RTP Outdoors Ground Breaker Use and care manual

CALIBRATION MANUAL
Variable Clutch System!
RTP OUTDOORS
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Introduction to Calibration
Seed Size and Rate Calibration
To insure the proper use of your RTP Outdoors Ground-Breaker Seeder, gate opening
and rate calibration is necessary before every use. Seed sizes & blends vary from year to year
and among brands of seed, meaning the calibration settings will always change. The settings
presented in the SEED SETTING CHART are given as a starting point and are not intended to
be used in lieu of the calibration process.
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#1 You will need to find a box or tray that will fit across the width of the seeding elements to
catch all of the seed falling from the machine during the calibration process. You will want to
mount the box or tray as close to the bottom of the seeding element openings as possible to
help you not lose any seed.
RTP OUTDOORS
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#2 Open the lid of the seed box and put in your seed of choice. Make sure you fill every seed
cup with enough seed for the calibration. If one of the seed cups runs out of seed during this
process, the calibration will be inaccurate. Always check the seed cups before and after the
calibration.
#3 Using the SEED SETTING CHART to get your base setting for the seed you will be
planting. On the right side of the Ground-Breaker, you will adjust the Gate Opening number
from 0 - 3 by loosening the knob, moving the bar to the correct number, and tightening back
the knob.
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RTP OUTDOORS
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#4 On the left side of the machine is the Variable Clutch System that controls the rate. To
adjust this setting, loosen the 2 knobs on the top of the clutch system box and then rotate the
larger knob on the side of the box until you are lined up on the desired number. Tighten the 2
knobs on top to lock in your setting.
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#5 After verifying that your settings are correct, seed is in all of the seed cups, and the seed
catching device is in place, use as piece of tape or marking as a set position on the cultipack
roller.
#6 Slowly spin the cultipack roller toward the front of the machine until you start to hear
seed dumping into you seed catching device. Now spin the cultipack roller forward 26 times,
using your tape or marking as a position reference.
RTP OUTDOORS
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#7 Carefully remove your seed catching device and empty all of the seed into a box or
bucket. We recommend dumping into a larger box first so you don’t lose seed on the ground.
#8 Weigh your seed in ounces on a postage scale and multiply that number with your
Ground-Breaker Model Multiplier. Always remember to zero your scale to the vessel you are
using to weigh your seed.
#9 Take the value you calculated in step 8 and divide it by 16. This will give you your
pounds per acre.
#10 Depending on this value, you may want to increase or decrease your seeding rate. Adjust
the Clutch System setting and repeat Steps 2 thru 9. We recommend changing this setting in
½number increments up or down, then smaller adjustments if needed there after.
RTP OUTDOORS
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(Seed Weight) X (Multiplier) = Value Y
(Value Y) ÷ 16 = Pounds Per Acre
Ground-Breaker
Multiplier
3’
185
6’
99

RTP OUTDOORS
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Seed
Gate
Setting
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Soybean
2
54
68
96
119
Clover
0
1.1
5.5
18
Rye
1.5
87
144
185
Buffalo/
Broadside
Blend
1.5
78
117
150
Variable Clutch Setting Number/ Pounds Per Acre
Variable Clutch System
Seed Settings Chart
*** All of these settings are intended to be used as a starting point for the calibration process. Your results may vary***