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| I have a Batco TDFX 1535, Westfield 10x31 pto, a Feterl 10x34 with gas motor and hopper, and a Westfield 8x31 pto.
I really really like the batco and I use it whenever possible, it’s quiet, it’s smooth operating, it’s very high capacity for the power it uses, doesn’t make a mess, doesn’t care if you’re sweeping a bin out or running a 10” u trough, self cleaning, water runs out the bottom of it rains instead of pooling in the hopper, and it’s a complete pain in the ass in the winter. If it’s below freezing it stays in the shed, won’t pull till it’s “warmed” up just too much cold grease in too many bearings and a cold stiff belt that can easily freeze if it gets wet.
In the winter I use the 10x31 with an older gas tractor that fires right up on the coldest day, I got a Westfield molded hopper that it fits into perfectly and takes 10 seconds to roll the auger forward and dump the hopper if weather is coming so it’s perfectly clean the next time.
The feterl auger has its places too no need for a tractor on a remote bin site since it has its own engine, hopper slides under bin unloads nicely, but you have to shop vac it out so you don’t have rotten corn in it the next time you want to use it, hopper transition seems to hurt capacity vs my straight Westfield, both 10” auger but the feterl won’t quite keep up with 8” unload where the Westfield does easily, I can slow both pto and gas engine powered motors down during sweep out so they aren’t hammering themselves to death if not running full capacity with electric motor drive.
The 8” auger gets used rarely on a couple older 6” unloads when the others are tied up blending corn off or something like that.
Bottom line, if you want electric drive I would recommend 100% the conveyor, I would never recommend an electric drive auger over 8” they just are way too noisy and bounce around running wide open all the time and splatter grain everywhere when not running full of grain. If you operate in the winter below about 20 much I’d have a pto drive auger, can’t beat simplicity and reliability when it’s cold out, still can slow it down if not running full and it’s easy clean up when weather is coming, still light weight enough to move by hand and 100% the most trouble free. Gas motor is nice but it’s another engine to maintain, gotta buy batteries and oil, get a commercial grade engine with an oil filter if you go this route mines done well over 2 million bushel and doesn’t use a drop of oil, owned it for over 20 years and its been very good to me as long as it’s above 5 degrees, sometimes it needs a little boost if below that. The older I get the more I believe in the keep it simple principal especially in the winter months, unloads should come straight out the side, only 1 bearing outside and super easy to pull flighting if sump plugs, pto drive straight auger really never fails.
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10" load out auger vs. conveyor tube loadout
