Sun-Mar 400 Garden Composter

Operation of the 400

The 400 is considerably bigger than the 200, but otherwise it works on the same principle as the 200. The 400 is a continuous composter designed for composting kitchen scraps and a cut up materials from small garden.

As with the 200, material is added to the 400 by sliding the input door open. To mix and aerate the compost, the 400 drum is rotated by turning a shaft on which a small gear bears directly against the gear teeth on the drum. Compost is removed by opening the output port, rotating the drum and allowing compost to fall from the inner drum into a bushel basket or other container.

Autoflow Technology on the SUN-MAR 400

The diagram shows how material moves into and along the outer drum. A scoop on the inner drum (not shown) collects material and pushes it along the inner drum, exiting through the output port.



Some Composting Tips

Compost should be well mixed, oxygenated, moist and have roughly the right carbon to nitrogen ratio. This sounds difficult, but in a SUN-MAR it is surprisingly easy. Keep the Compost Moist and Oxygenated

The Unique Features of SUN-MAR’s Autoflow technology includes:

1-compost discharges automatically
2-no waiting for compost batches to finish
3- pest resistant
4-easy loading and turning of the composter

Benefits of composting kitchen and yard waste

A-Reduced waste disposal costs.
B-FREE source of fertilizer.
C-Reduced water bills because soil mixed with compost retains water better than regular soil.
D-Improved plant health due to improved soil structure and additional nutrients from the compost.

This means rotating the drum regularly to add oxygen to the pile, and adding moisture if you think the compost is looking a bit dry. The drum does the rest because by tumbling the waste the moisture is evenly distributed and every part of the mass is exposed to oxygen. In addition rotation mixes the new waste in with the old which serves to help to physically break up and mix the waste.

Keep the Compost Warm

This is not usually a concern because the compost in the drum and the drum’s insulating properties tend to keep the heat in. Even so, this won’t work in winter, when depending on the temperature composting can slow down or under 50F pretty well stop. Once the compost is frozen in the drum, it is not advisable to try and rotate the drum. The best course of action is just wait until spring comes. In the meantime by all means continue to put material in the drum.

Aim for the right Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio

Adding a mixture of kitchen and regular yard waste is effective, but for better , faster results, add carbon rich material (browns) like sawdust, straw, dry leaves, or wood chips (not cedar). These materials balance out the nitrogen rich green material and kitchen waste.
If you only add kitchen waste, you may need to add bulking material or pre-composted materials to help with oxygen penetration as the drum rotates.
Chop up the waste if possible: the smaller it is the faster the breakdown process.