Electric actuator for Fertilizer Spreader

[bluecon1]

I've had a pet peeve after buying a fertilizer spreader for my 3039R. Leaving the back window open to open/close the spreader was dusty and I was always getting pelted inside the cab by fertilizer. I saw a You Tube video where a guy hooked up an electric actuator and thought I should get creative with my spreader. I bought an electric actuator with a 2" stroke from Amazon as well as a reverse polarity switch to activate the open/close cycle. The actuator has two built in limit switches, but the one switch would not be activated if I didn't extend it to its full stroke, so I put an additional limit switch on the 'discharge gate' so that I can open it incrementally. The original lever with which I normally operated the gate is still there and is available incase my system fails. This lever is what makes contact with my additional limit switch which is mounted on the adjustable gate selector.

 

[LittleBill21]

the limit switches protect the actuator, they only work at the limits

 

[bluecon1]

Agreed, that's why I added the additional limit switch to stop the motor at any interval I chose.

 

[aidank]

What model of an actuator is that, looks good, hope it opens and closes nice and quick for you

 

[ArlyA]

I'm a fan of and use many actuators. Nice what you did.

 

[dieselscout80]

That’s a good setup cool.

 

[chim]

Those actuators are nifty. I used one on a 3-point snowblower for the chute UP/DOWN. I mounted it so the travel length matched what it was designed for by locating the mounting hole in the operating arm to match it up.

I have another project in the works and plan to use the same approach. Speed wasn't critical for either of these applications. If it were, there are many different sets of specs to choose from.

 

[Smokeydog]

Like your fix.