[CodeMatters]

Idea is to add something (usually thick rubber) to 2nd stage impellers
to reduce clearance to surrounding circular bin. Supposed to improve
throw distance and reduce/eliminate clogging.

Thinking about trying this. Wondering if any y'all have experience to
share.

Few videos online including:

 

[joed]

Looks interesting if works like he says.

 

[ktownskier]

I haven't done it myself. But I have looked at the videos and thought about it.

The reason that I think it would work is looking at the single stage Toro snowthrowers. They are using a rubber material and scrubbing it along the back of the machine, along with the curving of the rotor, it concentrates the charge and really throws the snow out. The part of it that makes it work is that it scrubs it along tightly against the back of the machine.

So, by adding some of the same material to the impeller, making it scrub tighter against the wall, should improve the efficiency. And allow it to throw snow a heckuva a lot farther. Especially heavy wet snow.

Just not sure why manufacturers don't do it. I am sure that there is a reason why they don't. Just not privvy to that bit of information.

 

[roughneck]

Kinda depends on the design of the blower.
Some will still want to clog in the chute.
But it will generally make the impeller more efficient.
A couple of my friends did it. And we did this to several blowers we had in a facility I worked for many years ago. The results varied.

 

[joed]

I'm sitting here thinking that once the snow built up without the rubber, that would make the clearance very tight to the impeller. Why wouldn't it work great after that happened?

 

[Msradell]

When I 1st read or read the article it sound like a good idea. However the more I thought about it I'm wondering if the friction of the rubber content the chamber may cause excessive friction and low down the motor.

 

[ktownskier]

The rubber would be cut at a bevel, so that would help alleviate the bogging down potential.

With the snow clogging in the chute, part of the problem I have found is that as the cutters chomp up the snow and bring it in to the impeller, it starts to have problems with keeping up with spitting the snow out. Having the rubber on the impeller blades increases the tightness and helps it increase the density charge of the snow. Which helps it really flow out of the chute.

Also, keeping the chute and the impeller housing clean and waxed will also help.

 

[CodeMatters]

Also, keeping the chute and the impeller housing clean and waxed will also help.

Expect you'll appreciate that this's easier said than done, in the middle
of winter, possibly with back to back snow falls, and for most of us, no
heated garage. Add to that some slushy snow that freezes fast and
hard.........

 

[CodeMatters]

I'm sitting here thinking that once the snow built up without the rubber, that would make the clearance very tight to the impeller. Why wouldn't it work great after that happened?

Suspect it's the fact that snow against snow/ice will have a high coefficient
of friction whereas snow against steel* will have much lower friction. The
higher friction would result in back up from chute mouth to bucket intake.
........just what I'm picturing.....ymmv.

*especially freshly painted, and stick free sprayed, steel.

 

[joed]

Try it and let us know how goes.

 

[LS-6]

The snow might actually act as a lubricant. We all know how slippery it is.
Just sayin.....

 

[ktownskier]

If you want to see some real fun, look for super mod snowthrowers on youtube. I have seen some with v8's on them and even some with multiple engines.

And then there are the rotary plows on trains going through the Cascades and Sierra-Nevada's. Especially Donner Pass. Talk about snow blowers. I am not talking about plows, which are another topic in themselves. Nebraska's 3 lane planes, Train plows, etc.. But Train Snow Blowers. Man, those things can throw snow hundreds of feet it seems.

 

[lenaitch]

If you want to see some real fun, look for super mod snowthrowers on youtube. I have seen some with v8's on them and even some with multiple engines.

And then there are the rotary plows on trains going through the Cascades and Sierra-Nevada's. Especially Donner Pass. Talk about snow blowers. I am not talking about plows, which are another topic in themselves. Nebraska's 3 lane planes, Train plows, etc.. But Train Snow Blowers. Man, those things can throw snow hundreds of feet it seems.

Ya, some pretty impressive machinery, although there is a whole lotta power behind them compared to our domestic driveway blowers. All were single stage although some used different methods for the rotary, such as blades, cone-shaped chambers, etc.
Dedicated blowers such as used by airports, etc. often have much high stage speeds than we homeowners are used to. While most newer ones are hydraulic, the older ones often had a bigger engine powering the blower than the vehicle.
I notice snowblower manufacturers will usually advertise the blowing distance, which are consistently farther than mine. I don't know if they operate their stages at higher speeds or the design has evolved.