Based in Foulksmills, Co Wexford, Willie John Kehoe runs an agricultural contracting business and a farming enterprise. Contract spraying plays a big part of Willie John’s business, spraying up to 18,000 acres each year.
The German-built Dammann self-propelled sprayers made their first appearance on Irish soil at the FTMTA show in February. They are imported by Irish dealer Clarkill Farming.
Up until this year Willie John was running two sprayers, a self-propelled Bargam, a 24m sectional control machine with a 3,500 litre tank, and a 24m mounted Lemken single-nozzle sprayer with a 1,900 litre tank.
The sprayer is powered by a six cylinder MTU (Mercedes Benz OM 936) engine. This engine has a power output of 285hp
In a time when skilled labour can be difficult to come by and machinery running costs are high, Willie John looked to the larger self-propelled sprayer market to see could he run one large sprayer instead of two, while still covering the same ground. He took a trip to Germany to Agritechnica in November 2017 to investigate, followed up by a trip to the UK for a self-propelled sprayer event in February 2018.
After examining the larger self-propelled sprayer market, Willie John and his sprayer operator Mark Smith came to the conclusion that the Damman was the machine for them. This decision was based on the heavy build quality of the machine. At the time there were no DT 2800H EcoDrives working in Ireland and fewer than a dozen in the UK. We asked Willie John why he made the leap into the unknown and he explained: “The machine is built like a tank. We liked the fact that it has two chassis, one for the machine itself and one demountable boom chassis. This means that if the boom starts to wear out over time we can easily retrofit a new one.
The boom has a total of 60 nozzles across 18 sections and comes with sectional control.
“We also thought that the machine was very robust. We were impressed with the sprayer’s cleaning system. It has the capability of 99% cleaning itself in just 20 minutes. This was important as it is not unusual for us to switch between crops a few times per day.”
Tank/boom
The DT 2800H EcoDrive self-propelled sprayer is available with tank sizes from 5,000 litres to 7,000 litres and boom widths of up to 42 metres. Damman build each sprayer to individual customer specifications. Willie John’s sprayer is equipped with a 6,500 litre tank and a 30 metre boom. This 6,500 litre tank includes a 500 litre clean water tank which is built into the main tank.
The boom has a total of 60 nozzles across 18 sections and comes with sectional control. There are six sensors across the boom (three on left, three on right). The sprayer is equipped with the recently launched fully automatic boom control.
This system uses both hydraulics and pneumatics to control the boom (oil over air). The hydraulics set the boom into the desired position and the pneumatics are used for repositioning it when required. The boom position is monitored and controlled by the six sensors and an angle potentiometer.
The working and clearance height is adjustable. Mark said he typically sprays 50cm above the crop and the boom automatically raises to 100cm above the crop when the sprayer comes to the headlands. He said the boom control system provides peace of mind for the operator.
Between air and water the sprayer has ten different cleaning combinations all which can be easily set up from the cab.
Fluid indicator
Willie John’s sprayer is equipped with a fluid indicator, which is an optional extra. This displays the pH and temperature influence of the water’s pH on pesticides. Many crop protection agents work best in an acidic to slightly acidic spray mixture (pH 4-6). Mediums with a pH greater than 7 may be unsuitable as they can become degraded. Depending on the active ingredient and pH, Damman claims that 50% of the active substance may be degraded after just a few minutes.
Another optional extra on Willie John’s sprayer is the proControl III. This is an exterior terminal option that remotely controls the Isobus in cab terminals. It was developed to easily control recurring workflows instead of having to enter the cab each time. Mark said the exterior control terminal is very handy but he would like if it lit up in the dark.
Cleaning system
Mark has been very impressed with the cleaning system on the DT 2800H. Between air and water, the sprayer has 10 different cleaning combinations, all which can be easily set up from the cab. These include a full rinse with water, a full rinse with air, a rinse with both together, the boom being cleaned with air, or just blowing the filters out.
Mark said: “Depending on the day, I might spray four different crops meaning I need to wash out the system four times. I can go from spraying Roundup to insecticide and PGR in around 20 to 25 minutes. The fact that the machine can do a lot of its cleaning with air means that it’s using a lot less water than previous machines.”
Engine/transmission
The sprayer is powered by a six-cylinder MTU (Mercedes Benz OM 936) engine. This engine has a power output of 285hp (210kW). Even when spraying in early spring with the machine fully loaded (18t+), Mark said the sprayer has never been lacking in power.
