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Harvest Calibration
Calibrate in the following order:
SECTION I: TEMPERATURE CALIBRATION
The moisture sensor contains a temperature sensor, which measures the grain temperature for use in adjusting the measured grain moisture. You must have the moisture module and moisture sensor installed in the combine before you can calibrate temperature.
Use the UP or DOWN ARROW keys to set the actual temperature
Press the EXIT key.
NOTE:
For accurate moisture readings, it is more important that you not change the temperature calibration while harvesting. The temperature reading does not have to be exactly right for correct moisture readings. Therefore, after you calibrate temperature, leave it at that setting.
It is best to calibrate the temperature when the combine has been sitting in a constant temperature for several hours. If the combine has sat overnight, the moisture sensor may be cooler than the air temperature because the air can warm much more quickly than the sheet metal of the combine.
The monitor automatically adjusts the "Offset" number so that the "Measured Temperature" is equal to the "Actual Temperature".
SECTION II: VIBRATION CALIBRATION
The flow sensor must be calibrated to eliminate false grain flow readings that are caused by vibration forces when the combine runs empty.
NOTE: You should have the head that you will use to harvest the grain on the combine before you perform a vibration calibration for any grain.
Engage the separator and run it at full engine speed with no grain flow. Press the START key. A countdown will begin on the display.
After the display counts down 60 seconds, a number for V1 is displayed. Press the ACCEPT key.
NOTE: The resulting value should be less than 1.0. Grass Seed crops may be greater than 1.
SECTION III: MOISTURE CALIBRATION
Important Notes
You must calibrate the monitor for grain moisture, for each grain type before the monitor can accurately measure grain moisture.
Make sure the temperature has been properly calibrated before calibrating moisture.
You do not have to calibrate for grain moisture at the beginning of the season to get accurate results, although it is recommended. Once calibrated, the monitor will automatically correct all grain moistures for all the loads that were previously harvested of that grain.
Actual Moisture
To calibrate moisture, you must obtain the actual moisture for one specific Region of the grain you want to calibrate.
Ideally, a moisture calibration load should be one, to two combine hoppers in size where the grain varies little in moisture content.
Use a reference moisture sensor and take readings from several grain samples from the load.
CAUTION: To prevent death or serious injury to you or others do NOT enter the grain tank when the separator is running.
NOTE: Make sure the moisture sensor does not have a buildup of sticky material on it (this can be a problem with soybeans) when you are harvesting the moisture calibration load. You will know there is buildup if your moisture is reading 8-10 or more percentage points too high.
Select the Crop (grain type)
Select the Field and Region that you have an actual moisture reading for.
Use the UP or DOWN ARROW keys to enter the actual moisture for the load.
Press the EXIT key.
NOTE:
Upon pressing PERFORM CAL, the monitor automatically adjusts the "Offset" number so that the "Average Moisture" is equal to the "Actual Moisture".
Every time you calibrate moisture, the monitor will adjust the moisture for all Regions of that crop.
SECTION IV: GRAIN WEIGHT CALIBRATION
Calibrate the moisture, temperature, and vibration before calibrating grain weight.
You must calibrate the monitor for grain weight (lbs) for each grain type before the monitor will accurately measure bushels. You should be able to calibrate grain weight to an average error of 1 percent to 3 percent of scale weights.
IMPORTANT: Before calibrating, you MUST check the clearance between the tip of the clean grain elevator paddles and the inside of the elevator housing at the top of the clean grain elevator. There must be ½ inch or less clearance as the paddle rotates around the top sprocket.
You do not have to calibrate grain weight at the beginning of the season to get accurate results, although it is recommended. Each time you calibrate the monitor, it will automatically correct all grain weights for all the loads of that grain type that were previously harvested.
NOTE: Because the monitor measures the weight, not the volume, of the grain hitting the flow sensor, test weight and different varieties should not cause calibration inaccuracies.
Harvesting Calibration Loads (as Regions)
The display calibrates itself on the basis of actual load weights you enter into the display. You obtain actual load weights by weighing the grain of a combine load in the monitor on accurate scales (elevator, calibrated weigh wagon).
IMPORTANT: For accurate calibration results, you must obtain at least four to six calibration loads (loads with actual weights) of grain. Each calibration load must be harvested under a different grain flow rate by varying either your travel speed or your swath width.
To vary the grain flow rate you should either vary the travel speed or swath width for each Region you will get a calibration load.
Carefully follow these steps when harvesting your calibration loads.
Step 1: With the combine stopped, the combine grain tank empty, and a hauling vehicle empty, set the display on a Region that does not have any data. You can check the box to indicate that the Region is going to contain a calibration load. Make sure the display is set on the correct grain.
