Saturday, August 31, 2013

#166. or, I Don't Know if I Can Fix That?

  Sometimes, it's a bit disheartening when you think all of your equipment is in pretty good shape, then you head out with the intent to be productive, and all you end up doing is fixing.

  Don't get me wrong. I know that the only way to completely avoid having to do any repairs is to not turn on the key. I expect repairs. It would just be nice to have at least a couple consecutive days without any.

  In the old days, (ya, I'm going to be THAT guy) when something wore out or broke, you could tell what it was by the noise it made, or perhaps a vibration. Things wouldn't "feel" right , and it usually wasn't too hard to track down the problem. Because tractors were relatively simple machines, and in turn, a simple mind like the one I have could readily resolve the issue.

  But today, tractors are more wiring and hydraulics, that they are gears and grease. They have computers that tell all that plumbing how to run more efficiently for optimum performance. Which is nice when it all works, but a bit of a nightmare when there's a ghost in the machine.

  Right now, we're making silage to feed our cows over the winter. Sometimes we make hay bales, sometimes we make silage. Silage, is pretty much sauerkraut for cattle. About 1500 tons of it. It requires a lot more equipment and in turn, more people to run that equipment. As there is usually more than one tractor in the field at the same time, it's a good opportunity for my niece and nephew to learn how to cut hay. The tractor we use to cut hay with is the one with the issues, so lately, my day has consisted of trying to drive a different tractor, with the manual from the hay cutting tractor on the seat beside me, so when they send me texts of the pictures of error codes that keep coming up, I can try to track down the issue.

  And because a whole dash full of icons with tiny tractor related hieroglyphics is a little too easy to diagnose, each icon has multiple meanings. That way, even though there's a picture an engine pre-heater flashing at you in all of its bright orangey wonderfulness,  it might also mean there's water in the fuel, or the filters need to be changed. So you know there's a problem, but it's probably going to be easier to call the dealership and have them come out and plug their computer into it at $120 per hour, than try to track it down yourself.

  I know computers are a wonderful addition to life. I couldn't be Ken-inatractor, writing here without them. They just have the ability to cause me grief because I don't know how to fix them. Like when our ancient desk top computer crashed last week and I lost all of my header pictures. So, you're stuck with the baling hay picture until I decide to pay somebody else to attempt to dig into our old computer and retrieve them.

 On a more positive note, I'm fixing the transmission on an older tractor that is more nuts and bolts than wiring, so I get to use my wrenches and have greasy hands. And also, I was able to crack open my cell phone and replace the loud speaker with a new one I bought off of ebay.

   .........but, that actually means those things were broken as well, so that's not so positive. I think you know what I mean though.


16 comments:

  1. Good luck! I hope you find the issue.

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    1. Hi Debra,

      I think I may have figured it out. (or rather, I phoned the tractor service guy and he told me what to try.) So far, no more codes.

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  2. I pretty much panic anytime something weird starts happening with my laptop. If it can't be fixed with staples, duct tape or sheer will, I'm totally screwed.

    Also, I like the header picture. I've just looked at it 7 times.

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    1. Hey VV!

      I have a toolbox full of staples, duct tape, and sheer will!

      I'm pretty good at figuring things that actually have moving parts out. Computers, not so much.

      I'm glad you like the picture. Funny thing is, I sort of feel like a fraud, having that one up there. We don't actually have that tractor any more as it burnt to rubble in a fire. We still have that baler though, so I guess that counts for something? :)

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  3. It used to be easy fixing things, but now everything has a little computer in it and the item is junk when that stops functioning. I hope you get your computer problem resolved.

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    1. Hi Stephen,

      I'm convinced that they build things like that on purpose, just so you have no choice BUT to bring it in to get any repairs done. It's not a simple time any more.

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  4. Hey friend,
    Yep, this is the story of my life where things that can break are concerned (which is just about anything made in this day, probably from China) - if one thing breaks, four other things self-combust as well. Yes, with all the newer digital stuff, things are twice as expensive to fix or replace but if we were to ever actually have an EMP attack, we're toast.

    Hope you get everything fixed up in no time!

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    1. Hello, my friend!

      If somebody was to flip a switch somewhere, and everything electrical was to instantly stop working, I wonder how long it would take society to slowly start rolling along again?

      I hope that never happens though. This blogging thing would be even more time consuming through the mail! :)

      I'm still chugging along, but I don't ever expect to have everything fixed and running all at the same time.

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  5. Guess it's like with new cars - today every car is supertechnical and computerized. I have an old Volvo from 1992. If something's wrong with that, even *I* can probably tell what's up - I'd never be able to do that on a new car. I mean, they don't make any noises at all. However, I hope you're able to fix your problem. Sometimes I think it was better in the old days (yes, I AM going to say that).

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    1. Hi Annika,

      I see the commercials for those cars that parallel park themselves, and think, who the heck would ever get one of those? We're creating a society of incompetent drivers!

      And yet, I let GPS steer my tractor, so I probably shouldn't be so quick to judge?

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  6. Ugh! I've had computer issues with my car and long for the old days (sometimes) when things weren't so high tech and fancy. Last year when my apple desktop crashed and we lost the entire contents of the hard drive, two weeks later I got an email from apple warning of the problem, to back up and bring it in for repair. Too little tech support, too late!

    You are quite handy!!!

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    1. Hey Gina!

      Well, I think I have a knack for figuring out how to take things apart and put them back together. But the world that allows me the opportunity to do that is steadily shrinking.

      Not to mention, either everything is getting smaller, or my eyesight isn't what it used to be. :)

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  7. That's why I love older machines and cars. I can actually fix them myself and don't have to fight a bunch of computers who think that they should be in control of my stuff Skynet style. I mean, at least my backhoe won't turn on me when the machines take over.

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    1. Hi Holly!

      I fully expect you and King the backhoe to be leading the resistance from you're corner of the world, when the machines take over! :)

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  8. Ooh, silage. That's a new one for me. One of the many things I love about your blog...learning about farming. What I would like to know, though, is why do you choose silage over bales, or vice versa?

    I wish I could come cut hay with your niece and nephew! Although if my tractor broke, you would for sure be fixing it. No clue about that, whether it has a fancy computer or gears and whatnot. Although I suppose I could Google it?

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  9. So what you're saying is...fixing tractors is like assembling IKEA furniture...at least as far as the manual goes. Right?

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