Get Your SoilWarrior Field-Ready with These Simple Steps

Technology doesn’t have to be your enemy. Conducting pre-season technology checks can save you time when it's “go time”. ETS Precision Ag Specialist, Gavin Held, has been on many farms across North America and Canada facilitating machine set-ups, inspections and in-season trouble shooting. He has also personally ran the SoilWarrior over 1,000 acres using RTK guidance and prescription maps for variable rate fertilizer application. Gavin has shared his personal pre-season SoilWarrior technology check-list.

It doesn’t matter if your SoilWarrior applies dry fertilizer, liquid fertilizer or both, an initial visual inspection is a must. Once you pull the SoilWarrior out of the shed, do a visual inspection to check for broken zip ties or low hanging cables. Also, check the pinch points of the machine for cables that could potentially get caught. 

Dry Fertilizer Technology

1. PWM calibration. Pre-season would also be a great time to do a PWM calibration before product gets loaded into the tanks. This test will also ensure that your PWM coils are functioning properly.
2. CFR calibration. Running a mock CFR Calibration will let you see encoder feedback, as well as the alarms for the bin level sensors.
3. Fan speed input. Check on the run screen, fan speed input. Toggle the SCV that the fan is plugged into and watch the screen for speed.
4. Implement switch. With the help of another person or a zip tie, toggle the lift switch and watch it on the display for proper operation.

Liquid Fertilizer Technology

To start the pre-season checks for your liquid machine, fill the tank with water so you don’t run the pump dry.

1. Nozzle flow check. This will open all the section valves, give you flowmeter feedback, operate the control valve, and make sure you have no plugged nozzles. During this test, you can also look for leaks in the system. On most systems if you go to the diagnostics tab, then the tests page, the nozzle flow check will be in the drop down menu.
2. Implement switch. With the help of another person or a zip tie, toggle the lift switch and watch it on the display for proper operation.
3. Correct nozzle selection. Nozzle selection is based on the speed and rate that you will be applying. The nozzle selection chart can be found on page 55 of the operator’s manual.