FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
On
Time Feeders FAQ
What does the Lifetime Warranty cover and what do I pay?
What models come with the
Lifetime Warranty?
If I have a mechanical problem with one of my feeders or
spreaders what should I do?
Does Gamefeeders Online stock these products and how soon will my order ship?
Are "On-Time Wildlife Feeders" a new product?
What type of batteries do these feeders use and how long will they last?
How many times a day can my feeder feed?
What is the timer housing constructed of & can water, insects, or dust get inside?
How far is feed thrown and how can I increase or decrease the distance?
How much feed does the feeder throw during each cycle?
How many days will my supply of feed last before I have to refill?
Can I set the amount of time my feeder runs during each feeding?
Do the barrels have an internal funnel?
How tall is the tripod setup?
Are there any holes drilled in the barrel for mounting the tripod legs?
Can the lid be removed from the barrel if the barrel is still hanging?
How and where do I attach the solar panel for the Solar model feeder?
What does the Lifetime Warranty cover and what do I pay?
The lifetime warranty covers basically all parts on your feeder timer except the outer cylinder (main housing) and the mounting funnel. The warranty includes the motor, spinplate, clock, electronics, & digital components. The mounting funnel is covered under the warranty if the defect is due to a casting error or faulty welding. Labor is covered by the warranty and all you will need to pay is a $12.00 S&H charge.
If you have a unit that has been damaged due to neglect, abuse, vandalism, or "Mother Nature" it may still be able to be covered under the warranty. Send it to On Time and they will fix anything they can under the warranty. The service technician will contact you for approval if there are to be any additional charges.
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What models come with the Lifetime Warranty?
On Time currently has six feeder models covered by the LIFETIME WARRANTY. These models include the original "Lifetime", the "Elite", the new "C74", all "Solar" models, all "Fish Feeder" models, and the "Bumper Buddy". These units are all housed in an aluminum cylinder. The
"Tomahawk" and the "Fat Boy" series come in a high impact ABS plastic housing and are covered by a one year warranty.
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If I have a mechanical problem with one of my feeders or spreaders what should I do?
The best thing to do is call "On Time" at 1-800-488-3006 and talk with them. Many times they will be able to diagnose the problem and can send you out the replacement part immediately. If the problem cannot be defined over the phone or you do not want to call, you will need to send the unit in to their repair department. DO NOT include your batteries, battery pack, or funnel (unless the pack or funnel is damaged). Be sure to include your name, mailing address, and phone number INSIDE the box as well as a check, cash, or money order for $12 to cover the return shipping and handling charge. Ship the unit to:
On Time Feeders
Atten: Repair Dept
110 East Railroad Ave.
Ruston, La 71270
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Does Gamefeeders Online stock the On Time products and how soon will my order ship?
Due to the high volume of feeders and other products we sell, we do not warehouse or ship from here. All products are shipped direct from the On Time factory (located in our town) or from one of our other suppliers. Most items
arrive to the customer in 5-10 business days, however sometimes delays are possible, especially during the busy season. This arrangement allows us to offer our products at the best possible price by keeping our overhead costs low.
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Are "On Time Wildlife Feeders" a new product?
On Time started building feeders on a small scale around 1988. The company continually improved on it's design and eventually entered the full blown feeder market in
1992. The "Original Lifetime Feeder" is one of the top sellers and has basically remained unchanged since first introduced to the public in
1992.
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How many times a day can my feeder feed?
All units are shipped ready to feed a minimum of 2 times daily. The clock models use clips that you place on the clock's dial at the desired feed times. some models include 2 clips, some include 3. Extra clips for more feedings are available through any On time dealer. You can feed up to 12 times in a 24 hour period with any of the clock model units. Units can also be set to feed only once a day.
The Elite digital units (standard, fish, or solar) can be programmed to feed up to 6 times in a 24 hour period. Even though the digital units do not offer as many daily feedings as the clock models, the run time can be set for up to 30 seconds which makes up for the fewer available run times.
The C74 unit comes preset to feed twice a day and cannot be increased or decreased without the optional hand held controller. The optional controller allows you to feed up to 6 times daily same as the Elite feeders. The controller is especially valuable if you have multiple C74 units, since one controller operates an unlimited number of C74 feeders.
More details on feed times can be found in the description of each unit on that unit's web page.
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What is the timer housing constructed of & can bugs, insects, or dust get inside?
As we all know, durability and resistance to damaging natural elements are some of the main factors to consider when buying a feeder. All the LIFETIME warranty units offered by On Time are housed in an extruded aircraft aluminum housing almost 1/4" thick and are extremely strong.
