McHale Fusion 3 optional extras

[Blackbird]

I see McHale are now offering several optional extras on their Fusion 3 plus balers. Has any one got any experience of the bale weighing or bale moisture sensor? Camless pickup?Also, what about the 1000rpm gearbox input option? Surely, More Speed and less torque on the pto shaft and hence the pto slip clutch must be an advantage?

 

[v8willy]

1000 speed box makes starting up after a blockage an easier affair, as in you can drop into 540 to clear the blockage, have heard of a couple of tractor pto clutch packs being cooked.
Camless pickup supposed to be good, looks like heavier tines & bands, will find out next year.

 

[icanshootwell]

1000 speed box makes starting up after a blockage an easier affair, as in you can drop into 540 to clear the blockage, have heard of a couple of tractor pto clutch packs being cooked.
Camless pickup supposed to be good, looks like heavier tines & bands, will find out next year.

I don,t understand that, if your already in 540 on a normal box why would being in 1000 make it better for starting up after a blockage. It,s best to avoid blockage at all costs as the stress it puts on the double chain is massive. If you do get a blockage, its best to shut revs right down before re engaging pto. imo

 

[A Sales representative]

I see McHale are now offering several optional extras on their Fusion 3 plus balers. Has any one got any experience of the bale weighing or bale moisture sensor? Camless pickup?Also, what about the 1000rpm gearbox input option? Surely, More Speed and less torque on the pto shaft and hence the pto slip clutch must be an advantage?

if you find out any info on the moisture sensor please share, i have asked a lot of people on McHale show stands and seem to get a different answer everytime

 

[Wellytrack]

I don,t understand that, if your already in 540 on a normal box why would being in 1000 make it better for starting up after a blockage. It,s best to avoid blockage at all costs as the stress it puts on the double chain is massive. If you do get a blockage, its best to shut revs right down before re engaging pto. imo

I think the idea would be although the baler is still doing the same speed after the gearbox, with 540/1000 in event of a blockage as described power from the 540 rather than 1000 would be reducing the speed by almost half slowing everything by almost half and it would ease the load moving a blockage.

 

[Chae1]

Do the same when i block square baler, change to 540 to clear it.

Dropping floor always been enough to clear round. Round bale in 540e.

 

[Boohoo]

Haven't used one with a camless pickup yet but I'm told that if a tine breaks it can jam and break a lot of tines in a short time whereas with the cam pickup you could keep baling without doing any harm.
I wouldn't be keen on 1000rpm gearbox unless the tractor has 1000e, but I'm used to baling in 540e.
As for bale weighing and moisture content, I think they'll just be something else to cause hassle and arguments. Unless you've money to burn a new F3+ is plenty dear enough without adding extras that won't earn you a penny more.

 

[Galcam]

Will the physical PTO shaft Between tractor and Baler be the exact same weight and strength as the current 540 shaft. Bale weighing may be good especially if you can print a receipt to show customer his avg bale wt and gross wt baled. Is there less or more interest in NRF now? It’s quite expensive to buy NRF, it’s a pain to lift the rolls as they are so heavy, there’s little or no space to carry NRF for a days baleing and it’s very confined on the platform if changing over from net to NRF. I’d definitely think they need to do something up there to create space and make it a bit safer. Repositioning the ring from the cab on a plus machine is a pain! wish they had a fwd and back buttons on the back beside the existing green button so that you could reposition the ring while looking at it. Did they lower the level of the oil reservoir? Is there any way to switch off the oil from leaking out when u park up for the night?

 

[Wellytrack]

I would be wondering when they will have an all new F4 ready. F3 is the longest model in production out of them all.

 

[Galcam]

For the F4+ Would they go back to standard film same as Kuhn for barrel wrapping the bale instead of the expensive heavy NRF or will they dispense with NRF and go back to net? Cheaper lighter Baler and cheaper bales?

 

[v8willy]

Will the physical PTO shaft Between tractor and Baler be the exact same weight and strength as the current 540 shaft. Bale weighing may be good especially if you can print a receipt to show customer his avg bale wt and gross wt baled. Is there less or more interest in NRF now? It’s quite expensive to buy NRF, it’s a pain to lift the rolls as they are so heavy, there’s little or no space to carry NRF for a days baleing and it’s very confined on the platform if changing over from net to NRF. I’d definitely think they need to do something up there to create space and make it a bit safer. Repositioning the ring from the cab on a plus machine is a pain! wish they had a fwd and back buttons on the back beside the existing green button so that you could reposition the ring while looking at it. Did they lower the level of the oil reservoir? Is there any way to switch off the oil from leaking out when u park up for the night?

There is a new cradle thingy for lifting rolls up to the platform from the ground.

