John Deere Cotton Picker 690 FAQ’s

The John Deere CP690 is an extremely popular cotton picker available on the market today. Built, like all John Deere models, to be efficient, powerful, and durable, there are a few places that this model differs from the other equipment that John Deere offers. With that in mind, here are some of the most frequently asked questions around this model.

How Much HP Does the Engine Have on the CP690?

The CP690 uses a 13.5L John Deere Turbocharged Final Tier 4 engine provides 590 maximum horsepower, which is actually 560 standard horsepower with a 30 HP boost system for those times you need a little bit extra to get over rough terrain or come across other difficulties in the field. That amount of power is regulated by a Pro-Drive Automatic Transmission and front to rear traction stability. It harvests cotton at a standard speed of 5.3 mph, or can be switched to transportation mode and drive at 17 mph when moving between fields or back to the barn to drop off the harvest.

What Is the Capacity of the CP690’s Basket?

The CP690 is not a conventional basket style cotton picker. It, like its predecessor the 7760, bundles and wraps the cotton as it conducts the harvest, then drops each module in the field for later collection. As such, it doesn’t have a basket. This system requires each farmer to evaluate what works best for them to determine if this is the ideal machine to suit their needs. It has distinct advantages such as being lightweight, as the picking units have lighter components than older conventional and in-line units, and because of its design, it requires less additional harvesting equipment to process the cotton crop. This is an advantage over earlier machines that required separate module builders. Even with its advantages it still needs a separate machine to collect and potentially load the cotton bales. The system does fully wrap each round module to protect it while it remains in the field at the end of the row awaiting collection. The system is more efficient than traditional basket equipment in that you don’t need to compact the module separately from the picker, it simply might take a little different planning to harvest the cotton and prepare it for shipping.

What Is the Maximum Module Weight of the CP690?

The CP690 produces 4500 to 5500 pound cotton round modules, wrapped eight-foot-wide by 94 inches in diameter. This size bale meets the same specifications to be able to fit in standard module transporting trucks. Gin personnel are going to expect to be able to process the cotton they receive, and with a few modifications to the gin module feeder and machinery needed to break up the bales, from only processing the standard square modules in days past, they are equipped to process the cotton from raw form to a cleaned baled product which is what’s needed for making the end product the consumer will see.

How Many Modules Can the CP690 Wrap?

The machine’s wrap magazine is able to hold enough wrap to wrap 120 round modules of cotton before reloading the rolls. Because it’s not a conventional basket style machine, the CP690 can bale cotton all day long, according to how much work is expected to be accomplished during a regular work shift. It’s going to bale more cotton than typically expected and produce much less waste, but even so, the cotton Modules which might be scattered around the field do have to be picked up later. Because of the way the CP690’s system works, the picker requires less support labor on the ground to help the machine operator, as the CP690 does the bulk of the work itself. It saves time with the process even with consideration of having to go back through to collect the modules, and it saves labor expense along without having the need to rely on additional people on the ground.

How Many Row Units Does the CP690 Have?

The six row units offer adjustable spacing for different farms and the different breeds grown in various regions which may need wide or narrow rows. Not only are the row units adjustable, but they’re also designed to be easily adjustable by a single person, and they allow for fine tuning to assure the most precise harvest with less waste than may be expected of traditional cotton-picking equipment.

What Pro Units Are Available for Usage on the Cotton Picker 690?

The CP690 uses the John Deere roller and crank PRO series system which easily moves around the Pro 16 or Pro 12 Series Picking Units. The system is well known for both reliability and versatility, as it is a simple means of conducting the task being built of high-quality parts. The versatility comes from its simple hand crank, which is stored on the picking unit, and wide range of adjustability for different row sizes, whether a specific farm needs to set it once for planting crops in the same row width or if they need to adjust it for different breeds of cotton grown throughout a single season. The variety of cotton needed may change each year according to market demands.

How Large Is the Fuel Tank on the CP690?

In direct terms, the fuel tank holds 370 gallons or 1401 liters of diesel fuel. Additionally, the unit has a 16 gallon, or 61-liter, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) tank used to mix with the regular fuel in order to reduce air pollution. What those figures mean in real time is there is generally enough fuel to last for an entire day of harvesting, reducing the downtime of having to refuel during the middle of the day or toward the end of a day’s work expectations. The picker was designed with the needs of farmers in mind and was built to maximize performance efficiency.

How Large Is the Water Tank for the Moistener System on the CP690?

The CP690 uses a Quick-Fill system which holds 360 gallons in the water tank to keep the equipment clean throughout the day. Just like the fuel system, the moistener system was designed for the needs of a commercial farmer who needs to spend working hours in the field rather than having to waste time conducting refills. Of course, picking is a messy job, the moistener system keeps the machine clean enough to keep running during the day, but it does need additional cleaning after the harvest is finished. It’s important to know your machine and field conditions to know if your machine needs cleaning more often, so keep a good eye on it.

Do You Need Replacement Parts for your John Deere CP690?

The John Deere CP690 is designed for industrial cotton farming, and like all other professional John Deere equipment, cotton harvesters were engineered with the input of experienced farmers to meet the stringent needs of daily field work. Although it is one of the well-known strongest brands of field equipment, even John Deere machines will require maintenance or repairs from time to time. In such cases, be sure to contact us at Certi-Pik, USA for quality aftermarket parts. By replacing parts with appropriate top-quality parts, you assure your equipment will be properly fixed and ready to continue performing for years to come. Each of our representatives understands the importance of your equipment, and will be happy to discuss your needs and help you make sure to order the right part and offer advice on the repair so you can get back to work as soon as possible with full confidence in your machinery.