Singulation: How Much Will 95% Cost You?
As a service to growers, we sometimes run planter meter calibrations during the slow months of winter. We run all factory brands of planter meters on a test stand to get them into optimal running order before hitting the field. The most common upgrade we see in John Deere meters is a Precision Planting E-Set retrofit kit that allows for much finer adjustments so that singulation can be dialed in more closely.
Worn-out singulators are the biggest problem we see with E-Set meters not running at optimum singulation. Depending on soil conditions and meter type, we should inspect the wear on parts inside planter meters at 80-100 acres per row. Sandy soil conditions will lead to faster wear as more abrasive material is pulled into the meter.
Singulator and wear part life can be prolonged by using the correct amount of talc/graphite as this allows for a smoother cycle as the seed disc contacts the wear parts.
When meters are brought to us, we first give them a deep, thorough cleaning to remove any soil build-up, leftover seed, or treatment that has collected inside the meter. We then inspect them, looking for any broken or missing parts that will require replacement. Most commonly replaced parts highlighted with arrows. Singulator, seed deflector, and extractor.
After cleaning, the seed discs are sprayed with graphite, and the meter is placed on the test stand. The meter will go through a minimum of two runs while we watch the singulation and other measurements on the 20/20 monitor to determine if adjustments should be made or parts replaced.
The meter is tested with 500 seeds at a time and must pass at 99.8% or better singulation for two consecutive tests before we allow it to leave the test stand. With singulators that miss occasionally, we can typically file them back to spec, and they will continue to run without issue for another season. If they are worn beyond spec, we will replace them.
Your final yield is maximized from a uniform stand. And a uniform stand is largely tied to the singulation coming out of the planter. Meter calibration is an easy and inexpensive method to ensure that your meters run at optimal levels.
It’s not uncommon for meters to come in running at 99% singulation, and we have seen them as low as 95%. Being 1% off on a 200-bushel corn crop is 2 bushels an acre. That equates to $12/acre at $6 corn. So especially with the price of corn where it is today, make sure your planter hasn’t slipped to 95%!
