At their Jan. 25 annual meeting, members of Keystone Agricultural Producers expressed their concern with the potential negative impact of technological developments in farm machinery. That concern was brought into focus during a presentation by David Yee, vice-president of operations at the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute. He explained how existing intellectual property legislation can be […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Right to repair doesn’t solve basic problem
Even if farmers can fix their own machines, they’re still wrestling with an unpredictable nebular cloud of electrons
Even if farmers win an absolute legal right to try to fix all of the technology behind their own machinery, that’s only half the equation. The digital complexity can result in lost productivity of machinery if it sits in the field for days waiting for the correct solenoid or sensor. The situation is becoming worse, […] Read more
More acres require grain bin upgrades
As expanding farmers buy or rent more land, their first priority is securing the necessary seeding rigs, sprayers and then harvest equipment. There’s no denying the logic of this chronology. Without field equipment, there is no crop. However, the rush to address cropping requirements of those new acres means the grain-handling assets required to service […] Read more
Bin plans need to go in before the crop
Dave Wall’s phone starts ringing off the wall in August when farmers realize they’ll harvest more crop than their systems can handle and they want to add capacity and maybe a few upgrades at the same time. Wall owns Wall Grain, one of the largest dealers of grain-handling and storage systems on the Prairies. He’s […] Read more
Wet seal technology for spray pumps
BRANDON — Wet seals, employed in aircraft and industry for decades, are finally finding their way into agricultural spray pumps built by Pentair Hypro. The big benefit is in situations when the pump runs dry, Pentair fluid specialist Brian Henderson said during Manitoba Ag Days at the end of last month, where he debuted three […] Read more
Keep to the right
It’s a pain in the neck to always look over your left shoulder at harvest time, which is why Australian farmers have been buying right-hand unload grain carts. Some of those right-hand grain carts are built by Elmer’s Welding in Altona, Man. Mike Friesen, an agricultural engineer and owner of Elmer’s who has been building […] Read more
Modifying for right-hand loads
Pros
Right-hand unload isn’t exclusive to grain carts. Over the years, a number of combines in bean-growing areas have been modified for conveyors coming out either the left or right side. “The thing with edible beans is you get docked so bad for splits. Splits can cost you a lot of money,” said Mike Friesen, owner […] Read more
Mice and modern machinery don’t mix
BRANDON — It used to be simple repairing damage to a piece of equipment after mice had eaten into the wiring harness. Those days are gone. Any truck or piece of farm equipment built within the past five years is now digital, and the function of the machine is controlled by delicate sensors and computers. […] Read more
New trucks; self-contained power grids
The modern, over-the-road grain hauler or cattle hauler has become an electrical grid unto itself. The truck’s total dependence on clean, stable electricity increases with each new model year. Electricity has replaced belts to drive most compressors and pumps. It’s essential for the ECUs (engine control units), fuel injection, air conditioning, power steering, navigation, display […] Read more
New alternative alternators pack a punch
While some truck manufacturers are meeting the increased electrical demand with dual alternators, others are turning to big single units, such as the new 24V, 250-amp IdlePro Extreme from Prestolite or the 40 SI series from Delco Remy. The new alternators are engineered to meet the new challenges inherent in today’s trucks. The IdlePro has […] Read more
