Laurie Brownlee had had enough of backing big augers up to even bigger bins without being able to see the outcome.
It would result either in a little bump when the auger met the granary or the auger would overshoot the bin hatch.
For some, installing drive wheels on augers eliminates the hassle of getting on and off the tractor, but it is still a challenge to see the target clearly from the new distances created by the big bins.
“Farmers aren’t getting any younger,” said Brownlee of Unity, Sask.
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“Seeing the top of the bin can be tough. At night it never has been very good. So at harvest time, bin changes in the dark were very rough.”
Brownlee’s solution was an auger camera, which mounts with a pair of magnets that can handle the curve of an auger or conveyor tube.
The camera is attached by cable to a seven inch colour monitor in the tractor, which allows the operator to position the auger while watching the screen.
The camera has 28 infrared illuminators that ensure it can see up to 30 feet in the dark, making night time manoeuvres possible.
“The magnets are good to 260 pounds, so it doesn’t move,” Brownlee said.
“It has handles you use to pull it off, that is how strong the mount is.”
The camera is waterproof, and the monitor comes with a heavy duty plastic bag cover for use on open tractors or off the tractor.
The camera and monitor operate on 12 volt power and can also be used on combines and seeding units.
For more information, contact Brownlee at 877-228-5598 or visit www.fullbinsupersensor.com.
