16 www.FarmProgress.com - June 2010
Kansas Farmer
Crop Production
New oil, lights last longer
By WILLIE VOGT
U
SED to be when it came to equipment service, there were a few
simple rules. Check the oil and
grease the tractor every morning before
heading out, and change the oil every
200 hours. However, those rules are
changing as new technologies come into
the market, adding service life to fluids
and even changing the way you light
your fields.
The advent of ultra-low-sulfur diesel
use has already changed the kind of oil
you’re using in most tractors, and there
are other consequences as well. “One
issue we’re finding interesting, with CJ4
oils, is that the total base number is
lower,” says Gary Parson, global original
equipment manufacturer and industry
liaison, Chevron. “[TBN] is an indication
of the oil’s ability to neutralize acids,
and in the past we rated oil quality by
that number. But with ultra-low-sulfur
NEW-TECH BRIGHT: LED lights
offer plenty of light for night work, but
also use less power and last up to
20 times longer than high-intensity
discharge lighting.
O
P TE
C
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SH
diesel, and lower formation of crankcase acids, we’re finding that TBN is not
as critical.”
Parson explains that this reduced
acid level is extending oil service life.
“We’re seeing 60,000-mile drain intervals for long-haul trucks, which is a lot
longer than I remember,” he notes. “In
our testing, you can safely operate equipment with a TBN below 2. That can extend
vehicle service intervals, provided there
aren’t other limiting
factors,” he notes,
pointing out that
the high dirt
and dusty environment farm
equipment operates in can cut
fluid service life.
Yet, major manufacturers are already pushing up service intervals. It’s not uncommon to see
500-hour measures between oil changes
with the latest long-life fluids.
Low-power, brighter light
Get the parts you need, around the clock
At John Deere, we’re about making your life easier.
That’s why we offer Parts OnSite. You can stock parts
right on your farm, so you can get what you need
right away – 24
4 hours a day.
And since there’s no waiting, there’s less downtime.
We’ll even help keep up your inventory with our
recommended stocking lists, so you’re prepared for
each season. Because as much as we’d like to see you
at the parts counter, we’d rather see you in the ÷eld.
That’s the John Deere difference.
www.JohnDeere.com/AgParts
In your home you might be using new
light bulbs to save power, like compact
fluorescent light bulbs. And at Christmas,
you may be trying out those new lightemitting diode, or LED, lights. Both technologies reduce energy use and have
longer life. Turns out those LEDs have
value as farm equipment lighting, too.
Over the past few years, lighting companies have turned to LEDs as a new light
source, and they’ve cranked up some
pretty bright task lighting that’s making
its way to farm equipment, too. If you’re
looking at new lighting, you might consider the jump from halogen or high-intensity discharge lighting to LED sources.
Ryan Mayrand, who works in product
marketing for J.W. Speaker Corp., notes
several advantages to LED lighting.
“The longevity of the light itself is much
higher,” he notes. “In most cases, an
LED light has a 40,000- to 60,000-hour
service life. Compare that to a halogen
with perhaps 200 to 400 hours, or HID
lighting at 2,500 hours.”
He notes that since the LED has
no bulbs, it eliminates risk of filament
breakage, and the lights can resist shock
and vibration a lot better. That cuts downtime costs, too.
Those lights are also more energy-efficient. “A halogen light, for example, will
give 80% of its energy to heat, compared
to just 20% with LEDs,” Mayrand notes.
“LEDs are also more environmentally
friendly in that there is no mercury used
in their manufacture.”
Another plus is that these lights are
less of a drain on your charging system,
which can improve equipment efficiency.
For example, John Deere notes that LED
lights it offers consume 75% less energy
than halogen lights.