First Impression--DAA Turbo Case-Feeder Plate in my Dillon Case-Feeder

[kmc]

I'm told my 1050 has one of the last case-feeders shipped with high and low speeds before Dillon switched to variable speed case-feeders. Now that I've automated the 1050, I'd like to speed up the case-feeder or possibly load it up with more brass. However, that would require a relatively spendy upgrade to get variable speed and a higher torque motor--whether Dillon or other supplier. I recently watched the video for the DAA Turbo Case-Feeder (here ==> https://www.doublealpha.biz/us/daa-turbo-case-feeder-plate) and ordered it. It is supposed to be both much faster (due to improved efficiency), work with all pistol calibers, and have fewer jams. It doesn't of course give me any more torque. I only received it today and devised a quick test to compare basic speeds. Mind you that I've run this test but haven't yet used it for much reloading--I'll get to that later this week.

 

What I did was dump a bowl of clean, roll-sized 40S&W range brass in the case-feeder and run it on high until the tube is filled. I then emptied the tube, setting this brass aside without disturbing the case-feeder and ran it until the tube filled a 2nd time. Here are the times:

• Dillon - 38.45sec (first tube), 36.19sec (second tube)
• DAA Turbo - 18.96sec (first tube), 12.47sec (second tube)

 

In a word, Wow! Yes, very limited test and of course YMMV. However, first impression is pretty good bang for the buck.

[SJBriggs]

Good to know since I just ordered one yesterday! A buddy of mine got one and said that for 9mm, it runs fast and flawless. Zero mis-fed casings. What's not to love? When it comes to reloading, I'm all about efficiency -- especially if that efficiency is only $40!

[Kwontanamo]

wow very cool. 

[ddc]

19 minutes ago, Kwontanamo said:

wow very cool. 

 

Yes. Probably going to get one if reviews continue to be positive.

[HesedTech]

I have to add my review:

 

Why didn't someone design this sooner?

 

So far I've ran about 1500 rounds through it and it's a two thumbs up!

 

I have to state very clearly, the DAA plate feeds as perfectly as it can get and is fast, and I would approximate it has the ability to drop about 6k and hour. 

[Boomstick303]

This thing is genius.  Just ordered one for my Roll Sizer.  Hopefully I can run it at full capacity without dropping $400 for a new DC motor.

[Johnnymazz]

Good to hear, once my house move is done, I need to get one

[George16]

I wonder if the output of the DAA plate can be achieved with just the wiring mod and still using the stock Dillon plate?

[kmc]

8 minutes ago, George16 said:

I wonder if the output of the DAA plate can be achieved with just the wiring mod and still using the stock Dillon plate?

Definitely not. The plate design is the magic.

 

[kmc]

There are two useful online videos--one of which where he demonstrates that it clocks nearly 12K cases/hr on a Dillon case-feeder. Note that if you have the new Dillon DC motor case-feeder, it won't run at full speed since it's dropping cases so fast past the "tube full" detector, the new Dillon keeps reverting to their slow down/start up mode. The second video and online info shows you a simple (non-Dillon approved) wiring mod to disable Dillon's "accelerate/decelerate" mode--switch still shuts the motor off of course.

[markimm]

That wiring mod bypasses the over current detection of the motor control board, not a good idea.  Dillon will definitely stop replacing them if they see the mod done..pretty easy, all they have to do is make you send back the cable that was cut and deny any warranty. 

[kmc]

7 minutes ago, markimm said:

That wiring mod bypasses the over current detection of the motor control board, not a good idea.

Maybe so--I didn't looks specifically at what was bypassed. However, if Dillon doesn't support a 300% improved performance on their product with a simple plate, some other supplier will. The speed improvement with a better-designed plate is too good to pass up. Seems like a better approach might be to partner with DAA and have a supported way to run full speed. I realize I'm probably just tilting at windmills here...

Edited December 29, 2021 by kmc

[67isb]

3 hours ago, markimm said:

That wiring mod bypasses the over current detection of the motor control board, not a good idea.  Dillon will definitely stop replacing them if they see the mod done..pretty easy, all they have to do is make you send back the cable that was cut and deny any warranty. 

 

Very valid points.  I'd be very concerned about something catching on fire once you remove the over current protection..  Wonder how long it will take for Dillon to tell DAA to remove the motor modification instructions from the web site.    The DAA case feed plate looks good if it works as well as advertised.  I hope the plastic material being used is durable as the Dillon one. The red transparent color makes it look really cheap to me.    However, I'm concerned about additional friction caused by the channels/grooves being cut into it if using the stock Dillon case feed motor.   As it is, the Dillon variable motor is very very weak so you'll want to upgrade to the Immortal Arms motor upgrade if you plan to dump more than a small handful of brass.   Immortal Arms case feed motor is very powerful and will let you run 6K+ cases/hr on the commercial Rollsizer using Dillon case feed plates.

 

I'm getting ready to order a second Immortal Arms case feed motor (CFU Pro).  This one will have the waterfall detection feature.   Should work really well on the Rollsizer and future Rollsizer decapper.

https://immortobot.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=440&zenid=qtdbaqtle1lf24dubk9mkeiq90

 

disclaimer:  not affiliated with any vendor and I paid for all my junk.

Edited December 29, 2021 by 67isb

[67isb]

2 hours ago, kmc said:

Maybe so--I didn't looks specifically at what was bypassed. However, if Dillon doesn't support a 300% improved performance on their product with a simple plate, some other supplier will. The speed improvement with a better-designed plate is too good to pass up. Seems like a better approach might be to partner with DAA and have a supported way to run full speed. I realize I'm probably just tilting at windmills here...

