In terms of modern standards, one horsepower is equal to about 746 watts of power, though there are also variations, such as the metric horsepower, which is about 10 watts less. In contrast, a lawn tractor can deliver that level of power for as long as you keep it supplied with gas. But obviously a horse can’t sustain its peak level of power for hours on end. A single horse at peak exertion is significantly stronger than a single-horsepower engine. Does that mean I’d need 17 horses to do this same job?” The answer, of course, is no. You might wonder: “My little 17-horsepower lawn tractor is struggling to pull a heavy wagon up this incline. In short, the answer is yes, though the comparison between the power of horse and machine is fraught with caveats, exceptions and generalizations.Ĭonsider first that horsepower was meant to be a practical comparison of work accomplished over a long period of time, not a comparison of peak strength. If you’re curious about the origin of terms or phrases, you’ve probably wondered about the term “horsepower” and whether it has anything to do with the power of a horse. That said, let’s break down tractor horsepower ratings into a few categories and analyze the tasks that can be accomplished with each. However, if you plan to minimize challenging field tasks have the patience to work your land at a slow speed, a tractor with less horsepower and smaller implements might be enough. It’s not as simple as: “Task Y requires X horsepower.”īasically, it comes down to this: If saving time is a priority, or if you plan to use your tractor to cultivate large fields, a stronger tractor will let you use wider implements at a quicker pace. These are important to consider because there aren’t hard numbers to identify the amount of horsepower you need for any given task it’s a variable equation driven by the size of the implements you want to use, the speed at which you intend to use them, the type of soil you’re working with and many other factors. The first question to ask is: “How much land do I intend to cultivate?” Do you have 10 acres that you’d like to prepare for planting? Do you have 20 acres of hay to cut for small square bales? Or are you mainly looking for a tractor with a front-end loader or a backhoe for more down-and-dirty farming tasks, with less emphasis on working in a field? This raises an interesting question: Just how much horsepower do you need for common farming tasks? If you’re shopping for a tractor, here are some guidelines to help you identify how much power you need. But not everyone needs that level of power. In fact, for hobby farmers, smaller tractors with less horsepower can offer significantly greater versatility and return on investment than giant tractors aimed at commercial farmers. Of course, the biggest tractors also come with the biggest price tags, and not everyone can afford a top-of-the-line tractor with features and accessories and horsepower to spare. I doubt there’s a hobby farmer anywhere who doesn’t appreciate the abilities of a powerful utility tractor with engine strength measured in tens or even hundreds of horsepower, and it’s not difficult to envision yourself behind the wheel of such a tractor, easily accomplishing all of your farming tasks. When it comes to machinery, people tend to believe bigger is always better.
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