Horsch duett coulters drilling depth issue

[farmer phil]

Having laboriously drilled thousands of acres over the last 35 years with various power harrow/drill configurations, we've bit the bullet this year and bought a s/hand horsch sprinter on duett coulters. To say I'm dissappointed is an understatement. We know very little about how these things are supposed to work but weve spent ages messing about with altering the depth to try and get a consistent job but we're really struggling. It seems the leading point is cutting a slot into the soil (sumoed) and the coulter is then dropping the seed behind in a band, but some of the seed (maybe 30/40%) is falling into the slot, whereas the rest is in the band, if we set the depth correctly for the band, the slot is 2 inches deeper, if we set for the slot, the band is only on the surface and not covered. The soil is not particularly heavy, and is slightly damp but not wet or anything untoward. I know it would drill lovely with the combi. The points are very good, and the band bit behind seems good to me although I don't really know what to compare with.
So my question is this, are we doing something wrong or is this normal for these coulters and do we give up until we've put some different openers on?
Thanks in advance

 

[T Hectares]

Having laboriously drilled thousands of acres over the last 35 years with various power harrow/drill configurations, we've bit the bullet this year and bought a s/hand horsch sprinter on duett coulters. To say I'm dissappointed is an understatement. We know very little about how these things are supposed to work but weve spent ages messing about with altering the depth to try and get a consistent job but we're really struggling. It seems the leading point is cutting a slot into the soil (sumoed) and the coulter is then dropping the seed behind in a band, but some of the seed (maybe 30/40%) is falling into the slot, whereas the rest is in the band, if we set the depth correctly for the band, the slot is 2 inches deeper, if we set for the slot, the band is only on the surface and not covered. The soil is not particularly heavy, and is slightly damp but not wet or anything untoward. I know it would drill lovely with the combi. The points are very good, and the band bit behind seems good to me although I don't really know what to compare with.
So my question is this, are we doing something wrong or is this normal for these coulters and do we give up until we've put some different openers on?
Thanks in advance

There is a reason why so many Sprinters are running on Borgault / Dutch / Metcalf openers

Putting aside DD aspirations, it’s because the Duett is an awfully crude abomination of a coulter...

 

[JMM]

Should be two bands per leg either side of the slot - are the seed chutes on the back of the coulter looking particularly worn ?

 

[farmer phil]

Should be two bands per leg wither side of the slot - are the seed chutes on the back of the coulter looking particularly worn ?

Tbh, they look ok but I dont know what they should look like, the dealer told us it was in good condition and ready to go but maybe thats the issue

 

[solo]

I would check the drill is level front to back as this can give uneven depth. It can also affect whether the base of the drilling foot smears. If the base plate is badly worn then the seed is not sown in such a wide band. It should be come out of the boot at the back split in two rows which are scattered in the air stream.They should also be blown to the sides of where the leading point runs through the soil. The fan should be run at 3500rpm max for cereals on a 4m machine.

 

[PSQ]

There’s nothing wrong with the Duet coulter, they work absolutely fine in every system except DD. Their only problem is they need a bit more upkeep than the overly expensive replacements from Bourgault and Dutch.
The advice we were given by my CO’s original operator 8 seasons ago was to make sure you could see occasional flashes of yellow from the plastic side plates, which meant it was deep enough but not too deep. As long as you’ve got 35mm of soil cover for the pre-em it’s about right on the money.
If you’re worried about seed in the slot then I wonder what speed your sowing at (10-11k here) and if the triangular base plates are getting a little worn so it’s not leaving a level bed for the seed to land in.
The ‘classic shank’ on the CO and earlier ST’s didn’t maintain depth well in firm ground, leading to more seed being thrown around at shallower depths or on top. Later ST leg sorted that out.

Edit: beaten by Solo on the base plates above...

 

[Steevo]

I seem to be the only person who gets on just fine with the Duetts on DD.

I just find you have to pick your drilling days - too wet and it makes a mess and the tractor wheels don’t grip and do more harm than good.

Been drilling the last two days into perfect conditions and couldn’t be happier with the end result.

 

[T Hectares]

The cost of converting my 6m Sprinter to Borgaults slipped to the back of my mind when I could then pull it with a tractor that cost £60k less...

 

[Rattie]

The cost of converting my 6m Sprinter to Borgaults slipped to the back of my mind when I could then pull it with a tractor that cost £60k less...

