Mixing Bio Dynamic 500

Today was the day to spread BD 500.

The first stage is the mixing using our newly repaired stirring machine. A new motor had been installed and checked that it could rotate in one direction and then the other. Today it was filled with water and tested with a full load. And almost surprisingly it worked first time. The level of water in the mixer dictates how long it turns in one direction before stopping and changing direction.

Fresh Rainwater in the stirring machine

Note in the top right hand quadrant above there is a small green and brown projection into the water. This is the direction change mechanism.

The paddles creating the a vortex

The rotating water flicks a switch (the green/brown stick) into the direction of the moving water. This changes the polarity for the motor which will effect is rotating direction in the later step. Then as the outside edge of the water  rises it lifts a small float that turns off the power supply.

Chaos in the water as the stirring paddles change direction

The water continues to rotate and the vortex begins to drop in height. The on/off switch float drops low enough to turn on the power supply and the paddles begin to rotate in the opposite direction thanks to the green/brown polarity stick.

Because the water is still turning one way and the paddles in the opposite direction there is a lot of splashing creating a chaotic mess in the stirring machine. Effectively aerating the water.

Vortex forming once again

Eventually the water changes direction and a new vortex forms and the process is repeated. Forming the vortex and then the chaotic reversal takes about 30 seconds. The stirring process is timed for one hour and then an hour is allowed for distribution.

BD 500 is a preparation which is applied to the soil. The normal application process is to spray it out in large droplets. We walk around with 9 litre buckets and distribute it using a banister brush which provides the necessary droplet size.

This is a simplification of the process and there are many details omitted. The BD500 must stored in a particular manner. It should only be distributed under certain conditions and times. The materials used in stirring and spraying are from a limited choice of materials. And then of course there is the making of BD 500. Another long story.

Bio Dynamics is a large topic with many aspects and sometimes difficult to explain and understand.

Bio Dynamic 500 Mixer

Our mixing machine for BD 500 burnt out its motor last year.

BD 500 Mixer

We had a spare few motors just lying around. Some were well used items retrieved from a defunct dairy and one was the motor on our 1920's reconstituted milking machine. The milking machine has remained idle for nearly 20 years since we stopped breeding. It has a very good motor bought especially for the job and expensive.

Well it was time to bite the bullet and get the mixer functioning for next week.

At first I examined the old dairy motors to see if any were strong enough for this job. There was one that looked reasonable but the support brackets were badly rusted. An hour or two later the casing brackets were replaced with those from another motor. But the testing showed the motor was still not as good as preferred.

The non functioning motor

Some cut and shunt spares

And so it was a trip down to our hayshed where we had set up the milking machine and the newer motor was removed.

The biggest problem is the wiring. Not as simple as two wires. There are 5 wires to connect. One of which is Earth. That leaves 4. The complication is because the mixer turns one way creating a vortex and then stops and turns the other creating chaos.

Examining the connections

I was thinking that it would be as simple as lining up the wires on the old motor with the wires on the new. But not so. The new motor has a completely different setup. Well at least it looks completely different. I know from vague memories a theory that the basic operation is the same and that it just looks different.

The replacement motor

There was a small hope that the internet may supply some answers. Lots of forums on motors and reversing etc. but nothing that gave me any viable solution.

I set up a test bed near the mixer with electrical power and ran a series of tests. It was easy to make the motor go one way or the other but how to make it change direction using the mixer?

After lots of playing and thinking I eventually tried a test that worked. Who needs Sudoku or Crossword Puzzles. After installing the motor and testing the forward and backward operation I called it quits. Will test the mixer under full load next week. Oh and I also gave all the bearings a grease.