29
MULCHING WITH THE BARK BLOWER
1. Check all areas listed under PRE-START EQUIPMENT CHECK section of this manual.
2. Start the engine following all the steps listed under STARTING PROCEDURE section of
this manual.
3. Press the MATERIAL START button on the hardwired material start/stop pendant to
activate the MATERIAL START/STOP feature on the remote. This will allow the material
flow speed to be adjusted from the remote.
4. Toggle the MATERIAL START / STOP switch to the MATERIAL STOP position on the
radio remote to stop material discharge.
5. With material flow stopped, increase engine RPM to full (toggle up on ENGINE
INCREASE switch on radio remote transmitter).
6. With a firm grip on the hose, start material flow (toggle up on MATERIAL START switch
on radio remote transmitter).
7. Adjust floor speed and engine throttle to achieve the desired amount of material flow.
8. At the end of the load, push MATERIAL STOP button on the pendant and shut down the
engine.
BARK BLOWER ADJUSTMENTS
The Bark Blower has been designed to be as simple as possible to operate. The feed roll and
airlock are designed to create a smooth, consistent flow of material from the hopper to the
discharge. However, material conditions can change from one load to the next or from one day
to the next. Adjusting the floor speed, engine RPM, and occasionally, the metering gate and/or
airlock speeds will allow the Bark Blower to efficiently convey many different types of mulch.
Knowing when and how much to adjust the floor is the key to maximizing the machine’s
performance. The floor conveyor speed is controlled by the FLOOR INC and FLOOR DEC
buttons on the keypad and the FLOOR INCREASE/DECREASE toggle switch on the radio
remote transmitter. The floor speed can be increased using these controls until certain warning
signs appear. They include the following:
A. CONSISTENT HOSE SHOCK
The Bark Blower uses a large volume of air to blow the mulch material through the discharge
hose, which, at times, can become difficult for an operator to handle. Hose shock is usually due
to partial plugging around the discharge. When the material gets dislodged, the larger clumps are
shot through the hose and this action can make the hose jump significantly. If rough shock waves
become consistently tough on the operator at the end of the hose, the floor can be turned down
to smooth out the flow of material into the airlock. Cutting back on the engine RPM can also
smooth out hose shock by slowing down the air flow, but be careful not to lower the engine RPM
too much, as this can cause excessive plugging because there is not enough airflow to move the
material. When blowing wet, heavy material, slowing the airlock speed can smooth the material
flow by evenly introducing the material to the air steam. Generally, the airlock should not be run
slower than 10 RPM.
B. EXCESSIVE AUTO-REVERSING
If the airlock starts to auto-reverse more than three times per minute, that means the airlock is
being overfed and the floor speed should be turned down. Excessive auto-reversing leads to
less production rather than if the floor was just turned down to a slower speed. This condition
will occur more often with green, stringy mulch or less-processed material that contains larger
chunks of wood that the airlock may have to cut.
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