Norac UC4+ Operator'S Manual Download

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Spray Height Controller

Improving the competitiveness of Industry and

Agriculture through Precision Measurement

Operators Manual
Version 6 - 2008

Summary of Contents for UC4+

Page 1: ...Spray Height Controller Improving the competitiveness of Industry and Agriculture through Precision Measurement Operators Manual Version 6 2008 ...

Page 2: ...l Inc reserves the right to improve products and their specifications without notice and without the requirement to update products sold previously Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this manual The technical information in this manual was reviewed at the time of approval for publication ...

Page 3: ...ANCE ISSUES 13 5 2 UNDERSTANDING CROP MODE AND SOIL MODE 16 6 SYSTEM SETUP 18 6 1 AUTOMATIC SYSTEM SETUP 18 6 2 RETUNE 26 6 3 MANUAL SYSTEM SETUP 27 6 4 QUICK INSTALL 35 7 MAINTENANCE 36 8 TROUBLESHOOTING 37 8 1 GENERAL OPERATION 37 8 2 SENSOR RELATED ISSUES 40 8 3 HYDRAULIC RELATED ISSUES 44 8 4 BOOM INSTABILITY AND MAIN LIFT 48 9 SYSTEM MESSAGES 49 9 1 SETUP MESSAGES 49 9 2 OPERATIONAL MESSAGES ...

Page 4: ...ssues Also provided are instructions for the use of the control panel information regarding system setup regular maintenance and troublshooting Please take the time to read the complete manual before attempting to use the system Although the UC4 Spray Height Control system has been designed for easy set up and use a thorough understanding of the information provided will ensure that you receive th...

Page 5: ...e booms Set the UC4 System to MANUAL mode Turn the sprayer engine off Do not operate this system before Reading and understanding the Operators Manual Thoroughly understanding your machine operation The UC4 Spray Height Control system will greatly improve your spraying height accuracy and protect the boom against damage in a wide variety of field conditions However under some circumstances perform...

Page 6: ... Quick Guide 3 1 SOFTWARE The information in this manual applies to systems with Version 6 UC4 control panel software When the panel is turned on the software version and revision will be displayed for a few seconds as described in Section 4 1 If your control panel does not display a version when it is turned on your software is Version 1 all revisions All UC4 control panels can have their softwar...

Page 7: ... since both ends of the main boom follow the height of the power unit However it is extremely difficult to judge the boom s actual height accurately from the cab It is also very difficult for the operator to see the main section nozzles It is common for operators to be in error from 20 to 30 cm 8 to 12 inches or more How often does the operator check nozzle height with a tape measure The UC4 contr...

Page 8: ... height reading will provide improved height control over the length of the boom and protect the boom in severe terrain conditions Figure 3 POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SENSORS CRASH AVOIDED WITH ADDITIONAL SENSORS Figure 3 Severe Terrain Additional Sensors Required On sprayer models with main frame roll capability Figure 4 the main boom sensor can also be used to adjust the roll angle of the...

Page 9: ...that turns on and off with the ignition key of the sprayer tractor For more information on cables please see the UC4 Installation Manual 3 4 CONTROL PANEL The UC4 control panel Figure 5 is the main component of the UC4 Spray Height Control system The control panel uses the readings from the ultrasonic sensors to control solenoid operated valves that in turn adjust the boom height The control panel...

Page 10: ... is turned on to the UC4 control panel The system will always power up in manual mode Once the Normal Operating Screen is shown the system is ready to use Table 1 Power Up Screens LCD Display Description UC4 UC4 Control Panel V 6C Version 6 software Type AN2 Sprayer Type AN2 See Sprayer Types on page 54 for a list of types METRIC The panel is setup to display height in centimeters This can be chan...

Page 11: ...ng commanded to move Table 2 explains some examples of typical Normal Operating Screens Table 2 Examples of Normal Operating Screens LCD Display Description A 89 A In AUTO mode target average height is 89 cm or inches if selected A 89 A Left side taking corrective action upwards A 89 A Right side taking corrective action downwards 89 A Main lift is taking corrective action downwards A 89 Main roll...

Page 12: ...h SETUP Menu The Normal Operating Screen is usually displayed If no switch is toggled for 30 seconds the LCD will revert to this screen From any menu prompt if you toggle and hold the SETUP NO switch for two seconds the control panel will return to this screen Sensi 5 Displays the current control sensitivity setting A higher number results in a quicker response Range is from 1 to 10 Soil ON Use th...

