Combines Cleaner wheat sampleIJ

In my opinion, the foreign material goes through the chaffer and lower sieve at the very rear of the machine due to a lack of air velocity in that area. The total volume of air is OK, but too much blows out the front and too little out the rear. There used to be an aftermarket deflector available to correct the problem, but I think they quit making them.

If your clean enough to avoid FM dockage, what the heck do you want to do any more forIJ Unless for your own storage, anything extra is added weight to sell the elevator. PickyIJ Sheesh, I'd say.

We had a bit more dockage in our hard spring wheat than we liked when using Harvest brand fixed air foil chaffers. The problem, verified by taping little strips of news paper to the chaffer and watching the air blow them upright. It was on an old 1480 with stock paddle fan,problem was that there is very little air under the FRONT of the chaffer. Harvest had a fix for that problem, a 1 ft long piece of "ripple tin" to pop rivit over the front of the chaffer. The ripple tin does two things, it prevents grain and MOG from falling through the front of the chaffer where their is not enough air to keep the mog out of the chaffer,and it makes all avalible air exit through the rear 3_4 of the chaffer which gives more air velocity so the chaffer works better. Sample was very clean after adding the ripple tin. It sounds crazy to block off a foot of the chaffer on a short shoe machine, but I did the paint dust test and find that even my highest yielding crops,that all grain is through the chaffer by time it is 2_3 of the way to the rear. Dusting the chaffer with a bit of contrasting spray paint is a great way to determine where grain is falling on the chaffer. You give the chaffer a good dusting of paint, let it dry and go combine for an hour. the grain falling on the chaffer will wear away the dusting of paint where the grain is falling on it and will remain where only MOG is floating over the top and out the back.

To further explain Rotor Man's post -- when MOG falls off the grain pan it drops pretty directly onto the front of the chaffer where air is at best very unevenly distributed -- more MOG follows and by this fact, you're essentially blocked off in that area anyway. Shoe shake and weight of the MOG will force fairly large pieces thru the chaffer openings. A block will prevent this and will pressurize the rest of the chaffer by preventing escapement of air at the front. Suggest that you try wiring a piece of cardboard (doubled over for a little strength)about 10-12" wide on top of the very front of the chaffer and cover it completely from side to side. This works on adjustable chaffers, as well. Reason for cardboardIJ It's flexible, which allows for adjusting of louvers and it's easy to penetrate with wire -- also will actually last quite a long time if tied down securely. Hope this helps.

In my book it's called taking pride in you work. Being the best you can be. Doing it right. I'm sure everyone's got their own book! Craig

Are you sure the old sytle fan has a dead spot in frontIJ We replaced the old fan with a crossflow before I investigated the air flow problems, so I never got to see it. However, the crossflow is just the opposite. At full speed, it blows the grain upward so hard at the front of the chaffer it sand blasts the tin directly above it. I agree that no grain falls through in that area, but would argue that it is due to high velocity rather than low. After blocking off the air at the front, more air is forced out the back, keeping the MOG suspended and cleaning up the sample. Just my 2cents!

We have fitted a Hilco fan kit to our 1680 long sieve, mainly so we will get better distribution for our airjet chaffer, trouble is that we won't get started for at least a month so I can't tell you how it will go. Have the fan cranked up to 1200+ Just on making a chaff spreader out of an old fertilizer spreader gearbox, discs and a hydraulic motor.

Do you know that you can loosen the nut on the adjustment shaft toward to combine frame. This will allow a higher speed on the fan. my thoughts. Else check you fan belt, may need to replace to have a higher speed.

There comes a point where it's beyond pride. It's anal retentive.

With the fan thoat being about 3" narrower on each side than the chaffer it seems to me that there is a dead spot there that has little or no air. I fastened 3" x 12" pieces of sheet metal over the front corners or the chaffer ( fixed air foil ) and it improved the sample. Rotor Man's ripple tin may be a better fix, I think I may try that. BM