CrossSlot Drill

OUR ORIGINAL DRILL DESIGN

         There has been a number of features built into this drill.  Most of the features are automated through GPS or ground sensors.  Some features are:  ADF, Swing Hitch, Level Tool Bar, Product Variable Rate, Multi-product, Accessibility.
          We have owned a no-till drill since 1992, and retooled it three times prior to building the CrossSlot from the ground up.  Ease of access and maintenance of heavy components were, and are, a challenge for these one pass drills.  Accessibility to various components became a priority for us in this design.
          The weight for the "designed" opener down pressure (1100#/op) is all accommodated through the frame of our drill.  This assures us of the ability to place the seed at the proper depth regardless of the amount of commodity being carried.  The commodity weight is over and above the need of the openers.  This makes for a very heavy unit.  Combine this weight with the draft requirement of the openers themselves, and you need a heavy, high horsepower tractor to negotiate the hills of the Palouse.
          I have never been a fan of trains in our hills, so our drill carries all the commodity centrally  on the opener frame.
         More detail on the drill can be accessed through an earlier post from the label "CrossSlot".  (May 3rd/ 2014 post "New CrossSlot Drill")

                 SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO ISSUES WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED:

         At times we have issues with various components of the drill.  Sometimes these reoccur, particularly if you change the power unit (tractor).  Two components, the ADF system, and the Omni hydraulic seed drive motor are vary sensitive to hydraulic flow rate and hydraulic back pressure.  Both of these features are critical to successful seeding with this unit.

                                                                    Omni Seed Drive:

          The Omni drive is very sensitive to hydraulic back pressure.  Any back pressure above 150psi will stop the drive.  Many tractors provide a large "back to tank" return line besides the the return on the tractor spool.  These will likely have a check valve in them, and may exceed 150psi back pressure.  If you have oil flow and electricity to the Omni Seed Drive control block, and you have trouble, it's likely do to excessive back pressure.

         The Omni motor uses very little oil flow, 0-1.5gpm.  This corresponds to an RPM range from zero to 150.  However, from a practical point, less than ≈50 rpm will not develop enough torque for smooth operation.  The drive will stutter in an unpredictable manner causing poor seed delivery.  This means that vary low rates of small seed will require a transmission, or a jack shaft to attain lower seeding rates.  An example being 3#/a of canola seed.   We have incorporated Bourgault transmissions with a ratio of 60/1 coupled to the Omni motor to get us down to 3# or less of canola seed.

                                              The CrossSlot ADF (auto down force) system:

         The ADF system is very sensitive to hydraulic flow.  The best flow is from 3-5 gpm.  If more than 5gpm is sent through the system, it will work erratically at first and quit all together as flow increases. 

          The ADF system also needs a low pressure return.  The "return to tank" line is preferred over the return to spool.