Step 2: Decide the speed at which you will drive or the swath width you will use for this load to vary the grain flow rate going through your combine. Try to keep your speed or swath width as constant as possible for the entire load.
Example of grain calibration Regions (R) with varying speed or swath width:
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | |
| Speed (mph) | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| - OR - | ||||||
| Swath (rows) | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Step 3: Harvest grain into the Region to be calibrated in the display.
NOTE: Harvest between 3,000 and10,000 lbs (1400 kg - 5000 kg) into a combine load for calibration.
Step 4: Unload one or more times into the hauling vehicle, finishing with the following:
Combine grain tank again empty
All the grain from the combine load on the hauling vehicle
No grain from any other combine on the hauling vehicle
Step 5: Immediately change to another Region that does not have any data.
Step 6: Weigh the grain on the hauling vehicle and record the actual load weight.
NOTE: If you are using a weigh wagon to weigh the grain, make sure the wagon has been calibrated properly.
Step 7: Repeat the above steps to obtain a minimum of four calibration loads (for each Crop). You can enter an actual weight (in the Harvest setup/Calibration tab) and calibrate as you obtain each actual weight. If you check the box on the Region selection, the Region will automatically be shown in the list on the Calibration tab.
Step 8: Press the PERFORM CALIBRATION key to start the calibration. The monitor will start calibrating and then it will stop and display "Fast Calibration Complete".
Step 9: Check the Error
If the maximum error is more than +/- 15%, then press the CANCEL key to stop the calibration and view the calibration loads again. Select the load with the highest error over +/- 15 % and press the check box to uncheck the Region and eliminate it as a calibration load. Press the PERFORM CAL key again to restart the calibration.
If the maximum error is less than +/- 15%, then press the ACCEPT key.
NOTE: The calibration error is the percent difference between the actual weight and the estimated weight. The maximum error is the error of the calibration load that has the highest error.
Example:
Actual weight: 10,000 Lbs.
Estimated weight: 10,100 Lbs.
Error: + 1 %
Step 10: After pressing the ACCEPT key in step 9, the monitor will do the following:
With four or more Regions checked: The display will continue to calibrate reducing the calibration errors. Press the EXIT key to view the calibration loads and the calibration errors.
With less than four Regions checked: The display is finished calibrating and will show the Region list and the errors again.
Step 11: Good Calibration Results
If you have four or more calibration loads for grain, your goal after completing a calibration should be to achieve an average error of 1 percent to 3 percent and a maximum error of 3 percent to 5 percent. If you have less than four calibration loads for grain, the calibration errors may be slightly higher than if you had four or more calibration loads.
If you find loads with high calibration errors after completing a calibration, you should remove the Regions as calibration loads by pressing the checkbox beside the Region. Press the PERFORM CALIBRATION key again to restart the calibration.
Once satisfied with your calibration results, press the RUN key to return to the main operating screen.
Recalibrating the Display
You can add or remove (uncheck) a Region with a calibration load and recalibrate the monitor any time to improve the monitor's calibration accuracy. If you have not achieved satisfactory calibration results after entering 10 to 15 Regions with calibration loads (with varied flow rates) then something is wrong.
Reasons for High Calibration Errors
Grain type set incorrect for the Region
Moisture is incorrect for the Region
Actual pounds value is not correct
Grain weighed is not the same amount of grain that was harvested into the Region (for example: combine or wagon tank not empty before starting Region or forgot to change Regions and added more grain into Region after grain weighed)
Did not have 1/2 inch clearance between paddles and elevator housing at top of elevator
Installation problem with deflector plate or flow sensor
Elevator speed is erratic
Periodic Checks for Accuracy
You should occasionally check the monitor for calibration accuracy throughout the season by weighing a load of grain. If you find the display is not accurate, enter that actual weight into the display and press the Perform Calibration again.
NOTE: If you do not vary your flow rates while harvesting your initial calibration loads, later in the season you may find the monitor is not accurate because you are harvesting at a different grain flow rate than for what you have calibrated. Entering one or two more Regions flagged as calibration loads at that grain flow rate will improve your accuracy.
Adjusting Chain Slack
If you adjust for slack in your clean grain elevator chain during the season, make sure that you use the lower adjuster. If you move the top shaft of the grain elevator, your calibration will be inaccurate and you will have to start a new calibration by creating more Regions and running new calibration loads.
C-Numbers
The 11 C-Numbers, C1 through C11 determine the calculated weight. You can display the C numbers by pressing the SHOW CAL NUMBERS key on the Calibration tab.
IMPORTANT: Do not change the C numbers after you have calibrated.
The C numbers initially should be set automatically based on the combine you selected in setup, but they will change and become more accurate after you have calibrated.