Investigating the performance of electric mini tiller

. Mini tiller is one of the agricultural machineries used for a secondary soil tillage for narrow fields. In general, it is equipped with a 4-stroke gasoline engine. Internal combustion engine is considered as one of the contributors to carbon emissions in the world, so it is necessary to find alternative energy uses. One of the famous alternative energies is electricity. Nowadays, the utilization of electrification in human life is widespread, for example, for an electric vehicle. However, the implementation of electrification in the agricultural sector has not been extensively adopted. This research investigated the performance and energy consumption of a local brand mini tiller (Cakar Baja) coupled with a Honda electric powertrain. Results showed that applying an electric mini tiller on flat and dry land can smoothly plough the soil. Furthermore, the field capacity of this electric mini tiller showed 0.11 ha/h with an effective field capacity of 0.07 ha/h. During performance testing, it showed a field efficiency of 80%, which means low energy use costs. This electric mini tiller demonstrates the opportunity to use it as future agricultural machinery for a household with a small agricultural ground.


Introduction
Agricultural mechanization has a vital role in improving the productivity of farming systems.A wide variety of agricultural resources are used in the field to improve punctuality in agricultural operations to reduce inefficient work.One example of the application of agricultural mechanization that can be found in agricultural cultivation activities is a mini tiller [1].Mini tiller is a tillage equipment used in small and household farming.Based on previous research [2], mini tiller provided the most benefit to very small rice farms (≤0.25 hectares).Mini tiller consist of several rotating blades bolted to a steel frame connected to a rotating shaft from a motor power source or connected to a rotating power source from a power take-off (PTO) tractor.Mini tiller chop and break up light soil or lumps of soil from plowing with an outcrop plow or disc plow, where the width of the shaft determines the width of soil worked.The Mini Tiller is a multi-purpose machinery that useful for both harrowing and weeding.It stirs the soil to a certain depth, controlling weeds and promoting plant growth as an effective way to maintain a weed-free garden without the use of harmful chemicals.
Nowadays, mini tillers are generally still driven by internal combustion engine motors that use gasoline for fuel.However, the dynamic development of the world's energy needs amid increasingly limited fossil energy reserves, and concern for environmental sustainability has led to increased attention to replacing fossil fuel with renewable energy.
In the agricultural sector such as land tillage, machinery such as mini tiller that uses fossil fuels as the main power source can produce carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to air pollution.In addition, the current soil tillage still requires a lot of human effort, Otherwise, fossil-fueled internal combustion engines have maintenance cycles that must be performed on a regular time.The factor that negatively impacts the environmental safety of internal combustion engine during operation can be reduced with regular maintenance and repairs [3].Air pollution and fuel consumption from engine and tractor machinery are also dependent on compliance with operating guidelines, including the proper use of highquality fuels and engine oils.Air pollutant emissions from agriculture are increasing tremendously, and it is imperative to stop this trend to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production.To overcome these problems, it is essential to find alternative engines such as the utilization of an electrical powertrain [4].
An application of an electric powertrain is the utilization of a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor.BLDC is an electric motor-generated system that is commonly applied to electric vehicles.The advantages of BLDC are reliability, high efficiency, high power density, ease of maintenance, lighter weight, and low pricing [5].The utilization of BLDC motors offers a solution for increasing electrification to this current challenge.This approach could reduce pollution.Current trend, electrification has been widely implemented in the automotive industry, especially in electric vehicles.However, the application of electrification in agricultural tools and machinery is still limited.
This study places particular emphasis on exploring the integration of electrification in agricultural machinery, with a specific focus on mini tillers that have been widely used in Indonesia, the Quick Cakar Baja mini tiller.On previous research, the Quick Cakar Baja mini tiller could increase the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural production [6].The operation of a mini tiller requires the utilization of fuel for energy consumption.
Energy consumption in agriculture is classified as either direct or indirect energy use [7].Direct energy use refers to the consumption and use of fuels on the farm.These are obvious on farms at the time of production and most commonly include propane, natural gas, electricity, and distillate fuels (diesel).On the other hand, indirect energy use is the use of fuels to make products that are later used on the farm.Energy use in agriculture consists of several sources, one of which comes from fossil energy.
The use of fossil energy in agriculture can cover several aspects, including the use of fossil fuels for agricultural machinery, fertilizer production, and processing of agricultural products.and provides benefits in improving efficiency and productivity, but also gives the negative impact to the environment.On the other hand, an alternative energy source that needs to be increased is electrical energy.As one of the renewable energy sources, the use of electrical energy in agriculture helps farmers increase productivity, reduce intensive manual labour, and adopt more efficient technologies.This is important to meet the growing demand for food while maintaining environmental sustainability.The use of electrical energy for electrification in agriculture is also something that needs to be developed.
Some electrification of agricultural machinery has been done are electrification of agricultural tools and the electrification of traction with wheel motors [8].Electrification of agricultural machinery has been proven to save energy through more efficient power transmission.Electrification in agriculture has benefits in several applications, such as increasing agricultural production and income, accelerating agricultural cultivation activities, supporting agricultural product processing activities, improving the quality and added value of agricultural products, supporting energy conservation, and developing more environmentally friendly energy through the use of renewable or alternative energy [9].
Therefore, the primary object of this study is the investigation of the practical implementation of the Honda EGX 2.0H electric powertrain, developed by Honda Power Product Indonesia, when applied to a local brand mini tiller known as Quick Cakar Baja.
The Honda EGX 2.0H is an advanced electric powertrain that accommodates the needs of the construction machinery market to enable their equipment to be more compatible with usage environments that are considered difficult for engine-powered machines, such as indoor work environments and construction work near residential areas where lower noise is an important factor.The Honda EGX 2.0H is an electric powertrain that provides a sustainable solution to the environmental challenges associated with fossil fuel use in agriculture.Its operation produces no air pollution, making it an environmentally friendly alternative.The study aims to evaluate the applicability and effectiveness of the Honda EGX 2.0H on the mini tiller (Cakar Baja) through the implementation of various modifications.The study aims to provide insights into the performance, efficiency, and overall benefits of incorporating the Honda EGX 2.0H electric powertrain in the context of agricultural machinery, specifically mini tillers.

