15% mst canola

[woodland]

Just started on the canola today and the nicest part of the furthest along field is 15%.

We've never dealt with it this high before and our MC 600 dryer screens are too coarse to keep it in. We would like to upgrade the dryer in the future but feel we might have to do it now since there is nobody able to custom dry since they're still busy on their own crop. Phoned about new GT batch dryers but they're booking Jan delivery dates and $60k isn't going to work for us. We don't have the greatest power in the yard so a used one with electric drive fans would mean probably buying a genset as well (more $$).

Not sure whether to run out and buy something which isn't what we want and make it work, or beg the neighbors 25 miles away to squeeze some in for us probably a month or more from now? I would like a continuous flow pto drive on propane in reasonable shape but they seem to be like unicorns.....elusive.

I've got a few more phone numbers to try (during business hours) but if you guys know of any out there hiding could you let me know. Thanks

We finished the straw baling today so it feels nice to have one more thing crossed off the list.

[Oliver88]

Woodland, if you have aeration bins available to use you could rent a unit to hear the air going into your fan. There is options for propane, natural gas or diesel.
This would be a cheap option for your situation.
I've dried canola at 15% before with this method.

A place that would rent such units would be Sunbelt Rentals, I assume there would be a location or two in Northern Alberta. (They bought out Handyman Rentals)

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Just started on the canola today and the nicest part of the furthest along field is 15%.

We've never dealt with it this high before and our MC 600 dryer screens are too coarse to keep it in. We would like to upgrade the dryer in the future but feel we might have to do it now since there is nobody able to custom dry since they're still busy on their own crop. Phoned about new GT batch dryers but they're booking Jan delivery dates and $60k isn't going to work for us. We don't have the greatest power in the yard so a used one with electric drive fans would mean probably buying a genset as well (more $$).

Not sure whether to run out and buy something which isn't what we want and make it work, or beg the neighbors 25 miles away to squeeze some in for us probably a month or more from now? I would like a continuous flow pto drive on propane in reasonable shape but they seem to be like unicorns.....elusive.

I've got a few more phone numbers to try (during business hours) but if you guys know of any out there hiding could you let me know. Thanks

We finished the straw baling today so it feels nice to have one more thing crossed off the list.

Waiting a month isn't an option unless you are prepared to turn the grain every few days.

Have you checked with the elevator, do they have the capability and the space to dry it?

I'm doing the same as Oliver88, drying with fans, had some well over 15 the last two years, and this worked, just be prepared to turn the bins after, possibly during. At the very least you can freeze it down until a better solution comes along. For a little over $3000/bin you can add cross duct aeration, fan and temp cable, My propane Herman Nelson cost $2500. Can set up a lot of bins for less than $60,000 and do it immediately, not waiting for a dryer.

[woodland]

Waiting a month isn't an option unless you are prepared to turn the grain every few days.

Have you checked with the elevator, do they have the capability and the space to dry it?

I'm doing the same as Oliver88, drying with fans, had some well over 15 the last two years, and this worked, just be prepared to turn the bins after, possibly during. At the very least you can freeze it down until a better solution comes along. For a little over $3000/bin you can add cross duct aeration, fan and temp cable, My propane Herman Nelson cost $2500. Can set up a lot of bins for less than $60,000 and do it immediately, not waiting for a dryer.

Woodland, if you have aeration bins available to use you could rent a unit to hear the air going into your fan. There is options for propane, natural gas or diesel.
This would be a cheap option for your situation.
I've dried canola at 15% before with this method.

A place that would rent such units would be Sunbelt Rentals, I assume there would be a location or two in Northern Alberta. (They bought out Handyman Rentals)

Some questions....
What size and type of bin did you use for this?

How many btu and was it indirect heat or not?

Did you turn the bins so it would dry evenly and did the condensation run down the walls and create issues?

Thanks for the idea..... never gave it much thought before. If you guys have a "recipe " for doing this and don't mind sharing that would be great. I've always tried to learn from others successes and failures......much easier on the bank account and stress level.

TIA

[hobbyfrmr]

Waiting a month isn't an option unless you are prepared to turn the grain every few days.

Have you checked with the elevator, do they have the capability and the space to dry it?

I'm doing the same as Oliver88, drying with fans, had some well over 15 the last two years, and this worked, just be prepared to turn the bins after, possibly during. At the very least you can freeze it down until a better solution comes along. For a little over $3000/bin you can add cross duct aeration, fan and temp cable, My propane Herman Nelson cost $2500. Can set up a lot of bins for less than $60,000 and do it immediately, not waiting for a dryer.

Agreed.
I bought a frost fighter heater from Trevor in Red Deer . They advertise on kijiji. Buy extra tubes so you an heat/dry 2 bins at once. Definitely rotate the canola out of those bins. possibly twice.

[Klause]

Some questions....
What size and type of bin did you use for this?

How many btu and was it indirect heat or not?

Did you turn the bins so it would dry evenly and did the condensation run down the walls and create issues?

Thanks for the idea..... never gave it much thought before. If you guys have a "recipe " for doing this and don't mind sharing that would be great. I've always tried to learn from others successes and failures......much easier on the bank account and stress level.

