New grain dryer opinions?

[Salopian_Will]

Oh, whys that?

The shivvers has a lot going for it, it's always been unreliable but easy to fix, mobile dryer seems a step backwards in a sense, I've considered it, but would sooner have a fixed system probably.

Fortunately our shivers has been fairly reliable and is still used for wheat into one store.

Our mobile drier is anything but mobile being connected to the intake pit and output conveyors. The reason we went that route was that there was a considerable cost saving over a continuous flow and with good capacity to tip and go, it has more than enough capacity.

We were once advised that trying to buy a drier to keep up with a combine was futile and that spending the money on wet storage/tipping space was the way to go. So far I think he is right.

 

[L P]

If you do anything with the bin for gods sake don’t get involved with Danagri.

Whys that? They are now the backup for my shivvers. They've not been much help yet, I thought they might still be learning the system... maybe there's more to it.

 

[L P]

Fortunately our shivers has been fairly reliable and is still used for wheat into one store.

Our mobile drier is anything but mobile being connected to the intake pit and output conveyors. The reason we went that route was that there was a considerable cost saving over a continuous flow and with good capacity to tip and go, it has more than enough capacity.

We were once advised that trying to buy a drier to keep up with a combine was futile and that spending the money on wet storage/tipping space was the way to go. So far I think he is right.

There would be truth in that. Wet grain can cause huge logistical problems... so can any drier... so a good wet store can get you out of a bigger corner than a 100tph broken dryer!

 

[L P]

What capacity do you need?

Total tonnes harvested?

15-25tph would keep up with the combine OK, 800 tonnes roughly... but I don't want to be limited to that, not with a new setup... 10 years time could make me regret the decision of today!

 

[Nick.]

Whys that? They are now the backup for my shivvers. They've not been much help yet, I thought they might still be learning the system... maybe there's more to it.

We had an old shivers system that was shot. We wanted to use the bins and unfortunately found Danagri.
The top man came out to quote and design what we needed. It was a nightmare.
A complete bodge job. The job ran right through into harvest.
when he finally dragged himself back to look at the job his first words were ‘it wasn’t meant to be like this’.
I’d been trying to tell him that for months !!
Parts not turning up ie new fan for one. His blokes basically making it up as they went along.
Ended up in court.

 

[Pilatus]

We put a continuous flow system in 10 years ago , while there is nothing wrong with it I think I would look at the option of on floor drying with agitation and maybe even a cleaner on the way in. Would also consider heating it with straw or similar

Do grain stirrers make on floor drying a lot more efficient?
Can you dry wetter grain if you have grain stirrers?
Ok expensive and more to go wrong, but user feedback would be useful.

 

[L P]

Fortunately our shivers has been fairly reliable and is still used for wheat into one store.

Our mobile drier is anything but mobile being connected to the intake pit and output conveyors. The reason we went that route was that there was a considerable cost saving over a continuous flow and with good capacity to tip and go, it has more than enough capacity.

We were once advised that trying to buy a drier to keep up with a combine was futile and that spending the money on wet storage/tipping space was the way to go. So far I think he is right.

We had an old shivers system that was shot. We wanted to use the bins and unfortunately found Danagri.
The top man came out to quote and design what we needed. It was a nightmare.
A complete bodge job. The job ran right through into harvest.
when he finally dragged himself back to look at the job his first words were ‘it wasn’t meant to be like this’.
I’d been trying to tell him that for months !!
Parts not turning up ie new fan for one. His blokes basically making it up as they went along.
Ended up in court.

Oh dear. Good to know. I don't have an axe to grind with them, they have tried to be helpful over the shivvers, nothing of the parts store has fitted or worked yet, I thought it was bad luck with a 30 year old system and shivvers being terribly unhelpful, which they are. Chris knew his stuff but retired now. 1 man in the UK isn't great

 

[L P]

Do grain stirrers make on floor drying a lot more efficient?
Can you dry wetter grain if you have grain stirrers?
Ok expensive and more to go wrong, but user feedback would be useful.

