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shallowwatersailor

Motorized Chute Deflector

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smoreau

Nice John !! Planning the same thing if i get the time

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Ed Kennell

Looks good John....now if we only had some snow. :occasion-snowman:

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Geno

Nice job there John.  You'll have to show us some pics of it in action when the snow arrives! :handgestures-thumbsup:  

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AMC RULES

Like it... :handgestures-thumbsup:

want one too.

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Jim_M

Simple, relatively cheap and it didn't take you 144 posts to show it to us. I like it.

Edited by Jim_M
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the_nite_owl

There are a number of other threads on motorizing the chute deflector on the snowthrowers and snowblowers so I won't take any credit. But here is how I did mine with a 4" linear actuator that included the brackets. With the 4" of travel it won't deflect down completely but it should be sufficient. Relatively cheap and strictly bolt-on. I used stainless steel 1/4"-20 socket cap screws inside the chute and locking nuts.

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Looks great.  How much did you pay for the linear actuator and where did you get it?

I want to do the same on several of my tractors with snow blowers.

Considering using a power window motor to turn the chute.  Have not yet researched what others have done but have seen the setups with the spiral steel for turning, seems a bit overmuch if you have a handle for turning the chute already.  I picture adding on a gear for the motor to attach to on the existing shaft.  Or use an older snow blower electric starter motor with the throwout to engage the gear so it will still be usable manually.

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Jim_M

Aren't those snow blower starter motors 120 volt motors?

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the_nite_owl

Aren't those snow blower starter motors 120 volt motors?

Yes but some can run on DC or be converted to DC.  If nothing else I can use the mechanism that engages the teeth and find a 12v motor to drive it.  The question is if I can run the motor in reverse for the opposite direction of travel or if I would need a different motor entirely so I can use reverse polarity to change direction.

 

For the linear actuator above, the throw can be extended by using a pivoting assembly that the actuator attaches to on the bottom which causes the top to rock.  The farther the top extends than the bottom does the greater the amount of throw it will give. 

You may get the rest of what you need by making a bracket that goes across the handle on the top of the chute that is much lower than the actuator is currently mounted to.  The higher above the top of the deflector you mount the less travel of the deflector you will get as it is farther away from the pivot points where the deflector is mounted.

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shallowwatersailor

I bought it on the popular auction site. It was $54.95 with free shipping. There are additional lengths available (6", 8", etc.) but what I wanted was one that I could run the full length of travel without over-running and burning out the motor. The limit switches inside stop the motor automatically on this style. The larger black ones, for example, still run but make a ratchet noise. With the 4" I have the full height down to just below level for the discharge.

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ericj

i've been wanting to do this to my 2 stage blower because the dang deflector won't stay were you put it. i have an actuator off a crapsman that i parted out. had been trying to sell it, tried to use it last weekend for a project but it wasn't strong enough to do what i needed it to do so now i'll try to use it on my blower. i'll have to make some brackets to mount mine since i got mine used

 

 

 

 

eric j 

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Edited by ericj

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the_nite_owl

Do you know what the speed is on that actuator?  I found some I could get out of China for about $42. but the speed is about .24" per second which would take over 16 seconds to move the full 4".  I hope to find one a bit faster than that.

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AMC RULES

Yeah, like a howitzer...   :thumbs: 

like the cool licence plate too John. 

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RMCIII

John - Looks great!....

 

Rob

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Fun Engineer

Nice installation john. What type of switch are you using and where did you install it?

Sent from my tractor seat.

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Theroundhousernr

   I have been looking at them same actuators and I like that they came with a bracket. I thought they would bolt right up, but I am a sceptic, until its in my hands. Now I know I will have no issues.

    I was going to buy the 8 inch throw. Do you feel you have enough with the 4 inch? I like your logic behind your thinking with limit switches. I measured close to 8 with mine, I am thinking of going with the 6 inch. I guess you dont need the full reach anway, but I like to know its there.

 

   Thanks for posting!

Edited by Theroundhousernr

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GT14

Very nice  :handgestures-thumbupright: 

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shallowwatersailor

   I have been looking at them same actuators and I like that they came with a bracket. I thought they would bolt right up, but I am a sceptic, until its in my hands. Now I know I will have no issues.

