DewPoint 331 Register for Updates

The DewPoint 331 hay steamer is used with two-string, three-string, and round balers. For the past 4 years, we have been testing the new the DewPoint 331. At this time we are excited to move the machine into a full market release status for the 2022 season.

Staheli West, Inc. produced a significant, but still limited number of machines in 2021. These machines have been operating throughout the Western U.S. Naturally, there were some bugs and issues that needed to be resolved, but after a lot of effort by our dealers and product development team, we are please to report that all the released machines ended the season strong with minimal problems.

Considering the supply chain issues faced by all suppliers and manufacturers, we are currently taking orders for 2022 machines, with a large majority of those machines already committed.

If you are serious about purchasing a DewPoint 331 steamer for the 2022 or 2023 season, we highly recommend talking to your local product specialist or dealership.

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Introducing The DewPoint 331

Introducing The DewPoint 331

The DewPoint 331: For 2-Tie, 3-Tie, and Round Balers

The DewPoint 331 produces steam, which is injected into the hay during the baling process. The steam softens the hay and allows farmers to make high-quality hay day and night without the need for natural dew.

The Deckers Dewing Hay

Interested in the 331 Hay Steamer by Staheli West?

Watch what the Decker's out of Colorado have to say about the steamer. See what the people feeding their steamed hay have to say about the quality, consistency, and benefits of steamed hay.

Cody Decker with Decker Hay Farms followed the DewPoint 331 project from the very beginning and was always keeping tabs on the development of the small steamer. He had seen how great the steamer worked on large square bales, and was thrilled to see a smaller, more affordable option being developed. It took some convincing of his dad and brothers, but without too much reluctance, they purchased one of the very first DewPoint 331 machines ever made. Now they sell steamed hay all over the country. Customers like the 6666 Ranch, Coleman Racing, and Blane Wood Stables all request Decker's steamed hay. The Deckers state that their customers now request steamed hay, and they aren't too happy if they run out. See what the Deckers and some of their biggest hay customers are saying about the steamer!

The Deckers Dewing Hay - Full Steamer Story

Decker Hay Farms - Cortez, Colorado

Coleman Racing - Feeding Deckers' Steamed Hay

Coleman Racing - Lubbock, Texas

Why Use Steam

Wondering Why You Would Use Steam?...

Unlike water particles in the liquid state, steam particles are widely separated and are free to move randomly. When injected steam contacts dry crop material it instantly condenses and bonds with other water molecules in the vicinity, which causes instant absorption into the dry crop material. Steam particles can penetrate through the tiny pores in plant material more effectively than water and soften the hay without making it too wet. This is the reason the DewPoint system works so efficiently.

How it Works

The DewPoint 331 generates steam which is injected into hay windrows. The machine is powered by the electrical and hydraulic system of the tractor. A diesel oil burner heats water inside the boiler to produce steam. This steam is transferred through hoses into custom manifolds mounted on the baler. The operator controls the steam rate and distribution in the baler.

User Interface

The DewPoint 331 is controlled by the operator in the tractor cab. The DewPoint 331 display automates most of the machine functions to make it easy and simple to use. The display allows farmers to make steam rate and steam distribution adjustments on the fly as needed.

Where Is The Steam Applied

Steam produced by the DewPoint 331 is injected into the hay as it is lifted from the windrow by the baler pickup and further as it passes through the feed chamber of the baler. The treatment of the hay is accomplished by injecting steam through a series of distribution manifolds mounted in the baler. Bale moisture is monitored continuously and adjustments to the steam injection rate are made by the machine operator as needed to maintain desired bale moisture conditions at all times. Most baler steam hardware is made up of 4 manifolds that inject steam into the hay during the baling process.

The DewPoint 331 display allows the operator to control not only the amount of steam being injected into the hay but the distribution of the steam as well. For example, the top and bottom manifolds can each be controlled separately for different windrow conditions. Below are some common valve settings operators use.

Moisture Sensor

Typically, a Gazeeka Colt Moisture Sensor is used when baling with steam. The Gazeeka Colt is a non-contact moisture sensor that uses high frequency electromagnetic waves that are transmitted between two antennae. These waves pass through the entire width of the bale and give operators an accurate bale moisture reading in real time right in the tractor cab. By using the moisture readings from the Gazeeka Colt, operators of the DewPoint 331 can adjust steam rates to meet their desired moisture level and produce a consistent product.

