Chicken plucker biuld

[PHPaul]

A distribution transformer (the one on the pole that feeds your house) takes single phase high voltage (varies, 2,000vac is pretty much the minimum, can be as high as 35KV, according to Wiki) and performs two functions:

1. Steps it down to 220v

2. Provides two legs plus neutral

This example uses a 7.2KV primary, different distribution voltages are still stepped down to 220v by using more or less windings on the transformer as needed.

EDIT: A bit more research indicates that the two legs are indeed 180° out of phase as far as the AC waveform is concerned. As long as 220 is taken by tapping both legs, it's still considered single phase.

It's rare these days, but older machinery (say, 1940's) did use what is effectively "2 phase" power by using each leg to ground.

 

[rasorbackq]

Kind of funny this morning . Woke up to only half my house with power. Could see one of the 120 lines broken at the pole.
I asked the tech about the wiring.
Only single phase into all houses in Nova Scotia.

 

[joefromga]

It's 240v.

 

[KYErik]

When I built my whizzbang, I used an old riding lawnmower transmission and changed gears until I found one that worked the best. I don't recall what rpm I ended up with but I was using a 1/2hp 1750 rpm electric motor. It has been a few years since I have used it. It worked best when I lightly sprayed the chickens with water with a garden hose nozzle while they were being plucked. It just took 30 seconds in the plucker if they were scalded properly. Every once in awhile they would break a leg in the plucker.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks. I figured it was just a taste thing. Some people like the taste of the skin, so plucking make sense. We're new to raising chickens, so I was mostly just wondering if we where missing out on another reason to pluck a chicken.

 

[rasorbackq]

Eddie If you're eating a layer rooster , you had better keep slow cooking them as they are tough every way they can be cooked.

 

[MossRoad]

So pardon my city-boy ignorance, but if you skin a chicken that means you don't have to bother plucking it, correct?

That would be a decent trade off for me. Personally, I like skin on a chicken. But my wife prefers boneless, skinless.

 

[Renze]

Personally, I like skin on a chicken. But my wife prefers boneless, skinless.

I hate butchering chicken. Lotsa work, little meat. I prefer hog.

 

[MMagis]

With a whizbang style plucker, it almost makes butchering fun. I never figured out the exact time, but I bet it’s less than 5 minutes/bird.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

How do the pluckers work on ducks?