# New Holland Inverter?



## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Anyone run one of the 144 or 166 NH inverter? I’ve looked at then many many times thinking it would be useful, but that was back when they were $4-$6,000. Now they’ve dropped down into he $1-3,000 and I think it might not be a horrible buy? There are always those times when you just want to literally flip the windrow but the top is tinder dry and leaves falling off. Not a use all the time deal just to have for those occasions when it would be worth its weight in gold.


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

I've often thought about this myself.......also interested in any opinions.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

While I have no experience with them, they seem like they would have a purpose in some environments. In the NE farm dealers, you see a lot of them for sale so not sure what that means.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

I think inverters may be justified where you have moist ground, but if not a rotary rake would also do.

In the end what ought to determine the purchase is: Price and frequency of use.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Back in early 90's I briefly owned a NH windrow inverter. The design may be good for Alfalfa but the inverter wouldn't handle the grass hay windrows I was attempting to invert without plugging up.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

I thought about one many, many times, thinking it would be more than useful from time to time, when I only had the bar style rake (side delivery). Then I got a H&S x-rake (wheel rake) and I could flip the windrow at a pretty good pace (could leave one side straight, throwing the windrow into it). And then I got rid of the H&S and bought a double rotary, which I can even turn over/fluff back up at even a faster pace. My thoughts of buying (and needing only once in a while) an inverter have faded tremendously.

I'm seeing more and more rotary rakes in MY area and more used inverters for sale in MY area (haven't seen a new on a dealers lot in a long time). Naturally YMMV.

Larry


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

A inverter is good chen chopping but is really bad when baling, I have used a 166 many times and would never put one in front of a baler.


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

LukeS said:


> A inverter is good chen chopping but is really bad when baling, I have used a 166 many times and would never put one in front of a baler.


Why? Could you explain a bit further?


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

On the 144-166 it does not leave a nice windrow and for bale you want a nice even windrow, chopping it is nice definitely but as much of a must as baling. It leaves lot of clumps and doesn't loosen the hay up at all.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

In my experiance they flip the windrow exatly how its raked. Maybe it clumps more in a really big windrow. But works good if bottom of windrow is a little wet. Could never find a rake to turn it perfectly like an inverter could. Ideally you'll never need it


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Here is my philosophy regarding windrows, drying, raking, and inverters: wanting to use an inverter kind of implies that your windrows are dry on top but not underneath. My preference is not to get in that situation in the first place, so I like to see the windrow spread out thin enough that there is no top or bottom as such. Not always practical, I know.


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## toddhandy (Jun 20, 2014)

I Friend of mine has a 166. I have used it several times on alfalfa, I works great. If the alfalfa is a little wet on the bottom of the windrow i invert it and in an hour or 2 I can bale it. I never invert more than i can bale that day. It was plugging up at first, we made a modification by adding on to the square tubing where the chute telescopes and added more holes in the new tubing to extent the chute out further. In my opinion i have been able to put up some really nice alfalfa squares with this 166 inventor.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Gearclash said:


> Here is my philosophy regarding windrows, drying, raking, and inverters: wanting to use an inverter kind of implies that your windrows are dry on top but not underneath. My preference is not to get in that situation in the first place, so I like to see the windrow spread out thin enough that there is no top or bottom as such. Not always practical, I know.


I spread as wide as the 499 will allow, 8'. And I don't plan on using it every cutting, one of those things you have in case you need it.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

I have an inverter; it 's not a NH166 or 144; it's a Matador 7900. Bought it for the same reason you are suggesting...to have for a just-in-case piece of equipment. I wanted it for years such as this when the ground it moist and a windrow is moist on bottom and I want to flip it to the sun/wind. I struggle with keeping speed/using just the right amount of the rake to turn a windrow 180 deg vs 90 or 270 or just barely enough that it flops right back down where it was.

Mark.

PS. Had the inverter for 3 years now and ain't ever used it.


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## Jay in WA (Mar 21, 2015)

I use my Twinstar rakes to flip 2 rows at a time.


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## chevytaHOE5674 (Mar 14, 2015)

My neighbor has a 144 that hes uses exclusively to flip his hay over for baling. He cuts and lays it out 4' wide or so behind his haybine, let's it lay a couple days and then flips it with the inverter and bales it up, doesnt even own a rake.


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