New features for Tong Caretaker mobile vegetable graders are aimed at making life easier for tractor drivers and reducing electricity consumption.

A simple traffic light system and adjustable proximity sensor tells tractor drivers reversing up to the intake hopper when their trailer is in position for tipping.

It speeds up the transfer of incoming crop to the hopper, ensures no spillage and safeguards against the bumps and scrapes that can occur in the hopper filling process, says the manufacturer.

There are two LED ‘traffic light’ units, one at each side of the hopper, which signal green as the trailer approaches before turning red for ‘stop’ when the trailer is in position.

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Energy saving is the main attraction of Tong’s all-electric inverter variable-speed drive, which early users say has cut energy consumption by more than 50% compared with previous graders.

The further improvements build on the introduction of Auto-Touch HMI controls and the Pro-Series interface for Caretaker graders equipped with an EasyClean separating system.

This touch-display system is used for rapid set-up to suit different crop types and conditions, with the speed, position and direction of cleaning rollers adjusted accordingly.

Pro-Series adds diagnostic capabilities, including a machine health status report and electric drive inverter fault detection and location.