Topcon Apollo ISOBUS UT User manual

www.topconpositioning.com
Apollo ISOBUS UT Seeder
Operator’s Manual

Apollo ISOBUS UT Seeder
Operator Manual
Part Number: 1005324-01-EN
Rev Number: 2
© Copyright Topcon Precision Agriculture
March 2019
All contents in this manual are copyrighted by Topcon. All rights reserved. The information
contained herein may not be used, accessed, copied, stored, displayed, sold, modified, published or
distributed, or otherwise reproduced without express written consent from Topcon.

i
Preface
This manual provides information about operating and maintaining this Topcon
Precision Agriculture product. Correct use and servicing is important for safe and
reliable operation of the product.
It is very important that you take the time to read this manual before using the
product.
Information in this manual is current at the time of publication. A system may vary
slightly. The manufacturer reserves the right to redesign and change the system as
necessary without notification.
Terms and Conditions
Note:Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully.
General
APPLICATION - You accept these Terms and Conditions by purchasing the product from
Topcon Precision Agriculture (TPA) or from one of TPA’s product dealers.
COPYRIGHT - All information contained in this manual is the intellectual property of, and
copyrighted material of TPA. All rights are reserved. You may not use, access, copy, store,
display, create derivative works of, sell, modify, publish, distribute, or allow any third parties
access to, any graphics, content, information or data in this manual without TPA’s express
written consent and may only use such information for the care and operation of your product.
The information and data in this manual are a valuable asset of TPA and are developed by the
expenditure of considerable work, time and money, and are the result of original selection,
coordination and arrangement by TPA.
TRADEMARKS – ZYNX, PROSTEER, EAGLE, KEE Technologies, Topcon, Topcon
Positioning Systems and Topcon Precision Agriculture are trademarks or registered trademarks
of the Topcon Group of companies. Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered
trademarks in the United States and/or other countries of Microsoft Corporation. Product and
company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
WEBSITE AND OTHER STATEMENTS - No statement contained at the website of TPA
or any other Topcon Group company or in any other advertisements or TPA literature or made
by an employee or independent contractor of TPA modifies these Terms and Conditions.
IMPORTANT: SAFETY - Improper use of the product can lead to death or injury to persons,
damage to property and/or malfunction of the product. The product should only be repaired by
authorized TPA service centers. You should closely review the safety warnings and directions
as to the proper use of the product in this manual and at all times comply with the same.
Limited Warranty
ELECTRONIC AND MECHANICAL COMPONENTS -TPA warrants that the electronic
components manufactured by TPA shall be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a
period of one year from the original date of shipment to the dealer. TPA warrants that all valves,
hoses, cables and mechanical parts manufactured by TPA shall be free of defects in materials
and workmanship for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase.
RETURN AND REPAIR - During the respective warranty periods, any of the above items
found defective may be shipped to TPA for repair. TPA will promptly repair or replace the

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defective item at no charge, and ship it back to you. You must pay the shipping and handling
charges in respect of the same. Calibration of components, labor and travel expenses incurred
for in-field removal and replacement of components are not covered in this warranty policy. The
foregoing warranty shall NOT apply to damage or defects resulting from:
(i) disaster, accident or abuse
(ii) normal wear and tear
(iii) improper use and/or maintenance
(iv) unauthorized modifications of the product; and/or
(v) use of the product in combination with other products not supplied or specified by TPA.
Software accompanying any product is licensed for use in connection with the product and not
sold. Use of software that is provided with a separate end user license agreement (“EULA”)
will be subject to the terms and conditions, including those relating to limited warranty, of the
applicable EULA, notwithstanding anything in these Terms and Conditions to the contrary.
WARRANTY DISCLAIMER -OTHER THAN FOR THE ABOVE WARRANTIES,
WARRANTIES PROVIDED IN AN APPLICABLE WARRANTY CARD,
APPENDIX OR END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT, THIS MANUAL, THE
PRODUCT AND RELATED SOFTWARE ARE PROVIDE ‘AS-IS’. THERE ARE
NO OTHER WARRANTIES AND TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW TPA
EXCLUDES ALL IMPLIED TERMS, CONDITIONS AND WARRANTIES IN
RESPECT OF THE MANUAL AND THE PRODUCT (INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED
WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR
USE OR PURPOSE). TPA IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION OF
GNSS SATELLITES AND/OR AVAILABILITY, CONTINUITY, ACCURACY, OR
INTEGRITY OF GNSS SATELLITE SIGNALS.
LIABILITY LIMIT AND INDEMNITY -TPA and its dealers, agents and representatives
shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein or for special,
indirect, economic, incidental or consequential damages resulting from the furnishing,
performance or use of this material, the product or its accompanying software (including where
TPA has been advised of the possibility of such damage). Such disclaimed damages include but
are not limited to loss of time, loss or destruction of data, loss of profit, savings or revenue or
loss of or damage to the product. You shall defend, indemnify and hold TPA harmless from and
against any claims, actions, suits, damages, losses, liabilities and costs (including attorneys’ fees)
arising from, or relating to (a) your operation use, or maintenance of the product and/or software
other than as provided for in this manual or the applicable end user license agreement; and (b)
your negligence or wrongful act or omission in respect of the product.
In any event, TPA’s liability to you or any other person for any claim, loss or damage (in
contract, tort or on any other basis) will be limited (in TPA’s option) to either (a) the
replacement or repair of the product, or (b) payment of the cost of replacing or repairing the
product.

