Aeration.. what was that again?

[LEP]

Okay people, I don't aerate grain much this time of year. Usually I just freeze and dry it in the spring or peddle it tough.

I have some barley that looks good, but will likely be feed because it has been rained on 6 times. It ranges in moisture from 15.4 to 14.7.

I kind of remember a retired engineering prof saying down was up and up was down.

So now that we have cool days and night and frosts or dews in the morning, ... when should I run the fans. Assuming I don't stall the drying front?

[oneoff]

And magnetic seed treaters are worth their weight in gold......

And just because everyone is doing it means it must be correct; sane; reasonable and even sensible.

If someone had ever put a scale under that test aeration bin; then anyone could have determined if there actually was any moisture loss overnight; or even in "cold" temperatures. Maybe all that was done by the subject tests to temporarily take advantage of the heat pumped in throughout the warmer daytime fan running.

Until then; the theory put forth by that single former professor has not advanced his reputation in the scientific community and indeed done no service to those who look for practical solutions to agricultural problems.

[Braveheart]

If we had barley at that moisture content I would just run the fans when it's colder at night. You don't need any drying, just need to cool the grain for storage.

If it had been malt, it's not dry enough and I would run the fan continuously until it's cold all day trying to push as many drying fronts through as possible till winter comes.

[Oliver88]

For tough grain, this time of the year I run them non-stop unless it's raining.

There are studies from NDSU, PAMI, etc that have information.

We make an attempt to move some grain out of every tough bin as well.

[Guest]

i have been experimenting with an aireation fan and heater this year . we tried before just leaving fan and heater running continuously but all it did is rain inside bin . this year I run heater for about 4 hours shut it off and leave the fan run all day , shut it off at night . I have dried 3 bins in about 4-5 days . works really good . in barley bottom sensor on opi cable is usually about 29degrees c and second one might be about 21 degrees

[Jay-mo]

When your yard light turns on, turn on your fans. When the light turns off, turn off your fans.
I also agree, taking a couple loads out of each bin, is a good practice.

[biglentil]

That indian head study of only running fans at night is over simplistic. Once grain cools all drying stops using that model. I run em 24 hours when tough and then cool em down to low single digits.

I tried one of those grain guard heaters that mounts behind fan, never did get damn thing to work well. Tried everything near impossible to light and flame ultra weak when lit.

[blackpowder]

Theres another maker in sask that makes a big ass heater for incoming air fo fan. It stays on.

[pourfarmer]

Blackpowder, do you recall the name? Not impressed with the grain guard heaters.

[Oliver88]

Blackpowder is likely referring to Dryair.

We use a 600,000 Btu/Hr unit for drying grain.

[biglentil]

200k btu diesel tube heater on blocks about 8 feet away from intake of fan is cheap easy n effective if in a pinch.

[blackpowder]

For safety reasons the graingaurds are the way they are. Size wise and the five or so safegaurds in circuitry. Only certain bin fan size.
Dont recall name of other heater can look in shed and post if need.
Pulls fan intake air thru big exchange.
Havent used in a few years. If stuck gimme a shout. Mines on gas.

[pourfarmer]

Thanks Blackpowder, not stuck just wondering.

BigLentil, I might try your suggestion of the diesel burner pointed at the fan. Do you shroud it in at all?

[Guest]

our grain gaurd works good . you don't want too much heat or all the moisture can't get outta bin quick enough and runs down inside walls . i just ran heater 4 hrs this morning and opi cable read 29 degrees c on bottom sensor and 22 on second . I do this 4 days in a row and its dry .

[LEP]

I think blackpowder is talking about the aromatic preheated. Our neighbor mentioned that last night. He has one.

I may borrow it and try the 4 hours in the morning thing. Thanks guys.