Near Intersection of I-35 & I-90 Southern Mn. | You are correct in that the Application Rate Module and an implement switch would be the most obvious choice. The Application Rate module would be connected to the CAN bus like other modules. It has a port that can work with an implement switch. It can also work with a flow meter for other situations.
Another option would be to have a coverage map created based on when auto steer is engaged. This map would show where auto steer was engaged and would not necessarily be 100% accurate as it would not map areas where you were seeding and steering manually. This arrangement might still be useful though. This approach would not require any of your other modules since the map would be based entirely on whether auto steer was engaged or not.
As far as using some of your other modules, the main problem is those modules generally log based on some type of product flow.. Your seed tube module would be watching for seed flow. Most of the other modules would be watching for some type of product flow from a flow meter, shaft sensor etc. It might not be too difficult to add a shaft sensor on the drill shaft and use it to "fake in" a rate to the strip-till module. Another thought would be to make some type of device that creates a pulsing output that would be placed in place of a flow meter or shaft sensor. The displayed rate would not necessarily reflect the seeding rate but the coverage map should be useful.
You ask if these modules will fail because they are not really controlling anything. No, that is not the problem, the problem is that the modules will be expecting some type of flow indication.
The control circuit does not need to actually run a control valve although usually they would. The module would still "try" to control the rate but with nothing connected it will have no effect. The rate alarm may sound. I did this with my Deere 4720 sprayer. The Deere system still controlled the rate and the Ag Leader Liquid Product control module controlled the sections and did the mapping. There were no connections from the Ag Leader Liquid Module to control the rate.
I would set the target rate in both the Deere and Ag Leader systems. If I slowed down, both systems would try to reduce the flow to maintain the target rate. Since the Ag Leader was not connected to any type of control, its efforts went nowhere. This was fine as long as the Deere system did its job and reduced the output. If the Deere system was not able to maintain the target rate both systems would show the error.
Here's another thought. I have not done this but I'm thinking that you should be able to use your Clutch Control Module along with your switch box arrangement since the Clutch Control Module does not use any type of product flow such as seeds, flow meter, shaft sensor etc. However, the Clutch Control Module will be "looking" for clutches upon initial startup and occasionally through the day. It compares the number and location of the clutches against what you have indicated in the configuration.
It does this with a rather clever technique. Each clutch is wired "hot". The system disengages the appropriate clutches by completing ground to the clutch(es) which should not be planting. Upon initial startup, the system looks for the branches that are returning 12V on each potential ground wire. If it finds 12V there, it assumes that the branch has a healthy working clutch. It compares the branches that it finds with 12V on the potential ground wire with the configuration that you have elected. It will complain if number and location of the clutches does not agree with the configuration.
Since you won't have any "real" clutches on your dril (Maybe you could), You could fool the system by installing a 12V relay on clutch Sections 1 & 2 and setting up the configuration as a two section rig with the appropriate widths. You would leave the Master and Section 1 & 2 in the ON position for normal use. The implement switch would then start/stop the coverage map.
This would require making a modified planter harness plug. This harness would go in place of the real clutch harness that would stay with your planter. The modified harness would stay with the cover crop drill.
It would have a branch to plug into the connector on the Clutch Module with Section branch 1 and Section branch 2 to a relay each. You would need at least two relays since the configuration requires at least two sections. This will fool the system into passing the configuration match test. When you raise the drill, the implement switch will cycle those relays which wouldn't be connected to anything and most importantly for your situation, stop mapping.
This may seem like it would be more trouble than its worth but I believe would be workable. I would go with relays although a 10K Ohm resistor in place of each relay may work just as well.
Edited by tedbear 9/1/2025 10:31
|
Logging coverage with Ag Leader
