Near Intersection of I-35 & I-90 Southern Mn. | Sounds as if you have four situations where you would like automatic coverage maps 1) mounted planter 2) pull type field cultivator 3) pull type ripper and 4) pull type sprayer with ball valves.
As you are probably aware the coverage map can be set to map based on whether autosteer is engaged/disengaged. I'm guessing you don't want this and prefer that the mapping start/stop based on the implement. You want to use the "Switch" selection in the menu.
My thought is to make a pigtail that extends out of the back of the tractor and terminates in a common connector such as a two pole WeatherPak.
Then each implement could have a mating connector that would mate with the two pole WeatherPak. This would mean that when you attach/detach the implement you would only need to plug/unplug that connector besides the normal activities.
For the mounted planter, a mercury switch or a whisker switch should be workable. This could stay with the tractor but only be connected when the planter was being used. Most whisker switches have a Normally Open, a Normally Closed and a Common terminal. With some whisker switches, it is necessary to remove a cover and move a wire to go from one or the other to change from Normally Open to Normally Closed.
With Ag Leader whisker switches they provide two connections, you would use the one that gives you the proper action. This will depend on where you mount the switch. If you always raise the planter up completely then mounting the switch so it is deflected in the up position might be desirable. In other cases you might want to mount it so the switch is deflected when the 3 point in the lowered position.
For the field cultivator and ripper (I'm assuming Pull-type) then an implement switch could be mounted on each of these, again with the same considerations as above. The implement switch could be moved from one implement to another but I am assuming you don't want the trouble of doing that. A two wire cable with the proper connector on it could be run up the hitch and bundled with the hydraulic hoses.
For the Sprayer with ball valves, a relay would be the safest. This relay could be mounted on either the tractor or I'd suggest the sprayer. The relay would be a 12V relay that has the coil connections going to the wire that goes hot to open the Center boom valve and ground. The output terminals from the relay could go up the hitch to the connector mentioned above. These new wires could be bundled with the sprayer control cable.
It may take some adjustment with the implements and 3 point hitch to get the switches set in the correct position but after that it should just be a plug in and go arrangement.
One of the problems of just using a general purpose micro-switch is adjustment. If the implement is always raised completely then this is not an issue. Sometimes an implement such as a field cultivator is just partially raised on the ends. This is where the implement switches with the spring type whip on them are easier to adjust since the alignment isn't so fussy.
On a personal project some years ago, I wanted to start/stop an acre counter based on the height of the head on the combine. Since the head was not always raised completely on the ends and not always lowered to the same point in the field I needed something that would allow some variation. The operating height was not the same for corn versus soybeans.
Here's what I made for that: I used a small hinge, a push button switch, a light duty coil spring and a piece of light chain. I mounted the switch within the hinge and connected the wires to the acre counter. I used the spring so that it would attempt to pull the hinge shut causing the hinge to depress the button switch. This was mounted under the cab floor above the side of the feederhouse. I connected the chain from the hinge to a hook on a bolt on the feeder house. The push button switch was the Normally Closed type meaning that the circuit is normally complete and is broken when the button is pushed. This would be the opposite of the doorbell type switches.
When the head was up, the chain was loose and the spring pulled the hinge against the push button thus breaking the circuit. When the head was lowered the chain pulled the hinge back open allowing the button to pop back up which completed the circuit and started the acre counter.
I could adjust the point where the recording started by adjusting the effective length of the chain. I believe I needed to change this when going from the bean head to the corn head as the corn head normally ran with the feederhouse higher off of the ground.
Edited by tedbear 1/31/2015 10:41
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EZ Guide "Coverage" Switch Help