TIA

We did the same last year. 2600 but bins full floor air. Used a direct fired 180k btu diesel heater setup to blow into a 55 gal drum 90 degrees to the fan... Cut a few slots in the end to allow air in and in 32 (4 x 8hr fill ups) took canola from 15 to 9 and wheat from 23 to 16.


It'll be over dry at the bottom and still tough at the top so you have to mix it... And in our case yes the walls got wet.


There was steam coming out of the roof vents haha

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Full floor would be ideal, in really wet wheat (by really wet, i mean full of snow and ice) i got channels above the cross ducts. and around the outside bottom edges.

Yes, water dripping from every seam, brown ooze as well.

I did it mostly in the really cold weather, that was a bad idea. moisture condenses under roof, and canola freezes to the walls. Can't auger chunks of ice when they fall off.

I used propane, so i used direct heat, by also routing the exhaust into the fan. Dont do this with diesel.

This year i bought some moisture cables to take the guess work out of it.

[TASFarms]

Frost fighter. 450000 btu run for a day on 4000 bus. Brings the bottom of the bin up to 40c. Run fan for 15 hours. Drys the top of the bin. call around There was lots of canola taken off under 5% moisture. Elevators are happy to take some tough. 15 might be pushing it. I know where there is continuous flow dryer, hasn't been used in 20 years

[Oliver88]

Some questions....
What size and type of bin did you use for this?

How many btu and was it indirect heat or not?

Did you turn the bins so it would dry evenly and did the condensation run down the walls and create issues?

Thanks for the idea..... never gave it much thought before. If you guys have a "recipe " for doing this and don't mind sharing that would be great. I've always tried to learn from others successes and failures......much easier on the bank account and stress level.

TIA

I've only ever put 200,000 Btu/Hr through a fan.
Bins anywhere from 1650 bushels to 5500 Bu
Fans anywhere from 3HP to 10 HP.
We use a system that heats water that pumps it through a heat/coil/radiator. Fan pulls air through hot radiator.
Have dried this way with air entering fan anywhere from 60F - 120F.

Others I know have used diesel powered Frost Fighter systems with good results as well. This would be simpler and easier for you to set up if you need it now.

You would have to turn bins to get even moisture levels. (I don't bother on small bins)
Some canola will stick to walls at 15% but if you turn bin and maybe refill it with canola it wouldn't be too bad...but there will be some.
Virtually no build up at 13% but noticeable at 15 and higher.

[seldomseen]

I have a 370 GT with canola screens that works good. I would let go but we are just so far away it would epic journey to come and get. If you are up for the drive?

[helmsdale]

Full floor would be ideal, in really wet wheat (by really wet, i mean full of snow and ice) i got channels above the cross ducts. and around the outside bottom edges.

Yes, water dripping from every seam, brown ooze as well.

I did it mostly in the really cold weather, that was a bad idea. moisture condenses under roof, and canola freezes to the walls. Can't auger chunks of ice when they fall off.

I used propane, so i used direct heat, by also routing the exhaust into the fan. Dont do this with diesel.

This year i bought some moisture cables to take the guess work out of it.

Sure wouldn't use direct fired diesel when dealing with canola, but did it with wheat and had good results with the exception of when it was very cold outside.

Had two 180,000 btu heaters stuffed into a 10hp centrifugal fan on 9000 bu bin but only filled to about 6500bu. Shoveled the roof peak flat since it's a door pull bin, but would have just pulled the cone off if I had a center pull. Dries more evenly if you can flatten the top out some. Took wheat anywhere from 19 to 23 down to high 13s. Bottom of the bin was like 7-8 and top ring still tough, but whole bin would average high 13s.

There was a slight odor of diesel exhaust but if you can blow natural above freezing air over it for a few days most of the odor disappears.

Issue I ran into during very cold outside temperatures under 0°f was moisture condensing in the grain on the outside 2" against the walls. I could keep the roof from condensing by stuffing an evacuation fan into the fill hole, but couldnt prevent the walls from condensing. I assumed the whole bin was VERY dry because I pushed the tough plug right out and the top was probing mid 10s, but didn't take into account the cold outer walls.

Even in very cold ambient temps so long as you still turn the bin, which i didnt,it'd likely all blend out.

[woodland]

Thanks for all the replies! Ritchie's Edmonton sale is this week and I see they have a bunch of these heaters there so we'll probably go shopping. We got two 21 bins with 10x10 foot aeration floors in them so we'll try them out. I'm sure I'll have more questions so thanks for everything so far. Tested the last load and it was 17%. More fun ahead here.

Almost finished baling for the year here. 50 acres of tough second cut that's been down a month should get rolled up today. One more thing crossed off the list.

[Crestliner]

Thanks for all the replies! Ritchie's Edmonton sale is this week and I see they have a bunch of these heaters there so we'll probably go shopping. We got two 21 bins with 10x10 foot aeration floors in them so we'll try them out. I'm sure I'll have more questions so thanks for everything so far. Tested the last load and it was 17%. More fun ahead here.

Almost finished baling for the year here. 50 acres of tough second cut that's been down a month should get rolled up today. One more thing crossed off the list.

I have a Dry Air System for sale that is fired by propane. All aeration fans and glycol lines and heater shed are available. The system is commected to 6 bins each 4000 Bushels. Excellent condition, selling because I went to a continuous flow dryer. Private message me is you are interested.