Hey Greg, it's been a while since I posted.
Actually, the Sweeney doesn't have two motors. It has a motor to dispense the feed, but a solenoid is all that is used to open the gate to drop the feed on the dispenser. In my experience, it is the weakest part of the design, as the solenoid is not able to overcome the extra weight of food buildup or extra friction on the gate pivot. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion, based on the Sweeney feeders I've sold and serviced. Keeping the gate clean, etc. does a good job of preventing that problem. The 300 lb model does seem a lot more prone to this issue than the smaller AF1100, perhaps because the food is resident in the feeder for a longer time and picks up moisture.
Otherwise, the Sweeney is a fine feeder and their customer service is great. I especially like the digital timer. For most pondowners the AF1100 is a solid choice.
Gonna check out those Stren feeders though . . .
