Brandt GRAIN VAC 5000, Operator And Parts Manual

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5.14 Fan Rotor and Housing Inspection
The Fan Rotor and Fan Housing are susceptible to wearing from airborne dust and dirt particles as they
pass through the grain vac. For this reason, regular inspections of the fan rotor and fan housing should be
performed after 100 hrs of use and every 25 hrs thereafter. This is especially important when the grain vac
has been used to convey highly abrasive materials. Some examples where this is the case are: any
operation in soybeans or field peas, picking up grain piles off of bare dirt, and very dirty grain. Use the
following procedure to inspect the grain vac rotor:
1. Remove the inspection cover from the bottom of the fan housing by removing the four outside nuts.
2. Using a trouble light, inspect fan housing for wear. Wear on the housing will show up as a narrow
groove or cut in the section of the housing on the upper side of the outlet. See Fig. 34 and 35. This
groove or cut will be about 1 1/2” from the front edge of the fan housing. While a noticeable groove
or small cut may be unsightly, it will not affect the performance of the grain vac until a hole develops in
the fan housing. This hole will develop at about the 3 o-clock position when standing facing the front
of the fan. A noticeable groove or cut in the housing may however indicate a wear problem with the fan
rotor itself.
A 1/4” thick wear strip has been installed inside the housing in this area. When the groove has cut
through this first layer of material, maintenance to the housing must be preformed. Remove the fan
rotor assembly and inspect the groove closer. If the groove has only cut through the first layer of
material, the groove can be welded shut. Make sure the weld is smooth. Grind if necessary.
If the groove has cut through both layers of material, the fan housing should be replaced.
Carefully inspect the fan rotor at this time. Refer to step 3 for the rotor inspection.
3. Inspect the fan rotor for wear by looking
up through the inspection hole. By slowing
turning the rotor by hand, position one fan
blade so you can see it straight on. See
Figure 36. Inspect the area where the fan
blade is attached to the drive side plate. If
any gouging is present, proceed to inspect
the tab that holds the blade to the plate at
the very outside of the fan rotor. The
gouging will eventually cut through the tab.
Inspect each of the twelve blades on the
fan for gouging and cut tabs. If any of the
tabs are cut off, the fan rotor must be
replaced. Do not operate the machine in
this state. A catastrophic rotor failure could
occur causing severe damage to the vac
and personal injury or death to the operator
and/or bystanders.
Inspection
Cover
Viewed from under the Vac
F
IG
. 34 I
NSPECTION
H
OLE IN THE
F
AN
H
OUSING