N540C Air Drill

Central Commodity System (CCS™)

  • Quick Change Blade enhancement of the ProSeries™ Opener reduces change time by up to 45%
  • Electric drive with Section Control
  • Wide variety of working widths and row spacings
  • Premium Lighting and easier access to meters

Specifications


John Deere has the seeding solutions that go above expectations with a complete line of everything needed in small grains. Offering a variety of openers for your chosen practice in a variety of configurations and sizes. All with integrated technology throughout the seeding train allows for effortless setup and seamless documentation.

Total seeding solution Total seeding solution

Setting up a John Deere seeding train is quick and easy with the plug and play technology. All data and technology operate through the Gen 4 display and ultimately up to John Deere Operation Center™ that can be viewed from anywhere at any time. Not only does the complete John Deere seeding solution all operate through one display but it eliminates the difficulty and time-consuming tasks of setting up extra displays and harnesses.

John Deere tractor paired with John Deere tool and cart John Deere tractor paired with John Deere tool and cart

With a complete John Deere seeding solution, there are multiple different onboard and offboard technologies shown below that improve the overall seeding production step. Many of these technologies are exclusive to John Deere. Each of these technologies bring different customer value that overall lead to the ultimate John Deere seeding solution!

Improve confidence and while reducing maintenance with the new AccuRate™ metering system
  • Combination of stainless steel and composite materials ensure an entire corrosion resistant system
  • Individual electric meters allowing for more precise seeding
    • Up to 8x more accurate prescriptions with high fidelity prescription
    • Start and stop each meter with SectionCommand™ Pro
    • Accurately meter the correct amount of product on a curve with curve compensation
AccuRate™ meters showing eight individual sections AccuRate™ meters showing eight individual sections
Calibrate faster and easier than ever before with EZCal™
  • Easily calibrate from the side of the cart with the click of a few buttons 45% faster than the leading competitor
  • Automatically weigh product and update MDV values eliminating potential user error
G5e Cart Side Display G5e Cart Side Display
EZCal™ system EZCal™ system
ActiveCal™ display Calibrate more frequently from the seat of the cab with ActiveCal™
  • Calibrate the meters from the cab utilizing the tank scales
  • Improved confidence that the correct seeding rates are being met
ActiveCal™ display ActiveCal™ display
Save input cost with SectionCommand™Pro
  • Control seed and fertilizer output by starting and stopping each individual meter section
  • Eliminate skips and overlaps leading to reduced inputs and higher yields
Example of seeded field with SectionCommand™ Pro Example of seeded field with SectionCommand™ Pro
On the go, quick adjust downforce with TruSet™ from the cab
  • Adjust downforce pressure to improve uniform emergence
  • Set presets to quickly adjust from field to field
TruSet downforce display TruSet downforce display
Monitor blockage row by row from the cab with RelativeFlow™
  • Seed with confidence while monitoring each row
  • Detect blockage early and know exactly where it is
RelativeFlow blockage sensors RelativeFlow blockage sensors
AutoTrac™ Implement Guidance and AutoTrac Turn Automation
  • Make every operator an experienced operator
  • Precisely placed implements for more accurate seeding, less operator fatigue, and more productivity
  • Hands-free turns within field headlands (with AutoTrac Turn Automation enabled)
AutoTrac Turn Automation display AutoTrac Turn Automation display
John Deere Operation Center™
  • Setup and manage your farm operations: equipment, team, fields, and crop inputs
  • Plan work in advance to increase job quality and efficiency with Work Planner
  • Map based prescriptions can be used with variable rates
  • Analyze this season’s results to improve next season’s crops
John Deere Operation Center web and mobile John Deere Operation Center web and mobile
Operation Center Mobile
  • View your data on the go; remotely monitor job quality, productivity, machine performance, and quickly make informed decisions
  • Manage and monitor from anywhere at any time with near real-time field and machine updates
Operation Center Mobile Operation Center Mobile
Connected Support
  • Expert Alerts proactively notifies your dealer of any issues
  • Remote display access allows for easy on the go support
Connected Support Connected Support

For more information regarding Large Tractors and Precision Ag, view the following landing pages





John Deere color-coded hydraulic hose handles John Deere color-coded hydraulic hose handles
Color-coded hoses plugging into tractor SCV Color-coded hoses plugging into tractor SCV

These color-coded aluminum hydraulic hose handles make connecting hydraulic hoses from the air seeder and air cart to the correct Selective Control Valve (SCV) on the tractor easier than before. The anti-slip makes it easy to grip the hose and connect or disconnect from the back of the tractor. Each color is laser engraved with the John Deere logo and extend/retract icons to ensure proper matching to the proper function.

 

  • Easily identify function of each hose
  • Consistently match hose handles colors to rear couplers on tractor
  • Easy to grip for connecting or disconnecting to the SCV
  • Base equipment on all leading and trailing air carts
  • Base equipment on all seeding tools

 





The tank on the N500C has been moved up and back to allow for better access to the meters. The blower fan has been relocated to the front of the tank to allow non-obstructed access to all four meters.

Rear of N500C machine Rear of N500C machine
Relocated blower fan Relocated blower fan
Easy meter access Easy meter access

The updated tank design is also larger. The 9.15-m (30-ft) to 11-m (36-ft) models offer a 3523.9 -L (100-bu) tank. The 12.2-m (40-ft) and 12.8-m (42-ft) models offer a 4228.7-L (120-bu) tank.

3523.9-L (100-bu) tank 3523.9-L (100-bu) tank

Tank cleanout has also been improved. Producers can place a seed box or conveyer under the tanks to empty out excess seed. The tank has been designed so there is minimal seed left in the tank after it has been emptied.

Cleanout with a seed box Cleanout with a seed box
Cleanout with seed tender Cleanout with seed tender

Calibrating the meters has also been improved thanks to electric drive metering. The N500C is calibrated stationary similar to larger air carts. Catch bags are placed under each meter, and the meters turn a pre-determined amount of revolutions. Catch bags are weighted and entered into the Equipment Mobile app or on the Gen 4 display in order to generate a meter displacement value (MDV).

Calibrating the meters Calibrating the meters




For the first time, meter sections are controlled with electric motors. Each meter section has its own electric drive motor. This eliminates the need for a variable-rate drive hydraulic motor or a ground drive wheel. This also enables the SectionCommand system and variable/prescription seeding.

Electric drive motor on meter Electric drive motor on meter
SeedStar run page showing four sections and prescription (Rx) seeding SeedStar run page showing four sections and prescription (Rx) seeding

Prescription/variable-rate seeding allows growers to apply the right amount of seed depending on predetermined management zones. Four-section SectionCommand has shown a potential seed savings of 4 to 6 percent depending on field size and shape.

Power generation

The electric motors can be powered by a DC/DC converter, a power take-off (PTO) power generation unit, or an onboard hydraulic power generator. Growers can choose either of these options based on their needs. In most cases, the DC/DC convertor will be the best option. It utilizes power coming from the tractor though the ISOBUS nine-pin connector and converts it to 56 V; this results in fewer moving parts and decreases the opportunity for downtime to occur. The onboard hydraulic system utilizes power beyond, whereas the PTO system frees up hydraulic capacity on the tractor as the PTO powers the generator.

DC/DC power generation DC/DC power generation
PTO power generation PTO power generation
Onboard hydraulic power generation Onboard hydraulic power generation