Combines lightbars

[sparky]

I bought the Case Ez-Guide lightbar (made by Trimble - same as Ag leader's too) this spring. I needed new sprayer markers and the GPS would integrate into our combine's yield monitor so that we could make yield maps. For straight line guidance, the light bar works great. There is supposed to be an upgrade in the new year that will allow contour guidance. Hoping that it will eventually replace using markers arms on our air seeder too.

 

[steve_farmer]

Could you tell me the costs involvedIJ Thanks

 

[budlight]

Wanted to comment on the light Bar. we just purchased a Agleader PF3000 Pro and really like it. The only inconvenience is that we have to have the yield monitor box that has the GPS on the back of it for the light bar to operate in the sprayer or spreader truck. I just got done sewing all of our wheat with the spreader truck and used the light bar and had no problems. The only thing is to remember to go and change all of the width settings for each operation. I spread lime in one field on 60 foot and came back and split the middles to make it 30 ft. I had the bar set on 60 though. When my brother got the lime all disked in i began to sow wheat the same day. I did about 10 acres spreading at 60ft before i remembered to change it. I guess that was to blame for carlessness after working a weeks worth of 20 hour days to get wheat sowed and ground worked. We spread our wheat on 50 foot at a half rate and then come back at 25 foot to split the centers. In the end afte the wheat has came up you cant tell a bit of difference. We burn our corn stalks off before we disk them, and all we have to do then is Disk with roller 1 time before spreader truck and 1 time after. We have very little resedue and a perfect stand of wheat. Now back to the light bar. last weekend I sprayed our wheat for ryegrass using Hoelon and Prowl. Works great. I sprayed for 2 hours in the dark to get done using the light bar and you cant tell a bit of difference. the price we paid was 10,000 for everything, light bar, monitor and lots of cables. If you have any questions just post again and ask.

 

[sparky]

The Ez-Guide system sells here for about $5650 CDN. My Case dealer threw in the connector to allow me to hook it up to the combine yield monitor. The 4MB memory card to log yield information was about $400 CDN. The lightbar GPS uses the free WAAS signal for correction, so there is no subscription cost for a correction signal. So far, that is what I have spent (and all I hope I have to spend!).

 

[Bubs]

I have the EZ-Guide from CASEIH and it preforms well. I have some problems seeing the small numbers when the sun is shining. I built a small box for it to sit it on the sprayer to keep it shaded. It is easy to move from machine to machine and is quite accurate. The Trimble system has been around for a while and is used in the airplane spraying operations. Although the numbers are small it takes the shock of bumps and end rows without damage. I have heard that some of the larger bars have problems in these areas. I am much more relaxed after along day and the wind, sun, darkness, and ect, have no effect on the spray marking. I would think that if you wait for a promotion this fall that less than $4,000 US dollars will make it work. It will be more if you are going to use it on a monitor. Install it directly to the battery for power. I had trouble keeping the signal when I started the machine untill I went direct. You will wonder how you planted so crooked when you use a light bar to spray over the top of rows. Good luck and remember to not panic when you first start using a light bar.

 

[steve_farmer]

Is the EZ-GUIDE accurate enough for an air seederIJ How about row crop plantingIJ How close on is it, a couple inchesIJ Sounds like a pretty good one.

 

[bubs]

Sparky, If all of your land is flat then it will work, but remember that as you go over the hills your implement will draft with the slope, the light bar will take you over straight. Therefore I would say no to row planting but perhaps an air seeder would be more forgiving. It is quite accurate and very sensitive to movement. It is much quicker than you are with the steering wheel. You must learn to gently drift into the lights or you will end up like a snake,"crooked". It is easy to use and one of the nice features is when you run out of material, a push of the button will mark the spot until you return, today, tomorrow or when you get around to it. It's memory is a lot better than ours. last year Case offered it through the Farm Plan interest free for 6 months or so with a 10% discount up front. The time is almost ripe for a deal again. It can take a while for it to find it's position so I usually leave mine on all day, or until I am finished. When I start the machine in the morning I turn it on then and it is always ready when I get to the field. Driving down the road a mile or two before turning it on causes it to take longer to find itself. See, I have already sold you one. Go pick it up and put it on your four wheeler and get used to it. A great Christmas present, I think.

 

[steve_farmer]

Are there any devices to tie the bar into the steering on tractors that are not newIJ For instance, my laser automatically controls the cut control on the scraper for making accurate ditch grades, auto control is very nice and it doesn't seem like it should be too much of a stretch once you have a signal already directing you right or left.

 

[Chris]

Trimble has built an autosteer system that has been working well around here. The local Trimble_Ag leader dealer worked with the Case dealer to put together a demo unit. From what I understand about the system, it will not matter if you put it on a new machine or an older one. I don't believe that it's quite what you have in mind, though. To improve it's accuracy, it uses a high-end reciever in conjunction with differential correction from a fixed base station, with the option of a repeater to increase its range. They may also have a portable base station. last time I checked, the parts and installation for the tractor was around $20,000, and the base station hardware was also around $20,000.

 

[Nels]

I just bought an easy guide for spraying and fert spreading.