Amazone amatron + Gps switch

[Garchie08]

Hi. Hope this is in the right section.
We have a 2008 amazone ZAM ultra fertiliser spreader with a Amatron + screen that we use on a case mx135 and mx110 so are looking for a way to put a gps speed input into the amatron +
I have spoken to our local dealer who is beyond useless unfortunately (if they answer the phone) and am currently looking for a new dealer, so I thought it would be worth asking on here.

Would I need to put a gps switch onto the spreader to put a gps speed into the amatron +?
If so, what is exactly is needed to add the gps switch?
And would the gps switch be able to produce spread maps etc?
Thanks

 

[super4]

You can buy a wheel speed sensor to connect to the control box for speed. Do a search on here this question has been asked many times regarding gps and speed connection.
It is possible to set the box up to operate at a constant speed if needed.

 

[Garchie08]

Thanks for the reply. I did search but maybe used the wrong phrase so will search again

I currently have it set for a constant speed. We have a magnetic GPS receiver for the speed sensor on our sprayer for flow rate and works really well and quick to change tractor.
As i used the spreader on different tractors and possibly upgrading tractor later this year, I thought using gps for speed would be the way to go

 

[del_boy]

Is this the cable your on about? On our amatron + box this cable provides the forward speed. Think most tractors have this socket in the cab for a speed reading

 

[Northern farmer]

We have the cable as above for an Amatron+ and we have the GPS Switch screen too for a sprayer. I'm not sure at all but I think Amatron+ is only using GPS speed when GPS switch is "active", i.e. section control on. If the spreader does not support section control via GPS Switch, it might neither use the GPS speed signal. Anyone familiar with this detail?

 

[del_boy]

The box ive pictured above is not linked to gps at all. Its a section control fert spinner with manual section control. We run it on a fendt 724 which has gps but its not linked to the spreader. We've used the same spreader on a none gps tractor and the speed cable is still used and takes a reading from the tractor . As far as im aware this box doesn't support a gps input to control the spreader, its the newer amazone 3 boxes that have the gps switch. But i might be wrong

 

[Northern farmer]

The box ive pictured above is not linked to gps at all. Its a section control fert spinner with manual section control. We run it on a fendt 724 which has gps but its not linked to the spreader. We've used the same spreader on a none gps tractor and the speed cable is still used and takes a reading from the tractor . As far as im aware this box doesn't support a gps input to control the spreader, its the newer amazone 3 boxes that have the gps switch. But i might be wrong

Yes I understand you don't need any GPS to work with Amatron+. I understand the OP was thinking about using GPS speed (only speed signal, not section control) instead of the speed signal from the machine plug. Therefore my thinking it might not work from GPS only.

 

[Garchie08]

Thanks everyone for the reply.
Del-boy, I have that cable but the mx135 doesn’t have the plug (I think isobus plug) so I would have to wire in a wheel sensor.
thanks for all the information. Gives me a better understanding of how it all works

 

[rusty]

I have an Amatron 3 box for my fertiliser spreader with GPS switching for headlands and section control. Although it takes readings from the GPS it can’t use this for the speed reading and needs the connection from the tractor speed socket.

 

[# Robin]

Thanks everyone for the reply.
Del-boy, I have that cable but the mx135 doesn’t have the plug (I think isobus plug) so I would have to wire in a wheel sensor.
thanks for all the information. Gives me a better understanding of how it all works

I’ve been the same with Amazone hydro spreader, I’d have thought MX would have had the traditional iso11786 socket in the back of the cab? Gives out speed pulses/linkage position ec . On my older MF it needed a pull-up resistor into the to make the speed signal pulses work.
I think you could wire your gps sat speed signal into the amatron, I haven’t checked but pretty sure it outputs the same pulses/m signal as the iso socket (131 pulses/m from memory?)

 

[Northern farmer]

Del-boy, I have that cable but the mx135 doesn’t have the plug (I think isobus plug) so I would have to wire in a wheel sensor.

