Forums Archive Index > Outdoor Power Equipment > 12" impeller housing vs 14" technical questions.
Date: 21 Nov 2005 9:05 pm
My old 32" wide beast has a 14" impeller housing. I noticed the smaller snowblowers will out perform my unit such as Honda even though my machine is bigger. What elements constitute good blower performance? There is an impeller kit that takes the gap from impeller /housing. I am sure more is involved in getting a blower to perform as good as a Honda. My analysis is the 10hp is not enough, the gap between impeller and housing costs the machine performance, maybe speed of impeller? Anyone soup up an older blower to give the younger and better designed blowers a run for there money? What if I was to change the primary pully to turn the impeller faster? Add a 11 hp OHV engine? Anyone try these things?
Date: 21 Nov 2005 9:22 pm
I'm no engineeer but, all else being equal, if a 10HP engine turns 3600 rpms and 8HP engine turns 3600 rpms, there is no difference until you get into the amount of snow being thrown at a given time or, all else not being equal. Am I wrong on this?
Date: 22 Nov 2005 8:45 am
Good point Marshall, I didn't think of that. I guess I am trying to see why blowers like Honda will out perform my old battleship of a blower. The chute that collects snow appears to be the same with most blowers. The impellers on different models and clearances differ. I checked out a Toro vs Craftsman. I could put my finger between the impeller and housing in the Craftsman, but the Toro, I couldn't even put my pinky between the impeller and housing. So far, rpm's with hp = ability to throw snow. Trying to unveil the mystery why those little Honda's throw snow so far. The little 22" base model will blow my unit (even when it was new) out of the snow so to speak.
Date: 22 Nov 2005 9:04 am
I dont remember where I had seen it but there was a video on the web somewhere that had an 11hp Ariens , 8HP Toro and a 724 Honda and they where all going at the same time . The honda was throwing the snow clear up and over the roof of the building in the video and the Ariens and Toro were throwing the snow good but could only hit halfway up the side of the same building .
Date: 22 Nov 2005 10:39 am
I think that part of it also has to do with the design of the impeller blade. Some of them are fairly flat while some of them have a "bent end". Also, I believe that the impeller speed is different between manufacturers by the diameter of the drive pulleys.
On the web you will be able to find the "improvement" kits to install on the impeller to fill the gap. It is made of rubber flaps that bolt to the impeller blades.
bbwb
Date: 22 Nov 2005 10:57 am
Marshall wrote:
I'm no engineeer but, all else being equal, if a 10HP engine turns 3600 rpms and 8HP engine turns 3600 rpms, there is no difference until you get into the amount of snow being thrown at a given time or, all else not being equal. Am I wrong on this?
But impellers are pulley driven, not at 3600rpm, but around 1400 or so. The space in the housing-impeller can loose snow and rob performance.
Date: 22 Nov 2005 11:17 am
drumsonly2002 wrote:
My old 32" wide beast has a 14" impeller housing. I noticed the smaller snowblowers will out perform my unit such as Honda even though my machine is bigger. What elements constitute good blower performance? There is an impeller kit that takes the gap from impeller /housing. I am sure more is involved in getting a blower to perform as good as a Honda. My analysis is the 10hp is not enough, the gap between impeller and housing costs the machine performance, maybe speed of impeller? Anyone soup up an older blower to give the younger and better designed blowers a run for there money? What if I was to change the primary pully to turn the impeller faster? Add a 11 hp OHV engine? Anyone try these things?
Drum- Your older machine probably has a slower impeller rpm. Just cause it's bigger doesn't mean it's going to throw it farther. The manufactuers of today had our forefathers to learn from. The diameter and width as well as rpms of the impeller are key and the engine size and transmission (the pulley sizes) also - Kris
Date: 22 Nov 2005 11:20 am
Date: 22 Nov 2005 1:12 pm
Mountain Man wrote:
Marshall wrote:
I'm no engineeer but, all else being equal, if a 10HP engine turns 3600 rpms and 8HP engine turns 3600 rpms, there is no difference until you get into the amount of snow being thrown at a given time or, all else not being equal. Am I wrong on this?
But impellers are pulley driven, not at 3600rpm, but around 1400 or so. The space in the housing-impeller can loose snow and rob performance.
Yes, but I was speaking of the engines, not the impellers. The engines are still turning 3600 rpm regardless what size of impeller. So as I was thinking, the engine only comes into play in regard to how much pressure is put on it by other factors thus making higher HP and torque actually used. No?
Date: 22 Nov 2005 5:06 pm
well ill throw this little bit of info into the mix.
the gear box is also a well kept secret.
on the hondas and other quality units,they are much more efficient.
meaning it takes less horsepower to just spin the shafts without any snow in there.
add the snow and then there is more .
just spin a honda impeller by hand and then spin an mtd or murry impeller.
you must undo the brake on them to get a true feel.
another thing i well mention is the honda has a 5/8 belt on the impeller pulley as well...this means much less slippage as well as less tension required to do the job this means the belts should last longer.
not sure if any ariens have 5/8 belt but the new huskys do and the yamahas did and the hondas do.
chris
Date: 23 Nov 2005 6:55 pm
I agree with SS...
It's in ALL the details... details... not just horsepower... impeller diameter or clearance... ALL the details...
As SS says... especially the drivetrain can rob a LOT of engine power... based on my limited knowledge and experience with a BCS all-gear drivetrain versus a typical belt-drive one...
...the 8hp all-gear-drive BCS with the rototiller... or chipper/shredder... or snowblower... attachments in use...
...totally out performs the same or larger horsepower Troybilt brand tiller and chipper/shredder and other snowblower brand machines I previously owned...
The BCS's all-gear-drive train is certainly a performance advantage... maybe 15-25% more... (I've read)...
Dave...
Date: 14 Dec 2005 5:39 pm
Has anyone here tried or know of anybody that as tried this impeller kit from clarences small engines? I have a craftman 11Hp that I would like to try this on but don't know if it's a waste of money.
Date: 14 Dec 2005 5:45 pm
snowball wrote:
Has anyone here tried or know of anybody that as tried this impeller kit from clarences small engines? I have a craftman 11Hp that I would like to try this on but don't know if it's a waste of money.
AMAZING RESULTS!!! YOU WON`T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE THIS KIT WILL MAKE TO YOUR SNOWBLOWER. ALL KITS HAVE A 90 DAY 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, FAST SHIPPING AND 100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, GUARANTEED
nuff said
Date: 14 Dec 2005 5:57 pm
HOw do you in install this ? Do you drill down through the chute into the impeller or take the blower housing apart to get at it ?
Date: 14 Dec 2005 6:02 pm
On my Craftsman, I took the chute off and the access panel that is below the chute on the side of the impeller housing. Took about 1 1/2 hours because of my work habits. Should take less.
Date: 14 Dec 2005 6:13 pm
Interesting !!! I'm going to have to get myself one of these. If they really work out I should give this clarence guy a call ,seeing that I have my own repair shop maybe he wants someone to promote this product up here in Newfoundland Canada . Cause we sure do get lots of snow too!
Date: 14 Dec 2005 6:24 pm
Clarence`s Small Engines, 640 Cooper Street, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Canada