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Other
These Terms and Conditions may be amended, modified, superseded or cancelled, at any time by
TPA. These Terms and Conditions will be governed by, and construed in accordance with:
nthe laws of South Australia if the product is sold and supplied to you in Australia (in which
case the courts of South Australia or the Federal Court of Australia (Adelaide Registry) have
exclusive jurisdiction in respect of any claim or dispute) or
nthe laws of the State of California if the product is sold and supplied to you outside of Australia
nthe provisions of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of
Goods shall not apply to these Terms and Conditions.
All information, illustrations, and applications contained herein are based on the latest available
information at the time of publication. TPA reserves the right to make product changes at any time
without notice.
If any part of these Terms and Conditions would be unenforceable, the provision must be read
down to the extent necessary to avoid that result, and if the provision cannot be read down to that
extent, it must be severed without affecting the validity and enforceability of the remainder of these
Terms and Conditions.
Service Information
Service assistance can be provided by contacting your local TPA Authorized Dealer.
Communications Regulation Information
FCC Compliance Statement (USA)
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class ‘A’ digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at the user's expense.
FCC Compliance Statement (Canada)
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment Regulation.
CE EMC Statement (European Community)
Warning:This is a class ‘A’ product. In a domestic environment this
product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be
required to take adequate measures.
‘C’ Tick EMC Statement (Australia & New Zealand)
This product meets the applicable requirements of the Australia and New
Zealand EMC Framework.

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Type Approval and Safety Regulations
Type approval may be required in some countries to license the use of transmitters
on certain band frequencies. Check with local authorities and your dealer.
Unauthorized modification of the equipment may void that approval, the warranty
and the license to use the equipment.
The receiver contains an internal radio-modem. This can potentially send signals.
Regulations vary between countries, so check with the dealer and local regulators
for information on licensed and unlicensed frequencies. Some may involve
subscriptions.
Radio and Television Interference
This computer equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy.
If it is not installed and used correctly in strict accordance with TOPCON
Precision Agriculture instructions, it may cause interference with radio
communication.
You can check if interference is being caused by this equipment by turning the
Topcon equipment off to see if the interference stops. If the equipment is causing
interference to a radio or other electronic device, try:
lTurning the radio antenna until the interference stops
lMoving the equipment to either side of the radio or other electronic device
lMoving the equipment farther away from the radio or other electronic device
lConnecting the equipment to another circuit that is not linked to the radio.
To reduce potential interference operate the equipment at the lowest gain level that
will allow successful communication.
If necessary contact your nearest Topcon Precision Agriculture dealer for
assistance.
Note:Changes or modifications to this product not authorized by TOPCON
Precision Agriculture could void the EMC compliance and negate authority to
operate the product.
This product was tested for EMC compliance using Topcon Precision Agriculture
peripheral devices, shielded cables and connectors. It is important to use Topcon
Precision Agriculture devices between system components to reduce the possibility
of interference with other devices
General Safety
DANGER: It is essential that the following information and the
product specific safety information is read and understood.
Most incidents arising during operation, maintenance and repair are caused by a
failure to observe basic safety rules or precautions. Always be alert to potential
hazards and hazardous situations.

