Truck Box Grain Aeration
"I installed portable aeration systems in two of my grain trucks," says Roger Gutschmidt of Gackle, N. Dak. "It allows me to start combining before the crop is completely dry. For example, sometimes the outside round is wetter than the rest of the field, maybe because of grass and weeds on the perimeter."
He says the home-built system means he can dry down 17 percent moisture wheat, corn, beans, soybeans, or whatever, in just a couple of hours using a Caldwell 3/4 hp aeration fan.
"These batch aeration systems get a lot of use in my operation. It certainly was well worth the time and expense putting them in my trucks," Gutschmidt says. "My neighbors even borrow my trucks once in a while if they have some æhot' grain. Nobody wants to mess around putting 800 to 900 bushels of wet grain in a bin and have to babysit it to get the moisture where it's supposed to be. And the local grain elevators don't want wet grain."
Gutschmidt's trucks are '72 and '76 Chevy single axles with 16-ft. long boxes. He simply connected 12-in. dia. perforated aeration tubing to the Caldwell drying fan.
A 14-ft. section of tube lays on the truck box floor. It's short enough that it doesn't hinder the grain's exit from the end gate during unloading. The back end of the tube is open - Gutschmidt says that a cap would only prevent grain that has fallen into the tube through the perforations from getting back out.
Since each truck holds 400 to 450 bu., he installed one "anti-collapse ring" on the floor aeration tube, otherwise the weight of the grain could collapse it.
"The two big 12-in. elbows I needed for this system were hard to find," Gutschmidt points out. "I ordered them from McMaster-Carr Supply Co. in Chicago, Ill., and they were only $13 each. I have one on the front end of the floor tube and one at the top of the truck box."
Since a 3/4 hp fan is normally used on a 2,500-bu. aeration bin, it doesn't take very long to dry the 450 bu. truck box of grain.
"You can't tarp the load when the fan is running because it will blow the tarp right off the truck," he cautions.
The fan plugs into a 110-volt outlet, so Gutschmidt permanently mounted a short, 14-ga. extension cord from the fan to the bottom corner of the truck box so he can easily plug into a longer extension cord from the ground.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Gutschmidt Manufacturing LLC, Roger Gutschmidt, 6651 Hwy. 56, Gackle, N. Dak. 58442 (ph 701 698-2310; shopdoc@drtel.net).
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Truck Box Grain Aeration TRUCKS Accessories I installed portable aeration systems in two of my grain trucks says Roger Gutschmidt of Gackle N Dak It allows me to start combining before the crop is completely dry For example sometimes the outside round is wetter than the rest of the field maybe because of grass and weeds on the perimeter
He says the home-built system means he can dry down 17 percent moisture wheat corn beans soybeans or whatever in just a couple of hours using a Caldwell 3/4 hp aeration fan
These batch aeration systems get a lot of use in my operation It certainly was well worth the time and expense putting them in my trucks Gutschmidt says My neighbors even borrow my trucks once in a while if they have some æhot grain Nobody wants to mess around putting 800 to 900 bushels of wet grain in a bin and have to babysit it to get the moisture where it s supposed to be And the local grain elevators don t want wet grain
Gutschmidt s trucks are 72 and 76 Chevy single axles with 16-ft long boxes He simply connected 12-in dia perforated aeration tubing to the Caldwell drying fan
A 14-ft section of tube lays on the truck box floor It s short enough that it doesn t hinder the grain s exit from the end gate during unloading The back end of the tube is open - Gutschmidt says that a cap would only prevent grain that has fallen into the tube through the perforations from getting back out
Since each truck holds 400 to 450 bu he installed one anti-collapse ring on the floor aeration tube otherwise the weight of the grain could collapse it
The two big 12-in elbows I needed for this system were hard to find Gutschmidt points out I ordered them from McMaster-Carr Supply Co in Chicago Ill and they were only $13 each I have one on the front end of the floor tube and one at the top of the truck box
Since a 3/4 hp fan is normally used on a 2 500-bu aeration bin it doesn t take very long to dry the 450 bu truck box of grain
You can t tarp the load when the fan is running because it will blow the tarp right off the truck he cautions
The fan plugs into a 110-volt outlet so Gutschmidt permanently mounted a short 14-ga extension cord from the fan to the bottom corner of the truck box so he can easily plug into a longer extension cord from the ground
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Gutschmidt Manufacturing LLC Roger Gutschmidt 6651 Hwy 56 Gackle N Dak 58442 ph 701 698-2310; shopdoc@drtel net
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