worked for a General Electric Appliance Dealer when these were first built. I did the troubleshooting and repair when customers had breakdowns. All together our dealership sold about 10 of these in the various sizes. They worked OK for their intended purpose as others have stated, but you did not want one of these if you had a large lawn.
 
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