How do you clean a combine harvester?
- Read your manufacturer’s manual
- Prepare the things you will need
- Perform a quick cleaning prior to leaving the field
- Perform a full combine clean-out during end season
Combine harvesters in the Philippines are a must-have, especially for farms with hectares of land and numerous crops to collect during the harvest season. With this agricultural machinery, you can combine multiple harvesting processes into one piece of equipment — allowing you to harvest large amounts of crops quickly. But all types of equipment need maintenance, and for this reason, you need to know how to clean a combine harvester.
Cleaning a combine harvester after harvest allows you to remove debris and material in the machine and also minimizes the chances of having animals nest in the equipment. Cleaning can help improve the efficiency of the parts and ensure a longer lifespan for the combine harvester. To do this, below are the basic steps that you need to follow.
Read Your Manufacturer’s Manual
The first thing that you should do is check the manual that came with your combine harvester. It will provide a guide on how you can maintain your agricultural machinery properly — including how to clean it.
This is important because not all combine harvesters are exactly the same, and there might be some useful recommendations that you should do to maintain your harvester’s condition for a long time. By reading the manual, you can rest assured that you’re doing the proper cleaning method.
Prepare The Things You Will Need
To perform cleaning, you will need the following things:
- Shop vacuum
- Air compressor
- Eye protection
- Ear protection
- Hand protection
- Dust mask
Make sure that you wear proper protective gear, as there might be a lot of dust and debris during the cleaning process.
Perform A Quick Cleaning Prior To Leaving The Field
To start cleaning, make sure that there are no other people with you, and they should be at least 50 feet from the combine harvester. You will need to run the unloading auger empty. Do this for at least one minute. After that, you can remove the header from the combine, but this is an optional step.
Then, you need to open the clean grain and tailing elevator doors, unloading auger sump, and rock trap. After that, you can start the combine and separator. Turn the cleaning shoe fan to full speed. Electronically open and close the cleaning shoe sieves. Next, adjust the rotor to full speed. Open and close the concaves alternately.
Do all this for a minimum of two minutes. To dislodge the material, it’s recommended to drive over rough terrain. After this, you can clean the materials left in the rock trap. With an air compressor, blow materials from the harvester’s exterior. Remember to close everything up. This cleaning method should only take 20 to 30 minutes.
Perform A Full Combine Clean-Out During End Season
During the end of each season, you will need to perform a full cleaning to maintain the machine. After performing the combine harvester self-cleaning process, you can proceed with the following:
Using your shop vacuum, clean the grain tank thoroughly, making sure to include all the nooks and crannies, such as the ledges, steps, etc. Remove debris around and inside the bubble-up intake auger, the floor of the cross augers and grain tank sump. After that, you can clean the unloading auger too.
Next, use compressed air to blow debris on the interior. Make sure to remove the head and lower the feeder house if needed. After that, raise it and lock it in place. You can open the rock trap door and loosen and dislodge plant material. Use the compressed air and vacuum to clean.
After that, you can proceed to clean the rotor/cylinder and threshing area. Remove the access panels and concaves to do this. You can use compressed air before a vacuum to thoroughly perform cleaning. Reattach the concaves and vacuum any residue from the rotor/cylinder area, clean grain augers, or shaker pan. Remember to clean the chopper too.
To finish up cleaning, you can force compressed air through the sieves and vacuum debris in the lower cross augers. Replace the covers afterward. Shake the conveyor chains to dislodge debris, and empty the moisture sensor before reassembling. Don’t forget to clean header attachments too.
Key Takeaway
These are some basic guidelines on how to clean a combine harvester. It’s important to check your combine harvester’s manual, so you can follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding cleaning. Cleaning is important, as this helps ensure that your combine harvester is kept in the best shape, ready for the next harvest!
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