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Always follow the instructions that accompany a Warning or Caution. The
information these provide aims to minimize risk of injury and/or damage to property.
In particular follow instructions presented as Safety Messages.
Safety Messages and Warnings
The safety symbol is used with the relevant word: DANGER, WARNING or
CAUTION.
Messages marked in this way recommend safety precautions and practices. LEARN
and apply them.
DANGER: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation that, if not
avoided, could result in DEATH OR VERY SERIOUS INJURY.
WARNING: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation that, if not
avoided, could result in DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY.
CAUTION: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation that, if not
avoided, may result in MINOR INJURY.
Safety Signs
WARNING: DO NOT remove or obscure safety signs. Replace any
safety signs that are not readable or are missing. Replacement signs are
available from your dealer in the event of loss or damage.
If a used vehicle has been purchased, make sure all safety signs are in the correct
location and can be read. Replace any safety signs that cannot be read or are missing.
Replacement safety signs are available from your dealer.
Operator Safety
WARNING: It is YOUR responsibility to read and understand the safety
sections in this book before operating this vehicle. Remember that YOU
are the key to safety.
Good safety practices not only protect you, but also the people around you. Study
this manual as part of your safety program. This safety information only relates to
Topcon equipment and does not replace other usual safe work practices.
WARNING: Ensure power is removed from the Topcon equipment prior
to maintenance or repair of the vehicle or implements.
WARNING: Ensure appropriate precautions are taken prior to hand-
ling any hazardous substances. Always read the Material Safety Data
Sheet prior to commencing work.

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WARNING: In some of the illustrations or photos used in this manual,
panels or guards may have been removed for demonstration purposes.
Never operate the vehicle with any panels or guards removed. If the
removal of panels or guards is necessary to make a repair, these
MUST be replaced before operation.
WARNING: Always check that any suspended vehicle attachments are
lowered to the ground before beginning repair or maintenance work
on a vehicle.
WARNING: Vehicle and implement parts can become hot during oper-
ation and may be under pressure. Refer to vehicle manuals.
WARNING: Wear appropriate protective clothing for the task being
undertaken and conditions.
WARNING: Do not operate equipment around explosive equipment or
supplies.
WARNING: Topcon is committed to good environmental performance
and minimizes the use of any potentially harmful substances in its
products. However, it is always advisable not to handle damaged elec-
tronic equipment. This Topcon product may contain a sealed lithium
battery. Always dispose of any electronic equipment thoughtfully and
responsibly.
Exposure to Radio Frequency
Exposure to energy from radio frequencies is an important safety issue. Keep a
distance of at least 20 cm (7.8 inches) between people and any radiating antenna.
Keep a distance of at least 20 cm between transmitting antennas.
WARNING: Products using cellular modem or an RTK base station
can transmit radio frequency energy. Check with your dealer.
This device is designed to operate with TPA approved antennas. Discuss with your
dealer.
Preparation for Operation
lRead and understand this manual and learn all of the controls before you use
the equipment.
lKeep the manual with the equipment.
lIf the equipment is moved to another vehicle, move the manual as well.
lRead the manual for the vehicle with which the equipment will be used and
check that the vehicle has the correct equipment required by local regulations.

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lMake sure you understand the speed, brakes, steering, stability, and load
characteristics of the vehicle before you start.
lCheck all controls in an area clear of people and obstacles before starting work.
lIdentify possible hazards.
WARNING: Topcon equipment must not be used by an operator
affected by alcohol or drugs. Seek medical advice if using prescription or
over-the-counter medication.
Disclaimer
Topcon accepts no responsibility or liability for damages to property, personal
injuries, or death resulting from the misuse or abuse of any of its products.
Further, Topcon accepts no responsibility for the use of Topcon equipment or the
GNSS signal for any purpose other than the intended purpose.
Topcon cannot guarantee the accuracy, integrity, continuity, or availability of the
GNSS signal.
The operator must ensure that the equipment is correctly turned off when not in use.
Before operating any vehicle equipped with Topcon products, read and understand
the following product specific safety precautions.
Important Safety Information
Operator Alertness and Responsibility
The console helps the operator to steer the vehicle, but the operator remains in charge
and must be alert and in complete control of the vehicle at all times. The operator is
ultimately responsible for safe operation of this equipment.
It is essential that safety requirements are met when operating the console and any of
its components. All operators and other relevant personnel must be advised of safety
requirements.
Electrical Safety
WARNING: Incorrectly connected power can cause severe injury and
damage to people or the equipment.
When working with electrical components, you must do the following:
lMake sure the negative terminal of the battery is disconnected before doing any
welding on the vehicle.
lCheck that all power cables to system components are connected to the correct
polarity as marked. Please refer to the vehicle manual for safety information.
lCheck that equipment is grounded in accordance with installation instructions.