Page 13: ... New settings take effect once the Normal Operating Screen is displayed Figure 7 Normal Operating Screen Menu items will time out and return to the Normal Operating Screen after 30 seconds If you wish to return to the Normal Operating Screen sooner toggle and hold the SETUP NO switch for two seconds Any new settings will take effect once the Normal Operating Screen is displayed If you wish to lock...

Page 14: ...o MANUAL mode This feature provides a convenient method of switching to MANUAL mode when folding the sprayer for transport 4 2 5 Adjusting the Target Height Setpoint Adjust the target height setting with the switch while in AUTO mode The smallest target height setting allowed is called the minimum height override The default minimum height settings are programmed before shipped from the factory NO...

Page 15: ... the sprayer warms up increase the Sensi setting up until the performance reaches an optimum level 4 2 8 Changing Between SOIL and CROP Mode The SOIL or CROP mode Section 5 2 setting can be adjusted in both MANUAL and AUTO modes Toggle the SETUP NO switch twice to view the current setting While viewing this menu use the switch to change between SOIL and CROP mode 4 2 9 Changing between Inches and ...

Page 16: ...ystem will try to correct for height errors The higher the sensitivity the higher the accuracy At low sensitivity a few cm inches of error will be tolerated At high sensitivity virtually no error will be tolerated Therefore the system will be much more active at high sensitivity than at low sensitivity NOTE Field conditions and operator preferences determine the appropriate Sensi setting On some s...

Page 17: ...lar to the picture in Figure 3 In this example the outer sensor will bring the boom lower than desired and may put the mid point of the boom at risk Outside rounds adjacent to very weedy areas or tall thick grass are examples of the opposite situation In these situations the operator must remain alert and override AUTO mode when necessary Addition of the optional severe terrain inner sensors will ...

Page 18: ...st step is proper mounting See Section 3 2 on page 4 for more information on sensor mounting The second step is to ensure that the protective foam covers on the sensors are kept clean and that the ultrasonic transducer behind the foam does not become corroded or excessively dirty Extra foam pieces are shipped with your kit The transducer is a maintenance item and can be replaced at NORAC service l...

Page 19: ...se situations the operator must resume height control of the booms manually In general the addition of the severe terrain kit will improve performance in CROP mode All of the situations discussed below are lessened by the addition of the extra sensors on the wings 5 2 1 Areas of No Crop in CROP Mode If while operating in CROP mode the sensor encounters an area where there is no crop the system wil...

Page 20: ...rowing stages are relatively good sonic targets Bearded crops are relatively poor sonic targets In row crops the sensor must be positioned over the row to use the crop signal or between the rows to use the ground signal The desired target must cover roughly 60 percent of the area to be tracked consistently That is when looking at the ground the heads should cover about 60 percent of the ground Oth...

Page 21: ... the UC4 Spray Height Control system is powered up it will guide you through the Automatic System Setup to customize the UC4 settings to your sprayer The entire procedure should take approximately two to seven minutes At any point during the setup procedure you can exit by toggling the SETUP NO switch However if you exit without completing the System Setup you may not be able to use the UC4 in AUT...

Page 22: ... UC4 Spray Height Control system performance significantly especially on Active Roll systems 6 1 3 STEP 3 Prepare the Equipment 3 Start the solution pump and run the sprayer s engine at a normal working RPM for the entire setup Make sure that you can manually adjust the height of all your booms If your manual controls do not work normally check the UC4 Installation Manual that came with your kit f...

Page 23: ...ther messages appear on the LCD screen during the following steps refer to Section 9 1 for more information 6 1 5 STEP 5 Select the Sprayer Type Select Type Use the switch to toggle through a list of available sprayer types The types are listed in Section 11 on page 54 AN2 When the desired type is shown confirm the selection with the AUTO YES switch Toggle SETUP NO to exit Dfalting The control pan...

Page 24: ... OK Control panel confirms the wiring is correct Continue the process with the remaining booms as shown below Lower Left Boom Press Left Dn Raise Right Boom Press Rght Up Lower Right Boom Press Rght Dn Raise Main Boom Press Main Up Lower Main Boom Press Main Dn Some sprayer types do not support a wiring test or they may support a different style of test If you do not see any of the messages in thi...

Page 25: ...in the sensor detect sequence During the procedure you must hold the AUTO YES switch If AUTO YES is released simply toggle and hold again to continue the procedure The control panel reads the serial numbers of all connected sensors 3 Sensrs Number of sensors found is displayed This should match the number of sensors on your system If it does not turn off the control panel and ensure that all senso...

Page 26: ...ment and then let go CAUTION DO NOT WALK NEAR THE SENSORS WHEN APPROACHING THE BOOM STAY AT LEAST 3 FEET FROM THE SENSOR IN ORDER NOT TO INDUCE MEASUREMENT ERROR Push either boom tip such that the tip moves at least 15 inches more if you can Once the control panel has detected your sprayer s geometry the next menu prompt will appear Toggle SETUP NO or toggle and hold AUTO YES at this menu to accep...

Page 27: ...f AUTO YES is released before Done is displayed simply toggle and hold again to continue the procedure The panel will display various messages as it is working The messages are displayed for informational purposes only Done Release the AUTO YES switch the boom geometry tuning is complete ...

Page 28: ...recting to the target height A 115 A The operating screen shows the system is in AUTO mode and the target height is 114 cm 45 inches The boom movements should be smooth and stable Boom corrections should stop after a few seconds under normal conditions excessive wind may cause small corrections to continue A 116 A Toggle the MANUAL switch to return to MANUAL mode If the boom corrections are done i...

Page 29: ...uld run the ReTune procedure each time the tractor is changed If you have a flow control for the boom hydraulics set it prior to tuning If you change the flow setting by more than 20 percent you should ReTune Follow Section 6 1 1 to 6 1 3 level booms working RPM etc before beginning the ReTune Navigate to the ReTune menu prompt in the SETUP menu and confirm with the AUTO YES switch The procedure d...

Page 30: ...nsor information serial numbers locations can be entered in the SENSOR DISPLAY menu manually You need to know the serial number of the sensor you wish to enter and the physical location The serial number is stamped on the sensor housing opposite the cable The left channel menu prompts are described in Table 4 For the other channels the basic structure and behavior of the prompts is the same Enteri...

Page 31: ...rently displayed height reading is not correct adjust it using the switch The switch will increase the reading the switch will decrease the reading 5 To return to the Normal Operating Screen toggle and hold SETUP NO switch for two seconds Options for Main Boom Sensor in Wheel Track Mounting the main boom sensor directly behind a sprayer tire may impair main lift control when operating in CROP mode...

Page 32: ...enu prompt MLht 47 5 Decrease the reading by the difference in height between standing crop and trampled crop in the wheel track Adjust this until ALL three sections right left main are level in the field while in AUTO mode The switch will increase the reading the switch will decrease the reading NOTE This may take some experimentation in field conditions 6 To return to the Normal Operating Screen...

Page 33: ...ill return the panel to the Setup More Menu Left On Informs you that the left valve channel is ON To change the status to OFF use the switch Section 6 3 5 DZ 100 Informs you that the left up DeadZone setting is 100 To adjust the reading use the switch KP 53 Informs you that the left up GAIN setting is 53 To adjust the reading use the switch DZ 100 Informs you that the left down DeadZone setting is...

Page 34: ...O and Manual tests The tests are entirely independent a Auto DeadZone Test Toggle and hold the AUTO YES switch When the Done message is displayed release the AUTO YES switch to view the new setting b Manual DeadZone Test Toggle and hold the MANUAL switch The valve will turn on at the indicated setting for exactly one second The LCD screen will show the actual change in height The change in height ...

Page 35: ...Auto Gain Test Toggle and hold the AUTO YES switch When the Done message is displayed release the AUTO YES switch to view the new setting b Manual Gain Test CAUTION BEFORE CONTINUING MAKE SURE THE BOOM HAS ROOM TO MOVE IN THE INDICATED DIRECTION AT FULL SPEED FOR ONE SECOND BE PARTICULARLY CAREFUL IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE ROLL CONTROL SECTION Toggle and hold the MANUAL switch The valve will tur...

Page 36: ... are not reacting quickly enough a higher Gain setting will make the boom respond faster If the booms are too jerky or unstable you must lower the Gain setting or improve the boom s mechanical damping Table 6 Right Left Booms Boom Speed in s Up Gain Setting KP Down Gain Setting KP Less than 5 Too Slow Too Slow 5 15 225 175 100 70 15 25 175 150 70 50 25 40 150 100 50 30 40 70 100 50 30 15 Greater t...

Page 37: ...UC4 control panel is in MANUAL mode at the Normal Operating Screen 2 Navigate to the More menu prompt in the SETUP menu Toggle the AUTO YES switch to confirm 3 Navigate to the boom section you wish to turn off or on for example Right Toggle the AUTO YES switch to confirm 4 At the Right On menu prompt toggle the switch to change the status 5 Toggle and hold the SETUP switch for two seconds to retur...

