White 5100 problems

[super99]

I need a White 5100 troubleshooter. I have a 5100, 4 row 36" planter. I started planting beans last night, filled the boxes when I got home from work and went back to planting this afternoon. Seemed strange when I filled it, boxes 3&4 had more seed in them than 1&2. I had it set on 53#'s/acre and thought that was too thin, so I set it on the next higher setting which is 58#'s/acre. The air pressure was set at 1.9 to 2. I planted until rows 1&2 ran out of seed and there was still quite a bit of seed left in 3&4. I looked at the seed discs, and 3 & 4 had many open air holes(no seed in them). 1&2 were full. I upped the air pressure to 2.3 and tried it again, same thing. It is not picking up the seeds and holding them in the discs. The holes are empty before it gets to the tickle brushes. I emptied the seed out of row 4 and checked the seed disc, looks OK. I took the airtube off the row unit and started the tractor, good airflow, the drives are all turning OK. Why won't it pick up the seed on 2 rows? Open to any suggestions. The brushes on all row units were replaced about 150 acres ago.What am I missing? Thanks, Chris

 

[Iowa Jim]

Did you turn up the air as high as it would go when you had the air tube off? It sounds like you have an air obstruction to me.

Jim

 

[super99]

No, I felt a good stream of air coming out and thought it was OK. I will take them all off and turn it up tomorrow night. Thanks, Chris

 

[e]

You might be getting air, but not enough air. Check for a mouse nest or obstruction in the tube feeding 3&4. Check for leaks, loose connections, etc. Even look at the pipe feeding 1&2 to make sure there isn't a crack or cap off. Check the lids to verify the are closed all the way and not jammed up. The only reason that comes to mind why they won't pick up seeds is if there isn't enough air.

 

[Clodbuster]

I've been running one for far too many years..... Crank that air up to 3 psi for beans, it won't drop tripples unless you have very small beans. One trick we do is where the air hose hooks onto the square hole on the seed unit is to take plastic zip ties and go around the hose there to help seal the hose to the unit.

Make sure the seed cut offs on the back of the units are fully open.

Don't drive too fast if the ground is rough, esp. with the lower air pressure. Book may say 4.5 max but I have run 6 with good results (3 PSI) if the ground is very smooth and I'm in a rush.

Figure your actual seeds per acre planted as the planter will be very close and pounds per acre vary with seed size of course. I'm dropping 170,000 per acre on 30 inch rows. Look at your chart at 36 inches for your max speed.

Good luck, they are tough old simple planters!!!

On 8 rows with full boxes, they run out of seed VERY close to each other.

 

[bradley martin]

Definitely an air pressure problem......the other responses are right on. Check for obstructions (remove the end cap on the main tube to be sure) Also, as previously advised. up the pressure. The pressures stated in the book are frequently too low. Planting kidney beans, I often run at 6.5 psi. What is your monitor showing. Even the 1000 monitor will alert you to misses by the lights not all blinking at the same speed. The 3000 monitor, though, is what really allows this planter to be super precise.

 

[Jr55]

There are 2 brushes in each row, might want to check them. I use to take the fan out too and clean it. Dust gets in the squirrel cage and builds up.

 

[Clodbuster]

Just curious, how high can your monitor count? On beans mine won't go much past 80,000-105,000 to 120,000 if I am running slower and dropping 170,000. I only have the two LED light sensors and have debated updating to the newer three LED ones. Maybe a new planter to go with them, too!

 

[bradley martin]

I can't say how high it can count....it has been quite a while since I have used it to plant either soys or navy beans. but it has no problem counting up to 75,000 and keeping track of the seed spacing when cracking in Kidney and cranberry beans.
The new planter idea sounds good, until I think about the $$$. Actually, I think moving up to a 6100 would be a bigger plus than moving from a 6100 to the 8100 series.

 

[90 Percent Retired]

Have you checked the coupling on the right hand side of the transmission? worn enough to slip occasionaly? Other than that it just about has to be air pressure.

 

[super99]

Today's update. I got home from work and took the flex tube off of the main air pipe on 3 & 4 and turned the air up to 5( as high as the guage goes) and let it run for a few minutes. Put everything back together and set air at 3psi and checked the seed discs, all were full. I went out and planted 11 bags of beans, everything worked OK. I put in 4 bags to finish up and went back to the field, and 3 & 4 are acting up again, same thing as before. I took the hoses off of 3 & 4 and ran it a little bit, lots of air coming out, turned the air up some more and tried it again, still not holding seeds in the disc like it should. I have heard of the transmission problems, but the chains are turning the discs like they should. How could that have anything to do with the seeds not staying in the discs? I'm off work until Tuesday morning, so tomorrow I will remove the PVC pipes and check them for obstructions. I have tried to get a seed count on beans before and my monitor won't count that high, just go by the light flashes. Chris

 

[Clodbuster]

I once had the $$$ bearing in the unit that the seed plate rides on go bad and it would sometimes shake corn off and make gaps. It would turn perfect and feel perfect but changing it did the trick. That is the real PITA to try to set the depth correctly when drifting the bearing on that model.

 

[bradley martin]

The fact that is both units on 1 side of the fan would make me think it is an air flow problem. I suspect when you remove the end cap you will find a bunch of debris. It may not be a mouse nest but an accumulation of corn leaves that the fan has sucked in. If it was only 1 unit or 1 on each side then I would consider a drive issue.

 

[90 Percent Retired]

One more thing to try, remove cotter pin from coupling on RH side of transmission, With air on, if you have a 7/8th socket
and some extensions, try turning the two rows on the RH side (from the end of the hex drive shaft) to check if everything turns smoothly, could be a sticky chain idler or a bearing tieing up that is causing the seed discs to vibrate. Keep us informed.