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Operation and Risk of Obstacles
The following list is not exhaustive or limited. To use the console for assisted
steering along a defined wayline, the operator must ensure that it is used:
lAway from people and obstacles
lAway from high voltage power lines or other overhead obstructions (identify
any clearance problems before activating the console)
lOn private property without public access
lWithin cleared fields
lOff public roads or access ways.
Note that:
lThe operator needs to know the vehicle’s position and the field conditions at
all times.
lThe operator will need to respond if the GNSS satellite or differential
correction signal is lost momentarily.
lThe console cannot detect obstacles (people, livestock or other).
lOnly use the console in areas that are clear of obstacles and keep a proper
distance.
lSteering needs to be disengaged for manual control if an obstacle appears in
the path or the vehicle moves away from the wayline.
On/Off and Manual Control
WARNING: Ensure the steering switch is Off to prevent unintentional
engagement of the assisted steering. When repairing or maintaining
the vehicle/implement, ensure the vehicle CANNOT be moved. Dis-
engage steering, apply brakes and remove keys.
The operator must ensure that the steering switch is Off (all LED indicators are
off) when assisted steering is not being used.
The operator must disengage assisted steering and use manual control if an
obstacle is in the line of travel or moves into the line of travel, or if the vehicle
steers away from the desired wayline.
To disengage assisted steering:
lTurn the steering wheel a few degrees OR
lSelect the Disengage Auto Steering button on the console AND/OR
lIf using an external steering switch, disengage using the switch if the above
actions do not disengage assisted steering.
Vehicle Shut Down Safety
Before leaving the vehicle, disengage assisted steering, disengage external steering
switch if this is being used, and remove the key from the key switch.

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Using a Reference (Base) Station
WARNING: Do not move a reference station while in operation. Moving
an operating reference station can interfere with the controlled steering
of a system using the reference station. This could result in personal
injury or damage to property.
Operators and other affected personnel must be advised of the following safety
precautions.
lDo not erect the reference station under or within the vicinity of high voltage
power lines.
lWhen using the portable reference station, make sure that the tripod is securely
mounted.
To Get the Best Out of the Product
Back up data regularly. The console has large, but limited storage capacity. Use the
Diagnostics Mini-view to view capacity available. A warning screen displays if
storage is reaching its limit.
Be aware of file format compatibility. Discuss compatible formats with the dealer.
Topcon Agricultural Products are hardy and designed to work in tough conditions.
However, if equipment is unused for a length of time, store away from water and
direct heat sources.
Alert Symbols
In this manual two alert symbols are used:
Note:This offers additional information.
WARNING: A warning signal appears on safety signs and in this
manual to show that this information is very important to your safety.
LEARN these and APPLY them.

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Table of contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction 1
1.1. Console / ECU interface 2
Chapter 2 – Seeder Settings 3
2.1. Setting up the seeder 3
2.2. Setting up tanks 7
2.2.1. Granular tank settings 8
2.2.2. Liquid/NH3 tank settings 12
2.3. Setting up external options 17
2.4. Setting up tank timing 19
2.5. Setting up wheel factor 21
2.5.1. Manual entry of wheel factor 21
2.5.2. Automatic calibration of wheel factor 21
2.6. Setting up fans 24
2.7. Setting up geometry 25
2.8. Setting up speed 27
2.9. Settings for blocked heads 29
2.10. Viewing operating history 31
2.11. Selecting seeder brand 32
2.12. Managing implement profiles 33
2.12.1. Creating an implement profile 33
2.12.2. Selecting a profile 33
2.12.3. Copying a profile to / from USB 34
Chapter 3 – ECU Setup 37
Chapter 4 – Product Settings 39
4.1. Setting up products 39
Chapter 5 – Calibrating the Tanks 43
5.1. Manual entry of calibration factor 44
5.2. Automatic calculation of calibration factor 45
5.2.1. Calibrating a single granular tank 45
5.2.1. Calibrating multiple granular tanks 48
5.2.1. Calibrating a liquid tank 51
Chapter 6 – Area Test 55
6.1. Performing the area test 55

