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Related post...Improving grass collector performan


Greg

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Related to the recent posts about grass and dirt accumulation on the deck and machine, I have been experiencing something similar with my B112, but I figured it had more to do with my set up. I use the PTO vacuum collector on a 48" deck to mow my lawn. When the grass is damp or heavy, I tend to clog up the deck-to-vacuum hose quite a bit. It becomes obvious when I see clumped grass in the last mow pass, so I stop, disengage the blade and clear out the hose. What's unique to my set up is that the canvas cover for the cart was long ago replaced with sheet metal by a previous owner. Another cart cover I own only has some of the canvas remaining, which was reinforced with a blue tarp bungie corded all over the place (and blows dirt and grass in all directions when running), so the sheet metal one has got nod for the past two years. (I think the neighbors got a chuckle over both models--they is ugly!) Fortunately, I do have an original heavy mesh door for the back which does allow much air to exit until the cart begins to get full. Since these tend to fill from the back to the front, the door area tends to become covered with grass and dirt, thus reducing the amount of air that can exit the cart, and thus presumably reducing the amount of vacuum available at the deck. The other issue I have is, I do not own the mower deck baffles that are designed for use with the vacuum collector. I can only guess as to whether the baffles will improve the vacuum performance and/or reduce the deck blow-by, but I figure they invented them for a reason, so they must do something positive. Soooo, I guess I have a comment and a question. Question first. Does anyone have experience or knowledge about how the baffles might improve the system? Is it a dramatic improvement or just minor, and does it possibly aid in reducing the deck blow-by? I considered a deck skirt around the outside, but I wonder if that will be effective. Comment is, like me, maybe people having problems can do something to improve the vacuum system and thus reduce the deck blow-by. I doubt anyone else has my specific problem (sheet metal blocking the air), but if the vacuum system doesn't suck well at the deck for whatever reason, it stands to reason that the grass being flung around under the deck has to go somewhere if the side chute is plugged up with the vacuum adapter. $.02, and probably worth about a penny. -gc
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Greg, I have some blow out with the 42” decks on my 7010 & 7012, but NOTHING like the blow out on the 48” deck on the ’96 Sovereign. The only significant difference I can see is the Sovereign deck has “gull wing” blades while the older decks don’t. The only reference to a baffle I can find is pictured below. It appears to only be a "skirt" across the front of the deck. What baffles are you referring to..? Do you have photos or part numbers..? http://home.att.net/~herb.niewender/baffle.jpg
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Greg, Regarding the vac collection system, the kind you describe sounds like the “Conestoga” type cover I use. My mesh is in very good shape, but I installed a solid bulkhead to help keep some of the dust away from the tractor. I also changed the impeller pulley to gain RPM. The system works great. I very seldom get any blockage. When I do, it is always really thick green grass or damp leaves at the deck adapter. Simplicity made a solid side cart with only a mesh top. One of my proposed winter projects is to build a clam shell cart. I also intend on using solid sides with a mesh top or large vent.
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Gang, 1. The collection cart must have sufficient open area for the air to exhaust. Reducing or blocking off the open area kills the air flow from the fan. No air flow, no vacuum, no grass gets sucked up. 2. I think the baffles being referred to are the ones beneath the deck that "surround" the back of the blades. Sort of like a fan shroud to help control air flow. 3. The 42" deck on my 99 Sovereign seems to have a lot more blowback than the 42" deck on my AC B-1. Haven't looked beneath the Sovereign deck so don't know if the baffles are different or not. 4. A flexible "skirt" on the front of the mower deck might help reduce blowback but would also tend to push the grass down as it comes beneath the deck. Not sure how would affect the deck's mowing performance. My 2 cents worth, Roy
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Dutch, you got me on that one. The 'baffle' I was thinking about is for the 42" deck. The picture you posted is the exact same document I was just looking at in the barn a few minutes ago. I already forget the name the manual gives to part B, skirt sounds about right, but part N is the baffle. Of course, I was thinking about part B when I posted earlier. No baffles for the 48 incher. I agree the gull wings probably cause the grass to fly around alot more. Maybe your newer Sov has a higher blade speed too. I have gull wings on my deck, and I don't think that the clippings are a big deal when I am not vacuuming. I see a collection on the deck, but nothing more than any other tractor I've owned. It's only really a problem when vacuuming, and it really gets blown around. I sometimes feel like PigPen. -gc
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Greg, The image I posted is from the 619 Vacuum Collector Manual. Part "B" is the "Front Baffle" (123059). Part "N" is the "Baffle" (123062). My problem with blow out is when I'm NOT using the vacuum.
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