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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: MillCreek on February 14, 2021, 04:17:45 PM

Title: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: MillCreek on February 14, 2021, 04:17:45 PM
So now I know why almost nobody buys a snowblower in Seattle.  It is because our heavy, wet snow clogs up the discharge chute for every foot of travel.  Therefore having to stop and punch down the snow in the discharge chute until it falls out the bottom. It took me two hours to do a 30' x 75' driveway covered with 16 inches of snow. If it wasn't for having to leave the house for Ms. MillCreek's Valentine dinner, I would have just waited for the thaw in a couple of days.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Kingcreek on February 14, 2021, 06:05:32 PM
There are big 2 stage units that might handle it but you probably don’t need one enough to justify the cost.
If we move from Illinois north to the northern Iowa southern Minnesota area I told my wife I get to keep the kubota loader tractor and get a front mounted snow thrower powered by hydraulics or the mid PTO.
I’m willing to shovel only a very little and I will not walk behind a snow thrower/blower.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: brimic on February 14, 2021, 06:41:42 PM
I have a big 1-stage blower that I attach to my tractor, it also clogs in wet snow. 2 things help a lot- cooking spray or wd-40 coating on the inside and chute before starting, and getting the correct ‘feed and speed’, as in run it as fast you you can without bogging down the engine. The volume of snow will help the chute clear, too slow and it plugs.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Ben on February 14, 2021, 06:43:55 PM
Sounds like we need to talk Millcreek into a front end loader.  =D
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: charby on February 14, 2021, 08:10:22 PM
Also modifying the impeller with rubber scrapers help. I'm going to mod mine this summer, seems like we are in a wetter snow trend.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: charby on February 14, 2021, 08:11:35 PM
There are big 2 stage units that might handle it but you probably don’t need one enough to justify the cost.
If we move from Illinois north to the northern Iowa southern Minnesota area I told my wife I get to keep the kubota loader tractor and get a front mounted snow thrower powered by hydraulics or the mid PTO.
I’m willing to shovel only a very little and I will not walk behind a snow thrower/blower.

I'm just finished year 5 living in Mason City, I highly recommend living here.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: 230RN on February 15, 2021, 01:42:11 AM
Curious from an engineering standpoint:  Would drastically increasing the impeller RPM help with this problem?

Dumb Terry
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: sumpnz on February 15, 2021, 02:28:21 AM
I was a little bit tentative clicking on this topic, given MillCreek’s history of posting double entendres.

Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: 230RN on February 15, 2021, 03:21:45 AM
Har-har-snicker-snort.  "Impeller RPM!" Tee hee, get it?  He said "impeller RPM !!"  <elbow-dig, elbow-dig>

:rofl:  =D

Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Fly320s on February 15, 2021, 06:40:16 AM
Curious from an engineering standpoint:  Would drastically increasing the impeller RPM help with this problem?

Dumb Terry

Yes.  Speed is life.

There are big 2 stage units that might handle it but you probably don’t need one enough to justify the cost.
If we move from Illinois north to the northern Iowa southern Minnesota area I told my wife I get to keep the kubota loader tractor and get a front mounted snow thrower powered by hydraulics or the mid PTO.
I’m willing to shovel only a very little and I will not walk behind a snow thrower/blower.

I have a PTO-operated snowblower on my Kubota.  It works great in dry snow and pretty good in wet snow, but you have to run the engine around 3,000 rpm to keep the chute from clogging.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: K Frame on February 15, 2021, 07:28:52 AM
I've found it easier to deal with heavy, wet snows with a garden hose. You simply melt it away.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Ron on February 15, 2021, 07:31:15 AM
Also modifying the impeller with rubber scrapers help. I'm going to mod mine this summer, seems like we are in a wetter snow trend.

Very little wet snow around here this year. Super light and fluffy is the trend.

They call for 1-3 inches and we get 3-5 inches of powder.

Much easier to move the powder for sure!
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Ben on February 15, 2021, 08:04:25 AM
https://youtu.be/SqE5hP75jBE
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: WLJ on February 15, 2021, 09:39:35 AM
I was a little bit tentative clicking on this topic, given MillCreek’s history of posting double entendres.

Snowblowing could be a "thing" in Seattle
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: RoadKingLarry on February 15, 2021, 09:48:23 AM
Yes.  Speed is life.

I have a PTO-operated snowblower on my Kubota.  It works great in dry snow and pretty good in wet snow, but you have to run the engine around 3,000 rpm to keep the chute from clogging.

What engine RPM  do you need to get a 540 rpm PTO speed.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: charby on February 15, 2021, 09:50:40 AM
Very little wet snow around here this year. Super light and fluffy is the trend.

They call for 1-3 inches and we get 3-5 inches of powder.

Much easier to move the powder for sure!

March, April, and sometimes May tends to be the wet heavy deep *expletive deleted*it here.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Fly320s on February 15, 2021, 09:56:43 AM
What engine RPM  do you need to get a 540 rpm PTO speed.

3140 according to the manual.  I just use an even 3,000.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: RoadKingLarry on February 15, 2021, 09:59:33 AM
If you're under speed on the PTO that could explain the clogging.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: MillCreek on February 15, 2021, 10:05:33 AM
Snowblowing could be a "thing" in Seattle

You are thinking of snowballing.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: WLJ on February 15, 2021, 10:07:47 AM
You are thinking of snowballing.

Don't know what that is and not sure I want to know.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Fly320s on February 15, 2021, 10:08:44 AM
Just double checked.  That is for the rear PTO.  I'm running a front blower off the mid pto, so I'm getting 2,500 out of the pto at that speed.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: MillCreek on February 15, 2021, 10:28:13 AM
Don't know what that is and not sure I want to know.

You do not.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Kingcreek on February 15, 2021, 02:24:21 PM
Just double checked.  That is for the rear PTO.  I'm running a front blower off the mid pto, so I'm getting 2,500 out of the pto at that speed.
What HP output on yer kubota? Also what brand snow thrower are you using?
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Angel Eyes on February 15, 2021, 03:19:46 PM
https://youtu.be/SqE5hP75jBE

Great ... until all that water turns to ice.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Fly320s on February 15, 2021, 03:22:36 PM
What HP output on yer kubota? Also what brand snow thrower are you using?

BX-25D tractor at 23hp, IIRC.  Kubota brand 50" blower.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: 230RN on February 15, 2021, 04:03:04 PM
Couldn't disengage Brain Take Off in time on the snowballer.

Yeeeeps !
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Jim147 on February 15, 2021, 07:57:55 PM
BX-25D tractor at 23hp, IIRC.  Kubota brand 50" blower.

The Kubota's are tuque beasts.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: K Frame on February 16, 2021, 07:01:35 AM
Great ... until all that water turns to ice.


Chugging the beer is a nice touch.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Kingcreek on February 16, 2021, 07:37:36 AM
The Kubota's are tuque beasts.
My grand L3010 has been a great machine. Just wish it had a heated cab instead of open platform.
Title: Re: Snowblowers in Seattle
Post by: Fly320s on February 16, 2021, 08:03:04 AM
My grand L3010 has been a great machine. Just wish it had a heated cab instead of open platform.

An after market cab might be available.  Mine has one made by Curtis Industries.   Has a heater, too.

https://curtisindustries.net/kubota-tractor-cabs/