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Chapter 7 – External Keypad 57
7.1. Keypad setup 57
7.2. LED behavior 60
Chapter 8 – Alarm Settings 63
8.1. Managing seeder alarms 63
8.2. Setting up fan alarms 65
8.3. Setting up tank motor alarms 66
8.4. Setting up shaft alarms 67
8.5. Setting up tank gear alarms 68
8.6. Setting up tank alarms 69
8.7. Setting up tank pressure alarms 70
8.8. Setting up other alarms 71
8.9. Setting up no flow alarms 72
Chapter 9 – Advanced Settings 73
9.1. Configuring advanced settings 73
9.2. Upgrading ECU firmware 75
9.2.1. CM-40 Main ECU 75
9.2.2. CM-40 Aux ECU / EM-24 ECU 76
9.2.3. Verifying upgrade 77
Chapter 10 – Seeder Operation 79
10.1. Selecting the seeder operation screen 79
10.2. Selecting and filling tanks 83
10.3. Selecting and resetting area counters 84
10.4. Viewing diagnostics 85
Chapter 11 – Record User Data 87
11.1. Recording user data 87
Chapter 12 – Apollo ECU Information 89
12.1. Interpreting Apollo ECU LEDs 89
12.1.1. Power LEDs 89
12.1.2. Transmit LED 91
12.1.3. Receive LED 91
12.1.4. ECU Status LED 91
12.2. Apollo ECU error codes 93
12.2.1. Error levels 93

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12.2.2. Error code signature 93
12.2.3. CM-40 ECU error codes 93
12.2.4. EM-24 ECU error codes 95
12.2.5. Decoding error codes 97

1
Chapter 1 – Introduction
The Apollo ISOBUS Universal Terminal (UT) Seeder can be
configured to either control or monitor the operations of an air seeder
system.
When controlling, it adjusts the discharge rate according to vehicle
speed and the area being covered to maintain the preset application
rate. This provides more accurate use of a product over the specified
areas.
When monitoring, it enables the operator to ensure the system is
operating correctly.
Note: ISOBUS refers to the ISO 11783 communication protocol
used in the agriculture industry. A vehicle must be fitted with an ISO
11783 compatible console for the Apollo ISOBUS UT Seeder to
operate.
The Apollo ISOBUS UT Seeder comes with these features:
lSeeder Monitoring: Operator feedback is supplied on seeder
functions such as application rate, fan RPM, fan pressure, tank
levels and product remaining. Alarms can be enabled to alert the
operator in case of conditions such as low tank level, low case
drain pressure, and blocked heads.
lMetering Control: Provides two preset rate options per product,
as well as incremental rate adjustment, allowing the operator to
increase or decrease application rates during seeding.
lMultiple Product Settings: Store data for up to 16 products on
the system, including calibration factors. This eliminates the need
to enter product and calibration data each time the products are
changed.
lManual and Automatic Calibration: The calibration feature
provides an easy four-step process to calibrate. Common keypad
controls enable quick and accurate product calibration from the
tractor cab.

1.1. Console / ECU interface
2
lOperation Diagnostics: The Apollo ISOBUS UT Seeder is
capable of displaying runtime information on various operations;
including ground speed, fan status, shaft status, tank levels and
blocked heads.
1.1. Console / ECU interface
When viewing information from an ECU on a console via the
Universal Terminal, the console has no knowledge of what is on the
UT. The ECU has no knowledge of what the console is doing or the
capabilities of the console.
A Task Controller (TC) is required for the console to be able to
command the ECU to perform functions (for example; auto section
control or variable rate control), or for the ECU to tell the console
what it is doing (for example; the on/off state of each section or the
current application rate). However, not all consoles that have a UT
also have a TC. Additionally, some TCs may not be compatible with
the Apollo Seeder ECU. To enable the TC, refer to Configuring
advanced settings, page 73.
Another ISOBUS component is the File Server (FS). This enables
data such as configuration profiles or firmware upgrade files to be
transferred between the console and the ECU. Many UT compatible
consoles do not have FS support.
ECUs can only connect to a single UT, a single TC and a single FS. If
there are multiple UTs etc on the ISOBUS, the ECU may initially not
connect to the desired component. This can be fixed by using the
'Switch display' or 'Switch TC' functions (refer to Configuring
advanced settings, page 73).

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Chapter 2 – Seeder Settings
The seeder requires settings for tanks, seeder width, speed, product
calibration factors and alarms to operate.
2.1. Setting up the seeder
Follow these steps to launch the seeder and open the settings screen:
1. Select from the main Universal Terminal screen to open
the seeder.
The operation screen 1 displays.
2. Select to toggle between operation screen 1 and operation
screen 2.
3. Select from operation screen 2 to open the Settings Menu.

2.1. Setting up the seeder
4
Settings menu
Icon Description Page
Seeder settings menu 5
ECU setup 37
Product settings menu 39
Keypad setup 57
Alarm settings menu 63
Managing implement profiles 33
Area test 55
Advanced settings 73