With the end of the harvest draw near and the temperatures beginning to fall, farmers need to remember to winterize their equipment that is used to store grain. GSI dryers are one of the most important machines that you have to maintain during off-season. Right winterization does not only prolong the life of your dryer but also guarantees the following season is no less than wonderful. It will be worth your time to prepare your GSI dryer in advance to save time, money, and big repairs in the future.
Remove Remaining Grain and Grumbling
It is critical to have your dryer properly cleaned before sealing it before the winter. Remaining grain, dust, and chaff can be attractors of rodents, store moisture, and cause fires. Start by shutting down every power supply and then cleaning up the burner, plenum chamber, rolling metering, and augers with the help of compressed air or vacuum.
Pay extra attention to those places in which grain accumulation is typical, e.g., to the discharge auger and the fan inlets. In addition to cleaning the GSI dryer, you should also clean moisture sensor or grain sampling systems because they are needed to get reliable readings next time.
Look at Wear and Tear
After cleaning up the dryer, carry out an extensive checkup of all parts. Check the belts, wires, and electrical components, even including the connector pins, look out for any sign to wear like corroding, fraying or even cracking. Note and make any arrangements needed to do repair or replacement of any problems. The winter is the best period to order and install parts, since there is no rush and you might end up experiencing delays in terms of the supply during the peak seasons.
GSI dryers are highly durable but even the best machines can wear down after seeing a lot of use. To get rid of catastrophic breakages during the high-season, it is important to perform preventative works on your dryer during the off-season.
Protective Electrical Parts
Humidity and low temperatures are some of the things that could damage electrical systems and unless special measures are taken it can arise it most cases. Make sure it has tight seals on all the electrical boxes, switches, and connections. Where practicable, use moisture displacement spray, and ensure that control panels are fully closed and watertight.
Unplug the electricity and also thinking about taking away sensitive electronics to store in a climate-controlled area. This is highly advisable to the dryers with advance control or touch accounting systems.
Lubrication of Moving Parts
Grease every moving part in the GSI dryer to evade rust and facilitate the normal operation in the coming spring. Apply the appropriate grease in bearings, chains, pulleys, and shafts according to the maintenance manual of your GSI dryer. Lubrication does not only prevent the corrosion but also makes joints and seals soft during long lifetimes of being idle.
Cover and Fasten the Dryer
Lastly, you do want to make sure that your dryer is not exposed to snow, ice and rodents during winter. Cover up exposed parts, seal access points and apply rodent repellents on the foundation. If your GSI dryer is not placed under shelter, you can put a tarp or some covers there that will protect the whole structure against the weather impact.
Conclusion
Winterization of your GSI dryers is a part of the farm preparation process in a very specific season. By cleaning, inspecting, protecting, and lubricating your equipment, you will be sure that it will work reliably when the next season of drying comes. To avoid potential futures pitfalls, you will be better off investing a little time into it now, and you will appreciate it in the long run.