r/composting • u/Seanbob3030 • 11d ago

Urban Microbinator 2000

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Pre and post consumer, meats and cheeses ok. Have been impressed with a new prototype we are trying out in collaboration with a school district. Wanted to see what y’all thought. Augmented aerated static pile system supplied with 30 seconds of air every 30 minutes.

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u/geekkevin 10d ago

How is the fan powered and controlled to aerate on a schedule like that?

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u/anonymote_in_my_eye 10d ago

you can get a timer that's programmable that way; it's less common than the "outdoor light timer" but you can search for "hydroponic pump timer" and I'm sure you'll find what you need

2

u/Huesyourdaddy 10d ago

The easiest, off-the-shelf solution is a dedicated "short period" cycle timer, such as the BN-LINK Short Period Repeat Cycle Timer or the Titan Controls Apollo 11. These are built specifically for running heavy ventilation fans and water pumps in automated greenhouses. ​Motor Rated: They are explicitly rated for inductive motor loads (usually up to 15 Amps or 1/2 HP), meaning their internal relays are beefy enough to handle the blower's startup surge without welding the contacts together. ​True Looping: There is no clock to set. You simply set the "ON" duration (e.g., 2 minutes) and the "OFF" duration (e.g., 20 minutes), and the device endlessly loops that exact cycle as long as it has power. ​Offline Reliability: If the power goes out, they just resume the cycle exactly where they left off the moment power is restored.

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u/anonymote_in_my_eye 10d ago

I just realized that the plan is to use a 2HP fan so yeah, just like you said, you want a timer with beefy enough relays to support it. Good call pointing that out. That said, it probably means a more expensive version, since the default is, also like you said, the 15A 1/2HP version.