Water Requirements

Water Softener or Reverse Osmosis Unit

Since the DewPoint 331 machine uses a boiler to generate steam, it’s important that you use softened or RO water to avoid building up scale inside the boiler.

Water Storage & Transportation

We recommend using a black water tank for treated water storage to avoid algae growth in the tank

Boiler Water Treatment

Whenever you fill the DewPoint 331 with water, you will also add ½ gallon of Boiler Guard®. This will maintain the inside of the boiler and keep it from building up scale

Water Transfer Pump

You may use a transfer pump
to quickly fill the supply water
tanks on the DewPoint machine.

Tractor & Hydraulic Requirements

0-2% Slopes
0-5% Slopes
0-10% Slopes

Minimum Engine Horsepower

100

125

150

Recommended Engine Horsepower

125

150

175

Hydraulic Requirements

Closed center hydraulic system is preferred.

Open center hydraulic system may require an oil cooler with the machine.

Minimum Recommended Hydraulic GPM

Open Center 15 GPM

Closed Center 15 GPM

Maximum Recommended Hydraulic GPM

Open Center 25 GPM

Closed Center N/A

1 Set of SCV's

3/8" Case Drain

Female hydraulic fitting that will fit the Parker 0303-050 male
fitting direct to tractor hydraulic tank

Electrical Requirements

12 Volt Auxiliary Port Required

Staheli West Harness 11546 & 11547

(Included)

Trailer Brake Controller

(Included)

Hydraulic Systems

Open center hydraulic systems will create more heat because they send the hydraulic pump’s full capacity to the DewPoint 331. The DewPoint 331 then bypasses all unnecessary flow back to the tractor. If an operator has the optionto run hydraulic pumps coupled at low rpm’s or run one pump at higher rpm’s, they should run one pump at higher rpm’s. Turning down the flow on the SCV will create more heat within the tractor and is therefore not a good option. The hydraulic oil cooler will sufficiently cool the oil.

Closed center hydraulic systems will create less heat because they send only the necessary GPM to the DewPoint 331.
Closed center hydraulic systems are preferred for this reason.

The Results

More Productivity

Typically, baling with steam allows farmers to bale high-quality hay for 12-24 hours per day. Being able to open up the baling window means that 1 DewPoint setup can typically replace 2-4 conventional baler setups. Being more productive with less equipment and manpower means less capital, fewer maintenance expenses, and lower labor costs.

Reduced Crop Loss

There is nothing worse for a hay producer than to have nice, green, leafy hay on the ground and not be able to put it up with proper moisture conditions. Many farmers are forced to bale dry hay for many reasons. Baling hay too dry shatters the crop material and increases leaf loss. With steam you will NEVER bale hay too dry again!

Higher Hay Quality

With the exception of extreme weather events and rain, baling with steam will essentially eliminate lower grades of hay. Even with some rain damage, farmers using the DewPoint 331 are still able to produce a leafy Grade 2 hay or better. Some of our small bale customers say they have very little grade 3 and 4 hay now. Being able to produce a large amount of premium and grade 1 hay with steam has significant financial benefits.

Better Flakes

One of the things producers and hay buyers notice instantly is that steamed hay feels different than hay baled with dew. Flake conformation on steamed hay is superior to that of hay baled with dew. When feeding horses or livestock, you will notice that the flakes hold together very well during handling and feeding.

Dust Reduction

Dusty hay can cause harm to the respiratory systems of horses. In fact, some horse farms use small steamer boxes to steam each bale as they feed it to their horses to minimize hay dust. Using the DewPoint 331 to bale hay in the field reduces hay dust in the bale. Even in grasses, where dust is an issue, baling with the DewPoint 331 Steamer dramatically decreases the amount of dust in the hay. Being able to market this aspect of your product could go a long way with some of your equine customers.

Increased Round Bale Density

If you are using steam to bale round bales, you can expect to produce a leafier bale with higher density. Through our preliminary round bale testing, we have seen exceptional leaf retention and bale density increases.