The Importance of Precise Irrigation Timing in Modern Farming
by Connor Wallace, CTO of FarmHQ
Keep reading to learn more about irrigation timers and how they can improve your farming operation.
New Equipment, Old Pumps
In irrigation, time is money. Yet it’s not uncommon to see pumps over 50 years old serving water to state-of-the-art irrigation systems like linear move, center pivot, and high-efficiency drip systems. Many pumps use bathroom fan timers — the same ones you twist a bit too long when showering — to manage irrigation systems that dispense water at staggering rates, sometimes thousands of gallons per minute. An oversight of just five minutes can mean wasting tens of thousands of gallons of water, not to mention the accompanying diesel consumption and the farmer’s time. Over-irrigation? That might just spell the end for a crop and transform a fertile field into a waterlogged wasteland.
The Current Landscape of Timing Solutions in Agriculture
Almost every farm has a mix of both ancient (yes, really) and new irrigation technologies. The underlying need remains consistent across farms: precision, reliability, efficiency, and automation.
The demand for advanced irrigation timing solutions that conserve resources and optimize yield is set to surge as water scarcity becomes a pressing concern and sustainability takes center stage.
Advanced Irrigation Timers: The Need of the Hour
While the market offers various irrigation timers, FarmHQ stands out with its next-generation scheduling system. It’s designed to cater to various types of pumps, including diesel irrigation pumps, irrigation well pumps, and submersible irrigation pumps. Whether you need timer-based operations or intricate weekly schedules, FarmHQ has got you covered.
Our technologically advanced systems perform hundreds of verifications every hour to ensure punctuality in your irrigation process. Any hitches? We immediately notify you with a text alert. Furthermore, the accompanying FarmHQ app offers a real-time overview of all your equipment, making monitoring a breeze. And here’s the icing on the cake — this advanced scheduling feature comes free for all our customers!
How Does FarmHQ Integrate With Your Current Setup?
Integration is straightforward. For diesel irrigation pumps, you can wire FarmHQ like any typical timer circuit. This gives you the power to both create time-bound operations and remotely shut down your pump. If you’re using an electric pump, connecting FarmHQ through a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) enable pin grants the system control over your pump’s on/off timings.
Once you’ve established a desired irrigation pump schedule via the FarmHQ app, we push that data to the device a day in advance, ensuring seamless operation. Moreover, we keep a vigilant eye on the schedules as reported by the device, ensuring everything runs as planned.
If you’re interested in getting scalable irrigation timers on your farm, reach out to us here.
