Tips From Tech: Preparing For Winter Weather
It is that time of year where we are hopefully wrapping up harvest and fall application. This winter snuck up on us a little faster than expected. Hopefully you were able to get the crops out and the fall fertilizer applied before the snow started to fall and the ground became froze. Once harvest is done for the year, there are a few things to do to protect your Ag Leader equipment.
It can be easy to park the tractor or combine for the winter and leave your display outside, but we highly recommend bringing your display inside. It is best to store the display in an area that is at room temperature. Also, the display should be stored in a place that is dry and dust free. I think it is beneficial to go the extra step and store the display in a sealed container, such as a large Ziploc bag or a plastic container. We recommend cleaning the display before putting it away. You can use non direct air, Windex or an electrical component cleaner to clean the dust off of the display. It is important to remember to never spray the display directly with cleaner. It is best to spray the cloth first and then clean the display.
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It is a good idea to inspect the modules and cabling before parking the implement and leaving it sit for a few months. As you know, with time, components can rust and corrosion can build up. It is important to inspect your equipment and make sure to take care of any unwanted rust and corrosion as soon as possible. Dielectric grease can be useful to prevent corrosion on connecters. Also, when looking over the cables, make sure that you do not have any pinched wires or damaged cabling.
{image2}For those of you that have an Ag Leader yield monitoring system, there are a few more recommendations that we have for you to complete. It is very important to clean out the EMU (elevator mount unit) at the end of each season. If we neglect to clean out the EMU, wet grain will sit in the EMU. On the EMU, there are two pins that hold the retaining block in place. If we remove the block, it should be relatively easy to clean out the remaining grain. The flow sensor is something that should also be packed away for the winter. The flow sensor is located on top of the clean grain elevator and has a softer potting located behind the impact plate. If the flow sensor is not removed, mice may get to the flow sensor and chew on the potting. It happens more often than you think and it will affect the performance of your yield monitor.
It is important to take care of your precision agriculture investment. If you have any questions on the proper steps to take care of your Ag Leader equipment you can call our Technical Support team at 515-232-5363 and we will be happy to help you.