Simtech metering thingy

hendrebc · Apr 13, 2018

Just placed a order for a simtech grassfarmer drill this morning and was asked if i wanted a thing on it to measure how much ground ive done. Probably had a proper name but my sleep deprived brain cant remember it

Was told i can either have a simple mechanical one which i have to get off the tractor to check and work itnout from there or can have an electricronic one in the cab. Simple appeals to me but am i missing something? Is the elecronic one a lot better? My tractor is pretty basic doesnt have any way of doing it from that with gps or whatever but does have a plug to put screens on if i decided to use one.
@Yale @GTB

Yale · Apr 13, 2018

hendrebc said:
Just placed a order for a simtech grassfarmer drill this morning and was asked if i wanted a thing on it to measure how much ground ive done. Probably had a proper name but my sleep deprived brain cant remember it
Was told i can either have a simple mechanical one which i have to get off the tractor to check and work itnout from there or can have an electricronic one in the cab. Simple appeals to me but am i missing something? Is the elecronic one a lot better? My tractor is pretty basic doesnt have any way of doing it from that with gps or whatever but does have a plug to put screens on if i decided to use one.
@Yale @GTB

I’ve specked the mechanical meter.

Idea being put say 5 acre of grass seed in box then can jump off tractor and estimate seed left versus area covered by drill.

Shutesy · Apr 13, 2018

Sounds like a simple area meter. How much extra was the electronic one?

General-Lee · Apr 13, 2018

Are you meaning a metering wheel mechanical, or electrical. Or an area meter?

@neilo you got a Simtech?

hendrebc · Apr 13, 2018

Shutesy said:
Sounds like a simple area meter. How much extra was the electronic one?

I didnt hear exactly because thebloody dog was barking

but it was a few £100 more. Not a hell of a lot i dont think

Yale · Apr 13, 2018

To be honest the area meters are maybe more use for contractors sowing part areas so they can bill accordingly.

hendrebc · Apr 13, 2018

Yale said:
I’ve specked the mechanical meter.

Idea being put say 5 acre of grass seed in box then can jump off tractor and estimate seed left versus area covered by drill.

Thats what i thought too

hendrebc · Apr 13, 2018

General-Lee said:
Are you meaning a metering wheel mechanical, or electrical. Or an area meter?

@neilo you got a Simtech?

Im not sure. Not really a machinery buff

neilo · Apr 13, 2018

General-Lee said:
Are you meaning a metering wheel mechanical, or electrical. Or an area meter?

@neilo you got a Simtech?

My old one came with an electronic area meter, with a box that goes in the cab and a sensor wired onto the chassis. It counts the number of rotations of the rear roller IIRC, then works out the area covered (assuming you've calibrated it properly). I've never even plugged it in and didn't have one on my replacement drill.

I guess it might show you how much you've overlapped/missed, when you drill 6 acres of a 5 acre field.

Ignorance is bliss sometimes though.

Shutesy · Apr 13, 2018

hendrebc said:
I didnt hear exactly because thebloody dog was barking but it was a few £100 more. Not a hell of a lot i dont think

I'd perhaps stick with mechanical, nothing electric to stop working because of dodgy wire etc when your trying to get on!

hendrebc · Apr 13, 2018

Shutesy said:
I'd perhaps stick with mechanical, nothing electric to stop working because of dodgy wire etc when your trying to get on!

Thats what i thought too. My current drill was built in 1956 and the area meter still works on that so id expect a mechanical one to be more reliable than an electronic. Simple appeals to me

Kiwi Pete · Apr 14, 2018

I would go for the mechanical job, put the few hundred £££ towards a wireless reversing camera in the seed bin so you can see how low she's getting "on the run."
Really handy for turnips and other low rate, small seed drilling

hendrebc · Apr 14, 2018

Kiwi Pete said:
I would go for the mechanical job, put the few hundred £££ towards a wireless reversing camera in the seed bin so you can see how low she's getting "on the run."
Really handy for turnips and other low rate, small seed drilling

Thats a really good idea id never thought of that

hally · Apr 14, 2018

The camera in the hopper is money well spent, it takes away those arse twitching moments drilling small seeds into the last acre of a field next to the main road.

cheggars · Apr 14, 2018

hally said:
The camera in the hopper is money well spent, it takes away those arse twitching moments drilling small seeds into the last acre of a field next to the main road.

As someone told me otherday always start by the road and drill the same way as it. Never towards it.

le bon paysan · Apr 14, 2018

cheggars said:
As someone told me otherday always start by the road and drill the same way as it. Never towards it.

where is your pride man? ALWAYS started next to the road and to and fro, only ever about 0,5 inch out max but was a lot younger in them days (not as wise then)

Cheesehead · Apr 16, 2018

cheggars said:
As someone told me otherday always start by the road and drill the same way as it. Never towards it.

When we've cultivated a field we use an old trailed grey Massey box drill that connects to the 3pt linkage. My dad found that doesn't work on a field with a bank he also found not only does it pay to make sure the check chains are tight so that when going across the slope it doesn't move 3/4 of a foot down the slope he also found out it pays to check which wheel marking to drive to as other wise it shows really well on a slope just like a painting on the wall and everyone takes the p...

Admittedly several thought it was my first go at doing the seeding

Sprayer 1 · Apr 17, 2018

I have the elec box but found you have to calibrate it for different conditions, soil gives a different reading to grass so don't bother now on my farm ,just put it on when doing for others.

rob1 · Apr 17, 2018

Sprayer 1 said:
I have the elec box but found you have to calibrate it for different conditions, soil gives a different reading to grass so don't bother now on my farm ,just put it on when doing for others.

do you calibrate it differently too then ?

JD-Kid · Apr 20, 2018

hendrebc said:
Just placed a order for a simtech grassfarmer drill this morning and was asked if i wanted a thing on it to measure how much ground ive done. Probably had a proper name but my sleep deprived brain cant remember it
Was told i can either have a simple mechanical one which i have to get off the tractor to check and work itnout from there or can have an electricronic one in the cab. Simple appeals to me but am i missing something? Is the elecronic one a lot better? My tractor is pretty basic doesnt have any way of doing it from that with gps or whatever but does have a plug to put screens on if i decided to use one.
@Yale @GTB

if it's like the one in my drill it's just a simple total area and trip counter on off display unit handy to know when to check box if set up right
most in to cig lighter or 12 volt outlet wired back to sencer on input shaft
mechanical one OK just can't be reset in a lot of cases so a bit of maths to work back paddock size

Simtech metering thingy

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