Crops department

Mar 15, 2003 12:00 PM

Hopper Hammer

The new Hopper Hammer dislodges grain and other materials from the sides of hoppers, bins and bunkers. The totally enclosed, automated electromechanical device generates discreet impacts that approximate the blow of a sledgehammer against a strike plate.

The manufacturer claims that the hammer won't compact and stratify material. It includes a controller that lets you vary intensity (1 to 25 ft.-lbs.), duration and operating intervals. Running on 110 VAC, the device is easy to move to problem areas as needed, or it can be hooked up in an “intelligent” system of multiple hammers that respond to level detectors, evacuation systems or alarms.

Price per unit: $866. Contact AVC Specialists, Dept. FIN, Box 23280, Shawnee Mission, KS 66283, 888/803-5865, visit www.avcspecialists.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.

Stop planter's block

The Whirlwind blockage monitor instantly notifies the operator of any plugged runs or manifolds. The system monitors each run continuously to avoid waiting for slow scanning routines. Installation involves a single cable main harness and sensors that can be mounted over the tube without cutting or splicing. Because sensors are not in the flow of product, they won't cause blockages, wear out or malfunction due to dust or seed treatments.

The system can monitor up to 256 seed or fertilizer tubes. Prices vary, but equipping a typical 16-run system costs about $1,640. Additional monitoring options include shaft rpm, bin-level sensing, speed, area and distance. Contact Micro-Trak Systems Inc., Dept. FIN, Box 99, Eagle Lake, MN 56204, 800/328-9613, visit www.micro-trak.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin. Fertigation tool

A new chemical injection kit makes it easier for farmers to fertilize crops through their irrigation system. The Hydra Inject IV uses two separate tanks configured so that each of two different applications can have its own schedule. Chemicals to control pH are injected using a low-volume pump that includes a pH set point for proportional injection.

A seal-free fertilizer pump provides a virtually pulse-free flow for precise adjustment and measurement. A computer-managed application schedule may be programmed for up to four weeks in advance, allowing smaller, more frequent nutrient applications for increased efficiency and improved plant response.

Price ranges from $16,000 to $20,000. Contact Lindsay Mfg. Co., Dept. FIN, Box 156, Lindsay, NE 68644, 800/829-5300, visit www.growsmart.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin.