Impeller conditioner
Impeller conditioning is standard equipment on all John Deere mower-conditioners.
Proper conditioning in a wide range of crops can be achieved when the conditioner is properly adjusted.
The impeller conditioner works well in legumes, especially alfalfa and most all-grass crops. Impeller conditioners are not recommended for thick-stemmed or cane-type crops, such as sudan or sudex, or crops over 5 ft tall.
How an impeller conditioner works:
1. As hay is cut by rotating knives, tines pick up the plants and carry them through the machine:
- 33 V-shaped tines are on the 625 MoCo; 45 V-shaped tines are on the 630 and 830 MoCo; and 57 V-shaped tines are on the 635 and 835 MoCo.
- Tines are free swinging to reduce damage to the conditioner if rocks or other solid objects are struck.
2. As the plant passes through, it rubs against the conditioning hood (A) and other plants:
Impeller hood crank handle
Impeller hood position indicator
- Conditioner hood opening is adjustable to accommodate various crop volumes.
- Crank handle allows an infinite number of adjustments between the minimum and maximum conditioning levels. The closer the hood is to the tines, the more aggressive the conditioning.
- Conditioner position indicator provides an easy reference point to control the degree of conditioning.
630 MoCo (shown with shields removed)
3. The speed at which the tines rotate will also affect the degree of conditioning. Two impeller speeds can be achieved by interchanging the upper sheave (A), located under the shield, and the lower sheave (B).
- With the sheaves in the position shown, the impeller turns at 870 rpm; this is ideal for grasses.
- If the sheaves are reversed, the impeller turns at 630 rpm; this is ideal for legume crops.