The new Miller Nitro 6365 sprayer’s 40 per cent fuel savings has left South Australian grain-grower Steven Bull one happy farmer
Bull continuously crops wheat, barley and lentils on the 7000ha ‘Anidak Farms’ properties near Kadina, on the Yorke Peninsula.
Bull like many farmers in the region, battles the herbicide-resistant ryegrass, devastating diseases such as ascochyta blight and grey mould, and insects like bluegreen aphids and red-legged earth mites.
To combat the disease and pests Bull relies upon a large weed and disease control program.
A Miller Nitro 4365 front-mounted self-propelled sprayer and tow-behind Hardi 5030 sprayer were the machines for the job until Bull upgraded to the new Miller Nitro 6365 model.
Fitted with a 6100L tank and considerably larger 41.1m truss boom, the 6365 model has certainly impressed its new owner. The tow-behind Hardi 5030 is still used.
Bull says the 6365 sprayer’s fuel efficiency has been impressive.
“The biggest plus with the 6365 is the fuel (consumption) per hectare,” Bulls says. “We have gone from getting 1-1.1ha to the litre to 1.9-2ha/L, and we average 20L/h fuel consumption, whereas it was previously 35-40L/h.
“The previous model would drink 400-500L a day,” he adds.
The innovative drive train system incorporates a complete redesign with variable displacement hydrostatic drive system and planetary torque hubs, local distributor McIntosh Distribution says.
This results in faster responses to speed changes through more efficient transfer of power to the ground, even at lower engine RPM. This all contributes to reduced fuel consumption.
Spraying operator Phil Rice says that, by running at 1800 RPM, he could cover 640ha without refuelling when spraying nearby to the home property.
“By dropping the revs further to 1650 RPM, I could go to the farm and back to home and do eight tanks (sprays),” Rice says.
“With the old model, the revs were around 2200 RPM, we sometimes backed it off to 2000, but there was not enough oil flow and too much heat through the drive motors,” he adds.
The Miller Nitro 6365’s redesigned cooling system with a reposition of cooling components has also contributed to the reduced operator and environmental noise.
Bull jokes the silence isn’t always a positive, though, saying: “It annoys me a bit, because I can’t hear where Phil is spraying anymore!”
Other features of the new Nitro 6365 include a new cab packed with updated and new features such as a full-colour touch screen display, monitoring engine and spray system functions.
It also includes an integrated rear-facing camera with full-time rear vision during transport, which automatically turns on when reversing.
Better night-time vision is ensured with an array of cabin-mounted LED lights, while servicing and maintenance has been made easier thanks to the increased size and access area of the engine bay.