Efficient Irrigation via Smart Control. Rick Foster Sr. Product Manager

Transcription

1 Efficient Irrigation via Smart Control Rick Foster Sr. Product Manager

2 The World s Water Crisis There is no new water.

3 Current Water Issues The cost of water & power is rising annually As the population grows, limited water sources strain to keep up with demand = DROUGHT In many cities, water delivery systems were designed to service a much smaller number of people than is required today = INFRASTRUCTURE IS STRAINED Irrigation is one the most visible forms of water use and is usually the first to be regulated in a drought or water shortage condition

4 Current Water Issues A recent report on the irrigation industry stated that automatic irrigation systems are one of the largest causes of over-watering: The controller on the typical irrigation system is adjusted an average of 1-1/2 times per year and many are never adjusted Controllers are typically set to apply the peak irrigation requirement of the year The average automatic irrigation system applies 2 to 3 times the amount of water required by the landscape

5 Current Water Issues Current politics of irrigation: Water bans & restrictions Tiered water rates Lawn size and landscape restrictions Mandatory irrigation audits Mandatory smart controllers Water-efficient product rebates

6 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts 1. Evapotranspiration Plant Water Need Based on Changing Weather Conditions 2. Management Allowed Depletion (MAD) Proven Method of Irrigation Scheduling

7 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts Evaporation

8 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts Plant Transpiration Transpiration is the process by which plants return water to the atmosphere. After absorbing water from the ground, plants release water through their leaves. Transpiration helps plants stay cool, in the same way perspiration keeps humans and animals cool.

9 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts Evapotranspiration (ETo) Loss of water from vegetation though the combined processes of soil evaporation and plant transpiration

10 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts Weather Factors That Influence The ETo Amount Temperature Wind Humidity Solar Radiation

11 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts Historical ETo by Month

12 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts

13 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Key Concepts Management Allowed Depletion (MAD%) Maximum % of Plant Available Water (PAW) taken out of soil before irrigating % removed; NOT % remaining MAD provides a safety buffer Broken mains Controller downtime Weather variations Varies by soil type MAD Ranges from 35% to 50%

14 Smart irrigation controllers work by monitoring and using information about site conditions (such as soil moisture, rain, wind, slope, soil, plant type, and more), and applying the right amount of water to the landscape based on those factors. IA Association SWAT website:

15 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control

16 Efficient Irrigation via SMART Control Climate - Based Systems Central Control ET Controllers Site Data Based Systems Soil Moisture Sensors Rain/Freeze Sensors

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18 Climate-Based Systems ET Control NEW ET Manager Commercial grade retro-fit product ESP-LXM Controller with ET Cartridge Commercial grade, modular, ET controller ESP-SMT Residential or Light Commercial Smart Controller IQ/Site Control/Maxicom Residential or Light Commercial Smart Controller

19 Climate-Based Solutions Central Control Multi-Site Single-Site Larger Sites, Fully-Automatic Operation Maxicom 2 SiteControl Smaller Sites, Semi-Automatic Operation IQ MDC

20 Climate-Based Solutions Central Control Maxicom 2 Weather Station WS-PRO Collects and stores weather data Data communicated to central control Runtimes adjusted according to daily ET and rainfall

22 ET Manager: Where to Use it ET Manager Indoor (ETMi): Any nonbattery operated controller in light commercial and commercial applications ET Manager Cartridge: Any Rain Bird LX Controllers SWAT TESTED 22

23 How ET Manager Works 23

24 ET Manager Rain Gauge: Features Measures rainfall on-sight so overwatering does not occur during the next irrigation event. Rainfall interrupt to shutoff irrigation during the rain. Applies only the correct amount of rainfall to future irrigation calculations During a heavy downpour the rain gauge accounts for increased runoff During a light drizzle the rain gauge accounts for higher absorption 24

26 Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Modular Control System ESP Extra Simple Programming Continues the legacy of the Rain Bird ESP family that customers have embraced due to its ease of use and high quality combined with SMT Smart Modular Technology Uses proven scientific principles to automatically optimize the irrigation schedule in order to maintain healthy plant material

27 Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Modular Control System ESP-SMT Smart Control System Comprised of: 1. On-Site ESP-SMT Weather Sensor 2. ESP-SMT Smart Modular Controller

