Hey I have a question about vacuum pressure. We have taken our 1200 planter and narrowed it down to 17 inch rows, and we have a total of 12 rows. If you take the pressure up on the gage over 10 the pump starts to pulse, and the rpm's sound extremely high. My guess is because we have narrowed the tubing basically in half (as the rows are now 17, instead of 30) that the tubing is more pressurized, as their is less distance the air needs to travel. Any recommendation on where we should be setting our pressure?
Use the steps below to troubleshoot a vacuum or bulk fill fan that is fluctuating in an AFS planter. For all vacuum fans: Make sure there are seed discs in the meters when testing the vacuum fan. If the fan is run without discs in the meters, the extra air flow can make the system unstable. Try decreasing the gain setting in the display to a setting of "1". Version 27.2 and higher display software has a feature where the gain can be set to 0, to lock the controller output to the current value. With this software, run the fan at the target speed, set the gain to 0, and see if the fan runs steadily. If the fan continues to surge the problem is most likely hydraulic. Remove the seed meter cover with the vacuum sensor in it from the meter, this will put the vacuum fan control valve at maximum flow. If the fan surges in this state the problem is hydraulic. See if the fan will run steadily using the push pin in the vacuum fan control cartridge. If the planter is equipped with liquid fertilizer verify the hydraulic connections for the fertilizer system match the hydraulic schematics in the operators and repair manuals. If the connection for the liquid fertilizer valve, or motor, is reversed it can make the hydraulics unstable. Try a different fan control cartridge. For vacuum fans powered by a PTO pump: Check the oil level in the PTO pump reservoir. Verify the tractor PTO speed is steady. Change the filter. Try a different unloading valve in the multi-valve. Try a different relief valve in the multi-valve. For vacuum fans powered by a tractor remote: Turn down the flow control for the tractor remote, until the vacuum drops slightly. Then turn up the flow control slightly. Try a different tractor remote. Put the PFC pump on the tractor on demand (hold the steering wheel against the stop, hold the remote for planter frame raise etc...) and see if the fan will run steadily. If it will run steadily like this, then increase the low pressure standby on the tractor's PFC pump and see if there is any improvement.
Hey I have a question about vacuum pressure. We have taken our 1200 planter and narrowed it down to 17 inch rows, and we have a total of 12 rows. If you take the pressure up on the gage over 10 the pump starts to pulse, and the rpm's sound extremely high. My guess is because we have narrowed the tubing basically in half (as the rows are now 17, instead of 30) that the tubing is more pressurized, as their is less distance the air needs to travel. Any recommendation on where we should be setting our pressure?
Use the steps below to troubleshoot a vacuum or bulk fill
fan that is fluctuating in an AFS planter.
For all vacuum fans:
Make sure there are seed discs in the meters when
testing the vacuum fan. If the fan is run without discs in the meters, the
extra air flow can make the system unstable.
Try decreasing the gain setting in the display to a
setting of "1".
Version 27.2 and higher display software has a
feature where the gain can be set to 0, to lock the controller output to
the current value. With this software, run the fan at the target speed,
set the gain to 0, and see if the fan runs steadily. If the fan continues
to surge the problem is most likely hydraulic.
Remove the seed meter cover with the vacuum sensor
in it from the meter, this will put the vacuum fan control valve at
maximum flow. If the fan surges in this state the problem is hydraulic.
See if the fan will run steadily using the push pin
in the vacuum fan control cartridge.
If the planter is equipped with liquid fertilizer
verify the hydraulic connections for the fertilizer system match the
hydraulic schematics in the operators and repair manuals. If the
connection for the liquid fertilizer valve, or motor, is reversed it can
make the hydraulics unstable.
Try a different fan control cartridge.
For vacuum fans powered by a PTO pump:
Check the oil level in the PTO pump reservoir.
Verify the tractor PTO speed is steady.
Change the filter. Try a different unloading valve in the multi-valve.
Try a different relief valve in the multi-valve.
For vacuum fans powered by a tractor remote:
Turn down the flow control for the tractor remote,
until the vacuum drops slightly. Then turn up the flow control slightly.
Try a different tractor remote.
Put the PFC pump on the tractor on demand (hold the steering wheel against the stop, hold the remote for planter frame raise etc...) and see if the fan will run steadily. If it will run steadily like this, then increase the low pressure standby on the tractor's PFC pump and see if there is any improvement.