Page 38: ...the Install screen and toggle AUTO YES switch A5 At the Select Type menu prompt select the appropriate type for your sprayer e g JD7 Sprayer types are listed on page 54 A6 Toggle and hold AUTO YES for 5 seconds A7 When the word Sensor is displayed release the switch Your system will be configured with the standard settings based on the type you have selected and the number of sensors present A8 Pe...

Page 39: ...mproper height readings Check to ensure hydraulic hoses sensor cables or debris is clear of the sensor 9 Inspect the foam insert in each sensor Fitted into the bottom of the sensor is a foam shield that can become clogged with dust and dirt Remove the foam from the sensor blow it out with an air compressor if available and reinsert Replace the foam inserts as necessary IMPORTANT Figure 9 Protectiv...

Page 40: ...is connected to the sprayer s power supply properly a 3 Ensure the sprayer s power supply voltage is high enough more than 12V Measure the supply voltage when the valve is being used since the valve action may cause a voltage drop b Defective power cable b Follow a 1 to a 3 Wiggle cables wires around If the symptom continues the cable may need repairing c Damaged LCD screen c Follow a and b If the...

Page 41: ...l noise on the sprayer s D C system c Add a power line filter or freewheeling diodes on one or more of the sprayer s solenoid valves 8 1 4 Height increases decreases unintentionally Possible Cause s Suggested Solution s a Intermittent electrical noise on the main lift interface cable s NOTE This is similar to when the operator momentarily presses main up down buttons to increase decrease the spray...

Page 42: ...om the target heights setpoints check Sensi setting and adjust it if necessary NOTE The default tolerate distance between the actual nozzle heights and the target heights is 6cm 2 5 inches at Sensi setting of 5 b Improper System Setup b 1 Repeat the Automatic System Setup Section 8 2 of the UC4 Operators Manual b 2 Confirm sensor height readings manually by referring to Calibrating the Sensor s He...

Page 43: ...C Wrong number of sensors displayed during System Setup Displaying Absent during System Setup Sensor Detect Possible Cause s Suggested Solution s a Serial number SN entered in the control panel does not match the connected sensor s SN a Check SNs entered in the control panel and verify numbers with each sensor in the respective boom location Reenter the correct SN if necessary b Poor cable connect...

Page 44: ...nsor mouth points upward while sprayer booms are folded to transport position Measures should be taken to minimize rain exposure to sensors c 1 Remove the protective foam shield and check the sensor s transducer foil c 2 Allow the transducer to dry NOTE The foil is the gold colored material beneath the metal screen The foil should be clean dry and wrinkle free NOTE Running the sensor will accelera...

Page 45: ...oncrete NOTE This may cause measurement errors flashing from a valid height reading to 0 or c Try a different adequate target 8 2 6 Sensor Swapping Swapping Sensors is a useful procedure for determining whether a sensor error message e g LO NR is due to the sensor or the wiring to the sensor NOTE A sensor may have power and emit a ticking sound but have broken communication wire s which would caus...

Page 46: ...least 25cm 9 inches in front of the nozzles The sensor must be approximately vertical at normal operating heights Ensure that there are no obstructions within a 30cm 12 inch diameter circle projected directly below the sensor When mounting or relocating sensor brackets ensure they do not interfere with boom folding operation When mounting to the top part of the boom as shown in Figure 10 check tha...

Page 47: ... the valve b Hydraulic quick couplers are not properly connected b Ensure that all quick couplers in the hydraulic system are properly connected c Not enough back pressure to activate the check valves in the NORAC valve block NOTE Some Single Acting valve systems only c Place orifices in the A lines going to Tank T in order to create sufficient back pressure to activate the pilot operated check va...

Page 48: ... into the middle of the cylinder stroke and resume the setup with the AUTO YES switch a 3 For left and right booms that do not adjust below the level of the main boom ensure that the main boom is within 125cm 50 inches above ground before attempting an Install or ReTune b Boom is moving too slow b Ensure the hydraulic oil is at working temperature c Not enough pressure to the hydraulic circuits at...

Page 49: ...Suggested Solution s a Internal problem with the NORAC valve block e g a sticking or worn valve a The valve block may need repairing or replacing b Cylinder leakage b The cylinder sealsmay need replacing c Faulty check valve s in the NORAC valve block c The check valve s may need replacing d Foreign object stuck in an internal port of the NORAC valve d If possible remove the foreign object or the ...

