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Paul - I bought a blade from a guy's front yard about 10 years back, had to come up with my own mount and lift system. Went through the same questions you're dealing with. I got a rebuilt Monarch electric pump. It has been superb. My blade had been modified by someone out of a blacksmith shop - and it is HEAVY, so heavy, that I had to put a flow restrictor in the return line to keep it from dropping too fast! I will grant you that my truck has dual batteries, (it's a diesel,) but the stock 100 amp alternator runs everything, pump, lites, including a big beacon lite on the roof, 2 way radio, and still keeps the batteries up, and with a diesel that's major a importance. Control is a small box on the seat beside me with two rocker switches, very convenient, and can be removed in seconds when needed. Pump assembly is a log about 5 1/2" in dia, and 16" long all fit under the hood, very nice installation. Almost every plow you'd buy as a package has some sort of electric pump. If they weren't OK, the major manufacturers wouldn't be using them. This pump was recommended to me by a fellow who has had, and abused 'em all! Ran into a fellow a while back who had done a do-it-yourself install on an older truck. He used a power steering pump with a large reservoir. Told me it was an "on demand" pump, and didn't load the engine when not called upon to lift. He said it worked well. The down side was the hydraulic valves under the hood, and the rods through the firewall, to the bottom of the dashboard. Not a very pretty install, but you might consider this, if you decide not to go electric. Good luck!
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