The John Deere SolutionsPlus app is your toolbox for managing technology products from John Deere. The SolutionsPlus app is used to support, configure, and enable John Deere precision technology products for agriculture, construction, and forestry industries. The SolutionsPlus app can be used for updating software, transferring subscriptions, connecting MTG 4G LTE to a wireless network or configuring MTG 4G LTE to receive wireless connections.
Most impressively, the SolutionsPlus app can help you setup your GreenStar equipment before you head to the field this season. It includes things such as:
How to setup your layout manager on the screen
Calibrate your TCM
Enter machine dimensions
Setup AutoTrac
Setup Documentation
You can also dive deeper into things like:
Prescriptions
Section Control
Boundaries
AutoTrac sensitivity settings and troubleshooting
Wireless Data Transfer
And more
Here are a couple of videos that show how to use the app for renewing an activation or submitting feedback directly to John Deere.
Download the SolutionPlus app today by going to the “Apps We Recommend” section of the Sloan Implement app or by following the links below. You can learn more about the SolutionsPlus app by visiting Deere’s MachineFinder Blog.
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
This month, John Deere introduced the new 4640 universal display. The 4640 display incorporates the easy-to-use layout of the 4600 Command Center and the portability of the GreenStar 2630. With the release of the new 4640 display, John Deere has moved to a subscription based activation system which is different from the previous approach of a one-time activation purchase. Now activations for the 4640 are offered in four different configurations shown below:
The 5-year subscription option is only available at the point of purchase of the new 4640 display. If you choose to go with a one-year subscription, you will not have the option to purchase the five-year subscription down the road.
This price comparison graphic illustrates a customer’s cost of entry for a 4640 Universal Display and a 1-year subscription compared to a similarly activated GS3 2630 display.
The entry price for the 4640 is approximately 1/2 of the GS3 2630. Over the course of 5 years, a customer who purchased a 4640 display and a 5-year subscription will spend less money than the customer who purchased a GS3 2630 with activations. Also, in 5 years, there’s certain to be updated technology that will be better suited for the 4640 than the legacy 2630 display.
Why the change to subscription-based activations? Subscription-based precision ag offerings provide the following benefits:
Lower cost of entry to get started with display and subscriptions
Ability to try new applications for a year without having to commit to a permanent software license
Ability to match the cost of use with the revenue generated in the same fiscal year
Flexibility in selecting the level and duration of subscription that best fits the needs of the business without the expense of a one-time software license purchase
As previously mentioned, the 4640 display is portable, much like the GreenStar 3 2630 display. One of the things that the 4640 display is capable of over the 2630 display is that the 4640 can be used in conjunction with a Gen 4 extend monitor. This allows you to run the 4640 display with double the screen space.
Gen 4 extend monitor
The 4640 display also has enhanced data capturing abilities making section control and coverage maps more accurate. Setting on/off times is made much easier with the 4640 display. Simply select skip or overlap and enter the distance and speed. The new operating system on the 4640 functions like a smart phone with swipe and touch integration.
At this time the 4640 display has a few limitations, but John Deere will correct these with upcoming software updates that wwill make the 4640 display even more versatile. Some of the current limitations of the 4640 display are: RowSense in combines, Vision and RowSense in sprayers, Coverage map and A/B line sharing, and Machine sync. Also, the 4640 display is also not fully compatible with the John Deere Rate Controller 2000 at this time.
Here’s a video from Deere on the features of the new 4640 display.
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
Unfortunately, some replant will need to be done in Illinois and Wisconsin this year. Make sure your display is set up correctly for replant by changing the task under your Resources button to “Replant.” This will prevent your section control from disabling the row clutches and stopping the meter from planting. It will also allow you to see how many acres you replanted and as well as recording the seed variety.
Change the task to Replant on the Resources page
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
The John Deere Exactemerge Planter has set a new standard for planter accuracy and productivity. By controlling the seed all the way to the trench, the spacing is impeccable. Customer satisfaction with this product has been overwhelming. Customer interest in this product is also growing with each passing season. A particularly popular option for these planters is the retrofit kit. We have many customers with 2011-2014 model year John Deere planters that can benefit from an Exactemerge. A retrofit kit allows these customers to upgrade for a substantially lower cost than buying a new Exactemerge planter. In some cases the price difference between a retrofit planter and a new planter can be close to $50,000 and, in some cases, even more on a 24 row. In any economic condition this would be a big savings, let alone during the current circumstances facing agriculture. To help with this investment, John Deere is currently offering an 8% discount on retrofit kits as well as 0% interest for 48 months. This is technology with with a quick ROI.
