- IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT FLAT BOTTOM BINS
Door Unload Bins: For flat bottom bins where you unload from the door, DO NOT push the grain auger in too far, because side pressure occurs and the tube may bend. Keep grain auger by the door until the auger runs empty.
Centre Unload Bins: With under floor auger, grain tube must be raised up about 3 feet off the floor so that the grain can flow past the one inch stand rod without pushing on the tube. Stand must be placed right against the centre unload floor hole, otherwise side-pull may occur along with damage to the tube.
Above floor centre unload bins: The grain tube must be raised up about 3 to 4 feet to allow the grain to flow past the one inch stand rod without pushing sideways on the tube. The stand must be placed toward the in-feed of the auger, NOT BEHIND IT. Stand must be placed tight beside the auger as well.
- IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW ABOUT HOPPER BOTTOM BINS
Two and Three piece tubes are safe and most granary roof rings are strong enough to support the tube. However, always tell the customer to mount chains to the strongest part of roof ring. Stiffeners must be used with older bins that have a light ring.
Four piece tubes require a strong roof ring; molded, shaped or more than one layer of steel is required. A single flat roof ring will not be strong enough. A stiffener kit will have to be used: a flat plate of steel, about 12 gauge, 4” wide x 8” long, placed tight along the ring of the granary roof. We do not recommend adding additional extensions to a four piece unit in hopper bottom bins.
Placement of the tubes is IMPORTANT! The placement of the tube in a hopper bottom cone is very important; the grain tube should be placed off centre towards the side where the granary shoot starts to open. The grain tube should be placed higher in the cone rather than lower. The lower the tube is placed, the more side pressure and down pull there is. DO NOT PLACE AS LOW DOWN IN CONE AS POSSIBLE, DAMAGE WILL OCCUR.
- What type of crop varieties can the tubes be used with?
They are being used with wheat, barley, peas and lentils, corn, oats, flax, furum, and canola and are being tested with other seed varieties.
- In shed or quonsets, how far apart should the tubes be placed?
They need to be spaced every 25 feet.
- What is the largest size grain storage bins these grain tubes can be used in?
The largest used to date are 25,000 bushel bins. We are currently testing use in larger bins.
- How much moisture does it remove?
Most experience approximately 1-2 %, dependent on weather conditions and seed variety.
- How far down is the tube supposed to be hung below the filler lid?
About 12-14 inches below the filler lid.
- What type of bins do the grain tubes work in?
All flat bottoms, inverted cones, hopper bottoms, temporary grain rings, grain piles, sheds and quonsets.
- What length of tube do I need?
Total height of grain bin, from the peak to the floor, MINUS four feet.