Near Intersection of I-35 & I-90 Southern Mn. | If you have Ag Leader's Application Rate Module I/O cable P.N. 4000310, it has three branches on it.
It has a branch with a 3 pin Weather Pack Tower that is used with an Implement switch. I assume this is the branch you have been using with an implement switch.
It has another branch with a round 4 pin AMP connector that could be used for ground speed in from a radar gun or other source. This branch can be used but GPS speed is usually adequate.
It also another with a 3 pin Weather Pack Shroud which can be used with a flow meter or shaft sensor. This is the branch you need to use with your shaft sensor
In that branch, Pin A provides 5V to power the circuit board in the flow meter or shaft sensor. Pin B is the signal line. This is the line that gets shorted to ground and then released as the flow meter or shaft sensor turns. Pin C is Ground.
The Application Rate Module does not provide a Pull up resistor on the signal line. This means that after the sensor has shorted the signal line to ground and then releases it, the signal line may or may not return to a logic "HIGH" state. This can result in unreliable operation. This is analogous to a screen door without a closing spring. When someone opens the door and passes through, the door may or may not close completely when they release the door.
Many sensors such as Raven flow meters have an internal pullup resistor built into them. That means the signal line will crisply return to the HIGH logic state once the sensor has released the signal line from ground. Nothing special needs to be done if using one of them. This would be like a screen door with a closing spring.
Other brands of flow meters or shaft sensors do not have a pullup resistor built into them. This means an external pullup resistor must be provided. Putting a 10K ohm resistor between Pin A and Pin B is all that is necessary. Think of the resistor like a spring which attempts to keep the signal line at 5V. When the shaft moves, the shaft sensor shorts that signal line to ground which in effect stretches the spring and allows the signal line to go to 0 volts or logic LOW. Once the sensor releases the signal line, it will return to 5V due to the resistor (spring). This creates a pulse which the module is watching for. It counts these pulses and uses the meter cal to convert them into familiar units such as gallons.
When using a flow meter or shaft sensor this way, an implement switch is not needed. The mapping and area calculations will start/stop based on flow.
Should your shaft sensor require a 12V input, the wire in Pin A which goes to Pin 1 on the module could be moved to the Pin 2 location which would then send 12V out rather than 5V.
You would need to create a new configuration for the spreader. The questions about width and distances should be fairly obvious. The meter cal will depend on several things concerning the relationship between the shaft, the shaft sensor and the amount of material dispensed. I would pick an arbitrary meter cal and run the rig with a self test speed. If it seems to indicate a rate then proceed to calibrate the meter cal.
One method is to fill the spreader and weigh it, Then run the spreader with a reasonable self test ground speed, an arbitrary meter can and catch the material. Then reweigh the spreader and subtract the weight from the starting weight. Compare this value with the total shown on the Ag Leader. Adjust the meter cal and repeat the process. After a few trials you should get the meter cal reasonably close so that the amount dispensed agrees reasonably close to e value on the display. The meter cal will depend on several factors and will not be as accurate as a flow meter situation with a consistent liquid.
Hope this helps
Edited by tedbear 2/22/2025 15:40
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AL app rate module inputs?
