Toro ECx Automatic Sprinkler System Timer

For a relatively inexpensive piece of gear, the Toro ECx has a lot to offer. These are the six areas we feel are important to understand for any piece of equipment:

Product Evaluation Criteria:  Six categories (the Essentials)

1. Easy to install and setup?
2. Perform the core function?
3. Easy to use (flexible as well)?
4. Is it dependable (durable, rugged)?
   
5. Easy to sustain (availability of parts, and ease of repair)?  And, what is the carbon footprint (where is it manufactured, processes used, end of life cycle—recycle method?
6. Best & most appropriate use of this product

Delivery Systems Articles • Product Reviews Articles • Posted on 02/22/2009   •  (2) Comments • Permalink

Drip Irrigation

What is more correctly called micro-irrigation evolved from the agricultural fields of water starved areas in the world, primarily the Middle East, Australia, and Southern California.

Micro irrigation includes several types of hardware.   Emitters and mini sprinklers are the two primary types of distribution hardware.  The hardware shares the characteristics of:

• Low pressure required to operate
• Low rate of application
• The corollary of a low rate of application, longer duration applications

Lower Pumping and Lower Material Cost

One of the initial attractions of low pressure and low applications rates is less cost in materials.  Less cost related to pumping, and the use of smaller pipe and tubing sizes due to less water conveyed on a per-minute basis.

Effective Irrigation into the soil (water) reservoir

The low application rates are effective in a variety of soils.  In tight clay soils water can be applied slowly enough to eliminate the opportunity for run-off.  A low application rate can also be efficient for irrigation in very sandy soils.  Assuming an understanding of how fast water moves through the given soil, the scheduling of drip irrigation systems can be fine tuned to fill the soil water reservoir, while minimizing loses to evaporation, run off, and deep percolation.

Delivery Systems Articles • Posted on 02/22/2009   •  (0) Comments • Permalink