The sprayer is hydrostatically driven with four hydraulic wheel motors, manufactured by Poclain. It has a standard top speed of 40km/h, with the option of up to 50km/h.
Axle
The sprayer has a variable axle width with two operating width options, either 1.85m or 2.25m. The track width can be changed during slow driving by pressing a button on the armrest in the cab. Mark said they use the 1.85m axle width setting most of the time.
The machine has four-wheel steering, which is an optional extra. When in road mode travelling in excess of 30km/h, four-wheel steer is disengaged and just the front-wheel steer is operational. The axles are air-suspended, meaning the machine is very smooth on the road.
Over the winter, Willie John had the sprayer on 480/80 R46 tyres. For the later spring and summer months, the machine will be running on 380/105 R46 tyres. Mark said he’s very happy with the underbelly clearance of the machine, which is around 1,100mm.
Cab
The latest Damman sprayers are fitted with a newly designed cab. This cab has an increased glass surface with repositioning of the switches and control layout. The joystick and the operating terminal are now fitted to the driver’s seat. Interestingly, access to the cab is through a sliding door, which offers wider access. A camera underneath the machine transmits to a monitor in the cab where the operator can monitor the tramlines, which is especially important when working in vegetable ground. The sprayer is also fitted with LED work lights front and rear.
Mark said: “The cab is very spacious. It’s easy to see the booms when spraying as the rear cab pillars are slightly moved forward. I like the concept of the full glass front window. It means I can look down on the crop I’m spraying. The machine also operates very quietly.”
The sprayer is fitted with the 12in Touch Isobus terminal. With this system it’s possible to connect a camera system with four 180° cameras to the terminal. The four video signals are cut together into one signal by a computer so that the driver has the overview of all sides of the machine. This means that any possible obstacles or blind spots are displayed on the terminal.
The specs
Model: DT 2800H EcoDrive.
Engine: six-cylinder Mercedes Benz OM 936.
Horsepower: 285hp (210 kW).
Boom width: 30m.
Tank capacity: 6,000 litres.
Clean water tank: 500 litres.
Weight empty: 12t.
Weight full: 18t.
Height: 3.70m.
Length: 7.85m.
Width: 2.55m.
Fuel tank: 250 litres.
AdBlue tank: 25 litres.
Top speed: 50 km/h.
Based in Foulksmills, Co Wexford, Willie John Kehoe runs an agricultural contracting business and a farming enterprise. Contract spraying plays a big part of Willie John’s business, spraying up to 18,000 acres each year.
The German-built Dammann self-propelled sprayers made their first appearance on Irish soil at the FTMTA show in February. They are imported by Irish dealer Clarkill Farming.
Up until this year Willie John was running two sprayers, a self-propelled Bargam, a 24m sectional control machine with a 3,500 litre tank, and a 24m mounted Lemken single-nozzle sprayer with a 1,900 litre tank.
The sprayer is powered by a six cylinder MTU (Mercedes Benz OM 936) engine. This engine has a power output of 285hp
In a time when skilled labour can be difficult to come by and machinery running costs are high, Willie John looked to the larger self-propelled sprayer market to see could he run one large sprayer instead of two, while still covering the same ground. He took a trip to Germany to Agritechnica in November 2017 to investigate, followed up by a trip to the UK for a self-propelled sprayer event in February 2018.
After examining the larger self-propelled sprayer market, Willie John and his sprayer operator Mark Smith came to the conclusion that the Damman was the machine for them. This decision was based on the heavy build quality of the machine. At the time there were no DT 2800H EcoDrives working in Ireland and fewer than a dozen in the UK. We asked Willie John why he made the leap into the unknown and he explained: “The machine is built like a tank. We liked the fact that it has two chassis, one for the machine itself and one demountable boom chassis. This means that if the boom starts to wear out over time we can easily retrofit a new one.
The boom has a total of 60 nozzles across 18 sections and comes with sectional control.
“We also thought that the machine was very robust. We were impressed with the sprayer’s cleaning system. It has the capability of 99% cleaning itself in just 20 minutes. This was important as it is not unusual for us to switch between crops a few times per day.”
Tank/boom
The DT 2800H EcoDrive self-propelled sprayer is available with tank sizes from 5,000 litres to 7,000 litres and boom widths of up to 42 metres. Damman build each sprayer to individual customer specifications. Willie John’s sprayer is equipped with a 6,500 litre tank and a 30 metre boom. This 6,500 litre tank includes a 500 litre clean water tank which is built into the main tank.
