DIY Electric chute rotator

[KubotaSam]

1.25 diameter times 3.14 (pie) = 3.925 or I rounded to 4. So the drum pulls 4" per revolution. If the winch pulls 10 feet per minute which converts to 120 inches. Then divide the distance pulled by how many inches per revolution (120 / 4 = 30) it will take 30 revolutions to pull the ten feet (120"). The winch turns 30 revolutions per minute.

 

[John in the UP]

I'm not sure what's available, but you may want to check out this link on the Pronovost web site:

Machineries Pronovost inc.

Item #2504 (4th one down the page). Who knows, you might find what you're looking for...

-John

 

[moeh1]

I used one of the $40-50 HF winches. I mounted the winch near the manual crank and dissassembled and slid a sprocket on the manual crank shaft with a chain drive connecting back to a split sprocket on the original winch spool. I hope my description is clear, the sprocket is two halves that clamp around the winch spool ( had to bore the sprocket out to a few thousanths of an inch smaller than the spool diameter to provide some clamping action). The set screw for the split sprocket went into the cable hole of the winch spool for additional anti-rotation protection. Since the winch came with wiring and a two button control for in and out, all I had to do was connect it to the battery and I was in business. I made a plexi cover to keep most of the snow out. I am going on year 3 and it is working great. If it ever failed, you can freewheel the winch and still use the handcrank. Sorry I don't have pics to include here.

 

[PILOON]

I used one of the $40-50 HF winches. I mounted the winch near the manual crank and dissassembled and slid a sprocket on the manual crank shaft with a chain drive connecting back to a split sprocket on the original winch spool. I hope my description is clear, the sprocket is two halves that clamp around the winch spool ( had to bore the sprocket out to a few thousanths of an inch smaller than the spool diameter to provide some clamping action). The set screw for the split sprocket went into the cable hole of the winch spool for additional anti-rotation protection. Since the winch came with wiring and a two button control for in and out, all I had to do was connect it to the battery and I was in business. I made a plexi cover to keep most of the snow out. I am going on year 3 and it is working great. If it ever failed, you can freewheel the winch and still use the handcrank. Sorry I don't have pics to include here.

Marty, we think alike!

Those winches just 'scream' use me on a snow blower!

Torque-RPM's-cost-pre-wired reverser switch-etc.
How can you go wrong!

In fact I am supprised that a major blower manufacturer has not offered a factory kit adopting these 'winch kits'.
Sounds like a cool aftermarket opportunity to me.

 

[moeh1]

Bob,
my blower manufacturer already offers an electric kit option. While that kit is a bit more compact than what I rigged up, it was ~$350 ( without the reversing switch gear), and there is no way they could expect to charge that for an off the shelf $50 winch, 18" of chain, two sprockets and a bracket. To be fair, I spent an afternoon fabbing a bracket and having a friend bore the split sprocket to the correct diameter.

 

[PILOON]

Marty :

OK, now we have to do a shute angle control mod!

How about the ATV winch driving a threaded rod with a matching 'nut' swivilled at the top?
The winch would be at bottom of shute, coupled to the threaded rod with a simple 'U' joint. Acme thread would be best naturally.

Kinda a 'poor mans linear actuator'.
Would be real easy if the winch drum could be remouved and a Ujoint substituted, but as I recall the drum would not lend itself to remouval all while retaining the rotational stability, would kinda wobble or then again were not the reduction gearing part of the drum? Would need to have one apart on the bench to be sure.

But then I always blow snow 'wide open' as I want it as far away as possible, plus I don't have neighbors to worry about as I'm in the boonies.

