S3 UFO AERATION User manual

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grain
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...an alternate universe
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Installation
mANUAL
Read this manual Before
installing your UFO Aeration.
It contains important stuff that
you need to know so that you
don’t hurt yourself or others.

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LET’S GET STARTED…
Thank you for your purchase of UFO Aeration. UFO Aeration is recommended for
hopper bottom bins that are less than 30’ in diameter and have a wall height of less than
30’. It is for use in grain only. Do not use it with fertilizer. Do not use it with a heater.

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SAFETY
UFO Aeration is easy to install but does require that you know how to safely operate
tools like a torch or cutting wheel. There are a few things to watch out for:
1. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, steel
toed boots, and safety gloves.
2. Make sure that you have adequate light to work.
3. Make sure that if you are changing up the number of stages or disassembling
your UFO Aeration to use in a different bin, that the aeration fan is disconnected
and the bin is empty.
4. If your bin is already standing, you are going to have to get in the bin to install
your UFO Aeration. Make sure you open the bin lid and prop open the door to
ensure you have appropriate ventilation.
5. If you are entering the bin, make sure that someone knows where you are and
when you are expected home. Better yet, have someone else give you a hand.

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THE PARTS IN YOUR KIT
1 –Base Ring, made up of 3 identical parts that will form a full ring that is 36” in
diameter
1 –Upper Ring, made up of 3 identical bent parts that will form a full ring that looks
almost like a triangle with a central hole in it.
3 –Short Legs, 22” long, painted gray
3 –Inboard Legs, 46-1/2” long with washers welded on one end, painted gray
3 –Outboard Legs, 45” long, no washers, painted gray
3 –Lower Column Legs, 36” long with a plate welded on the bottom, painted gray
3 –Outboard Legs, 44” long but we painted them black so it is easy to tell the difference
between these and the gray legs.
3 –Inboard Legs, 44” long with a notch cut out, painted black
3 –Upper Column Legs, 36” long with a bracket welded on the top, painted black
6 –Mounting Feet
3 –Connecting Brackets
3 –Clamping Tabs
1 –Base Disc
1 –Nose Cone
Stages, made up of 2 Halves:
UFO 4 Stage Kit = 8 Halves
UFO 6 Stage Kit = 12 Halves
1 –Upper Duct
1 –Lower Duct
1 –Duct Elbow, with End Cap
1 –Duct Flange, made up of two 9” flange pieces and 14” flange pieces that will form a
rectangle
1 –Bolt Kit (we threw in extra fasteners so don’t be alarmed if you have a few left over
when you are done)
10’ – Neoprene
1 –Leg Angle Jig

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INSTALLATION
You are going to need a few tools:
1. Electric drill with 7/16” bit and a ½” bit
2. Ox-fuel cutting torch or hand grinder with part off wheel
3. Marker
4. Level
5. 9/16” and 3/4” open ended wrench
6. 9/16” and 3/4” ratchet sockets and ratchet
7. 5/16” and 3/8” hex driver bit
8. Duct tape
9. Fire extinguisher
10.Tape measure
11.A punch to help with pin alignment
12.Tightening specifications, listed below in Figure 1
Figure 1: Tightening Specifications
Tightening Torque
Bolt Diameter
Metal
Polymer
3/8” NC bolt and nut
40 ft-lbs
15 ft-lbs
1/2” NC bolt and nut
45 ft-lbs
Not applicable
¼” Self-tapping screw –ducting,
modues, and cone
Until screw flange
contacts the metal
surface, use discretion
Until screw flange
contacts the polymer
surface, use discretion
You are not going to need:
1. A crane or winching device
2. An entire day of your time
3. A chiropractor the day after installation

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We have broken the installation into 8 big steps:
1. Assemble the Lower Support Base Sub Assembly
2. Mount the Lower Support Base Sub Assembly and add the Gray Inboard Legs
3. Mount the 1st Stage and the Column Legs to the Lower Support Base Sub
Assembly
4. Assemble and Mount the Remaining UFO Stages
5. Assemble the Inboard Legs
6. Install the Upper Ring
7. Install the Nose Cone
8. Install the Outboard Legs
9. Install the Ducting
Let’s Get Started….
1. ASSEMBLE THE LOWER SUPPORT BASE SUB ASSEMBLY
You are going to need:
1 –Base Ring, made up of 3 identical parts that will form a full ring that is 36” in
diameter
3 –Short Legs, 22” long, painted gray
3 –Inboard Legs, 46 ½” long, painted gray
6 –Mounting Feet (you will use the other 3 later, don’t panic)
1 –Base Disc
3 –Connecting Brackets
1 –Leg Angle Jig
From the Bolt Kit:
6 –3/8” whiz bolts
6 –3/8” whiz nuts
6 –1/2” x 3 1/2” bolts (watch out, there are also 1/2” bolts that are only 3”
long that you will need elsewhere. Darn engineers)
12 –1/2” washers
6 –1/2” nuts
Assemble the Base Ring by using three Connecting Brackets. Bolt each Connecting
Bracket to the joint of the adjacent base 1/3 section using two 3/8” bolts and nuts per
Connecting Bracket in the inner bolt positions on the ring, as per Figure 2. The bolts
should be positioned approximately at the midpoint of the Connecting Bracket’s
slots. Tighten all hardware to the appropriate torque.

