Have you ever seen an irrigation system that watered a lawn during a rainstorm? The chances are good that the system has not been “intelligent” technology.
Intelligent irrigation systems adapt to the current flies instead of watering every day at the same time, regardless of environmental factors.
“We all agree that landscapes require different amounts of water all year round,” says Don Davis, National Training Manager at Sitone Landscape Supply. “A cool, cloudy day in March has a completely different irrigation regime than a bright, sunny day in July.”
Sean Azad, Marketing Manager at Rain Bird, and Davis deal with the functionality of these systems and what they equate in savings.
What is the trend
By definition, an intelligent irrigation system uses climate data such as current and future weather and soil conditions to adapt the irrigation plans. While some municipalities use weather stations on site to collect this data, most areas use internet weather data to perform this task, says Davis.
“It not only takes into account precipitation data – it requires temperature, humidity and irrigated if necessary to keep the moisture in balance,” says Azad.
According to Davis, the Wi-Fi components of these systems have become reliable in recent years, and the control apps have also become more user-friendly.
Several other components can increase the intelligence of the overall system, says Azad and quotes rain sensors who connect to the control system and stop irrigation during rain as an example.
“After it has stopped raining, the sensor takes time before it allows irrigation To resume again, says Azad.
In a similar way, flow sensors can monitor the water consumption of a system and send a warning if there is a potential leak.
Finally, Davis notes that there has been a movement in the direction of wireless control, in which the valves of a system no longer have to be connected by a cable.
“Now we can control this remote valve from the original Irrigation controller And still get all the advantages of weather data and remote access, ”he says.
Why implement?
In addition to considerable cost and water savings, there are also numerous other advantages for intelligent irrigation systems such as healthier landscapes.
“If you want a healthy landscape, you don't want to be under or overwhelmed,” says Azad. “The intelligence in intelligent systems leads to landscapes that look healthier and have a deeper root structure.”
According to Davis, intelligent irrigation systems can also lead to work savings, especially when it comes to minimizing visits and maintenance of locations.
“The end user receives a water plan that is exactly tailored to what his landscape needs in real time and the contractor benefits by avoiding the work and costs of an employee who physically visits the location to adapt these controllers,” says Davis.
What to know?
Before installing an intelligent irrigation system, it is important to check whether the website contains internet access.
“Make sure that your Wi-Fi signal strength reaches this place,” says Azad. “Sometimes it is outside a house or in a garage, and you may have no cover.”
Davis notes that an intelligent system is not fixed for a not properly installed system.
“The term” intelligent irrigation “is not a magical wand,” says Davis. “Smart Water Management begins with a properly designed, installed and well -kept system.”
For example, improper head gap, crooked or incorrectly oriented sprinklers, leaks, aging components and excess water pressure are problems that are not fixed by adding an “intelligent” element.
In order to take problems into account, Azad recommends performing the irrigation system in every zone once a month.
“You can have an intelligent irrigation system … But if you have a broken pipe because someone has run over it, they still waste a lot of water,” says Azad.