 

[Wyld Bill]

I used one of the $40-50 HF winches. I mounted the winch near the manual crank and dissassembled and slid a sprocket on the manual crank shaft with a chain drive connecting back to a split sprocket on the original winch spool. I hope my description is clear, the sprocket is two halves that clamp around the winch spool ( had to bore the sprocket out to a few thousanths of an inch smaller than the spool diameter to provide some clamping action). The set screw for the split sprocket went into the cable hole of the winch spool for additional anti-rotation protection. Since the winch came with wiring and a two button control for in and out, all I had to do was connect it to the battery and I was in business. I made a plexi cover to keep most of the snow out. I am going on year 3 and it is working great. If it ever failed, you can freewheel the winch and still use the handcrank. Sorry I don't have pics to include here.

YES!!!!
This is what I am looking for!
Man I wish you had some pictures but that is a good description. Which blower is it mounted on? What is the time span for full rotation stop to stop?
Where did you get your sprockets?


Last night I modified my manual crank handle. I was looking at it & the biggest problem right now is that it is a reach to get to the handle whent he blower is down onte ground running. So I made the crank handle adjustable in length. Now it comes really close to the back of my seat.
I still want to do the electric chute rotator at some point though.

 

[Wyld Bill]

Marty :

OK, now we have to do a shute angle control mod!

How about the ATV winch driving a threaded rod with a matching 'nut' swivilled at the top?
The winch would be at bottom of shute, coupled to the threaded rod with a simple 'U' joint. Acme thread would be best naturally.

Kinda a 'poor mans linear actuator'.
Would be real easy if the winch drum could be remouved and a Ujoint substituted, but as I recall the drum would not lend itself to remouval all while retaining the rotational stability, would kinda wobble or then again were not the reduction gearing part of the drum? Would need to have one apart on the bench to be sure.

But then I always blow snow 'wide open' as I want it as far away as possible, plus I don't have neighbors to worry about as I'm in the boonies.

I keep reading about linear actuators for the chute angle/deflector control. Why?
If the winches work good why not just install a heavy torsion (like on a mouse trap but much larger) spring on the deflector that is trying to push it shooting snow towards the ground. Mount a winch somewhere on the chute wth the cable clipped onto the deflector (most deflectors already have a tab here for manual settings). Power the winch in & the deflector moves up shooting the snow more vertical. Power the winch out & the spring pulls the deflector downward. DONE! Another cool thing is of something solid hits the deflector like a big rock or something, with the torsion spring pushing down the deflector would "give" a lttle to absorb the blow.

Actually was just thinking why couldn't you just use a heavy duty control cable of some sort to control the deflector. Similar to some walk behind blowers. No motors needed.

 

[moeh1]

Wyld Bill,
I'll see if I can come up with some way to get some pictures, but every cheap winch and every snowblower is different. The sprocket were some heavy chain surplus I had laying around. Places that sell power transmission drive systems would be a good bet. I would think McMaster and or Grainger's also. My setup is on a loftness 5' unit. I think the hand crank was a standard 1" bore and the winch sprocket had to be bored to just over 2" to fit on the spool. Since I used sprockets I had lying around, I had to live with the speed I got. My blower will got 360 degree rotation, no stops. I would guess it is about 20-25 seconds to go from side to side (> 180 degrees), but if I had a different sprockets I could have sped it up. It is still quicker than getting turned around to do it by hand!
On the question of chute closure control, I also run basically wide open, I probably close mine down once or twice a year when it is really blowing. I still would go the surplus linear actuator unit route just to be as clean and compact as possible if I ever get to it. Probably would cost a little bit more, but they are getting more popular.

 

[Wyld Bill]

1.25 diameter times 3.14 (pie) = 3.925 or I rounded to 4. So the drum pulls 4" per revolution. If the winch pulls 10 feet per minute which converts to 120 inches. Then divide the distance pulled by how many inches per revolution (120 / 4 = 30) it will take 30 revolutions to pull the ten feet (120"). The winch turns 30 revolutions per minute.

Ok, thanks!
So that is 1/2 revelution per second right?
So if I want 1 RPS on the rotator crank shaft then I'd need a sprocket twice as big on the winch as the one on the rotator crank shaft. right??
I'm thinking 1-1/2" spocket on the shaft & 2-1/2" on the winch (if there is clearence for it)