So, what do I get with a retrofit kit? You get a new shank, gauge wheel arms and bushings, meter, brush module, openers, hydraulic downforce system, and electrical system. See below for the row unit components.
You will re-use the gauge wheels and the closing wheels and frame. You basically have a new planter where it counts. Along with this you get turn compensation which allows the row unit to speed up or slow down in a turn to maintain proper population across the planter while turning. If you have a late 30 series or R series tractor in front, you also get vacuum automation. This allows you to set the desired vac on the monitor and the tractor will adjust the flow to maintain the desired vac automatically. Here is a comment from one customer who purchased a 24 row retrofitted planter last year. “I had to get out of the cab only one time during the season in almost 5000 acres due to the planter. Some debris had built up in a brush. I got out, removed the debris, and in about 5 minutes was back to planting. Amazing machine.”
Here’s the tractor compatibility chart for Exactemerge planters.
Hydraulic downforce is a must when purchasing an Exactemerge planter. At higher speeds, maintaining equal and adequate seed depth is imperative and is not consistently achievable with an air bag system. The ability of the hydraulic system to react to rapidly changing field conditions is unmatched. It also is broken into smaller sections for more finite and precise downforce when and where it is needed.
Don’t have a 2011 or newer planter? Not ready for the Exactemerge yet? We also have the ME5 and ME5e planter upgrades available. The ME5 upgrade can go all the way back to 2004 CCS planters. This gives you the new double eliminator and mini hopper configuration. The ME5e is the electric drive version of the new ME5 meter. It also provides turn compensation and vac automation just like an Exactemerge.
Check with your local Sloan Implement location for a quote on the retrofit kit that best fits your operation. Don’t delay since Deere currently has an 8% discount on these kits as well as 0% interest for 48 months.
Here’s a video of a walk around of the Exactemerge planter
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
This post features Austin Shellhause and Joe Brunker. Austin works in the Cuba City, Wisconsin location. He is a graduate of Eastland High School class of 2010. He later went on to graduate with an Ag Business and Farm Management degree from UW-Platteville in 2014. Austin then started with Sloan’s shortly after in Product Support. He enjoys spending time with his friends and family and anything outdoors.
Austin Shellhause
Joe works out of our Monroe, Wisconsin location and also helps cover the Mt. Horeb and Montfort, Wisconsin locations. He started working Product Support for Sloan Implement in 2007. Joe has 3 boys that keep him busy when he’s not at work. He also enjoys working outside on his property, hunting and fishing
Joe Brunker
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
Tired of struggling with Apex or just want to start mapping and keeping records of your data? Contact us to get set up with our Data Management Service. We will provide a new data card or flash drive each year so that you can keep your old data in a safe place for a backup. We will update the software on all your displays and receivers and also get your displays loaded with all your setup data including farms, fields, clients, and varieties. We can help organize your farm and field names to make sure they are consistent across all displays and all operations to avoid confusion amongst operators. After planting, we will clean up and print your variety maps and reports and get you set up for harvest with variety locator. We will then clean up, post calibrate, and print your harvest maps and reports after you are finished with the year’s harvest. Now that we have the ability to upload historical data to MyJohnDeere.com, we would be happy to upload this data for you if you would like. All of this is included for just $500 a year.
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
We will get started soon after the crops are out of the fields. We can map boundary lines and waterways, as well as guidance lines using RTK signal. This works great when using Section Control to plant or spray through waterways. You can also utilize these boundaries to ensure that you or your operators are in the correct field. Simply hit the “Find Field” button when you pull into a field with a mapped boundary and it will know the Client, Farm, and Field associated with it and populate them into the drop down boxes. All your guidance lines for that field will be pre-loaded as well. You can then select the line you want to use, center the line with where you’re at and take off. This eliminates the need to make new guidance lines every time you enter a field. Mapping is $1.25/acre with minimum acreage required. Mapping is based on a first come, first served basis so please sign up before spots fill up. Don’t wait until the last minute.
Sloan Support is written by the product support team at Sloan Implement, a 20 location John Deere dealer in Illinois and Wisconsin. Learn more at www.sloans.com