All electronics for the Lifetime and Elite models (including all solar and fish feeder models) are mounted on a slide in and out chassis that uses foam seals that keeps dust, insects, and moisture outside where it belongs. Once you close and secure the chassis into the housing the insides remain virtually untouched by the elements that are so harmful to any feeder. The C74 unit, while not having a slide in and out chassis, uses a unique twist bottom to seal the electronics inside.
The Fat Boy and Tomahawk models use a high impact plastic housing. Once the housing is secured the internal parts are very well sealed from dust, insects, and moisture. Heavy blowing rain, ants, sand, etc cannot find their way inside.
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How far is feed thrown and how can I increase or decrease the distance?
Distance thrown varies for the different feeder models, but for the Original Lifetime or Elite models you can generally expect
50-70' of total coverage. The FatBoy 3, C74, and Tomahawk units will cover a distance of about
30-40'.
Distance is determined by the amount of gap between the spinplate and barrel or funnel opening, as well as battery power, motor speed, and type of feed thrown. The Elite can be programmed for 3 different motor speeds to increase or decrease the coverage area, while the other units can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the gap between the spinplate and feed opening. Also, changing battery voltage will also increase or decrease the coverage amount. Direct drop spinplates are also available for feeding directly under your unit.
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How much feed does the feeder throw during each cycle?
As a general rule of thumb, Most On Time models throw a pound of corn every 4 seconds. This is figured at maximum motor speed and a 3/8" gap between the funnel and the spinplate. The Fat
Boy 3, Tomahawk, and C74 units will throw about a pound every 7-8 seconds.
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How many days will my supply of feed last before I have to refill?
The answer to this question depends on several things such as the distance of gap between the spinplate and feed opening, run time set for each feeding, and the battery power your unit uses. The best way to get an idea of how long your feed will last, is to check the feeder's description on it's web page to see how much it feeds every 4 seconds. You can then decide how much feed will be used each day, and then every, 10, 20, 30 days, etc.
For example, a 225 lb container equipped with a Lifetime or Elite feeder, spinplate gap set a 3/8", feeding 8 seconds each feeding for twice a day would use approximately 4 lbs of corn each day. So, 225lbs of corn divided by 4 is 56.25 days, or close to two months.
There is an easy way to see exactly how much feed you are throwing in a set amount of time. First set your feeder for the amount of run time you want to test, manually trip the feeder and quickly place a 5 gallon bucket or similar container around the timer and against the bottom of the barrel. Once the timer stops running, weigh the contents of corn the feed on a kitchen scale. You can then figure how much corn will be used in a set time over a set period.
The Elite test feature only offers a 5 second test, so you would need to multiply or estimate the amount of feed according to the amount of time you plan on feeding each cycle.
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Can I set the amount of time my feeder runs during each feeding?
Only the C74 unit has a preset run time (8 seconds). All the other models have adjustable run times. The clock models can be set to run from
1 seconds up to 20, while the digital models can be programmed to run from 1-30 seconds. The C74 unit can be programmed to run up to 30 seconds if using the optional hand held controller.
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Do the barrels have an internal funnel?
The standard 150lb brown and 200lb Black barrels feature
a flat bottom and do not include an internal funnel. We do offer the internal funnels to fit both the 25 and 32 gallon On Time barrels. The
new 200lb CONICAL barrel (introduced mid 2005) features a molded funnel design
bottom.
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How tall are the tripod and quad-pod
setups?
The standard tripod consists of three 90" legs made up from 30" slip together sections. The total height with the barrel is approximately 120" or 10' from the ground to the top of the barrel. The barrel can also be mounted on the second ring, which will make the total height about 105" inches or almost 9' from the ground. The bottom of the barrel is about 5' - 6 1/2' feet from the ground depending on which height you set the barrel at. The
S-250 quad pod uses 4 legs with total height being about 120".
The EZ Load tripod uses 150" legs and raise the barrel the same height from the ground as with the standard tripod.
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Are there any holes drilled in the barrel for mounting the tripod legs?
No, the legs slip onto 3 "stubbies" which are made onto the barrel ring itself. This ring slips around the barrel and tightens with a single bolt, squeezing itself tightly around the barrel. This ring system means no holes in your barrel to allow moisture or water inside.
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Can the lid be removed from the barrel if the barrel is still hanging?
Yes it can. On Time's design of hanger bracket allows the lip to be removed even while the barrel is still hanging. No more lowering the barrel to the ground to lay the hanger bracket over to one side and out of the way!
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How and where do I attach the solar panel for the Solar model feeder?
The Solar unit by On Time comes delivered to you with the solar panel already mounted to the feeder. This unique solar panel is designed so that it wraps around the timer housing itself, rather than mounting to a pole or onto the side of the barrel. There are no exposed wires for animals to chew, or glass panels to get broken!
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