Kinze Manufacturing Inc. is pleased to announce that the 3660 12 row and 16 row planters will soon be available for purchase with electric drive. The already proven performance of Kinze’s 3660 frame come with standard hydraulic weight transfer, to reduce potential soil compaction and offers an optional exclusive split row system using push units for superior residue flow. These features combined with the new electric drive, offers farmers the following advantages:

The electric drive eliminates the need for clutches and offers greater maintenance simplicity (no drive shafts, chains, bearings, sprockets, etc.). The new meter allows for turning compensation and row-by-row variable rate planting, and will utilize heavy-duty, high torque 24-volt meter motors that are fully sealed against dust and moisture.

Electric drive combined with the 4000 series vacuum meter offers superior agronomic performance with singulation accuracy up to 99%+ and accurate seed spacing and population.

The 3660 electric drive planter can be controlled with any approved ISOBUS compatible monitor.* Kinze continues to offer the Raven Viper 4 monitor with a format specifically designed for ISOBUS that allows continuous viewing of critical planter functions, including the coverage map. The customizable LED touchscreen with “touch and move” widgets display information in an easy-to-use format. The monitor contains 30 GB of internal storage and is Slingshot ready.

The exclusive split row system uses push row units for better residue flow. A split row 3660 can easily convert from a 15” planter to a 30” planter by locking up the row units. The lift and rotate functions allow for easy access to row units saving time during maintenance.  

“The adoption rate of new technology and electronics in the agriculture industry is phenomenal,” said Susanne Veatch, Kinze’s vice president and chief marketing officer. “As farmers ourselves who have been in business for 50 years, Kinze knows the benefits this electric meter addition will bring to the 3660 planter and the farmers who use it.”

A pre-production 3660 planter with electric drive will be on display at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky from February 11 through February 14, 2015. Full pricing will not be available at the show.