Horsch Sprinter control box

[Nailbourne]

Help! My old style (Agrotron) Horsch sprinter control box keeps switching itself off and losing the hectares drilled. I replaced the box with the switches and it’s worked for a while but now it’s happening again. I’m told this control system is v difficult to find out how to repair and been advised if I wanted to keep the drill long term I should consider plumbing in a Müller control system but at £2700 it’s a big investment. Thoughts? Anyone had the same problem?

 

[Maff123]

I don’t know how easy it is to convert to Muller. I’ve just had a new job computer to be able to do variable rate through a Fendt terminal. We also converted to ISO bus a while ago,so I have a job computer, cable and control box if you’re interested.

 

[debe]

Got a muller conversion on one I bought. Bite the bullet, so much easier to use

 

[cb387]

Have exactly the same problems. Sent box to David King but they said it was fine. I think it is a electrical supply issue. Only way round the problem was to run some decent size cables direct from the battery to power the box and keep the tractor revs above tickover when the box is on. Ours sometimes plays up when calibrating. Box switches off while weighing the sample. Can be a right pita at times.

Asked Horsch about it and seems it’s not unheard of. They have converted some to new type box but it was £4/5k iirc.
Not sure how much RDS Artemis light type conversion would be. Not our main drill now, but if I used it a lot I would get it converted. Life’s too short.

 

[AF Salers]

If your tractor is isobus that’s the cheapest long term solution. £2k for the kit to convert.

 

[Two Tone]

Has anybody got a Sprinter with a mechanically driven Accord feed roller?
I have noticed that they show this in an older Operating Manual and it looks bar far the most simple way to make the drill work on any tractor with complicated electronics.

I you have or know anybody with an Sprinter using the Accord metering system, please let me know.

 

[cb387]

We changed our CO from horsch metering to accord. Looked at finding a wheel to drive it but got Weavings to put Artemis Lite on it instead which is really simple and easy to use. Can’t remember how much it was but remember being very reasonable for what you get.

 

[alomy75]

Has anybody got a Sprinter with a mechanically driven Accord feed roller?
I have noticed that they show this in an older Operating Manual and it looks bar far the most simple way to make the drill work on any tractor with complicated electronics.

I you have or know anybody with an Sprinter using the Accord metering system, please let me know.

I’ve seen an older CO with land wheel drive; it picked up its drive from the rear packer wheel from memory. Never seen a sprinter with one though but they must exist if they’re described in a manual I can see a time that these older drills will just be plumbed into a modern front tank and do away with the rear mounted tank/metering altogether…swap it for some wafer weights.

 

[Two Tone]

I’ve seen an older CO with land wheel drive; it picked up its drive from the rear packer wheel from memory. Never seen a sprinter with one though but they must exist if they’re described in a manual I can see a time that these older drills will just be plumbed into a modern front tank and do away with the rear mounted tank/metering altogether…swap it for some wafer weights.

Thank you. It is a CO that I meant. I’m not that familiar with Horsch drills. I’m using one that the electronics are playing up with and the instruction manual shows a version using an Accord metering system, somehow land wheel driven. The electronics are £6k+ to replace or £2-3k if the tractor has isobus (which none of mine do).

Seriously thinking of converting it as this might be the cheapest solution.

 

[Wheatonrotty]

Thank you. It is a CO that I meant. I’m not that familiar with Horsch drills. I’m using one that the electronics are playing up with and the instruction manual shows a version using an Accord metering system, somehow land wheel driven. The electronics are £6k+ to replace or £2-3k if the tractor has isobus (which none of mine do).

I've got a CO6 that is land wheel driven, it's a drill I no longer use and it's been a parts store for another co. It drives off the trolley wheels under the tank. If it's any help I can get some photos or you could have the parts from it.

 

[alomy75]

Thank you. It is a CO that I meant. I’m not that familiar with Horsch drills. I’m using one that the electronics are playing up with and the instruction manual shows a version using an Accord metering system, somehow land wheel driven. The electronics are £6k+ to replace or £2-3k if the tractor has isobus (which none of mine do).