    I was going to buy the 8 inch throw. Do you feel you have enough with the 4 inch? I like your logic behind your thinking with limit switches. I measured close to 8 with mine, I am thinking of going with the 6 inch. I guess you dont need the full reach anway, but I like to know its there.

 

   Thanks for posting!

I had thought of the six inch travel but was measuring single-handedly so I went conservative. With the four inch travel, it still does go a bit below level. The diameter or dimension of the actuator wasn't known as well and is smaller than I expected. In hind sight, I should have maybe cut a piece of wood to six inches just to see what it might have landed. The height of the brackets also play into it because with more angle, there is more of a chance to come in contact with the chute. By the way, the bracket is 1-5/8" from base to centerline for mounting. My Ariens walk-behind has a cable operated chute deflector that can go very low but I have never needed to lower it that much.

 

Just for the heck of it, I went and searched for the six inch version. I never thought of it but it is physically longer as well and I would need to drill new holes in the chute. I think I'll see how the four inch does. I am curious though, and we'll see!

 

What I would like to do is eliminate the handle and cable on the snowblade with a linear actuator. It would require one of the heavy duty ones because of the pressure exerted by the load across the face of the blade. Next year's project?

Edited by shallowwatersailor

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Rick_in_CT

Gents,

 

I did a similar installation back in 2010.  I used a 9" actuator that has 15lbs of force, .79 seconds per inch.  I used the brackets that came with it in addition to some hardware purchased at Home Depot, they are for installing Uni-strut.  The 9 inch stroke was a little too long, so I customized the internals to reposition the limit switches.  The 8" stroke may have been a better choice.  I do get full range of the chute deflector, and the limit switches turn off the motor at each end of the range.  I control it with a 3 position rocker switch that I mounted on the control panel.

 

I have 3 winters on it now with zero problems.  I have a very long driveway to clear and it has got lots of use.  I wouldn't have a blower without one.

 

Rick

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doc724

That is a nice clean install of the rocker switch.  Is that an oil pressure on the side?

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the_nite_owl

Agreed, that is a nice rocker switch.  Is it weather resistant?

I just put a self centering toggle on my 416H to control the electric lift.  The switch comes with a rubber boot that covers the exposed side of the panel.  That rocker would have looked nicer though.

 

I have been thinking about alternative methods for using the linear actuator and imagine a circular plate with a pin sticking out of it for the actuator to attach to.  The plate mounts centered on the side of the deflector where it mounts to the chute and the pin for the actuator can be spaced out far enough from the mounting point to give whatever amount of rotary movement is needed to accomplish full range of movement of the deflector with a shorter throw linear actuator mounted to the side of the chute rather than the top.  You end up with fewer problems with interference of the rod along the changing angle of the deflector, can use a less expensive shorter throw actuator and have a faster response time due to the shortened length of throw.

 

Picture a round plate with a mount hole in the center.  The closer to the center you place the pin the greater the rotation you get with less movement from your actuator and you can easily find the balance between length of throw and total required movement.

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Rick_in_CT

The rocker switch is weather resistant.  I purchased it from progressiveautomations.com.  I see that they have now replaced it with a new model, RC-10 which has an LED in it (it is pricey). 

 

The little readout on the panel is an hour meter and tachometer.  I added it for the tach feature.  No real reason why, just wanted to try one.  Attached is the cover sheet to the manual in case you wanted to look it up.

 

Nite Owl, agree that you can mount the actuator to the side of the deflector, I think that Kubota mounts theirs on the side.  If I was to do it again, I will probably go with a side mount.

 

Rick

Kohler.pdf

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Fun Engineer

I can't see posts 17-19. Anyone else have this problem?

Sent from my tractor seat.

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Theroundhousernr

I can't see posts 17-19. Anyone else have this problem?

Sent from my tractor seat.

Seem them just fine on my end.

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Fun Engineer

I can't see posts 17-19. Anyone else have this problem?

Sent from my tractor seat.

I can see them now. [emoji1]

Sent from my tractor seat.

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