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Figure 2: Base Ring Assembly
With the Connecting Brackets facing upward (yes, the Base Ring is upside down
but, trust us, it’s easier), bolt the unslotted end of the Short Legs to the Connecting
Brackets, using one 1/2” bolt, two 1/2” washers, and one 1/2” nut per Connecting
Bracket. The slotted side of the Short Legs should be facing downwards.

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Figure 3: Lower Support Base Sub Assembly
Bolt a Mounting Foot to the slotted end of each of the Short Legs, using one 3-1/2” x
1/2” bolt, two 1/2” washers, and one 1/2” nut per Mounting Foot, as per Figure 3.
Thread the nuts on finger tight –they will be removed temporarily for the next step.
Flip the Lower Support Base right side up and position the Base Ring so it is directly
over the center of the hopper cone hole.

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2. MOUNT THE LOWER SUPPORT BASE SUB ASSEMBLY AND ADD THE GRAY
INBOARD LEGS
Consider where you want to position the ducting that connects your aeration fan to
your UFO Aeration. Rotate the Lower Support Base Sub Assembly into a position
that aligns one of the V-notches, as shown in Figure 4, in the Base Ring with where
the ducting will go.
Figure 4: V-notch
Re-check the angle of each leg. It is critical that this angle is correct for later
components to line up properly. Measure from the edge of the hopper bottom
opening to the bottom edge of all three feet to help ensure the UFO is positioned
concentric to the opening.
Use your level to ensure that the UFO is level horizontally and vertically.
Position the bottom Mounting Feet so they rest comfortably on the hopper cone.
Mark each of the Mounting Feet’s 4 holes onto the hopper’s surface using a marker.
Move the Lower Support Base Sub Assembly out of your way.
Using your 7/16” drill bit, drill the 12 holes in your hopper.
Put the Lower Support Base Sub Assembly back into position. Make sure that one
of the V-notches is still aligned with where you want your ducting to go.

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Bolt the bottom Mounting Feet to the hopper using four 3/8” bolts and nuts per
Mounting Foot, as per Figure 5. The nuts will be on the outside of the bin.
Figure 5: Lower Support Base Sub Assembly Mounting
If you need it, you now have a platform you can stand on for the rest of the assembly
process.

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Insert the Base Disc so that it is nested into the hole in the Base Ring. Position it so
that one side of the gap on the Base Disc is slightly offset from a seam on the base
ring, and the other is slightly offset from the notch on the opposite side where the
ducting will be installed. See Figure 6.
Figure 6: Base Disc Installation
Check out your Gray Inboard Legs. One end of each long leg should have a
washers welded to it. Carefully remove one ½” nut and washer from a mounting foot.
Pull the bolt almost fully out, and install the long leg (washer side at this connection)
by pushing the bolt through the foot, short leg, and long leg, all the way through the
other side. Use a punch to help align all the holes. Re-install the washer and nut,
and this time tighten the nut to the specified torque value. Repeat for the other two
legs. See Figure 7 and Figure 8.

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Figure 7: Long Gray Inboard Leg Installation
Figure 8: Close up of Legs

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3. MOUNT THE 1st STAGE AND THE LOWER COLUMN GRAY LEGS TO THE
LOWER SUPPORT BASE SUB ASSEMBLY
You are going to need:
1 –Stage, made up of 2 Halves
From the Bolt Kit:
6 –self-tapping ¼” screws
12 –3/8” whiz bolts
12 –½” flat washers
12 –3/8” whiz nuts
3 –Lower Column Legs, 36” long with a plate welded on the bottom, painted gray
Using 3/8” bolts and nuts with ½” flat washers, bolt together the first of the Halves to
form a UFO Stage, as per Figures 9 and 10. When you are done bolting the halves
together, there may be a small amount of separation at the inner seams of your
stage. As long as the exterior seams are tight, you are fine. The separation at the
inner seam is a normal condition of the polymer and helps secure the stages when
they interlock together.
Figure 9: Bolting the Halves to make a Stage

