aeration fans

[bucket]

Braveheart

One of my pet peeves as you know is farmers building storage.

From what you just said, wouldn't it make more sense to have that space and air at the elevators?

They could blend more, air more etc and grain would be in position to move.

It comes down to logistics about some of these issues. Not just from farmers but from the other side of power supply as well.

Gets pretty expensive to upgrade the rural power network for something that could be positioned better and for less cost by just using paper drying/blending.

And who will pay for the system upgrades?

[fjlip]

33 year old caldwell with a Baldor, still running. Never been fixed. Sold by Flaman in 1982.

[Braveheart]

Becket, I used to share your thinking re storage. Now I want the storage, and control. We don't haul as much locally as before. Most canola to crush plants, soy to US so far, wheat sometimes US when it makes sense.

Our bins also are our harvest aid. That's why we need bin fans we can count on.

Re the fan motors, there's a place in Rosenort that repairs them. When my dealer phoned they snapped at him that this wasn't the time of year for that, they're too busy.

[blackpowder]

Agree with Braveheart on storage.
Dont need any inspector here....yet.
Considering genset rental for next bins.
Never hear of motors going. Although some do require crazy amps on startup over others.
Question. What inspector for???

[Braveheart]

Black powder, MB Hydro requires new installations to be inspected. Crazy new regulation says fans must be hard wired in, no plugs to unplug. We put up some hoppers for combo grain/fert storage which need the fans removed for fert storage. Those bins did get a plug but needed a $100 disconnect on each bin to pass inspection.

From now froward, big genset and screw MB Hydro. Side benefit would be the light plant that might go with it.

[ado089]

I'm running a fan on a 15kw gen set right now. It's a PITA keeping it fueled up, and it burns $50 of diesel per day. 28hp and it's all she can do to start a 5hp fan. This winter I want to set one up on a 10hp diesel on a belt drive.

[tweety]

Is Balder the chinese version of Baldor? Or the spell check version of Baldor?

[mbdog]

fjlip...have one of those old fans too....been bulletproof

[Oliver88]

MB hydro sounds like a miserable group to deal with if there is inspections for every aeration fan install.

As far as the fans go these would be my guesses for the breakdown of fans:
-quality issue from electric motor manufacturer (Chinese?)
-alignment issue when motor is assembled in the blower assembly
-wiring issue causing arcing/shorting
-MB Hydro power surges?

Based on what I read I'm guessing there is a quality issue with the electric motors.

[mbdog]

Oliver...hydro involved in my service upgrades...not required for fans/beyond panel. Hydro ground crew was good.
Still think I got some bad motors...