# John Deeres New Baler Moisture Tester



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Heres info on JD's latest moisture reader.

Regards, Mike

Baler-Mounted Hay Moisture Tester Available from John Deere


----------



## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

Are they any better than the old type meters ? Being more accurate would be nice, I have some of the case ih and old john deere type was never impressed. True moisture meters cost alot of money for any that work well.I would still be getting off from time to time to check with my probe type .


----------



## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

As an interested observer I would say the JD part numbered moisture tester is no better than the after market moisture testers, that are on the market. 
On their round baler the moisture sensor appears to be a high wear item. (Mounted on the baler it's self.)
HERE an On the Go moisture tester does not appear to be all that popular.

On my square baler there is now the second mounted Delmhorst moisture testing system. The first was an analog system that read from maybe 12% to maybe 40%. That one was used to monitor the mositure for a baler mounted hay preservative system. Probably 60 years ago my father had a moisture with a probe. It was a box with vacuum tubes and a couple of large batteries. Maybe 40 years later I bought , probably from Gimplers, an all in one piece moisture tester that was way tooooo tender. 
When I installed a home assembled hay preservative system I purchased the High Range Delmhorst analog moisture tester system plus the pickup that is mounted on the baler. That was for using a hay preservative and the desired range was from 20% moisture to 30% moisture. 
Eventually I realized the advantage of the On the Go moisture testing ability and bought their F-6/6-30 Meter system Delmhorst Instrument Co.

I liked the analog system over the digital meter because I can watch the needle hunt as the moisture changes. 
On a square baler IF you are going to bale hay that has not fully cured and will have mostly stem moisture it is ideal to mount the sensor on the knife side of the chamber.

IF you are like me and plan to bale fully cured hay starting early when the hay is still too damp to bale the sensor is mounted on the side opposite the knives. Then you are measuring dew moisture.

I still bale watching the meter for moisture but that usually is telling me the hay is getting drier and I need to increase the hydraulic pressure on the bale chamber.

Now as to meter sensitivity and accuracy. Accuracy is mostly dependant on the bale density. Too loose will read dry. Too tight will read too high. It usually requires 6 bales out the back before I have the pressure on the bale chamber correct for bale weight and length. 
For bale length consistence I count strokes per bale. I want the baler to tie every 15 strokes +/- 3 strokes.

*For me a portable electronic humidity measuring thing is equally important.*

I start baling when there is 70% humidity, down next to the windrow. At best HERE I will have 3 hours before the hay is too dry and leaf shattering is a concern. Usually +/- 2 hours but occasionally it is less than an hour. 
I also watch for the timing of the bale rolling off the bale turner. This is to keep the bales at 34" no more than 36" length. Three 38" bales in succession and the three bales will not fit on the bale wagon/s load rack.

I have found I can anticipate a damper stretch of a windrow. Some times I will bale a mile of hay with out feeling the need to get down and measure the bale length and check the bale weight. When first starting and when conditions are changing rapidly I may get down to check weight and length 5 or 6 times in that mile.

A long time ago, when I was much more limber and agile, on a heavy windrow I would get down and check things with out stopping the tractor. I do not move near fast enough for that foolishness now.

Accuracy, with the digital systems that average the moisture, you can have a wet slug and never register it on the meter. With an enclosed cab, air conditioning, a radio going, plus maybe considering some after hours activity the operator may just be a driver.


----------



## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

I like the idea of having a sensor on either side of the bale chamber. I would really like it if the monitor showed both of the readings separately instead of combining them. As Hay Wilson says, the sensor position is usually determined by the type of moisture you are conserned with.


----------



## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

[quote name='hay wilson in TX']As an interested observer I would say the JD part numbered moisture tester is no better than the after market moisture testers, that are on the market. 
On their round baler the moisture sensor appears to be a high wear item. (Mounted on the baler it's self.)
HERE an On the Go moisture tester does not appear to be all that popular.

a portable electronic humidity measuring thing is equally important.[/B]

I have been doing hay for a while and to make perfect hay the window is very narrow in this area.We carry  hygrometers nice digital some even have alarms to wake you from your nap in the front seat. I have no telling how many differnt types of moisture meters and probes there are around this place 7 or 8 that I know of, I only trust 2 of them , the units that you mount inside the bale chamber is not such a accurate tool , I find it best to get off the tractor and check them if I think it is getting too damp. Which dont happen much here, pretty dry at times. I purchased a dew simulator machine this winter but have went to haul it home yet. Hope it works out like they claim, been able to make hay during the day would be great, dont happen much here we run at night most of the time. If they havent changed the sensor and mounting it will be worthless as the others they have sold . Wilson you are right about some hands sitting on the tractor, if you work them hard enough they dont want to go to town as much . Hygrometers and moisture probes are a must in a hay field, Hygrometers make sure you get the ones that go from 0% to 100% some measures are differnt .


----------



## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Doug Whitney purchase on a year ago, but I have not heard how it worked last season. Doug is a past preisdent of the NM hay association. 
A fellow named Mike in Idaho looked at the system. He has some rolling ground and two big machines behind the tractor may push the tractor too hard,

If this farm was irrigated and had alfalfa growing in July and August I would not have been able to bale bexouse for 6 weeks the humidity never got above 50% day or night. Suring my wild youth, I baled at night. Kind of nice on my open station tractors. It was also before I learned about the magic of humidity. Late June and half of July I could start baling not long after dark. You can FEEL the moisture. Fairly easy also, just look at the baler and look for leaf shatter. Numerous times I would drop 6 or 10 bales on the ground setting the bale length and weight. Look back and the leaves had stopped shattering. HERE I found out early to rake at first light, when there is dew on the hay. Sure helped retain the leaves. 
I am a very slow learner. I started baling hay in 1952. Until then we raised cotton. Alfalfa paid better than cotton and the rest is history. Except for a break to participate in the Cold War and Viet Nam.

Too bad John Caddel has retired. The Oklahoma alfalfa program is not what it use to be.


----------



## Speedy393 (Feb 6, 2011)

That is the same unit as the Agratronix. CaesIH sells the same unit also. I used one last season on grass hay and it worked perfectly. You can adjust the reading to match your bale probe so it remains very accurate and gives you a benchmark to work from. Vey please with the product.


----------



## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

It is a BHT-2 Agratronix tester. I bought one last spring and really like the way it works. It is only as accurate as you are at interpreting what those numbers really mean. Sensors on both sides of the bale chamber take some of the guess work out, but if you add acid or preservative the numbers are going to change and how much depends on the application rate of the acid, amount of crop flow into the baler... etc. Too many variables to list, but it is a good meter and after getting used to it and learning what it was telling me I would not be without it.

...also sold by Bale Supply.


----------

