New Holland Yield Sensor

[farmaholic]

http://partstore.agriculture.newholland.com/us/parts-search.html#epc::mr65162ar347011

[sidvicious02]

Sorry about the late reply, we actually had a couple of good harvest days in a row and add in the rush to get some winter wheat seeded before the deadline.....
So yes I believe it is a 'potentiometer'. It is supposed to have a base reading of 0.7V when running empty and there is an adjustment bolt adjust pressure on the sensor for calibration. It only reads 0.3V now and we can't get it to move off that 0.3V unless we pry directly on the sensor in one very specific spot. Doing that we can get a voltage jump up to the maximum reading. I believe under normal operation voltage will run from 0.7 up to over 2V depending on volume of grain hitting the impact plate.
I would like to try and swap out just the potentiometer itself to see if that fixes the problem but I have been unable to get in touch with the company that makes them (or at least they did not answer my email). New Holland's suggestion is replace the whole unit, counterweights, linkages and all. I don't think that's a very useful way to spend $3000 when it's probably a $25 sensor that needs replaced or repaired.
I haven't had anyone respond on the Combine Forum so I suspect there isn't anyone on either board that's attempted to go the repair route on this unit. I also didn't have any luck with Farmtronics, they don't repair yield sensors. I'm going to comb through the yellow pages and see if i can come up with an electrical repair place that might be willing to have a look at it. Otherwise i suppose it's sitting on my hands and hoping a wrecker comes up with one that isn't crispy!
thanks again and hopefully you are getting some harvesting done!