Plowing efficiency
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=144475
Printed Date: 17 Jul 2025 at 9:22pm
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Topic: Plowing efficiency
Posted By: littlemarv
Subject: Plowing efficiency
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 9:05am
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Just thinking out loud. Last year I plowed the food plot with the WD and three bottom snap coupler plow. Had to use first gear, some pretty heavy clay sod. My brother has a two bottom snap coupler plow. Which would be more efficient, first gear with a three bottom or second gear with a two bottom? Boy, sometimes the old mind really wanders...... ------------- The mechanic always wins. B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
Replies:
Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 9:12am
| Width in Ft X Miles per Hour X 5280 Ft = Square Feet plowed per hour. |
Posted By: CAL(KS)
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 9:26am
190xt 5 bottom 
wd 1st gear is 2.5 mph wd 2nd gear is 3.5 mph so assuming 14" bottoms 3X14 inches =42 inches /12 =3.5 ft 3.5ft x 2.5 x 5280 = 46,200 sq ft per hour 2x14 inches = 28 inches / 12 = 2.33 ft 2.33 x 3.5 x 5280 = 43,058.4 sq ft per hour so the 3 bottom will cover more ground per hour not considering wheel slip or fuel efficiency ------------- Me -C,U,UC,WC,WD45,190XT,TL-12,145T,HD6G,HD16,HD20 Dad- WD, D17D, D19D, RT100A, 7020, 7080,7580, 2-8550's, 2-S77, HD15 |
Posted By: HoughMade
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 9:29am
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Let's see, in 3rd, using round numbers, you're moving 130% of the speed in 2nd, but doing 67% the work. So, from a purely mathematical perspective, using the published speed for a WD45 (3.8 mph 2nd, 5 mph 3rd) and a 1 foot furrow width (per plow) if you were plowing 40 acres, a single row 1/4 mile long would take about 3 minutes in 3rd for a 2 foot width. To do the 1/4 mile width of the 1/4 mile long field to equal 40 acres, it would take 660 passes. This means the time to complete the 40 acres would be 33 hours. In 2nd, the same row would take 3.95 minutes for a 3 foot width. it would take 440 passes to plow 40 acres (1/4 mile x 1/4 mile). 3.95 minutes x 440 = 29 hours. So, 2nd with a 3 bottom is marginally faster than 3rd with a 2 bottom. The advantage is about 13-14%. Of course, this is all theoretical with dozens of variables ignored.
------------- 1951 B |
Posted By: john(MI)
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 9:48am
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I would use a one bottom plow. More seat time, longer play time. After it's been worked, the next year the dirt should turn a little easier. ------------- D14, D17, 5020, 612H, CASE 446 |
Posted By: Don(MO)
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 9:59am
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Well one good thing about plowing in 1th gear you will not have the 2nd gear noise to lesion to all day long.lol ------------- 3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep. |
Posted By: CTuckerNWIL
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 10:09am
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Dad used to talk about the neighbor and his B, plowing with a 2-12 in first gear. Dad had a single bottom 16, that the blacksmith worked over to plow 18 inches. He could pull it fine in 2nd gear with the C, where the neighbor had to go in first all the time. Dad said he could plow half again as much ground in a day. ------------- http://www.ae-ta.com" rel="nofollow - http://www.ae-ta.com Lena 1935 WC12xxx, Willie 1951 CA6xx Dad bought new, 1954WD45 PS, 1960 D17 NF |
Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 10:25am
| The thing about moldboard plows is, that the faster you go, the higher the draft load as per the curvature of the moldboard itself. Depends on exactly which bottom you have, but when you start getting over 4 MPH (in most cases) the pull power percentage really climbs. Efficiency is generally better at slower speeds. |
Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 10:44am
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I guess it sort of depends on what you mean by efficiency....Acres worked per time spent? Fuel burned per acre? Fuel burned per ton of soil moved? All things together? Speed in the equation should be true ground speed, not gear rated speed. That takes care of the slippage consideration, and is the true amount of area covered as well.
