Parlour Auger Timer Relay Switch

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 25, 2015

• #1

Just wondering if any of you guys have your parlour augers on a timer relay switch. We had ours fitted with one so the feeders automatically fill after 10-15mins etc.

We have two augers, one for each side of the parlour but for some reason, one of the timers keeps failing and I have replaced the relay time switch twice already and it has failed again. The other auger has been perfect and still using the one that went in on day one.

I was thinking of trying another brand so was wondering what you guys are using and if you are using the same as the one I have then have you had any problems with them?

This is the one I am using.

http://www.milkingmachines.co.uk/pdf/Relpol_Multi_Timer.pdf

 

Netherfield

Member

Location

West Yorkshire

• Jan 25, 2015

• #2

http://uk.farnell.com/eaton-moeller...0-a|match|b|plid|&CMP=KNC-GUK-FUK-GEN-SKU-MDC

 

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 25, 2015

• #3

£263 ?

That's some difference between the £30 one I was using. I suppose it's a case of "you pay for quality".

Thanks for that. I'll look into that one. I'd soon be out the price of that one when you add up the ones I have replaced and the headache of the feeders going empty not not being filled.

 

W

Wombat

Member

BASIS

Location

East yorks

• Jan 25, 2015

• #4

£17.50 here http://www.cle-electrical.co.uk/p/2655/multi-function-timerrelay

Not used them but with a credit card you are protected anyway.

 

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 25, 2015

• #5

That's were I got the last one from. Worked in around £25 inc postage and took a week to delivery. It's just they only last between 4-12 weeks before packing up or the timing bucks up.

 

S

Splitpin

Member

Location

Devon

• Jan 25, 2015

• #6

We have a level switch on the last hopper, works ok but the auger is cutting in and out a lot during milking

 

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 25, 2015

• #7

The advantage if a relay timer is it only starts to count when the paddle switch at the last feeder is realeased when the meal goes down.

Once it fills after milking etc, the motors don't kick in till the cows start to feed during the next milking.

 

Netherfield

Member

Location

West Yorkshire

• Jan 25, 2015

• #8

Sorry for the brief reply orginally, yes it does sound expensive at that price.

I've had a thought that maybe the relay is not the fault, could be a bad connection somewhere else is overloading the relay and fusing the contacts inside it, is the relay carrying the full motor current or is it just a switch operating a motor starter,thereby just carrying the current to a coil in the starter.

 

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 25, 2015

• #9

It's a DOL starter so an output voltage from the timer triggers the Starter. It's always the same auger so if I get time tomorrow, I am gonna investigate the starter. Might just install a new one.

 

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 28, 2015

• #10

I examined both augers and the wiring are identical. I don't see anything that could overload the timer. It just appears the good auger has a very lucky timer to be going fault free. These Relpol timers must be cheap Chinese rubbish.

 

Fergieman

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Northumberland

• Jan 28, 2015

• #11

EB Augers do an electronic level sensor that has a built in timmer which you can set for what ever length of time you want after the feed has dropped down below the sensor.

 

Z

zyklon

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jan 31, 2015

• #12

That's an interesting one worth investigating.

Thanks, I'll look into that one.

 

chickens and wheat

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Boroughbridge, york

• Jan 31, 2015

• #13

either delayed stop or delaved start depending how you wire it
http://www.daltonengineering.co.uk/electrical/proximity-switch-230v-0-10min-delay-5-wire.html

 

Netherfield

Member

Location

West Yorkshire

• Jan 31, 2015

• #14

treblesykes said:

either delayed stop or delaved start depending how you wire it
http://www.daltonengineering.co.uk/electrical/proximity-switch-230v-0-10min-delay-5-wire.html

Click to expand...

I think thats the same as EB use, and are very reliable, biggest problem can be mounting the thing, you need a 63mm hole for the cable gland which it fits into.
Looks a reasonable price as well, EB were asking more than that 12 years ago.

 

chickens and wheat

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Boroughbridge, york

• Jan 31, 2015

• #15

probably of no help but the green clamps provided with a stocks seeder are just the right size to hold the sensor, you can mount the sensor on a feed hopper with only two 10mm drill holes
I happened to have a bagfull of these so used 3 in poultry sheds
here just under the word 'spreader'
http://www.stocks-ag.co.uk/turbo.html
you could make the same with a piece of hardwood and a big drill

 

J

JD6400

New Member

Location

Lincolnshire / Buckinghamshire

• Feb 1, 2015

• #16

Europa is not what I would say top of the range gear , so it may well be this that is the problem ?
Eaton is however a lot better when it comes to build quality , I think if you tried at your local electrical wholesalers , you may find the price a little less painful . Farnell will not be the cheapest place to source one .

You could try ABB , Hagar , Schneider or Telemecanique gear for a price , all of which I have found of reasonable value for quality in the past

 

milkloss

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

East Sussex

• Feb 1, 2015

• #17

Why not have two proximity/capacitance sensors? One at the top of the hopper to switch off the contactors and one lower down to start them. Job done and no timer necessary.

 

Mursal

Member

• Feb 1, 2015

• #18

The inrush current may well be to high for the contacts, are the contacts failing burning out or welding together, might be worth stripping a failed one to see?
The good motor might have less starting current because of the capacitors used, or they are about to fail on the bad motor. If you have capacitors on the start circuit did you consider changing them? Also consider fitting a snubber circuit on the circuit to further protect the contacts when switching off from arcing may well be fitted and has failed on the bad motor. Have you a loaded motor due to bearing failure, leaving it hard to start, drawing additional start current?