Materials
The material and tools used in this research are mini tiller (Quick Cakar Baja), Honda EGX 2.0H, Honda EGX 2.0H Battery Charger, measuring devices, stopwatch, proximity sensor tachometer, Siemens 7KT Energy Meter, SNDWAY SW-524 Digital Sound Level Meter.

Methods
The mini tiller performance test was carried out at the two experimental fields of the Badan Standarisasi Instrumen Pertanian (BSIP) on dry land with loose and flat characteristics.Data collection in the performance test was conducted using the headland pattern.The headland pattern showed the least number of turns with a degree of deflection that was not too large [10].Furthermore, the headland pattern is one of the most effective tillage patterns because it reduces the time the operator wastes lifting the ploughing implement [11].Based on the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 8031:2014 [12], the mini tiller performance test was carried out through verification, performance and service tests.

Verification test
The verification test is an important step in ensuring that tools and machinery used in the agricultural sector function properly, safely and in accordance with established standards.In this study, a verification test was conducted to ensure the functional operation of the mini tiller and to determine the weight of the mini tiller with an electric powertrain, a standard gasoline engine, and without a drive motor.

Performance test
Testing of agricultural machinery and tractors has several aims, such as generating data on the performance of the machine, transmission system, traction, protective structure, ergonomics, and energy efficiency [13].The performance test also aims to provide information on the quality of agricultural tools and machinery and its compliance with SNI parameters.The parameters observed in the mini tiller (Quick Cakar Baja) performance on this paper test are: 1. Theoretical Field Capacity (ha/h) Theoretical Field Capacity (TFC) is the result of calculating the theoretical working speed multiplied by the theoretical working width of the mini tiller.The theoretical field capacity can be used as a benchmark for evaluating the performance of a machine or of a machine or operator, as it is the maximum capacity achievable at a given speed [14].Based on the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 8031:2014 [12], the equation of theoretical field capacity stands for:

Field Efficiency (%)
The actual effective field capacity is less than this due to turns and other delays.The machine's field efficiency is the ratio of the actual or effective field capacity to the theoretical field capacity.Field efficiency is the percentage of a machine's TFC achieved under real-world conditions [15].Higher field efficiency reduces the time required to perform field operations [16].It can be calculated from equation (3).