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Posted By: DrAllis
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 11:06am
| I'm talking about how many HP per 1 MPH of speed. For example, if it takes 50 HP to pull a plow (any size) at 3 MPH, it will take MORE than 100 HP to pull it 6 MPH at the same depth. This is why "high-speed" bottoms were invented, so allow the tractor to pull a plow at a higher speed instead of adding more bottoms to the plow. |
Posted By: Tbone95
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 11:14am
| I got what you meant good Doctor! So my post was more a revised reply to the original poster, where I gave the simple math equation. When I read the OP, I immediately went to how quickly you get the job done. My question is to him then, about what he means by efficiency. |
Posted By: littlemarv
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 11:38am
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There are umpteen variables here. I guess I meant the fastest amount of time using the least amount of fuel. What every farmer wants, right? If I remember right, I plowed an acre with a three bottom in about an hour and fifteen minutes. I was going to try it with the two bottom just for comparison, but you would really have to do it "same day" to eliminate field conditions, air temp, etc. ------------- The mechanic always wins. B91131, WC23065, WD89101, CA29479, B1, Early B10, HB212, 416H |
Posted By: Dipstick In
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 12:25pm
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Marv if I were to make a semi-educated guess, I would say the two bottom in second would be the winner. Our neighbor ran all AC's, and he said he could plow more acres per hour with his 45 and 4-14's in second vs. third....... It doesn't make sense at first,,,,, but the engine breathes much better and probably runs on the governor much of the time(tached out), where in third it would be operating at full load, which would drop the speed some, and cause the tractor to burn much more fuel! His contention was that the ground speed worked out to be much the same. I experienced this with a 53 DC Case with 3-14's.,... It was a no load, or very, very slight load, and the tractor only used a tank of fuel ALL day vs. filling my WC at noon...... The next thing in your favor is that you won't believe how much easier the ground plows after having the sod broken last year!!! You will probably jump up to second with the same plow anyway!!!! ------------- You don't really have to be smart if you know who is! |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 12:44pm
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I am a firm believer in pulling a lighter load faster than pulling the guts out of a tractor. Plow will probably lay the ground over nicer going a little faster anyway. I'd much rather pull a smaller plow 5 mph and have the tractor easily handle it, then add a bottom and drop a gear only to have the tractor be lugging constantly. ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: SteveMaskey(MO)
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 12:50pm
| When I was a young whippersnapper we would get about 1.5 acres per hour with a WD and 3 14” plow. The motor had 1/8 over bore high compression pistons. |
Posted By: Ted in NE-OH
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 1:16pm
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Don't forget the value of your time. ------------- CA, WD, C, 3 Bs, 2 Gs, WC, I-400, 914 |
Posted By: DiyDave
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 5:58pm
And which setup costs more in fuel...
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Ted in NE-OH wrote:Posted By: DaveKamp
Date Posted: 15 Nov 2017 at 6:22pm
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Yeah, the term 'efficiency', when used alone, is undefined... you must delimit it... because you cannot ask for 'efficiency' without establishing the element which you're optimizing for. Fuel efficiency... might get it done with the least amount of fuel, but it may take a long time, or not cut deep and roll it over... Time efficiency... might get it done in the shortest time, but might burn lots of fuel and throw it... and beat the implement up bad. Most of my plowing has been done with a Brinly single bottom 12 behind a Cub Cadet Hydro, with heavily ballasted tires and a very, very healthy Kohler single, and I've found that I can cut deep into virgin-ish sod, and if I take my time, go slow, I can cut it nicely consistent, but I'm not moving fast enough to 'roll' it over. If I pick up the speed, the engine has the power to roll it, but the bottom will not stay down deep- it'll be drawn up, so the depth isn't consistent... and adding more point doesn't help. And it really doesn't matter what I do, that engine is thirsty... But if it's already been broken, I can run the plow deep, and roll it like the ocean at a fast walking pace and it covers lots of ground without nearly the fuel consumption as breaking sod. I can run like hell, and it'll splash it like dust, rather than roll nicely, and then go through tons of fuel. I've plowed a bean field behind guys running dual 8's under the same circumstance, and while they're getting two passes, my single 12 does better... they're bogged down so much that I hafta go around 'em on the next pass, lest I don't get a good turn over. So like others said... lots of variables to consider, and the soil makes 90% of your decisions for you. ------------- Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest. |