 

Better approach would be for Dillon to properly design and use the right motor to begin with.  AC motors have less torque than DC motors.  I'm guessing Dillon went with the cheapest option.    While DAA has some good stuff, they also have some lemons (hand priming tool).

 

[IHAVEGAS]

41 minutes ago, 67isb said:

 

Better approach would be for Dillon to properly design and use the right motor to begin with.  AC motors have less torque than DC motors.  I'm guessing Dillon went with the cheapest option.    While DAA has some good stuff, they also have some lemons (hand priming tool).

 

Some ac motors have less torque than some dc motors and vice versa. With the advent of reasonable cost and reliable variable frequency drives ac is being used on many high torque applications (coal mine draglines, rolling mills, large cranes, etc) that require speed control. They are typically cheaper to make and there are definite maintenance advantages (no brushes for example). 
 

Regardless, my guess would be that less than 5% of the case feeder applications would benefit from increased speed, unless there are a whole lot of people both automating and in a hurry than I know about. It might be hard to justify any cost increase to the 95%.

Edited December 29, 2021 by IHAVEGAS

[Boomstick303]

33 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said:

5% of the case feeder applications would benefit from increased speed, unless there are a whole lot of people both automating and in a hurry than I know about.

 

It's not just the speed increase.  This plate, if works as advertised, means the plate is more efficient, meaning the motor runs less leads to longer motor life in the case feeder.  Also multiple plates are no longer required where this one plate load many different pistol cartridges. Instead of buying a new plate if someone were to load a different caliber they could just buy one plate and call it the day.

 

I can see buying this plate for a couple of reasons.

[George16]

1 hour ago, 67isb said:

 

Better approach would be for Dillon to properly design and use the right motor to begin with.  AC motors have less torque than DC motors.  I'm guessing Dillon went with the cheapest option.    While DAA has some good stuff, they also have some lemons (hand priming tool).

 

The motor used by Dillon in the case feeder is not an AC motor. It’s a cheap 540-sized DC motor usually used on cheap and toy-grade electric RC cars and trucks. This is the reason why they used the AC to DC power supply converter or else the motor won’t run or get burned. The power supply converts 110-240 VAC to 24 VDC to run the motor.

 

I have some hobby grade 550-sized Mabuchi motors that put out out more torque and would had been better if Dillon decided to use this type of motor instead of what they currently have. Better yet, if they can install a brushless motor, it would be the best since it can put out a lot of torque. 
 

If someone has an old and broken casefeeder, I’d like to buy it so I can install and experiment with one of my spare RC truck motors. I can change the connectors to match the circuit board of the Dillon case feeder.

 

some of my spare brushless motors that powers up my racing buggies and truggies. 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by George16

[IHAVEGAS]

3 hours ago, Boomstick303 said:

Also multiple plates are no longer required where this one plate load many different pistol cartridges.

 

For me that is the cool part. Wonder how the noise level compares? 

 

[SJBriggs]

Fast forward to 3:20 for a speed comparison between the Dillon and DDA plates.

 

 

[slavex]

I've had mine for awhile now and love it. I have three old style 1050 case feeders, two really old ones and one that came with the my Super. I had installed the ImmortoBot Pro upgrade on the one on my Rollsizer, and then received the DAA plate after the fact. I wish I'd known about the plate before ordering the ImmortoBot upgrade, the DAA plate is fast enough for the Rollsizer, 6100rph and makes the ImmortoBot upgrade unnecessary. 

[George16]

37 minutes ago, slavex said:

I've had mine for awhile now and love it. I have three old style 1050 case feeders, two really old ones and one that came with the my Super. I had installed the ImmortoBot Pro upgrade on the one on my Rollsizer, and then received the DAA plate after the fact. I wish I'd known about the plate before ordering the ImmortoBot upgrade, the DAA plate is fast enough for the Rollsizer, 6100rph and makes the ImmortoBot upgrade unnecessary. 

Did you modify the wiring in addition to the DAA plate to be able to keep up with the Rollsizer or keep the wiring factory?

[markimm]

Pistol only.  For 9 it works as long as you don't overload it with too much brass.  I have found that more than about two handfuls clogs it up pretty bad and it doesn't work well.  For 45 ACP, it is very limited in how much brass  you can put in there.  All the 45 ACP cases stand up on the plate real quick and block the channels from letting upside down brass come down the tube.

It will jam.  Did it several times yesterday while pushing capacity on a standard unmodded Dillon DC motor.  Original AC motor in the Dillon feeder is about useless, not enough torque to deal with that many slots full and dragging on the bowl floor.

[slavex]

20 hours ago, George16 said:

Did you modify the wiring in addition to the DAA plate to be able to keep up with the Rollsizer or keep the wiring factory?

The old casefeeders can't be modified like the newer ones, they are only fast or slow, not variable speed. if you overload the hopper it won't keep up with the rollsizer. 

[SJBriggs]

Just got my DDA plate which I threw on my newer variable speed Dillon case feeder. With .40 cal, the case feeder is now WAY more reliable. Absolutely no jamming issues like I had with the factory Dillon plate. It also spit out the brass so fast that it would trigger the automatic shutoff switch enough to make it seem that the case feeder was getting bogged down. I may end up disconnecting it. I used the case feeder for both my XL750 and a commercial Roll Sizer. Even with all six bolts installed on the Roll Sizer, there is no way that the Roll Sizer will be able to keep up with the case feeder.

 

Assuming that the plate works just as well for 9mm, the real benefit for me is in the reliability factor and being able to use one plate for both calibers. $40 very well spent.

[clw42]

On 12/29/2021 at 6:16 PM, IHAVEGAS said:

 

For me that is the cool part. Wonder how the noise level compares? 

 

 

I think it's definitely quieter than the stock Dillon plates, not by a lot, but it's a noticeable difference.