TEN SIMPLE TIPS FOR SAVING DIESEL IN TRACTOR

TEN SIMPLE TIPS FOR SAVING DIESEL IN TRACTOR

1 Know your tractor 2 Stop diesel leaks

3 Turn your engine off, when you stop 4 Drive in the correct gear-always

5 Does your tractor smoke, too? 6 Dirt-your engine’s worst enemy

7 Wheels that slip waste diesel 8 Worn out tyres reduce pulling power

9 Match hauling capacity with load 10 Plan your field run

KNOW YOUR TRACTOR

Your manual will tell you everything you need to know about the maintenance and operation of your tractor. Research shows that a badly maintained tractor wastes up to 25 % of precious diesel.

RememberWhen it doubt, check with a reputed garage or your dealer.

STOP DIESEL LEAKS

Check your tractor daily. A leak of one drop per second can cost you 2000 liters of diesel per year.

RememberInspect joints in Fuel tank, Fuel pump, Fuel injector and Fuel lines.

TURN YOUR ENGINE OFF, WHEN YOU STOP

An idling tractor wastes more than 1 liter of diesel every hour.

Remember

Keep your battery, alternator and self-starter in top running condition. If they are faulty they can force you to idle.

DRIVE IN THE CORRECT GEAR ALWAYS

If your tractor struggles to pull a load with the throttle at maximum, shift to a lower gear. If it accelerates, shift to a higher gear. Wrong gear selection can increase fuel consumption by 30% and reduce field output by 50%.

Remember

Smoke from a tractor indicates overloading.

DOES YOUR TRACTOR SMOKE, TOO

A tractor that smokes excessively wastes precious diesel. Oversized implements or using the wrong gear, cause tractor smoke. If your tractor continues to smoke, have it overhauled at a reputable garage. Test nozzles and recalibrate the fuel injection pump. Faulty fuel injection can increase fuel consumption by 25 %.

RememberNever use oversized implements.Service the engine regularly.

DIRT – YOUR ENGINE΄S WORST ENEMY

Good air filtration is important since tractors often operate in dusty condition. Research has proved that unfiltered air wears out cylinder bores 45 times faster and piston rings 115 times faster than normal. Good fuel filtration is important. Dirty fuel will endanger the engine. Use quality fuel filters and replace them as recommended.

Remember

Replace both fuel filters simultaneously.Clean air filters regularly.

WHEELS THAT SLIP WASTE DIESEL

Keep tractor wheels from slipping by adding water ballast's and/or cast iron weights. Add just the right amount of weight to keep wheel slippage to the minimum.

WORN OUT TYRES REDUCE PULLING POWER

Replug your tyres on time. While refitting tyres, make sure the ‘V’ treads point downwards when viewed from the front.

RememberDifferent tyre pressures are recommended for road and field work. Check your manual or ask a dealer.

MATCH HAULING CAPACITY WITH LOAD

Choose implement size and tractor operating speed to match your engine’s full horsepower Run in the highest gear possible at which your tractor doesn’t smoke. If your tractor on full throttle accelerates even in the top gear, your implement is too small. A bigger implement or a multiple arrangement of implements may help you get the maximum benefit out of the tractor power and avoid diesel waste. You may consume up to 30% more fuel if you use undersized implements or operator at low speeds.

Remember

Consult an expert when selecting implements.

PLAN YOUR FIELD RUN

Plough according to a planned layout that reduces idle running, backtracking and awkward turn. You will save diesel if you plough long furrows instead of short ones.

RememberYour first openings must be straight and parallel. Side lands and headlands should be ploughed around the field continuously without reploughing the field.

7 SIMPLE WAYS OF SAVING DIESEL IN LIFT IRRIGATION PUMPS

Which type of foot-valve saves more diesel?Which type of pipeline helps save diesel? Which type of pipeline arrangement helps save

diesel? Which type of bend should be used in the pipeline? Which type of installation is better? Which length of pipe helps save diesel? Which transmission is better? How to select the right type of pump set?

WHICH TYPE OF FOOT- VALVE SAVES MORE DIESEL

The foot-valve shown in figure A, because it has a wider mouth and larger area of openings.

The bigger valve helps save diesel because less fuel and less power is needed to draw water from the well.

Farmers in Gujarat save 10% diesel. PCRA demonstrated to the farmers in

Gujarat that they can save about 10% to 30% diesel by simply using a foot-valve with larger area of openings than the one with narrow area of openings. An efficient low friction ISI mark foot-valve, though slightly costlier, pays back fast

the extra cost by saving a lot of diesel.

Fig. A

Fig. B

WHICH TYPE OF PIPELINE HELPS SAVE DIESEL

The rigid PVC pipeline, with bigger diameter shown in figure A.

More diesel is required to pump water through small diameter pipes because it offers higher friction. If the pipe is bigger than the pump flange size, a reducer must be used. How a 20% decrease in diameter increases the friction 3 times:If, in place of 100mm (4”) pipe, an 80mm (3”) pipe is used, the loss due to friction for drawing the same quantity of water will be three times more, which will cause higher fuel consumption. Also pipes made of rigid PVC cause lower frictional loss as compared to pipes made of conventional galvanized iron. Such pipes thus help save fuel.

Fig. A

Fig. B

WHICH TYPE OF PIPELINE ARRANGEMENT HELPS SAVE DIESEL

The one shown in figure A. The pipeline arrangement

shown in figure has many bends and unnecessary fittings, which cause higher diesel consumption. Each bend in an 80mm (3”) diameter Pipeline leads to as much friction loss as an additional pipe length of 3 meters. Therefore, the fewer the number of bends and fittings in a pipe, the more the saving of diesel.

WHICH TYPE OF BEND SHOULD BE USED IN THE PIPELINE

The type of bend shown in figure A.

Sharp bends and L-joints in the pipe can lead upto 70% more frictional loss than standard bends.

Fig. A

Fig. B

WHICH TYPE OF INSTALLATION IS BETTER

The one shown in Figure A.

The pump works most efficiently when it is not more than 10 feet above the water level. If the well is deep, the pump should be installed on a platform at the right height.

Fig. A

Fig. B

WHICH TYPE OF PIPE HELPS SAVE DIESEL

The pipe of short length shown in Figure A.

The pipe shown in Figure B is unnecessarily high and would require more fuel for pumping water. A farmer can save 15 liters of diesel every month simply by reducing the pipe height by 2 meters.

Fig. A

Fig. B

WHICH TRANSMISSION IS BETTER

The transmission shown in Figure A.

The belt in the second picture is old and worn out. It can slip or snap anytime, causing loss in the transmission of power and hence increased fuel consumption. Check points for efficient transmission

Reduce the number of joints in the belt.

Check and adjust belt tension frequently.

Check alignment of the pump with the engine.

Fig. A

Fig. B