Product roundup: John Deere updates 1600 Turbo Series III mowers

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Updated Apr 25, 2018
Photo: John DeerePhoto: John Deere

John Deere recently announced the updates to the 1600 Turbo Series III wide-area mower, including the addition of a Final Tier 4 (FT4)-compliant engine.

John Deere says the 1600 Turbo Series III mowers offer operators a powerful and efficient machine ideal for tackling large areas and hills. Along with engine upgrades, the company says the 1600 Series III mowers include a variety of features designed to increase operator comfort and improve performance, serviceability and reliability.

John Deere says the updated 1600 Series III mower FT4-compliant, liquid-cooled, four-cylinder engines have been optimized, and they add that the power has been boosted to PS 60 hp (44 kw) at 3000 rpm to further improve performance.

“Customers desire a machine that combines power and comfort, helping them be more productive and profitable on the job,” says Ruben Peña, product manager, John Deere.“The updated 1600 Series III wide-area mowers offer just that – the power operators need with fuel economy cost benefits of an FT4 engine. Additionally, while updating our wide-area mower offering, we strived to improve comfort and serviceability to provide the ultimate mowing machine.”

With a new standard air-ride seat, John Deere says the 1600 Turbo Series III mowers maximize comfort by featuring softer, body-contoured seat cushions, multiple color-coded and standard armrests with easy-to-use controls for quick seat adjustment. The company adds that seat suspension reliability has also been improved.

The company says the new heavy-duty rear bumper is designed to easily swing out of the way to allow the hood to be opened for service without using tools. To better protect it, John Deere says the bumper is removed from the hood and the cooling package seals from damage.

Also installed with quick-release latches, John Deere says the bumper is securely in place when in the operating position. The rear frame, the company says, also has been strengthened to support the new bumper.

John Deere says each mower is equipped with a 62-inch center deck and two 42-inch wing decks, all of which are rear discharged. With an on-demand or full-time four-wheel drive (4WD), the company says a heavy-duty system provides optimum performance, long life and reliability.

Color-coded controls in the machine, according to the company, are easy for the operator to use and locate. John Deere notes that the machine is also compatible with Service ADVISOR and is equipped with warning indicator lights, diagnostic information and gauges.

John Deere also recently added three new plate compactors to its portfolio of over 100 Worksite Pro attachments.

Photo: John DeerePhoto: John Deere

Designed for trench, slope and excavation compaction applications, John Deere says the PC4, PC7 and PC10 plate compactor models deliver powerful performance and productivity. The company adds that these attachments are compatible with the John Deere 26G, 30G, 35, 50G, 60G compact excavators; the 310L, 310L EP, 310SL, 310SL HL, 315SL and 410L backhoes; as well as most competitive models.

“Proper soil compaction is the base for a successful construction project,” said Jessica Hill, program manager, global attachments at John Deere. “Our new plate compactors are reliable, low-maintenance and deliver maximum vibratory force to help construction managers and operators achieve worry-free compaction.”

With a large eccentric rotating weight, John Deere says it creates vibration and impulse energy to deliver the optimal attachment productivity and performance. The company says the weight’s mass is farther away from the shaft to provide increased impulse forces up to 8,000 pounds and improved compaction rates when working with compact granular soils.

The motor, according to John Deere, is inset within the frame to protect it from damage and maximize durability and reliability. John Deere adds that hydraulic motor bearings use oil splash lubrication, and the company says the sealed eccentric bearings provide maintenance-free operation.

With 4,000 pounds of impulse force, John Deere says the PC4 model is available in a 13-inch width. The company says the PC7 delivers 6,400 pounds of impulse force and is available in an 18-inch width. John Deere says the PC10 model delivers 8,000 pounds of impulse force and is available in a 24-inch width, and all three models boast 2,000-rpm frequency at regulated flow.

Rain Bird introduces commercial drip control zone kit

With the idea that installing efficient drip irrigation at commercial sites can be challenging, Rain Bird introduced the fully assembled 1.5” inline commercial drip control zone kit with a 15-62 gpm flow rate to cover larger drip zones with fewer components.

Picture of Rain Bird Logo“Our new control zone kit provides contractors and specifiers with an all-in-one solution that delivers convenience and savings to large drip zone installations,” said Ivonne Meza, product manager for Rain Bird’s Landscape Drip division. “It decreases installation time and costs by ensuring that all key components are included and properly assembled. By covering a larger drip zone with a single kit, fewer zones are required, as well as fewer valves and other components. Ultimately, it also takes less labor to install drip irrigation in that same area.”

The company says this 1.5” inline commercial control zone kit features a 1.5” large-capacity screen filter, 1.5” PEB Globe valve and 1.5” 40 psi pressure regulator. Engineered to minimize friction loss and preserve water pressure, Rain Bird says the kits were engineered in this manner, so the system can operate as intended.

Because of the kit’s inline configuration, Rain Bird says contractors can install two kits in a single jumbo valve box for lower labor costs and easier future maintenance. The company says a reclaimed water version of the inline control zone kit is also available, which features a purple identifier, spacer, scrubber globe valve (PESB-R) and disc filter.

“Choosing our new 1.5” inline commercial control zone kit for larger drip applications just makes good sense,” Meza added. “It eliminates the hassle of assembling a control zone kit from scratch, improves reliability, convenience and savings. It’s just another way that Rain Bird is helping make drip irrigation easier and more readily available for sites both large and small.”

Outdoor Ground Box survives Hurricane Harvey

With the multitude of high school football teams in Texas, Mike Bass, the athletic director in the Alvin Independent School District (ISD), says he knows the power a football field can have on a community.

With over 4,000 student-athletes, Alvin ISD says its high school football stadium has a capacity for more than 7,000 fans. Bass says that many high school teams across Texas use inflatable run-through tunnels to introduce the players onto the field, which means the district’s stadium needed a way to power air compressors on the field.

Photo: Ground BoxPhoto: Ground Box

“We needed something that was not going to be a hindrance,” said Bass. “We didn’t want anything sticking up out of the ground, and we had to have something that could handle moisture since turf fields are designed to allow water to flow through them. With that in mind, we tasked the team at Stewart Builder to find a product that would integrate with our field.”

With this in mind, the team at Stewart Builder recommended the Outdoor Ground Box from Legrand to Bass and his staff. Bass says the Ground Box uses a unique diving bell design to create and maintain an air pocket that protects the electrical connections from getting wet in adverse weather conditions.

Also featuring anti-float clips to prevent the cover from lifting up and breaking the air bubbles or tripping people, the Ground Box is also lockable for preventing unauthorized use.

“We actually put turf on top of the Ground Box, so it blends in with the field — you can’t even tell it’s there,” said Bass. “We find ourselves constantly relying on it, not only during football games but for practice, too, like powering pitching and jug machines and recharging our electric cart.”

The Alvin ISD team hadn’t yet had the chance to use the Ground Box before Hurricane Harvey touched down on the coast.

“We needed to test the box to see if it worked well in all conditions, and we tested with about 53 inches of water,” said Bass.

The stadium was flooded with more than four feet of water, as well as the town, which left many families and students underwater.

Eventually, the water receded from Alvin, and the district was able to check whether or not the Ground Box survived the hurricane.

“We opened up the Ground Box, plugged it in and it worked,” said Bass. “The Ground Box did not miss a beat.”

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