Goldacres unveils next-gen G6 sprayer

Ballarat-based sprayer expert, Goldacres, has lifted the covers off its new G6 Crop Cruiser Series 2 self-propelled sprayer which the manufacturer said is now faster, smarter and stronger.

While not much has changed looks-wise, almost every other aspect of the sprayer – from boom to in-cab technology to fuel tank capacity and hydraulic system have been upgraded.

The tank capacity remains the same at 6000-litres.

According to Goldacres, the changes were made following comments and feedback from owners and operators of the first generation G6 sprayers.

Some of the key improvements and additions on the G6 Crop Cruiser series 2 sprayer include:

Goldacres said its new G Hub control system is “the greatest advancement in sprayer control Goldacres have ever offered”.

The new in-cab control screen interface has been designed with input from customers. It provides all relevant machine data for the operator and is easy to use with inbuilt help and diagnostic functionality, Goldacres said.

There are many smart features built into the software to save the operator time and promotes ease of operation, Goldacres added.

In addition, an external 5-inch display and a 10-button key pad located in the side pod filling area allows operators to control external machine filling and rinsing functions. Live product and rinse tank volumes can be viewed on both the internal and external displays.

An all new TriTech RivX boom comes with the G6 Series 2 and is available in widths of 36 to 42m with the option of 48m.

Thanks to the design and construction of the steel inner wings and aluminium/steel composite outer wings, the new TriTech RivX boom on the G6 series 2 offers even greater stability and rigidity over the previous TriTech boom, Goldacres said.

The boom’s inner, outer and breakaway structure are symmetrical, meaning left and right wings are the same on either side which also helps with manufacturing efficiencies and dealer parts stocking.

The outer wings feature a mixture of steel and aluminium sections with high strength structural rivets. This method eliminates welding of the aluminium, vastly improving the fatigue strength of the wings.

According to Goldacres, tests have demonstrated that the RivX outer wings can withstand 300 per cent more flexes than the equivalent welded boom.

Outer boom wing folding is now hydraulically operated, replacing the cable drum fold mechanism on the 36 and 42m booms. A new breakaway feature on the hydraulic system protects the boom in the event of a collision with an object.

All boom plumbing (including delivery and boom recirculation) has been increased to one-inch for higher application rates.

The boom lines and nozzle bodies are mounted below the main structure of the boom and protected by a replaceable protection bar. By placing the nozzles under the main structure, any spacing or nozzle configurations can be achieved.

Available as an option on the series 2 G6, the AutoBoom XRT boom height control uses industry leading radar sensing technology to maintain the boom at an optimal spray height for maximum spray coverage and product efficacy, Goldacres said.

The ISOBUS-compatible XRT system is not affected by temperature, spray drift, dirt, dust or mud and features five non-contact sensors for unmatched accuracy, the company added.

Pressure based control allows for smooth boom movement and quick reaction time with machine chassis roll control sensing built in.

A centre section rack stability is fitted and uses variable dampeners that can change viscosity for stiffer or softer boom roll control.

The system will ultimately increase boom longevity and reduce operator fatigue by taking manual control of the boom out of the equation for operators.

Goldacres said the operator workstation area and fill system has been totally redesigned to dramatically reduce sprayer refill times as the G6 Series 2 now has twice the fill rate of the previous model.

All induction systems on the G6 Crop Cruiser Series 2, including the hopper, have increased capacities. All fill and flush functions are controlled by electric valves with the push of a button on the G-Hub external display.

A 3-inch transfer pump is now fitted as standard. The pump, combined with high flow plumbing, provides flow rates of up to 1150 l/min. Mounted after the fill pump outlet is a pressure transducer and electric 3-inch ball valve used by the G-Hub system to control both the fill rate and tank level soft shut off.

Product tank filling is now 3-inches and features ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ connection points. Clean point is for clean water suction via the on-board fill pump. Clean water can be distributed throughout the sprayer.

Dirty point is for pre-mixed water and chemical transferred directly into the main product tank from a batching plant.

In both cases, the auto tank filling feature is available to use.

Neat chemical transfer is now done using a pneumatic twin diaphragm high capacity pump, fitted as standard on the G6 Series 2 sprayer. The pump features large diameter diaphragms to create large amounts of suction, ideal for high viscosity chemicals. The neat chemical can be delivered directly to the product tank or diverted to the chemical induction hopper where it can be measured and then transferred to the product tank.

Tests have shown 40l/min of high viscosity chemicals can be transferred, Goldacres added.

A larger 550-litre rinse water tank is now fitted for increased rinsing capacity.

All threaded fittings have been replaced throughout with flange style to provide simpler servicing and less leak points across the system.

The fuel tank capacity has also been increased by 50 per cent to 450-litres to allow more work to be done in a day.

In addition, the hydraulic system on the G6 Series 2 has been completely revised. A major improvement is the implementation of a closed centre variable stroke hydraulic pump with load sensing which delivers more than 100 per cent peak flow capacity than the previous model, Goldacres said.

Goldacres will start production of the Series 2 G6 Crop Cruiser self-propelled sprayer in September with deliveries planned for November 2020.

For more information, visit goldacres.com.au