# NH BR7060 vs. Roll Belt 450



## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Looking for some advice on balers. Looking to upgrade at some point to get a baler with net wrap. Have a NH 644 now with just twine. Love the baler. Reliable, simple, hardly any electronics. Has plenty of life left, just getting to the point where we are having to keep more hay outside and think net is a better option.

Had thought about buying a new Roll Belt 450 in the next year or so (not the Utility model). Have talked to the dealer, they say there are a few changes over the BR series - cosmetics/appearance, pickups, rotary feed vs stuffer fingers, and more electronics. I was told that the electronics were the biggest change, and not much mechanical on the new series. So if you have an issue with wrapping or tying you are pretty much out of luck until they can get there with the laptop. This is a big difference from the older series where you could switch to manual mode and at least get done.

So here is the question - would I be better off with the new series, or trying to find a low bale used BR 7060? Does anyone have direct experience with the new Roll Belt models yet (again, not the utility model)?

Whatever I get would be used for 6-700 bales/year and I would plan on keeping for awhile, I don't plan on trading anytime soon (644 is 15 years old now...). Also, pretty much set on NH because of dealer support. Thanks for any help.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

I was considering tradeing my 5k bale 7060 in for a 450 this year but with the $20k value of mine versus $30k for a 450 I think ill run a few thousand more bales through it. I'm seeing quite a few low bale 7060s listed in the $20k price range and that seems to me a better value than $30k for a relatively unproven new model. I do hope the feeding system is better on the 450 as that was my only complaint on the 7060 besides a rather wimpy net actuator solenoid. Broke that at about 3500 bales. I don't like the idea of more electronics though.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

Almost all the diagnostics is done though the operators panel and not the laptop. The laptop is only needed when you want to erase stored fault codes, install new software, or if you want to monitor the current draw in a circuit. The bale forming components are like the 7060, but the pickup, wrapping and tying components are different. The biggest issue I see with the electronics is the tractor. The power cable for the new models just plugs into the 3 terminal receptacle that most newer tractors have. While this will work on some tractors without issue, there are some where the wiring in the tractor is not heavy enough to carry the current. The current draw is nothing like the BR balers with actuators, but the system does sense the current draw and will stop the electric motors if the amperage draw exceeds the limit imposed by the controller. This problem can be avoided by installing the optional power harness NH offers.

If the rotary feed pickups on the 450 work like they do on the 560, which they should, you will be impressed.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Just thinking about a round baler now needing software updates installed blows my mind! Balers sure have come a long ways. Guess just trying to keep them as fancy as everything else these days!

Is there anything different about the net wrap system on the new balers vs. the BRs? I thought I heard or read something about that.

And I am sure the rotary pickups are nice. Just the concept seems better than the older stuffer finger types. But, I've been used to the old stuffer finger pickup for quite awhile and never had any major issues. You can't miss what you don't have right?

Thanks for the replies


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Does the new 450's need the Isobar system or does it have it's own screen/monitor?


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

The net system still has the duckbill to insert the net and a knife to cut the net. On the BR balers both the duckbill and the knife were activated by a single linear actuator. On the new series there is an electric motor for the duckbill and a separate electric motor for the knife. The use of motors instead of actuators allows the system to be powered through the three terminal plug in most newer tractors. Linear actuators take more electric power so should be powered directly from the battery, though I know some have successfully powered them through the same three terminal plug.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

You can get them equipped with deluxe bale command which includes the bale command monitor, isobus ready that you can use with a tractor that conforms with the isobus standards and has it's own monitor, and isobus with an intelliview screen.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

Grateful11 said:


> Does the new 450's need the Isobar system or does it have it's own screen/monitor?


No it is a option.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

The only thing that I see RB 450 has over the BR 7060 is it has the single pivot dual twine arms instead of the dual pivot dual twine arms on the BR 7060. We just bought a BR 7060 with twine and net I can't wait to use it.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

While we are talking about current draw and wiring for the balers.. Is it a bad idea to use the 3 prong power plug? I have a BR740A that has a harness that goes right to the battery. I have a spare harness that I got at an auction that has the 3 prong power plug. I just picked up a cab tractor and was planning to use the plug and the spare harness instead of the hassle of wiring direct to the battery. Is this a bad idea?


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

I was told I had to go right to the battery on our new BR7060.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

If you use the three terminal connector, with your 740A, I would have your dealer update the software to the latest version. The newer software protects the controller from low voltage which can damage the controller. It is better to go to the battery, but I have seen it work using the tractor connector.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks. Maybe I will just modify the harness and go right to the battery...Save me the cost of a service call and reprogram...


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

I know experience with the 450s is limited at this point since they just came out. But for anybody with a 7060 - are they top notch balers? Just curious in case I go that route. Any quirks or issues? Whatever I end up with I'd like to keep around for quite awhile.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

I also should have added, will I miss my auto wrap 644 if I traded up to a 7060 with net? I really have been happy with the old baler. Dont want to do something I'll regret.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I never had auto wrap. But went from manual twine to net. Net is a huge timesaver. If you like the time tractor isn't moving while it is tying you may not like the net so much. You spend much more time baling and less time applying net vs twine. If you want to get more done quicker net is the ticket.


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

Put 18,000 bales on a 640 with auto tie. Great baler. Now have put 10,000 bales on a br7060 with bale command and net. Don't regret the change. Net is so much faster. Other than getting used to the monitor and the net, it is basically the same baler. Don't know anything about the 450.


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

Trotwood2955 said:


> I know experience with the 450s is limited at this point since they just came out. But for anybody with a 7060 - are they top notch balers? Just curious in case I go that route. Any quirks or issues? Whatever I end up with I'd like to keep around for quite awhile.


We picked up a used 7060 SS, last year, twine tie. We did around 200 bales last year and it did everything we wanted it to do. It eats dry hay as fast as we can go. We set the twine to the minimum wrap. It does take more time than net, but for us, it was a huge time saver verse putting all that hay into smalls! 
Note we are also storing our hay under cover.


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