Totally agree, this is often overlooked in the conversion cost (we certainly did). 130hp comfortable with a 4m Co on heavy land with Dutch counters. Before conversion 160hp min.
5" Dutch points done over 1500ha with absolutely no maintenance, look like plenty left in them.
The reason we changed was appalling establishment in 1st Yr on Duetts (losses down the slot), totally transformed the drill.

 

[Steevo]

The cost of converting my 6m Sprinter to Borgaults slipped to the back of my mind when I could then pull it with a tractor that cost £60k less...

Totally agree, this is often overlooked in the conversion cost (we certainly did). 130hp comfortable with a 4m Co on heavy land with Dutch counters. Before conversion 160hp min.
5" Dutch points done over 1500ha with absolutely no maintenance, look like plenty left in them.
The reason we changed was appalling establishment in 1st Yr on Duetts (losses down the slot), totally transformed the drill.

Sounds impressive/interesting!

 

[Nailbourne]

My later ST, single spring legs have 2 holes which can tilt the leading point forward or backwards, putting more or less pressure on the back of the duet baseplate. Does anyone know when to change leg holes because surely the baseplate must be run level?
Btw we run duets for cereals and Metcalfe 12mm points for OSR and beans. This is our first season.

 

[T Hectares]

Sounds impressive/interesting!

Used to be on a 8320r now on a T7.270

Drilling beans on a hill is admittedly slower

 

[solo]

My later ST, single spring legs have 2 holes which can tilt the leading point forward or backwards, putting more or less pressure on the back of the duet baseplate. Does anyone know when to change leg holes because surely the baseplate must be run level?
Btw we run duets for cereals and Metcalfe 12mm points for OSR and beans. This is our first season.

Base plate runs 5 degree from level so it firms the soil where the seed is sown. (Ie pitched back.) This is why they can smear in the wet.

 

[farmer phil]

I would check the drill is level front to back as this can give uneven depth. It can also affect whether the base of the drilling foot smears. If the base plate is badly worn then the seed is not sown in such a wide band. It should be come out of the boot at the back split in two rows which are scattered in the air stream.They should also be blown to the sides of where the leading point runs through the soil. The fan should be run at 3500rpm max for cereals on a 4m machine.

It’s definitely level. We were on 3500 fan speed but have tried with it a bit slower but no different.

 

[Db880]

@farmer phil id be very tempeted to give the guys at Horsch a call, I’m sure they would be more than happy to come and see you, give you the best advice on using what you have in front of you.

 

[bravheart]

@farmer phil is the grain through the ground yet or is it just perceived seed depth issues, give it a few days to emerge then comment.
Seed should be either side of the point not in the slot, is the wind speed ok, not on reduced osr setting.

 

[Northdowns Martin]

Having laboriously drilled thousands of acres over the last 35 years with various power harrow/drill configurations, we've bit the bullet this year and bought a s/hand horsch sprinter on duett coulters. To say I'm dissappointed is an understatement. We know very little about how these things are supposed to work but weve spent ages messing about with altering the depth to try and get a consistent job but we're really struggling. It seems the leading point is cutting a slot into the soil (sumoed) and the coulter is then dropping the seed behind in a band, but some of the seed (maybe 30/40%) is falling into the slot, whereas the rest is in the band, if we set the depth correctly for the band, the slot is 2 inches deeper, if we set for the slot, the band is only on the surface and not covered. The soil is not particularly heavy, and is slightly damp but not wet or anything untoward. I know it would drill lovely with the combi. The points are very good, and the band bit behind seems good to me although I don't really know what to compare with.
So my question is this, are we doing something wrong or is this normal for these coulters and do we give up until we've put some different openers on?
Thanks in advance

Sounds like somethings not quite right, my CO drilled fairly evenly. It always looked "untidy" compared with my neighbour's Vaderstad crops. Are the triangular bottom plates in good shape and also the yellow plastic wear strips? The bottom plate creates the plateau the seed in sown onto.

 

[solo]

Took a few pictures of my Duett Coulter for you. The last couple of pictures show the seed boot bolted to the back with the stainless steel plate

 

[Steevo]

The seed boot seems a strange design compared to mine. I've just got rubber 45' angle connectors and a jubilee clip on each end. One end goes on the pipe, the other goes on the metal tub of the Y seed distributor.

 

[solo]

The seed boot seems a strange design compared to mine. I've just got rubber 45' angle connectors and a jubilee clip on each end. One end goes on the pipe, the other goes on the metal tub of the Y seed distributor.

It’s a different design compared to the co drill I had before which had a 45 degree rubber bend off the seed hose and went into an upside down metal y. Does the same job though.