[tomacco]

People can copy and fill this in and make the table bigger. If you know how to make a nice table with the tag things, then please go ahead.

I am interested in other makes and whether people are getting better performance than the ones I have quoted.

This is the performance from our local wheat harvest in 10t/ha plus irrigated wheat....

Combine Performance (Tonnes/Hour)
Lexion 600 85-90
Lexion 580 65-70
9870 STS 65-70
9650 CTS 37-42
1997 CTS 35-40

 

[mbfarmer]

In North America we can't even compare our figures to yours. We don't have the crops.

 

[Jason Hildebrand]

Nor could we put a 9870 and a 580 in the same capacity. I'm a green guy but I can admit, it won't happen.

 

[rubberduck]

Moisture levels, protein content, brittleness of the straw/head (if thats even a word) the weather, and about 6 million other factors have an effect on the performance of a combine!

This table is not feasible in any sort of a way! Sorry

 

[tomacco]

I totally agree with you rubberduck, many factors impact on the performance of a combine but I don't think the table is totally useless.

What I am hoping to see with this table is a comparison between machines where they have obtained their maximum maintained tonnes per hour. In our area we can (within reason) find the maximum output (with respectable losses) of our machines, but I only know the ones I have listed. I was hoping to compare others and discuss.

I may be a bit light with the 580, I only have the neighbours to compare with. I have pushed our 9870, tried heaps of combinations and struggling to extract more from it without losing heaps out back... so far

Still a few more ideas to play with yet.

Can others get more from the 9870?

 

[tomacco]

Almost the perfect scenario every year, feed wheat, 11-14% moisture, don't care about protein, draper header, flat, chopped or un-chopped, cutting high harvesting grain not straw and high yielding dry land and irrigated.

9870 settings that worked best so far.
Concave 5-15
Top sieve 25
Bottom sieve 10-12
Rotor 800 to flat out
Fan 1100 to 1200

Adjust depending on conditions and seem maxed out at 65-70 tonnes/hour

I understand what you say, you can not compare this to someone in hills or 20% + moisture etc etc. But the machines in the right conditions must get to a limit... what is it? Maybe my table is only applicable to our area, where we can compare performance like I have done.

I realise there are other important factors to buying a combine, we bought JD for the reliability and service, if it was for performance, in our area the Claas Lexion 600 is number 1.... or is it?

 

[rubberduck]

Protein matters a little bit as high protein wheat sticks harder to the head at high moisture levels (12,5 and above) than low protein wheat!

The effect shows it self as a consitent 4-5 ton and hour diffrence.

I would run my concaves a bit more open than you do! I would start at 15 and go up to about 25 (given you scale is 0-50)
Have the rotor rpms on 850 for a start, then feed her til she drops about 200 engine rpms and then fix the rotor loss by increasing the rpms on the rotor. (remember the rpm's ive put up here is when you are driving the combine under full load)

Even if you are cutting "high" as you are are saying you would still have to take in a fair bit of straw to get all the heads.

Chopping or not chopping makes a big diffrence, as you put anywhere between 50 to 70 hp through that thing depending on the circumstances. I wouldnt be suprised if just maintaining the momentum of the chopper requires somewhere around 10 hp.
So you see, if you are not running the chopper you make another 50 hp avalibe to the rotor, giving you that little extra grunt you need to win 5-10 ton an hour.

I would have thought that in a crop that good you should be able to sustain 80 an hour with the 9870. But im only guessing as ive been able to sustain 45-50 ton/hour with a 9670

 

[arcus]

I think chopping or no chopping is very important. The chopper needs up to 30% of the engine capacity...

But we chop everything...and the rest is compareable. SO I can add a Lex 480 and a 440

Lexion 600 85-90
Lexion 580 65-70
9870 STS 65-70
Lexion 480 45- 50
9650 CTS 37-42
1997 CTS 35-40
Lexion 440 30-35


The 6 Million factors that influence the performance are covered in the range of 5 tonnes

 

[rubberduck]

yeah well in some years they all come into play at the same time!

 

[rubberduck]

What kind of wheat is it? Whats the content of it? (moisture, protein etc) What header have you got on it. Hilly area/flat? Straw being put down or chopped?

What setting worked best for you? Where were you loosing grain from?