UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES IN

TURBO TURF'S

MECHANICALLY AGITATED

 "HYBRID"   "HARV-E"  "HARV"

 HYDRO SEEDING SYSTEMS

Turbo Turf makes three series of mechanically agitated systems the HYBRID, the HARV-E and the HARV.   These units are available in three tank sizes, 500 gallons, 750 gallons and 1000 gallons. 

THE PADDLE ASSEMBLY AND MIXING SYSTEM

Many in the industry saw the idea of a paddle, (mechanically agitated) hydroseeding system using a "PLASTIC' tank as having great potential.  Early attempts by others involved hanging  a bearing on the plastic tank  and did not work well.   Turbo Turf took a whole new approach to the problem.   The bearings and agitator shaft are supported completely by heavy structural steel supports and the tank is used for nothing but holding the material.   There is no stress whatsoever on the tank and the entire mixing system would run without the tank even being present.   Not one problem has occurred with this system with units now in heavy use for several years.   The system is so reliable Turbo Technologies has introduced a 20 year tank warranty (see below for details)

THE HYBRID

Turbo Turf's "HYBRID" is another whole new approach to hydro seeding equipment design.  It is both a mechanical (paddle) and a Jet agitated unit.  It is equipped with an 13 H. P. Honda electric start engine that is directly coupled to a 3" X 3" high volume centrifugal pump with an operating pressure of 72 PSI and a GPM output of 333 GPM.   There are no clutches, belts or gears in the simple pump drive.

There is a separate  8 H.P. Honda electric start engine on the 500 gallon unit or a 13 H.P. Honda electric start engine on the 750 & 100 gallon units that uses a simple and reliable double belt drive to power the mixing paddle assembly.   Turbo Turf's HYBRID uses the most simple and trouble free drive possible.

The platform and tower gun are standard equipment on the Hybrid units.  The hose reel shown in the top photo is an option and available with either electric or manual rewind.   Standard equipment includes hose holders on the side of the tank.   The Hybrid units all have free flow couplings on the hose which minimizes the possibility of plugging problems since they have no restrictions where they are coupled.

The hybrid units can use paper, wood or blended mulches and will mix slurries that are as thick as those used in most any paddle type system.   Clean up on a hybrid unit is the best and easiest of any unit on the market.  The jets allow you to flush the unit completely clean in seconds.   Trimming far  easier than with many other paddle units.   Should something happen to the paddle drive the unit is capable of operating completely as a jet unit.    The aggressive paddle agitation allows you to drop full bales of mulch in the tank with no breaking up of bales required.

One of the major problems faced with mechanically agitated units is rust.  Turbo Turf's POLY tanks eliminate that worry.   Some users of mechanical units apply the fertilizer in a separate step because of the corrosive nature of Nitrogen.   The poly tank means It is never a worry with Turbo Turf.   Most manufactures of Mechanical units try to minimize the problem.   Several use an epoxy coating which helps a lot but will crack in time and allow rust.  Others make their tanks from stainless steel.  That is better yet,  but where the corners are welded the protection of the stainless steel is lost and that is the very spot where corrosive materials build up in other units.   No other system totally eliminates rust like Turbo Turf's poly tanks.

The "HYBRID" units combine the light weight, outstanding trimming ability, near clog free performance, easy clean up and one man operation of jets with the ability to handle materials needed for challenging jobs and the ability to use full mulch bales without breaking them into chunks.

HARV AND HARV-E

The working components of the HARV and HARV-E are identical.   Both are fully hydraulically driven mechanically (paddle) agitated units.   They combine the best features of some other units but also offer features that no other machine offers. 

The HARV and HARV-E both have a 25 HP Kohler Command Pro engine on the 500 gallon units or 30 H.P. on the 750 & 1000 gallon sizes that is

 directly coupled to a two stage hydraulic pump.  There are no belts or chains in the drive system.   The pump powers both the paddles and the hydro seeding pump.  The paddle speed can be controlled hydraulically and the paddles can be reversed so in the unlikely event mulch or some obstruction jambs the paddles, they can be reversed in seconds to clear the problem.   The hydro seeding pump is a Bowie 2" gear pump (positive displacement) that is unequalled for pumping thick slurries through long hoses. 

The main working parts of the HARV and HARV-E are identical.  The difference between the two are that the HARV includes a full platform with a multi position turret gun, and electric rewind hose reel and a flush tank plumbed to give advantages no other unit has. 

• The full sized platform gives you the ability to carry more supplies to the job with you.
• The turret gun can be relocated in seconds from left to right to back.  No one else offers this feature.
• The flush tank is plumbed to both sides of the pump.  Since the pump is also hydraulically reversible you can blow out most suction line clogs or clean the unit in a fraction of the time normally needed.
• The standard Electric reel can be equipped with radio remote control eliminating the need for a hose man.
• Units can self fill from a pond or stream (with optional hoses).

1.  Any hydro seeding unit with a gear pump is a little more difficult (but not impossible) for one man to run.  Someone planning to seed alone may want to look harder at a Hybrid unit with it's centrifugal pump.

2.  For a landscape installation application the trimming ability of a Hybrid unit is far superior to the trimming ability of any unit with a  gear pump such as the  HARV and HARV-E.

3.  Those who expect to use very long lengths of hoses (over 200-250 feet) may find the gear pump on the HARV and HARV-E to be an advantage.   Those who expect to use a tower gun a lot may find slightly better performance with the  centrifugal pump on the HYBRID.

4.  Those expecting to do a lot of erosion control jobs using BFM products may find the Gear Pump on the HARV units to be the better choice however the Hybrid will also work for these applications. 

5.  Those who expect  to seed using sprigs (plant parts) should look only at the HARV units because of the positive displacement (gear) pumps.