The plug on the photo from del_boy is not an isobus socket. We have a very old 6020 series JD and even that has this socket, not isobus equipped by any means.

 

[Northern farmer]

I’ve been the same with Amazone hydro spreader, I’d have thought MX would have had the traditional iso11786 socket in the back of the cab? Gives out speed pulses/linkage position ec . On my older MF it needed a pull-up resistor into the to make the speed signal pulses work.
I think you could wire your gps sat speed signal into the amatron, I haven’t checked but pretty sure it outputs the same pulses/m signal as the iso socket (131 pulses/m from memory?)

Have to comment this, I was interpreting GPS signal as the NMEA data from another screen. The GPS switch does make use of the GPS speed from a GPS (GNSS) receiver but Amatron+ needs "a speed pulse" signal. Now this speed pulse signal usually comes from the socket del_boy posted but some GPS receivers give a similar speed pulse signal too, in addition to the NMEA data that includes position and speed info.

Perhaps clear for others but my previous comments may have been confusing because above I did not consider this "physical" GPS speed signal option.

 

[# Robin]

Have to comment this, I was interpreting GPS signal as the NMEA data from another screen. The GPS switch does make use of the GPS speed from a GPS (GNSS) receiver but Amatron+ needs "a speed pulse" signal. Now this speed pulse signal usually comes from the socket del_boy posted but some GPS receivers give a similar speed pulse signal too, in addition to the NMEA data that includes position and speed info.

Perhaps clear for others but my previous comments may have been confusing because above I did not consider this "physical" GPS speed signal option.

Yes might be wrong but think he means he’s got RDS type sat-speed which just output a pulse like a radar

 

[twizz]

Bringing this back up can I get a gps signal to the amatron + box to get a speed signal rather than from the tractor wiring.
I want to be able to swap tractors on the sprayer

 

[# Robin]

Hi, I have an RDS satspeed module (picture further up in thread) which gives a speed pulse input for my seeder, similar to a radar . It’s really good but think they’re around £400. I keep meaning to wire it to the Amazone spreader box too so hopefully someone will pop along and tell us how to connect it up !

 

[NeepClatter]

Plug this into your Amatron and set the pulses per 100m to 223 and away you go.think the price is about 45 quid

GPS Road Speed Signal Interface

GPS Road Speed Signal Interface

www.bridgwater-electronics.co.uk

 

[SMID]

That looks like a possibility for a Muller Spraylight, I was looking for cable to connect the Trimble to it .by the looks of that it could be a cheaper option.

 

[NeepClatter]

That looks like a possibility for a Muller Spraylight, I was looking for cable to connect the Trimble to it .by the looks of that it could be a cheaper option.

I made my own cable, the Amatron box is a DB9 type input. The benefit of this speed impulse box is its GPS derived speed, not tractor wheel speed which has slippage inaccuracies or ground radar sourced which can get bolloxed in tall crops.

https://amzn.eu/d/1XJJh6Z

 

[twizz]

I made my own cable, the Amatron box is a DB9 type input. The benefit of this speed impulse box is its GPS derived speed, not tractor wheel speed which has slippage inaccuracies or ground radar sourced which can get bolloxed in tall crops.

https://amzn.eu/d/1XJJh6Z

Have you a wiring diagram to wire the plug up please

 

[NeepClatter]

Take 12vdc from a nearby source or the battery to power the GPS, attach the power source to the red and black leads coming from GPS. The Green lead from GPS is your speed pulse signal lead and would connect to your implement control box on the same pin as you would connect either your wheel speed input or ground (speed) radar from your tractor 7 pin ISO connector at rear and of cab (pin 1 is the one I used to attach the Green lead to as it’s the ground radar input) Then leave the gps pointing to the sky somewhere in the cab, I don’t bother mounting it as it’s light and about the size of a pack of fags and works fine as long as it’s pointing up.