Need some help with old hay elevator converting for wood.

[Woodchuck71]

I'm thinking you might be causing a lot of the problem by welding the angle to the chain.
Thinking the original flights had rivets?
And by welding you're changing the molecular structure of the chain.
They broke at the thinnest point?
Too much chain between flights also adds to the shock load.
Looks like a "jump" around the 4second mark

 

[93green12v]

I'm thinking you might be causing a lot of the problem by welding the angle to the chain.
Thinking the original flights had rivets?
And by welding you're changing the molecular structure of the chain.
They broke at the thinnest point?
Too much chain between flights also adds to the shock load.
Looks like a "jump" around the 4second mark

I’ve had the chain break else where too. The paddles that came with it where not enough to bother with. So we had tried using the tin ones we had made up but they where loose and would fall off or get stuck else where. So I welded in all the paddles you see now a lot are on tabs more than the chain itself but there are other like this one too. That haven’t failed yet lol.

 

[Woodchuck71]

I'm out of ideas

 

[siouxindian]

I have a Harbor Freight Predator 6 HP on mine that runs just a hair above idle. Leave the drive belt loose enough to slip in the event of a snag. I have only had to stop and clear it once or twice in the 4 years I have used it processing about 4-1/2 cords/year. Mine travels about 18"/second. It has a 2-1/2" pulley on the engine to a 14" pulley on a jack shaft connecting to a 12 tooth sprocket driving a 60 tooth sprocket, which drives the conveyor sprockets and chains. My conveyour is 24' long and 18" wide with steel paddles. It was 36' long originally, but it was bent up prety good, so I shortened it. When I split it may get at most, 4 or 5 pieces of wood running up it at a time.I'll bet that 3 HP will be more than enough with a little steeper gearing than mine, so that it runs about half throttle.
Edit: Mine is geared low enough to start with the belt on. I did incorporate an idler pulley to tighten the belt and engage the power, but found I didn't need it, so a light spring keeps the belt tension just right.

give us a picture or 2 or 10 i kinda want to get a hay conveyor my self

 

[93green12v]

give us a picture or 2 or 10 i kinda want to get a hay conveyor my self

Will do, I got pulled off the conveyor to fix my splitter. It’s a few miles from my place but I’ll get a bunch for you. Anything you want me to focus on?

 

[kevin j]

Where on the conveyor is the break occurring? Is there a pattern?
corn elevators are typically driven from the bottom also, that means if the chain gets loose all of the slack accumulates on top just next to the bottom sprocket and the chain may bind or catch on something. Ideally they would be top Drive so the top chain is in tension and the bottom chain will be slack. Since it is bottom Drive, need to keep the chain tension proper so it doesn’t catch on stuff or bind around the top. I help with a volunteer group that uses an old car and elevator, and quite often the wood coming off of the top would follow the chain around and get caught in the housing where the chain enters the bottom housing to go back down

 

[panolo]

Just finished setting mine up. Have about 8 cord through it. Running a 1.5hp electric. Jammed a couple times but made sure the belt slips and it hasn't had a issue yet. Hadn't been run in a few years so the chains and the drive was a little rusty. Hit it with some straight 30w and it seems to be working right. My chains are loose enough that you can lift each side about 3/4 to the top of the sides.

Don't wish I had the problems but wish I had the knowledge to help. Good luck and please report back!

 

[93green12v]

give us a picture or 2 or 10 i kinda want to get a hay conveyor my self

 

[93green12v]

May have found my issue or at least something else that needs to be fixed. Last picture you can see the seam where it was put together. The paddles catch that every time. Nothing has broke yet but I’m gonna get some tin or rubber roofing and span the gap so they don’t catch. After that we will see what happens.

 

[93green12v]

Opposite side same issue.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'd just weld it back up