I'd love a big barn with stirrers. They get rid of the dew point with a heated floor, won't make any difference with dry air generator or a cold air system. Potentially they could, with warm air dry grain 6m deep very efficiently.

 

[Nick.]

Oh dear. Good to know. I don't have an axe to grind with them, they have tried to be helpful over the shivvers, nothing of the parts store has fitted or worked yet, I thought it was bad luck with a 30 year old system and shivvers being terribly unhelpful, which they are. Chris knew his stuff but retired now. 1 man in the UK isn't great

Chris was good, but a bugger to get hold of.
Did you ever have George come out to you ?
He was unbelievably good.

 

[grainboy]

If you want on floor drying, and you haven’t got 3 phase, this us available ,

 

[L P]

If you want on floor drying, and you haven’t got 3 phase, this us available , View attachment 1087291
View attachment 1087292View attachment 1087293View attachment 1087294View attachment 1087295

Nice old girl, I've got 3 phase. Want to make a system where once it meets the dry floor it just needs cooling in winter.. with as little as possible labour from combine to dry and on floor.

 

[Daniel]

How fast could it dry that crop? say 400t per crop type

Apparently ours would dry 700t of wheat from 20% to 15% in a week, heat up for a few days and then cool down, it’s just a space heater plonked in front of the fan inlet.

 

[L P]

Chris was good, but a bugger to get hold of.
Did you ever have George come out to you ?
He was unbelievably good.

Only one George has fixed it in my time.... not that one though. I'm quite surprised so far the best option is what I have here... Is there nothing more 21st century yet? Not looking for a 5k fix, looking to future proof the store and have a low input system

 

[AJ123]

I'd love a big barn with stirrers. They get rid of the dew point with a heated floor, won't make any difference with dry air generator or a cold air system. Potentially they could, with warm air dry grain 6m deep very efficiently.

Please explain the dew point ?

 

[L P]

Apparently ours would dry 700t of wheat from 20% to 15% in a week, heat up for a few days and then cool down, it’s just a space heater plonked in front of the fan inlet.

That is impressive, I like that thought. 2 400t bins and I could rent the barn out

 

[L P]

Please explain the dew point ?

If you blow warm air into the bottom of a heap of wet grain it will create condensation from the drying grain, with the heat it rises up... at the level in the heap where the temperature differential between ambient temperature and the rising moist air you will get a dew point where the moist air becomes air again and steam becomes water again... this creates a wet layer in the grain and nothing above will dry... it is why on floor systems always have an even, shallow grain depth. The stirrers will stop the dew point, constantly breaking that crust and drawing it up to the surface. The theory is no different to clouds forming and rain falling

 

[Daniel]

That is impressive, I like that thought. 2 400t bins and I could rent the barn out

As I say, we haven't had to try it, in its first harvest we cut enough dry to mix with the wet to get it to 15% just with ambient air blowing and the stirrers. This last harvest was so dry I considered putting a hosepipe into the intake augur. 2x 400ton bins would be waaaaay more expensive than 1x800t though i'm afraid.

 

[MrNoo]

I dry about the same as you, one man band so cart and drive the combine as well, had an old Blanch continuous flow 74 Vintage that was slightly stressful and you were always looking in the drier shed direction for a big plume of smoke!
I opted for a 27t Master elec drive fully auto, and its been great, I run it outside for now and tip in through the shed side and push up. No issues at all with it, a couple of alarms re the auto greaser but that's it.
I have planning for a bespoke grain shed and wet tip area, have conveyors sat there, just need to sort a shed out.
Just fire it up and forget about it, even shuts itself down in the eve.
I wouldn't have anything else now. The increase in bushel weight is an eye opener too.

 

[grainboy]

Just seen this,

 

[L P]

Just seen this, View attachment 1087428

I do think money no object and patience after a wet harvest that is the most future proof way to go