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Leesburg, Ohio | We have 10 different in-bin dryers with stirring augers on 6 different farms (unplanned systems...came with the farms), and one continuous-flow dryer. Now, keep in mind that the in-bin/stirring auger setups are mostly 20-40 years old, but I am so fed up with stirring augers, I could puke!!! Out of five that we have used this past week, one we declared dead this morning, and will have to move the wet grain out to another bin, two have had five service calls between them, and two are running OK for now. We have decided that one of these will be junked, and one replaced with new for next year.
Motors, capacitors, belts, track, cables, micro switches, bearings, fuses....all are contiual problems on the stirring devices, and you have to climb the bin EVERY TIME to work on them, usually in the rain, at night, with a half-full bin of corn that you have to pull a ladder up and over the top and down into so you can reach the #@%$%^ part that needs repaired. Did I mention that I really don't like stirring augers!!
The continuous flow dryer (Farm Fans) replaced an old, small, but fairly reliable batch dryer (also FF). We have had good results, and good capacity from it and the air system that fills the bins. We use a 10" auger to fill a hopper tank on the ground for wet holding. Fairly simple system. Would like to go to a large capacity receiving leg next year. Are these dryers trouble-free? No. But IMHO they are at least more easily accessible when you have to repair them, and if sized right, can have alot of capacity that could only be equalled by a huge bin with multiple fan/burner units, plus stirring augers, plus bottom augers (how do you work on those?...Oh, yeah, empty the bin...but wait...how do you empty the bin if the bottom augers...oh well) plus you still need a take-away system anyway.
OK, end of rant. (Did I mention I don't like...OK)
Ken
Edited by KDD 11/7/2006 00:31
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