Working speed (m/s)
The working speed is measured by recording the operating time of the mini-tiller on a 10 m track while the mini-tiller is in operation.The working speed is used to determine the tiller's speed during operation and to determine the TFC value.
Description: s = Length of distance traveled (m) t = Time traveled (s)

Service Test
Based on the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 8031:2014 [12], the noise level is one of the parameters for testing service.According to the standard, the maximum sound noise level the operator receives during tillage is 90 dB.This is also one of the noise levels accepted by OSHA, which considers 90 dB(A) acceptable for an 8-hour workday.The noise level was measured with the instrument of A weight expressed in decibels set on a fast level.

Mini tiller modification
When transitioning from a standard mini tiller (Quick Cakar Baja) engine to an EGX 2.0H, an adjustment mounting was positioned beneath the EGX 2.0H to align its position and prevent exposure to components in the engine mounting area.Additionally, the puller part of the mini tiller had to be modified by cutting it with a hand grinder, given the coincidence of the puller part with the EGX 2.0H control panel.
Due to the larger dimensions of the EGX 2.0H compared to the standard gasoline engine, the EGX 2.0H was positioned further to the right on the mini tiller.In the conducted research, the standard 46 v-belt size was replaced with a new 46-size timing belt to adjust the distance between the engine and transmission pulleys and accommodate the difference in the size of the engine pulley.Due to the nature of the EGX 2.0H electric powertrain, it did not generate too much mechanical vibration, which proved to be an advantageous feature for the operator.

Honda EGX 2.0H Battery Charging Measurement
To measure the power and time required to charge the battery from 0% to 100%, the battery charger was connected to the energy meter, and the measured power data was collected at specific times until the charging stop function was activated.The circuit of the energy meter that connected to the EGX 2.0H battery is illustrated in Figure 4.The result illustrated in Figure 5 indicated that the electric power consumption during battery charging exhibited fluctuations until the 58th minute of the fast-charging process, marked by reaching the 4th bar on the battery charger.Subsequently, the standard battery charging phase extended from minute 58 to minute 83.Fast charging produced a battery capacity between 0-80% capacity, while standard charging charges from 80-100%. Figure 5 further illustrated that the charging process averaged a power draw of 690 watts from the power source.

Verification test
The verification test included measuring the weight of the mini tiller (Quick Cakar Baja) with the electric EGX; the mini tiller with Honda EGX 2.0H weighed about 109.85 kg.On the other hand, the frame of the mini tiller without the drive motor weighed about 81.9 kg, and the mini tiller with the default engine weighed about 101.1 kg.
Based on the performance test, although the mini tiller with Honda EGX 2.0H was heavier than the scaled mini tiller with the standard engine, the operator felt it was lighter and easier to operate the mini tiller with Honda EGX 2.0H due to the lower mechanical vibration of the powertrain and the more responsive mini tiller.Previous studies also tested the electric mini tiller's lightness and ease of operation [17,18].

Performance test
According to Table 1, the mini tiller performance test with the EGX 2.0H produced a working width of 71 cm with a rotary blade B Cakar Baja implement, and the land area used in the test was about 100 m 2 or equivalent to 0.01 ha.Speed measurements were taken within 10 m on each test plot to assess the mini tiller's forward speed.With an average travel time of 25.5 s over a 10-meter length of track, mini tiller had an average working speed of approximately 1.40 km/h, or 0.39 m/s, Field efficiency, representing the percentage ratio of adequate field capacity to theoretical field capacity, considered the time wasted in the field and the machine's inability to use its entire width.With an adequate effective field capacity of 0.08 ha/h and a theoretical field capacity of 0.10 ha/h, the field efficiency was determined to be 80%.
Comparatively, the mini tiller with standard gasoline engine demonstrated a working speed of approximately 0.41 m/s.Variations in average speed values were observed in the mini tiller test due to differences in land conditions, indicating a difference in working speed.Meanwhile, the field efficiency generated by the mini tiller with the standard gasoline engine was 66% with theoretical field capacity of 0.11 ha/h and an effective field 0.07 ha/h.

