Opener frame down-force – Great Plains 3S-4000HDF Operator Manual User Manual
Page 62
58
3S-4000HD/HDF
Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
195-067M
2013-06-13
Opener Frame Down-Force
Crushing Hazard:
Always stop tractor engine, set parking brake, and remove key
before adjusting or servicing openers. You will be seriously
injured or killed if you are caught between raising openers and
drill frame. Keep all bystanders well away during drill
operation.
Hydraulic opener down pressure controls drill-wide
opener penetration and press-wheel soil firming. Use
only enough down pressure to cut a furrow and maintain
proper soil-firming over seed. Excessive opener down
force may cause bulldozing of the openers in light soil
conditions, and leads to premature wear on opener
components.
The table at right shows the approximate force at
openers for a given pressure at the pressure control
valve.
Note: To account for additional compaction from drill and
tractor tires, set pressure on center openers slightly
higher than wing openers.
To run the drill with constant opener down pressure
requires an Active Hydraulic System. An Active Hydraulic
System requires a tractor with closed-center hydraulics
or pressure/flow compensated hydraulics powered by a
variable displacement hydraulic pump. (If you are not
familiar with your tractor’s hydraulics, consult your tractor
dealer.)
Equipment Damage Risk:
Tractors with load-sensing hydraulics must use the bypass
valve to operate the 3S-4000HD/HDF. Failure to use the
bypass valve can cause major tractor damage. Before
adjusting opener down pressure, set bypass valve per “Setting
the Bypass Valve” on page 22.
Note: To run the drill on tractors with open-center
hydraulics or on tractors with fixed displacement
hydraulic pumps you must install a Great Plains kit,
part number 194-143A. Contact your Great Plains
dealer for ordering information. See “Non-Active
Hydraulic Systems” on page 36.
High Pressure Fluid Hazard:
Relieve pressure before disconnecting hydraulic lines. Use a
piece of paper or cardboard, NOT BODY PARTS, to check for
suspected leaks. Wear protective gloves and safety glasses or
goggles when working with hydraulic systems. Escaping fluid
under pressure can penetrate the skin causing serious injury. If
an accident occurs, seek immediate medical attention from a
physician familiar with this type of injury.
Pounds of Force at Opener Disks
Gauge
Setting
Row Spacing
6in
7.5in
10in
200 PSI
130
135
144
300 PSI
136
144
155
400 PSI
143
152
167
500 PSI
148
160
179
600 PSI
154
167
189
700 PSI
157
172
196
800 PSI
161
178
205
900 PSI
166
184
213
1000 PSI
171
190
223
1100 PSI
172
194
228
1200 PSI
180
203
240
1300 PSI
184
208
248
1400 PSI
189
215
258
1500 PSI
193
220
264
1600 PSI
198
227
274
1700 PSI
202
232
281
1800 PSI
209
240
291
1900 PSI
213
247
300
2000 PSI
217
253
309
2100 PSI
222
260
318
2200 PSI
227
266
327
2300 PSI
232
273
336