Seriously thinking of converting it as this might be the cheapest solution.

I wouldn’t replace agtron with agtron as they (as you can see on here) weren’t without their problems. Muller would be good but not economical at that price. Accord looked simple enough; adaptor plate at bottom of hopper and then a long arm to rear; the drive wheel was a pneumatic tyre that was driven off the packer. Up and down hydraulically I guess with some sort of spring tensioner?

 

[solo]

It shows as an option on the co3 I used to run in the parts book. @Case140 now has it. The mounting bracket was on the drill for an arm which dropped a wheel on the rear tyre packer for the land wheel drive.

 

[Two Tone]

I've got a CO6 that is land wheel driven, it's a drill I no longer use and it's been a parts store for another co. It drives off the trolley wheels under the tank. If it's any help I can get some photos or you could have the parts from it.

Yes please, that would be tremendously useful. Please send some photos. The parts would be much appreciated and I’m sure we can do something a little better than ‘have’ the parts.

Does it still have the Accord metering system as well as the trolley drive wheel?
If so, I’d be interested with that as well.

What do you think @Warnesworth ?

 

[alomy75]

Yes please, that would be tremendously useful. Please send some photos. The parts would be much appreciated and I’m sure we can do something a little better than ‘have’ the parts.

Does it still have the Accord metering system as well as the trolley drive wheel?
If so, I’d be interested with that as well.

What do you think @Warnesworth ?

Failing that you could go brand new for a reasonable amount:

 

[Two Tone]

Failing that you could go brand new for a reasonable amount:

Yes,thanks. I found that too. Would prefer to look at 2nd hand first.

 

[Warnesworth]

@Two Tone @alomy75 @cb387 @solo @Wheatonrotty
Very useful info, thanks very much. Got a long winter ahead to decide what to do with the thing.
Bit frustrating....

 

[YELROM]

@Two Tone what problems are you having with the original electrics on the drill

 

[Two Tone]

@Two Tone what problems are you having with the original electrics on the drill

Feed roller motor keeps
1. cutting out mid run, or
2. won’t start at the beginning of a run
0r 3. Starts, does half a revolution then stops
No warning of this about to happen or when it has happened. Only way to tell is to look at what it says it is drilling seed-rate wise, or keep looking at a cable tie I have put on the roller shaft to see if it is turning.

Other problems

Hopper entry sensor intermittently says hopper is empty when it isn’t.
Intermittent speed sensor fault, even though it has a brand new radar on it.
Seed rate lower than target after calibrating it.

When it works and the box isn’t screaming at you constantly, it is fantastic.

PS, we thought it might be the pressure sensor on the rear wheel lifting ram. So bypassed it and fitted a switch in the cab. No significant improvement whatsoever!

 

[Case140]

It shows as an option on the co3 I used to run in the parts book. @Case140 now has it. The mounting bracket was on the drill for an arm which dropped a wheel on the rear tyre packer for the land wheel drive.

And still running ! I can copy the pages if any use. I have never seen a CO with mechanical drive but often thought it would be fine. I also had trouble last year with intermittent start stop etc as @Two Tone. Horsch tec checked and we replaced the motor module power supply which fixed the problem. But I was warned very limited supply of electronics and only option is convert to Mueller....serious money (probably as much as the drill is worth!). I also think is very important for ALL electric/electronic machine controls (especially with motor load) is to ensure they are connected (with fuse!) straight to the battery. Do not use in cab plugs!

 

[solo]

And still running ! I can copy the pages if any use. I have never seen a CO with mechanical drive but often thought it would be fine. I also had trouble last year with intermittent start stop etc as @Two Tone. Horsch tec checked and we replaced the motor module power supply which fixed the problem. But I was warned very limited supply of electronics and only option is convert to Mueller....serious money (probably as much as the drill is worth!). I also think is very important for ALL electric/electronic machine controls (especially with motor load) is to ensure they are connected (with fuse!) straight to the battery. Do not use in cab plugs!

Glad to hear it’s giving good service. I really miss it in these wet autumns, compared to the 4m sprinter which is so much heavier. The plan is to get done before the weather turns.