28 Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Modular Control System Key Smart Features On-site weather sensor Rain Measurement Capabilities Automatic "Cycle and Soak" Irrigation Schedule optimizing using "MAD" Approach Separate Grow-In and Established Modes Default or Custom/Advanced Mode

29 Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Modular Control System Extra Smart Schedule Optimizing Automatic Cycle & Soak Rain Suspend & Measurement Accounts for Effective Rainfall SWAT Test Scores Adequacy = 100% Scheduling Efficiency = 98.5%

30 Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Modular Control System Extra Simple Configure Controller and Zone Set-Up Programming Wizards Self-prompting Programming HELP Screens English/Spanish Screen Text Field Test Ease of Use Survey Scores = 4.5+ out of 5.0

31 Rain Bird ESP-SMT Smart Modular Control System How the System Works + + Site Specific Temperature Rainfall Shut-off Rainfall Measurement Zip Code Specific Humidity Avg. by Month Wind Speed Avg, by Month Solar Radiation Calculation Zone Specific Parameters Soil Type / Slope Sprinkler Type Applic. Rate Plant Type Species Factor Root Depth Plant Density Shade factor

32 Site Data - Based Systems Rainfall and Freeze Sensors NEW Rain Check Rain Sensor RSD Wired Rain Sensor WR2 Wireless Rain/Freeze Sensor

33 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Features and Benefits Available as: Rain Sensor Rain Freeze Sensor Benefits of the WR2: Installs Faster Easier to Use Superior Reliability

34 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Installs Faster LCD screen displays all your settings at a glance Signal Temperature Strength Rainfall Levels Levels and Set and Points Set Points Battery Life Programmable irrigation modes

35 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Installs Faster Shows signal strength on the controller interface AND the sensor

36 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Installs Faster WR2 s mounting bracket easily mounts on walls or gutters Competition: Hunter gutter mount is a separate SKU an extra expense and inconvenience Both Hunter and Irritrol mounting brackets are not as easy to install

37 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Easier to Use and Superior Control Six rainfall set points between 1/8 and 1/2 inch Rainfall adjustment is important depending on your soil type Quick Shut Off feature Competition: Hunter does not have rainfall set points Irritrol only has four set points

38 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Easier to Use and Superior Control Three adjustable temperature set points Why is adjustability important? Competition: Hunter has only one set point at 37ºF Irritrol only has one set point at 41ºF

39 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Easier to Use Antennas are contained within the sensor and controller interface Homeowners will prefer this neat look compared with external wire antennas Competition: Rain Bird s WR2 Hunter Irritrol

40 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Easier to Use Battery strength is shown on controller interface Battery can easily be replaced without tools or disassembling product Competition: Hunter s battery life is shown as good or bad Irritrol s battery strength indication is confusing. A single LED is responsible for communicating multiple messages

41 Rain Bird s WR2 Wireless Rain Sensor Superior Reliability Signals are updated every 45 seconds Overcomes most line of sight restrictions for freedom in sensor placement Communication distance of up to 700 feet line-ofsight

42 Site Data - Based Systems Soil Moisture Sensor NEW SMRT-Y Soil Moisture Sensor Add-on device that makes any controller smart

43 SMRT-Y Soil Moisture Sensor Overview Add-on device that turns any standard controller into a smart controller Typical water savings of 40% or more Advanced sensor technology provides accurate soil moisture readings even as soil conditions change

44 SMRT-Y Primary Function SMRT-Y Controller Interface Unit Controller Valves SMRT-Y Moisture Sensor.

45 Patented Time Domain Transmissometry (TDT) with Digital Signal Processing AIR = 15% WATER = 35% SOIL = 50% WATER = 50% SOIL = 50% Accurately measures the ABSOLUTE volume of soil moisture even when conditions change. Soil Type Soil Temperature Soil Electrical Conductivity

46 Simplified Sensor Installation 1) Select a location for the sensor 2) Install the sensor 3 to 5 in. below the surface 3) Connect the sensor to the nearest valve

47 Setting the Moisture Threshold Set Manually Use average value of the site s Management Allowable Depletion (MAD) Calculate 80% of the known or estimated field capacity Use the SMRT-Y Auto-set feature

48 University of Florida Study: 45%-73% Water Savings Legend Rainfall Control WR2 SMS1 SMS2 + WR2 Controller scheduled to irrigate 2 days per week Less than normal rainfall during test period Expect even greater savings when. Higher rain fall during test period Irrigation > 2 days/week

49 Questions?