 

[Boohoo]

I would be wondering when they will have an all new F4 ready. F3 is the longest model in production out of them all.

I don't remember as many changes during the life of the F1 and F2, the F3 has changed nearly every year. Maybe better not wish for an F4 because it'll another excuse for a price hike and apart from the need for bigger wheels with a sensible overall width is there much wrong with the F3?

 

[Boohoo]

For the F4+ Would they go back to standard film same as Kuhn for barrel wrapping the bale instead of the expensive heavy NRF or will they dispense with NRF and go back to net? Cheaper lighter Baler and cheaper bales?

They wouldn't have developed the cradle to lift the NRF if they were planning to go to standard film. Anyone who wants just net can still buy a Fusion 3 or Fusion 3 Pro.

 

[Wellytrack]

I don't remember as many changes during the life of the F1 and F2, the F3 has changed nearly every year. Maybe better not wish for an F4 because it'll another excuse for a price hike and apart from the need for bigger wheels with a sensible overall width is there much wrong with the F3?

Sure, there were plenty of changes in the duration of the F3’s, as you say it’s been almost constant. The metal panels of the F1 and F2 giving way to composite are a big visual clue but late F2’s had NRF capability too.

The round bar between the chamber and wrapper rather than roller wasn’t the best, I don’t think camless pickup is that wonderful either. A big change would be a new opticut style rotor though.

 

[Boohoo]

Sure, there were plenty of changes in the duration of the F3’s, as you say it’s been almost constant. The metal panels of the F1 and F2 giving way to composite are a big visual clue but late F2’s had NRF capability too.

The round bar between the chamber and wrapper rather than roller wasn’t the best, I don’t think camless pickup is that wonderful either. A big change would be a new opticut style rotor though.

What don't you like about the camless pickup? Apparently local dealers have ordered everything camless for 2020.

 

[Wellytrack]

What don't you like about the camless pickup? Apparently local dealers have ordered everything camless for 2020.

Personally never used camless but some Welger 245 owners would not be overly happy with snapped tines and a tendency to pull crop back and the tines clatter/rub the underside. Perhaps McHale will be better.

 

[Blackbird]

What I have found out is that the Bale moisture sensor and the weighing option is being driven by the European market where they are buying and selling bales using that method. If u buy the printer you can print the customer a receipt with their name, bale count, number of knives, average moisture and average weight. Etc. If you don’t get the printer, you can download the data onto a usb pen drive. Both options can be retro fitted but easier if fitted in the factory. The weight of each bale is taken when the wrapper goes to tip the bale.

The 1000 speed gearbox option suits tractors in some countries with no 540 availability or green tractors with yellow rims with pto pack issues! The torque setting on the baler pto slip clutch is still the same so it means you are not running as close to the limit as the higher pto speed is reducing torque. After the main gearbox, the output shafts to each side of the machine still turn at the same speed as a standard machine with 540 spec gearbox so the difference ends there. Apparently, the PTO shaft is lighter too, as there is less torque and vibrations to be absorbed.

The camless pickup has 6 rows of tines, it runs faster and has also stronger tines with reduced maintenance. The double crop roller is essential as the material is being lifted and conveyed into the baler faster.

There is a new improved Fusion brochure which is comprehensive and more informative on the machine specs and optional extras.
The latest machines have a host of little improvements but not always documented. You just need to look around one. For example, The spare wrap holders now have a spring latch rather than a lynch pin to hold in place. It’s great to see attention to detail and changes.

 

[Blackbird]

Sure, there were plenty of changes in the duration of the F3’s, as you say it’s been almost constant. The metal panels of the F1 and F2 giving way to composite are a big visual clue but late F2’s had NRF capability too.

The round bar between the chamber and wrapper rather than roller wasn’t the best, I don’t think camless pickup is that wonderful either. A big change would be a new opticut style rotor though.

Lots of changes- The last of the fusion 2’s had a 5 tine bar reel and from a 2016 fusion 3 onwards, the machine had the larger diameter chopping rotor and large diameter centres in the side augers in the reel. The difference in feeding ability of a 2015 and 2016 machine is very significant, particularly in shorter material.

 

[Galcam]

Any improvement in the NRF application? I don’t use NRF in wet grass as it ends up around a roller and down in the auger and the bale in a mess on the wrapper and baleing stopped for 20+mins.

 

[Boohoo]

Personally never used camless but some Welger 245 owners would not be overly happy with snapped tines and a tendency to pull crop back and the tines clatter/rub the underside. Perhaps McHale will be better.

I'm hearing reports of snapped tines on McHale camless too. Apparently if you hear a tine clicking, just finishing the bale could be risky.