Page 50: ...erheat Sprayer shuts down or alarm sounds due to the hydraulic oil overheat Possible Cause s Suggested Solution s a Maintaining the setpoint is increasing oil temperature a Lowering the Sensitivity Sensi setting may reduce the system activity and lower the temperature as a result b Plumbing single acting systems as double acting with both A ports orificed may reduce heating b Contact NORAC for mor...

Page 51: ...lity Control panel interferes with auto steer or rate controller operation Possible Cause s Suggested Solution s a Improper sensor alignment a Check sensor alignment 8 2 7 Ensure the sensor is not reading off the boom b System conflict between devices such as other automatic control devices b May need plumbing changes or adjusting pump pressure settings NOTE This symptom may occur on sprayers that...

Page 52: ...to move in that direction a Follow 8 3 3 a b Boom is moving too slow b Follow 8 3 3 b c There is not enough hydraulic pressure to move the boom c Follow 8 3 3 c Boom Geometry Tuning has taken too long to complete d If the boom was moving before this message appeared this is probably not an error of concern d Some booms will take longer than others to calibrate triggering a Timeout Wiring Retry Exp...

Page 53: ...anation Possible Causes Required Action The system has detected that too many sensors are connected Too many sensors have been connected to the system Remove sensors or setup the system manually Bakwards Retry Explanation Possible Causes Required Action a Wiring or hydraulic plumbing problem a Follow 8 3 4 8 3 1 d Boom moves in the wrong direction b Extremely under damped boom b Add mechanical dam...

Page 54: ... sensor c Follow 8 2 3 c 1 c 2 NR indicates the sensor is communicating but Not Reading a valid measurement d Transducer is damaged or contaminated d Follow 8 2 3 d Explanation Possible Causes Required Action a Serial number entered in control panel does not match connected sensor a Follow 8 2 2 a b Poor cable connection or defective cable s b Follow 8 2 2 b NC indicates No Communication from the ...

Page 55: ... displayed when a target height setpoint is lower than allowed minimum height override Operator is proceeding to use a lower target height setpoint than allowed Adjust the boom height setpoint greater than the minimum height override Section 4 2 5 Disabled Explanation Possible Causes Required Action Access to System Setup features Install ReTune have been locked out Access to these features was di...

Page 56: ...ce in the field is required NORAC will authorize on site repairs at no charge for parts and labor Travel time travel costs and per diem expenses to and from the place where repairs are made will be charged to the purchaser at prevailing rates For the nearest Service Center visit our website at www norac ca or call 306 664 6711 Any evidence of negligent or abnormal use alteration of serial numbers ...

Page 57: ...di Factory Install Australia HD4 Hardi Factory Install Denmark Metric HG1 Hagie STS12 HG2 Hagie 2100 2101 HG3 Hagie 2005 STS HG4 Hagie STS 120 with Proportional Main Lift and Active Roll JD6 John Deere 4920 JD7 John Deere 4720 4710 4700 JD8 John Deere 30 Series JD9 John Deere 30 Series with Proportional Main Lift Control NH1 New Holland SF550 and Rogator 554 Year 2000 NT2 Nitro Miller Technologies...

Page 58: ...ng Screen is usually displayed If no switch is toggled for 30 seconds the LCD will revert to this screen Also from any menu prompt if you toggle and hold the SETUP NO switch for two seconds the control panel will return to this screen The heights are adjusted for the offset between the sensor and nozzles Sensi 5 Displays the current control sensitivity Sensi setting A higher number results in a qu...

Page 59: ... 35 KP 37 Other Roll Off Main On Rght On Left On SETUP RemS Off DZ 4 KP 175 DZ 3 KP 150 Section 6 3 2 Section 6 3 2 Section 6 3 2 Section 6 3 6 YES YES Section 4 2 6 66 58 55 More Right Left Main Roll LO 3568 LOht 31 LI 3569 LIht 28 RI 3571 ROht 32 RO 3570 BF 2080 BFh 215 ML 3567 MHC 25 IF off Section 4 2 5 Section 6 3 1 Section 6 3 1 Section 6 3 1 Other MHM SP RF off MLht 27 RIht 30 MHS 18 SENSOR...

Page 60: ...Inc CALL TOLL FREE 1 800 667 3921 306 664 6711 SHIPPING ADDRESS 3702 Kinnear Place Saskatoon SK S7P 0A6 United States Norac Inc CALL TOLL FREE 1 866 306 6722 763 786 3080 SHIPPING ADDRESS 1290 Osborne Rd NE Suite F Fridley MN 55432 2892 ...

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