Published on 7 June 2023 in Reussir – Article by Ludovic Vimond and David Laisney, Image by © L. Vimond
Charly Macé, a farmer in Calvados, tested a SIP mower combination with a working width of 9.80 metres. He gave us his opinion on this mower combination without conditioner.
The SIP mower combination, which combines a SILVERCUT DISC 340 F S-FLOW front unit and a SILVERCUT DISC 1000 C rear unit, is one of the larger mower combinations from the Slovenian manufacturer. This combination, which is only available without a conditioner, has a working width of 9.80 metres. It is powered by a 160 hp tractor and has no electronics. The 3.32 m wide front mower needs only one two-way hydraulic valve, while the rear butterfly unit needs two two-way and one one-way valve. Both units have adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension (hydraulic control is still in development). These mowers, which are entirely made in Slovenia, come with a three-year warranty on performance and parts.
Image by © L. Vimond
Charly Macé, a farmer in Calvados, Image by © L. Vimond
User opinion:
In the field, I find it quite practical to adjust the height of the front and rear mower units only once. The mowing units are lowered and raised by three hydraulic valves, one for the front unit and two for the two rear units (with the possibility of controlling both simultaneously). In light and medium-dense grass, the 9.80 m wide mowing combination moves easily at 15-20 km/h. The 180 hp tractor is more than enough. I think we could easily manage with the declared 160 hp, as the combination needs a little traction. In the clover/alfalfa mix, the quality of the cut was slightly uneven. The same can be said for the rye cut, as the cutting height ranged from 7-8 cm to 10-12 cm in some places. This may be related to the rather high cutting height setting, as I did not observe this phenomenon the previous year with the SIP triple demonstration, which was equipped with optional cones to improve forage flow.
The rear mower, equipped with two mowing units with hydro-pneumatic suspension, follows the ground well, both on permanent grassland and on more rugged terrain with a mixture of lucerne and clover sown the previous year. The hydropneumatic suspension of the mowing units responds well, and it is convenient to be able to regulate the pressure relief by varying the pressure in the hydraulic circuit during driving, using a single-acting distributor. Adjustment is easy with a pressure gauge that can be read from the cab. As far as driving is concerned, each rear mowing unit can be lifted independently, making it easy to manage areas at the headlands.
Image by © L. Vimond
Read more in the original article, available here.