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Figure 10: Bolting the Halves to make a Stage
Position the 1st UFO Stage centrally on top of the Base Ring Sub Assembly as per
Figure 11. The seam of the Stage must nest into the gap on the Base Disc. If the
seam interferes with the bolts installed on the Base Ring, it is ok to rotate it and the
Base Disc together so they are just slightly to one side. Ensure that the Base Disc is
sitting nested into the Base Ring, and the 1st Stage is sitting nested into the Base
Disc.
Because you won’t be able to later mount the ducting over a seam in the UFO
Stages, it is important to rotate the 1st UFO Stage to the appropriate position.
To figure out the appropriate position, first identify the leg that is directly opposite
from the V-notch you are using to align your ducting. Rotate the 1st UFO Stage so
that the angled tab on this leg is touching the “S3” logo on the stage. Ensure that
the stage is still properly nested into the Base Disc, and the Base Disc into the Base
Ring.

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Figure 11: Installing the 1st Stage and Lower Column Gray Legs
Place one Lower Column Leg, plate down, on top of the Base Ring, with the bent
side of the plate pushed tight up against the 1st Stage as per Figure 11. Align the
slots with a set of open holes on the Base Ring. Place two 3/8” bolts through these
slots and holes and through the Connecting Bracket slots underneath. Thread the
nuts on the bottom. Repeat step for the other two Lower Column Legs. Tighten to
appropriate torque specification.
Fasten the six ¼” self-tapping screws through the tabs on the legs and into the 1st
Stage to hold it in place.

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4. ASSEMBLE AND MOUNT THE REMAINING UFO STAGES
You are going to need:
Stages, made up of 2 Halves:
UFO 4 Stage Kit = 6 more Halves
UFO 6 Stage Kit = 10 more Halves
From the Bolt Kit:
6 self-tapping ¼” screws
6 per UFO Stage –3/8” whiz bolts
UFO 4 Stage Kit = 18 more
UFO 6 Stage Kit = 30 more
6 per UFO Stage –3/8” whiz nuts
UFO 4 Stage Kit = 18 more
UFO 6 Stage Kit = 30 more
12 per UFO Stage –½” Flat Washers
UFO 4 Stage Kit = 36 more
UFO 6 Stage Kit = 60 more
Assemble the remainder of the halves into stages for the kit as per Figures 9 and 10.
Lower the 2nd UFO Stage onto the 1st UFO Stage by aligning the 2nd UFO Stage’s
interior tabs with the 1st UFO Stage’s exterior notches and rotate the 2nd UFO Stage
counter clockwise until you reach the end of the rotation stroke, as per Figure 12.

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Figure 12: Interlocking the Stages
Repeat. And repeat. And repeat until all Stages are on the unit as shown in Figure
(6 Stage unit depicted).
Figure 13: All Stages Installed

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5. ASSEMBLE THE INBOARD LEGS
You are going to need:
3 –Upper Column (36” Black) Legs
3 –44” Inboard Black Legs (with a notch cutout on one end)
From the Bolt Kit:
3 –3” x ½” bolts
3 –3-1/2” x ½” bolts
6 –½” nylock Nuts
Take an Upper Column Black Leg (with the bracket welded on top) and place it over
the top of one of the Lower Column Gray Legs. If building a 4 stage, align the bottom
hole on the Upper Column Leg with the bottom hole on the Lower Column Gray Leg.
If building a 6 Stage unit, align the bottom hole on the black leg and the 2nd hole on
the gray leg. Insert the 3” x ½” bolt and tighten on the nylock nut. See Figure 14.
Repeat for the other two legs.

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Figure 14: Installing the 36” Upper Column Black Leg
Take a 44” Inboard Black Leg and slide it over the 46-1/2” Inboard Gray Leg which is
in line with the leg assembled in the previous step. Pivot the gray and black legs up
and attach the Inboard black leg at the top hole to the bracket at the top of the 36”
black leg using a 3-1/2” x ½” bolt, two flat washers, and a ½” nylock nut. Do not
tighten the lock nut yet. See Fig. 15
For a 4 stage: align the top remaining hole on the Inboard black leg with the top hole
on the gray leg. For a 6 stage: align the second hole from the bottom on the Inboard
black leg with the top hole on the gray leg. Place a 3” x ½” bolt through the holes
and fully tighten this ½” nylon locknut. Repeat for the other two legs.
If the holes do not align perfectly, some adjustments can be made on the slots on
the Mounting Feet attached to the bin, and the Connecting Brackets under the Base
Ring.

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Figure 15: Installing the Inboard 44” Black Leg
6. INSTALL THE UPPER RING
You are going to need:
The Upper Ring parts –3 bent versions of the Base Ring parts
From the Bolt Kit:
6 –3/8” whiz nuts