IRRIGATION: Controlling the Future

When it comes to irrigation system controllers, the smarter the better. These “brains” behind the operation are perhaps the most important component of an irrigation system because they determine when and how much water should be directed to certain areas. Properly installing the correct controllers can save you and your clients time and money.

Most of today’s controllers aim to use less water, an appealing feature as water conservation becomes a more pressing issue each year. Water-use regulations, enforced throughout the country on both the state and local levels, demand that irrigation contractors get “smart.” But the benefits for using efficient controllers extend beyond water conservation. Irrigating turf with the correct amount of water at the appropriate times can prevent plant disease, insect infestations and flooding, to name a few. 
 
Irrigation controllers have advanced and evolved over the years, giving irrigation contractors many options. Factors like region, soil, plant type and area size all impact which controller is best for each irrigation situation. By being educated on the variety of controllers available, contractors can help promote efficient irrigation in a relatively simple way.
 
“There is a wide variety of controller products available for contractors,” says Jeff Kremicki, product manager of controllers and sensors for Hunter Industries, San Marcos, Calif. “It’s important for contractors to fully understand the capabilities of the controller product they are purchasing and to know what the controller can do.”

UNIT IMPROVEMENTS. Controller development has changed over the years, keeping pace with technology advancements around the world, says Brian Ries, marketing and product manager for the Toro Co., Riverside, Calif. “We’ve gone from controllers that are set based on mechanical switches to controllers that are programmed by a computer,” Ries says. “And from controllers that are programmed manually to those that can automatically adjust runtimes based on weather changes and water needs of specific landscapes.”
 
Controller development over the past decade can be divided into three key areas, Ries says. The first area, modular controllers, came in the late 1990s and allowed irrigation systems to be expanded on an as-needed basis by installing expansion modules, which allows an irrigation system to easily increase or decrease its number of stations without disassembling the entire system.
 
“Modular controllers are one of the biggest innovations in controller design,” Kremicki says. “The ability to customize the size of the irrigation system means a contractor may only need to carry one controller to handle a variety of jobs, eliminating his inventory investment.”
  
The second area of controller development came with computerized controllers. First geared toward golf courses and large commercial systems, they have since advanced to include the management of residential systems, Ries says.
 
The third, and perhaps most efficient, area of controller advancement is the “smart” controller, which waters turf based on an individual station’s information, such as plant type, root depth, soil type and micro climates. These units automatically adjust runtimes based on real-time evapotranspiration data, such as temperature, wind speed, solar radiation and relative humidity, Ries says.
 
“Smart controllers focus on the critical need to effectively manage resources,” he says. “They’re designed with a level of intelligence that enables them to adjust runtimes or cancel irrigation based on a landscape’s ever-changing needs.”

FEATURED FEATURES. The different types of irrigation controllers range from single-station controllers that attach to a single valve to large-scale central control systems that manage thousands of stations. These units range in price from $50 to several thousand dollars, depending on the unit’s features.
 
There are quite a few specific features that irrigation contractors should look for when purchasing a controller, manufacturers say. “Each controller type has its advantages,” Kremicki says.
 
One feature is seasonal adjustment, which allows contractors to adjust the runtime of all zones in response to weather changes. “This feature allows contractors to easily adjust watering runtimes from 10 to 150 percent by simply pressing a button on the controller,” Kremicki says.
 
Most controllers on the market include surge and short-circuit protection features, which guard the unit from electrical problems and lightening. “Lightening is the No. 1 enemy of irrigation controllers,” says Gene Johnson, technical service specialist and export sales manager for Weathermatic, Dallas. “This protection feature is usually included in the unit’s warranty at no extra cost for two years. The amount of protection provided by the warranty is usually in proportion to the price range and intended use of the controller.”
 
Another useful feature is the independent watering program with multiple start times. This feature caters to landscapes with different plant varieties and ensures each plant receives the appropriate amount of water. The non-volatile memory feature stores a system’s program indefinitely, acting as insurance against problems like power outages. Controllers also come remote-control ready to allow contractors to manage a system off site. 
 
Many controllers can be upgraded to computerized or “smart” systems. The installation of a smart controller can result in average water bill savings of 30 percent, Kremicki says, and promote healthier plant growth.
 
“The installation of a smart controller results in dramatic water bill savings, healthier plants and the conservation of our precious natural resources,” he says. “What more can you ask for?”
CONTROLLER CONCERNS. Controller advancements help contractors irrigate more efficiently, and it is up to the industry as a whole to utilize these high-tech advancements.
 
“The water industry is demanding products that will irrigate more intelligently,” Johnson says. “In order to preserve the irrigation industry as we know it, members of the industry have to accept the responsibility of finding ways to conserve water.”
 
According to Lawn & Landscape research, 35 percent of contractors purchased irrigation controllers in 2006, spending an average of $11,234, and 30 percent of contractors plan to purchase controllers in 2007. In 2006, 30 percent of contractors offered irrigation installation services and 12 percent plan to offer irrigation as a new service this year.
 
Many issues need to be addressed, however, before contractors choose and install an irrigation controller, Johnson says. Will the unit be installed indoors or outdoors? How large is the area to be irrigated? How many zones will be necessary? Who will be operating the controller – is it easy enough for the homeowner to learn to use properly? What types of plants are found throughout the client’s lawn?
 
Bob Dobson, owner of Middletown Sprinkler Co., Port Monmouth, N.J., has been installing irrigation systems for 38 years. Before installing anything, Dobson creates a design of the client’s lawn, making sure to indicate sunny and shady areas, plant types, soil types and inclines. “By doing this on paper first, we can design irrigation systems that apply water more uniformly throughout a client’s lawn and irrigate different zones separately to ensure proper pressure at each control valve,” Dobson says.
 
Since starting his business in 1968, Dobson has installed systems with some sort of water conservation feature. “Our very first system had rain sensors and we’ve made sure to include them on every system since then,” he says. Today’s controllers have more water-saving features, which Dobson says are important to the future of the irrigation industry. “The new generation of controllers has features like flow sensing, which is crucial for water conservation. Even the most basic of the modern controllers have water-budget features that allow operators to easily increase or decrease an irrigation schedule.”
 
About a year ago, Dobson started offering select clients the option of upgrading to smart controllers and now offers all customers installing a new system the option of smart controllers in lieu of regular units. As a marketing strategy, they not only stress to clients that smart controllers can save more water, but also save them money.
 
“There is a certain number of clientele that the only thing driving them is the bottom line,” Dobson says. “But there are those who are interested in saving money in the long run.”
 
Dobson and his crews have at least two meetings with each client where they discuss the new irrigation system and how to use it efficiently.
 
“We try to get the client to associate their system with the weather,” Dobson says. “For example, if we have a very dry summer we tell them they’ll need to irrigate throughout the whole season, but if it’s very rainy then they won’t. If we can make the client aware of the differences, they can see that it’s important to make adjustments to their controllers.”