Service test
The performance test results of the mini tiller with the EGX 2.0H indicated that, at an average operational engine speed of 2,656 rpm, the EGX 2.0H electric powertrain produced the highest noise level, reaching 85 dB.This peak noise level occurred during the sixth trial, where the mini tiller with the EGX 2.0H electric powertrain had been in operation for 23.84 minutes.According to Figure 6, it was observed that, at an average engine speed of 2700 rpm, the noise level produced by the mini tiller with the Honda EGX 2.0H ranged from 81 to 85 dB.It is noteworthy that exposure duration of 40 hours per week to noise at the level of 90 dB is considered safe, and noise levels exceeding this limit are likely to lead to noiseinduced hearing loss (NIHL) [19].Many agricultural machine operators suffer from noiseinduced hearing loss.According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the mini tiller with the Honda EGX 2.0H, based on the data, is deemed safe for the operator's hearing.Compared to the performance test results of the mini tiller with the EGX 2.0H, the performance test results of the mini tiller with the standard gasoline engine indicated that, on average, the operational engine rotations at 2,768 rpm produced the highest noise level at 96 dB.This indicates a deviation from the acceptable noise levels defined by the standards, highlighting the importance of addressing noise emissions in the design and operation of agricultural machinery to ensure operator safety and well-being.

Energy consumption
The energy meter measurements revealed that 0.71 kWh of energy was required for charging the battery.Since the battery indicator did not correlate with available energy, a fully charged EGX 2.0H battery estimated able to cultivate land of 300 m 2 .Subsequently, the energy required during charging was 1.81 kWh/h.
Based on the average total working time of the mini tiller with the Honda EGX 2.0H, the total tillage working time for 300 m 2 of land was 23.48 minutes or 0.39 hours.With a battery capacity of 748 Wh, according to the datasheet, the Honda EGX 2.0H required an energy consumption of 2.44 HP in the performance test on a 300 m 2 land.According to measurements, it was found that it took 710 watt-hours of energy to charge the battery fully.Based on the measurement, it was determined that the powertrain could produce 2.44 HP, aligning with the datasheet power output of 2.4 HP.
Based on the determination of the National Electricity Company (PLN) electricity adjustment tariff in April -June 2023, the cost of electricity for the general public category was R3 (according to PLN adjustment tariff category) at Rp1.444 per kWh.Charging a battery with an energy consumption of 0.71 kWh cost Rp2.613/hour.Subsequently, cultivating 300 m 2 land cost Rp1.023/m 2 with a cost rate of Rp3.41/m 2 .Meanwhile, based on the test results, the use of a mini tiller with a standard gasoline engine required a cost of Rp8,049/300m 2 with a cost rate of Rp26.83/m 2 .The fuel used was pertalite gasoline, which was priced at Rp10,000/liter.

Conclusion
Based on the performance test results of the electric powertrain utilization on the Quick Cakar Baja mini tiller, it was concluded that a mini tiller equipped with Honda EGX 2.0H achieved 80% efficiency on flat and dry land conditions.The theoretical field capacity was measured at 0.10 ha/h, while the effective field capacity was measured at 0.08 ha/h.The performance test results on flat and dry land measuring 300 m 2 showed a power consumption rate of 2.44 HP and a cost of Rp1.023/300 m 2 .Meanwhile, when compared to the use of a gasoline-powered mini tiller, the cost incurred with the EGX 2.0H mini tiller was Rp8,049/300 m 2 .Therefore, mini tiller with EGX 2.0H could be more cost-effective, especially for small-scale farming.

2 .
Description: TFC = Theoretical Field Capacity (ha/h) V = Average speed (m/s) IP = Average plowing width (m) 0.36 is a conversion of 1 m²/s to 0.36 ha/h , 02001 (2024) BIO Web of Conferences https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/2024900200190 ICGAB 2023 Effective field Capacity (ha/h) Effective field capacity Capacity is based on the work area divided by the time taken during the performance test.Effective Field Capacity (EFC) is a more usable measure because it brings in the EFC can be calculated by dividing the number of hours by the number of acres covered [14].It can be calculated from equation (2).

Fig. 3 .
Engine mounting position (a) before and (b) after modification

Table 1 .
Performance test result.