The boom has a total of 60 nozzles across 18 sections and comes with sectional control. There are six sensors across the boom (three on left, three on right). The sprayer is equipped with the recently launched fully automatic boom control.
This system uses both hydraulics and pneumatics to control the boom (oil over air). The hydraulics set the boom into the desired position and the pneumatics are used for repositioning it when required. The boom position is monitored and controlled by the six sensors and an angle potentiometer.
The working and clearance height is adjustable. Mark said he typically sprays 50cm above the crop and the boom automatically raises to 100cm above the crop when the sprayer comes to the headlands. He said the boom control system provides peace of mind for the operator.
Between air and water the sprayer has ten different cleaning combinations all which can be easily set up from the cab.
Fluid indicator
Willie John’s sprayer is equipped with a fluid indicator, which is an optional extra. This displays the pH and temperature influence of the water’s pH on pesticides. Many crop protection agents work best in an acidic to slightly acidic spray mixture (pH 4-6). Mediums with a pH greater than 7 may be unsuitable as they can become degraded. Depending on the active ingredient and pH, Damman claims that 50% of the active substance may be degraded after just a few minutes.
Another optional extra on Willie John’s sprayer is the proControl III. This is an exterior terminal option that remotely controls the Isobus in cab terminals. It was developed to easily control recurring workflows instead of having to enter the cab each time. Mark said the exterior control terminal is very handy but he would like if it lit up in the dark.
Cleaning system
Mark has been very impressed with the cleaning system on the DT 2800H. Between air and water, the sprayer has 10 different cleaning combinations, all which can be easily set up from the cab. These include a full rinse with water, a full rinse with air, a rinse with both together, the boom being cleaned with air, or just blowing the filters out.
Mark said: “Depending on the day, I might spray four different crops meaning I need to wash out the system four times. I can go from spraying Roundup to insecticide and PGR in around 20 to 25 minutes. The fact that the machine can do a lot of its cleaning with air means that it’s using a lot less water than previous machines.”
Engine/transmission
The sprayer is powered by a six-cylinder MTU (Mercedes Benz OM 936) engine. This engine has a power output of 285hp (210kW). Even when spraying in early spring with the machine fully loaded (18t+), Mark said the sprayer has never been lacking in power.
The sprayer is hydrostatically driven with four hydraulic wheel motors, manufactured by Poclain. It has a standard top speed of 40km/h, with the option of up to 50km/h.
Axle
The sprayer has a variable axle width with two operating width options, either 1.85m or 2.25m. The track width can be changed during slow driving by pressing a button on the armrest in the cab. Mark said they use the 1.85m axle width setting most of the time.
The machine has four-wheel steering, which is an optional extra. When in road mode travelling in excess of 30km/h, four-wheel steer is disengaged and just the front-wheel steer is operational. The axles are air-suspended, meaning the machine is very smooth on the road.
Over the winter, Willie John had the sprayer on 480/80 R46 tyres. For the later spring and summer months, the machine will be running on 380/105 R46 tyres. Mark said he’s very happy with the underbelly clearance of the machine, which is around 1,100mm.
Cab
The latest Damman sprayers are fitted with a newly designed cab. This cab has an increased glass surface with repositioning of the switches and control layout. The joystick and the operating terminal are now fitted to the driver’s seat. Interestingly, access to the cab is through a sliding door, which offers wider access. A camera underneath the machine transmits to a monitor in the cab where the operator can monitor the tramlines, which is especially important when working in vegetable ground. The sprayer is also fitted with LED work lights front and rear.
Mark said: “The cab is very spacious. It’s easy to see the booms when spraying as the rear cab pillars are slightly moved forward. I like the concept of the full glass front window. It means I can look down on the crop I’m spraying. The machine also operates very quietly.”
The sprayer is fitted with the 12in Touch Isobus terminal. With this system it’s possible to connect a camera system with four 180° cameras to the terminal. The four video signals are cut together into one signal by a computer so that the driver has the overview of all sides of the machine. This means that any possible obstacles or blind spots are displayed on the terminal.
The specs
Model: DT 2800H EcoDrive.
Engine: six-cylinder Mercedes Benz OM 936.
Horsepower: 285hp (210 kW).
Boom width: 30m.
Tank capacity: 6,000 litres.
Clean water tank: 500 litres.
Weight empty: 12t.
Weight full: 18t.
Height: 3.70m.
Length: 7.85m.
Width: 2.55m.
Fuel tank: 250 litres.
AdBlue tank: 25 litres.
Top speed: 50 km/h.
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