Rotary combine vs hy brid performance in Winter/Spring Barley?

[Pilatus]

Is the performance of Rotary Combines, egCase Axial Flow better than Hy brid combines eg Claas Lexion APS Hybrid System?
Another words do Rotaries have less sieve /rotary losses when dealing with Barley , Oats etc that create a lot of straw for the separation system to deal with.?

 

[Flatlander]

I have both combines you mentioned on my farm. Both for over ten years side by side. Both have their strong points but to be honest their is little between them. In high straw the extra separation in the lexion does help keep the speed up but with the higher straw the rotors tend to be the first to show higher losses. Have bought some specially cut key stock pieces the weld into two sections of the rotor grates. It’s been tried in durum wheat ,typically higher amounts of straw and in side by side trials losses were reduce significantly and up to 1mph extra forward speeds were still acceptable losses. Axial flows are a smaller machine to start with and have less to adjust to fine tune separation but still a clean machine. We have used interrupter blocks in the separation section to break/roll the mat of straw to allow grain out. Keeping the threshing parts of both machines in tip top shape has probably done more for high straw loads in my opinion. If it’s possible to keep the draw in one piece and still fresh completely that’s the best situation.

 

[ollie989898]

The axial flow is a simple and (used to be, may not still be) very cheap machine for what it does. It's no secret that they don't like damp straw but you may be able to buy a higher capacity machine for the same money to offset this. I can't believe that they have the output of a big Claas or similar New Holland CR but the upside is that they are ridiculously simple. Unless you are really peculiar about the quality of the straw behind them I don't understand why you don't see more axial flows around. The move from the 2388 to more shaft or hydraulic drive components would have sealed the deal for me. You can see why folk in the USA like them. Fit a stripper header and you would have a lot of output for the money.

 

[warksfarmer]

The axial flow is a simple and (used to be, may not still be) very cheap machine for what it does. It's no secret that they don't like damp straw but you may be able to buy a higher capacity machine for the same money to offset this. I can't believe that they have the output of a big Claas or similar New Holland CR but the upside is that they are ridiculously simple. Unless you are really peculiar about the quality of the straw behind them I don't understand why you don't see more axial flows around. The move from the 2388 to more shaft or hydraulic drive components would have sealed the deal for me. You can see why folk in the USA like them. Fit a stripper header and you would have a lot of output for the money.

Demo’ed a 8240 with 30ft header against our 770tt with 35ft header at the time and there wasn’t anything in it. The axial flow is a very good machine but it should be significantly cheaper than the claas because open the hoods up and there’s a lot less parts to go wrong.

 

[ollie989898]

Demo’ed a 8240 with 30ft header against our 770tt with 35ft header at the time and there wasn’t anything in it. The axial flow is a very good machine but it should be significantly cheaper than the claas because open the hoods up and there’s a lot less parts to go wrong.

You mean in terms of price difference, output or both?

 

[tr250]

I’ve no idea really

The axial flow is a simple and (used to be, may not still be) very cheap machine for what it does. It's no secret that they don't like damp straw but you may be able to buy a higher capacity machine for the same money to offset this. I can't believe that they have the output of a big Claas or similar New Holland CR but the upside is that they are ridiculously simple. Unless you are really peculiar about the quality of the straw behind them I don't understand why you don't see more axial flows around. The move from the 2388 to more shaft or hydraulic drive components would have sealed the deal for me. You can see why folk in the USA like them. Fit a stripper header and you would have a lot of output for the money.

I’ll give you peculiar. On a mixed farm straw smashed and blasted into the stubble in a days combining can make a months misery in the winter and that’s without the stones coming through the window of the baler tractor and wuffling the straw and holding up drilling. It’s the chopper propelling the straw out the back I’d say is the problem.

 

[ollie989898]

I’ve no idea really

I’ll give you peculiar. On a mixed farm straw smashed and blasted into the stubble in a days combining can make a months misery in the winter and that’s without the stones coming through the window of the baler tractor and wuffling the straw and holding up drilling. It’s the chopper propelling the straw out the back I’d say is the problem.

A lot of rotaries mangle the straw if you aren't careful, the main failing of the axial flow is the way the straw was (newer ones may be better now) thrown out the back end- throw in a bit of cross wind and the straw could fly everywhere. But for performance per pound they used to be cheap and simple to run. Seems this is no longer the case.

Given how many stock farms are using bale shredders etc these days you would think the straw issue was less of a problem, I agree the straw is not able to dry as nicely on the stubble if smashed though.

 

[tr250]

A lot of rotaries mangle the straw if you aren't careful, the main failing of the axial flow is the way the straw was (newer ones may be better now) thrown out the back end- throw in a bit of cross wind and the straw could fly everywhere. But for performance per pound they used to be cheap and simple to run. Seems this is no longer the case.

Given how many stock farms are using bale shredders etc these days you would think the straw issue was less of a problem, I agree the straw is not able to dry as nicely on the stubble if smashed though.

No the chopped straw isn’t the issue maybe even a plus as it goes through the bedder quicker the problem is it’s blown into the ground and won’t get the wind through it and the people are terrified to get it wet so bale it even if it’s green. My brother drives our baler and moans he has to have the pickup so low to get the straw where our Walker Lexion sits it on the stubble so the pickup tines can be a few inches of the ground and still pick it up when he’s busy elsewhere ours regularly gets wet but we usually get it baled before the combines go again

 

[Clive]

Rotaries are great in wheat and barley especially in good dry conditions but hybrids are better allrounders IME and cope with wet years better

 

[Pilatus]

Demo’ed a 8240 with 30ft header against our 770tt with 35ft header at the time and there wasn’t anything in it. The axial flow is a very good machine but it should be significantly cheaper than the claas because open the hoods up and there’s a lot less parts to go wrong.

Any idea what speed the combines were going and average barley was yielding on demo .
I only ask as I was going at max 4kph in a crop of WB yielding about 7.5t ha avg to avoid sieve / straw Walker losses.
Just trying to gauge if it is my incompetence