Speed Feed FAQs
Q. I already own a back pack blower, can I use it or do I need to buy a new one?
A. We recommend Shindaiwa blowers but you can certainly try your own. The Speed Feed unit comes with a fabricated gate valve that is used to restrict food flow. This will allow you to compensate somewhat for lower output blowers and may help prevent clogging with yours. We make no claims about your blower working with the unit, if it does not you may have to purchase another blower to make it work properly or at the volumes mentioned.
Q. How much assembly is required when I get my order?
A. Not a lot. You will receive two boxes, one with the Hopper and one with the blower. You will need to attach the discharge hose to the blower. You can leave the nozzle tubes off for now. The short hose from the blower slips over the rubber sleeve on the hopper inlet and is secured by a hose clamp. The flex hose on the hopper discharge is connected to a length of PVC pipe supplied by you and secured with a hose clamp. You need a 90 fitting on the other end of the pipe to fit into the top of your feeders. That's about it, just add corn or protein and crank it up.
Q. Once I have it hooked up as a feeder filler, how much trouble is it to convert it back to a back pack blower?
A. It is very quick and easy. You simply use a screw driver to loosen the hose clamp on the inlet to the hopper, remove the hose, and slip in the discharges nozzle tube that came with the blower. Tighten the clamp and you are ready to go. It takes only a couple of minutes and could not be simpler.
Q. What is the Hopper made of?
A. It is fabricated from 16 gauge galvanized steel and welded together. The base has a wood skid on the bottom to prevent scratching the bed of a truck and to keep it from sinking into soft dirt if used on the ground. All welds are painted with cold galvanizing paint. The structure is very rugged.
Q. If I understand how this works, I have to take the lid off my feeder so the PVC filler pipe elbow can be placed in the top of the feeder. This means I will have to carry a ladder to remove and replace the lid. Can't I make some kind of permanent opening I can stick the filler tube into and eliminate the ladder bit?
A. It is possible, but don't forget that opening and closing the feeder lid is dramatically different and easier than making multiple trips up that ladder carrying 50# bags.
There are several things you need to consider in doing this. FIRST, you have to have a vent or relief opening in the top at least as large as your inlet. There is a very high volume of air coming in with the feed and if it cannot get out it will pressurize the feeder body which can distort or even rupture it. SECOND, it has to be waterproof, and THIRD, it needs to be varmint proof. I modified one feeder with a lid vent and fill opening at the top of the side of the feeder. I permanently attached 4" PVC and dropped it down to chest level. To fill I simply back up to the feeder, connect the discharge pipe to the down pipe with flex hose, and fill it up. The only problem with this is I have a vertical run of pipe and several angles instead of the straight run of angled pipe when you go into the top. This added flow resistance reduces the flow rate to 60 or 70# per minute with an EB630 blower. If you are not in a hurry I guess its not a problem. I ultimately did away with the modification and now fill the normal Speed Feed way.