Is there an advantage to having a 12 volt feeder vs a 6 volt?

More Power

Something similiar to comparing I6 cylinders to a V8

I * E = W

All other things being equal, there is no advantage. To explain, if both have 1/8 horsepower motors (an arbitrary number), then they both have the same amount of power. The 6volt will use twice the amps as the 12volt would (ohm's law), but the end result will be the same. Now some will tell you that a 12volt battery will last longer. Again, not true if they both have the same amp/hr rating. A 12 volt battery will have 6 cells which are 2 volts each. A 6 volt will have 3 cells which are 2 volts each. The 12volt will have more cells to draw the lower amount of amps from, but the 6 volt will have cells roughly twice to size to draw the larger amount of amps from.

So in short, it really matters what size the motor itself is. This would be the only operational difference between the two different voltages.

I deal with motors all the time. I see 1/2 HP motors in 110v, 220v, and 460v.. They are all 1/2 HP motors no matter the voltage. They have different power requirements is all.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Psycho, that helps alot!

A good Quality timer I feel is more important than voltage. Voltage I would say is more about what you are comfortable with or what your other units may be. Buying a good qualty boxed timer that will last cannot be overemphasized.

Great post, thanks!

Nice, I understand the basics of it, but could never have put it quite as well or realy not even close to as well as you did. We run 4 6-volt texas hunters and a 6 volt spincast and they all work good. The spincast is in service for around 20 years now and still running strong. I would use either an may start switching back to 12 volt as our trail cams run 12v batery packs, just makes sence to have everythign the same.

matt

Just my experience--but I wouldn't have a 6 volt. The ones I have used do not throw as hard and they eat batteries like chocolate. I like a hard throwing motor--that you never have to look at. You pay for what you get!! Pay the extra money.

I only use a 6volt...set it up with a solar pannel and you wnt have to worry about it

I agree, we have solar pannels on our 6 volts and they throw hard enough that I dont like to test them when my truck is sitting close to it.

We have switched all our feeders from 6 V to 12 V. Our experience shows there is quite a bit of difference when it comes to the distance that we are throwing the corn. Our 6V feedes would throw about a 10-15 ' circle of corn. Hogs would come in and pile up tight and it was often tough to get a good shot as manu time there would be 15 hogs all face into the feeder leaving only butt to shoot at. We switched to the HCR Texas Feeders with 12 V batteries and they throw substantially farther. We routinely get corn 20+ feet from the feeder. This means the hogs have to work a littler harder, stay longer and are more open so that they provide clients a better target more frequently to shoot at.

Thanks - Craig

The six volts we use easily throw corn 20' radius so like 40' diameter. I think it depends on the model you have. Like psycho0819 said it is whatever power the motor is. A six and twelve volt motor of the same power with throw the same, but the 12 volt batter will do it longer. Put a solar charger on it and problem solved.

matt

The motor is not the only thing that determines the broadcast area. The spin plate design, and the gap between it and funnel make a huge difference. I set the gap on mine really tight so you can't shake feed out, and then use longer run times. The corn has more contact time on the plate, and it slings it farther. if I open the gap up, it won't throw nearly as far.

Also, there are cheap/small motors out there in both 6 & 12 volt. Neither are desirable. The original American Hunter I bought 10-12 years ago is 6 volt. The motor is about 4" in diameter, and about 6" long, with a 1/4" shaft. That dude will sling corn with the best out there. But still only slightly better than the much newer Remington mechanisms will, and they use a little RC car sized motor. Both work good enough that the corn will sting a bit when it hits you.

As for battery life, as long as the amp/hr rating on the batteries are the same, there is no difference in the life of them between 6 or 12 volts. Batteries of this kind use banks of cells, each being roughly 2 volt. A 6 volt battery will have 3 cells, a 12 volt will have 6 cells. The physical size of the batteries being equal means that each of the 6 volt battery's 3 cells are twice the size of the 12 volt battery's 6 cells. Running the same HP motor, the 6 volt battery will see twice the load/amp draw that the 12 volt would. But the cells of the 6 volt are twice the size. So again, no difference what so ever. Just a different voltage being used to do the same amount of work.

With a good solar panel, i have had 6 volt batteries last over 3 years. I know of 12 volt batteries that have lasted just as long. Which is better? Whatever you buy, because that's always better than what someone else buys, right? LOL

But I admit, all this is way over-thinking things for a machine to throw corn on the ground.

If you want to save money on Corn...get 6 volts is what I have noticed. If you want to throw a long ways..get 12 volts. Batteries and solar panels cost more in 12 volts also. We have both and I like both for reasons above.

Or you could kill two birds with one stone and just turn the feed time down on the 12 volt.

we all have 12v feeders now. our feeders use less corn and throw it further keeping deer around just as long as a 6v spinning longer would do. im a 12v person all the way. Solar panals work well on them to just dont let the damn coons get to them they ate the copper off my solar panel wire.

I use 12V, but my recommendation would be pick one and stick with it. That way if you have breakdowns your parts are interchangeable.

I'm happy with my 6's. just use a solar charger and the box batteries with blade terminals to avoid the connections vibrating loose. lantern batteries suck. a good timer is really the key to reliability.

I've noticed no difference between my 6 and 12 volt feeders.

We run Remington 6V and All Season 12V. Haven't had problems with either. 12V fling a lot harder and farther and hurts when you get hit with it. 6 volt.....not near as powefull but does the job. I like the advice above. Stick with 1 for interchangeable parts. We prefer the All Seasons overall and when and iff the Remingtons break we are sticking with All Seasons.

I once used 6v feeders, but now they are all 12v (with the larger motors). I noticed a couple of things.

1. (not sure if it's just me) it really seemed like the animals hit the feeder with the larger 12v motors harder, I'm guessing because the motor was louder and more animals knew it was dinner time, who knows? I have set this 12v feeder on different properties and it consistently seems that there is more traffic to this feeder hands down.
2. It throws corn MUCH further than my 6v did, hands down it spread the corn in a very nice uniform circle. My 6v models did throw corn out in a decent circle (nothing like the 12v though), but it always seemed like most of the corn fell straight down causing the animals to pile up.
3. When I take my friends to the ranch for a work day and do a spin test on the timer I like to walk away quickly while they stick around and try to figure out why I'm moving so fast. When they start getting pelted by corn rockets the look on their face is priceless!!

I could not agree more, if bow hunting you may prefer a 6 volt simply to concentrate the corn more.

I got me a feeder, 6v, and a solar panel and plan on running protien and corn all year. What kind of maintenance is required to keep everything running smoothly, any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Make sure you lid cover but is not a tight fit. Use one of the metal or plstic lids. These seem to maintian enough circulation to prevent the protien from swelling up and stopping up the feeder. All of that would be contingent on the fact that it would rain. Hope this helps.