|
"Smart" ET-based
controllers... are they right for your yard?
In California,
Assembly Bill 1881 passed in 2007.
It implements
various water conservation guidelines, and features a
requirement that all sprinkler controllers sold in California
by 2012 include "irrigation scheduling that is
sensitive to climate"
I think this
is a great idea! Sprinkler manufacturers have already been working
in this direction for a while. Newer ET-based controllers promise
the best water-conserving irrigation technology to date.
So, what
exactly is "ET" ?
ET is short for
evapotranspiration, which is the measurable amount
of water lost from plants due to a combination of factors
such as wind, temperature, humidity, and even hours of daylight.
ET data is collected
from weather stations to adjust scheduling to actual local weather
conditions.
ET data has been used
for years to schedule watering in parks, golf courses and
agriculture, so that irrigation is based on replacing
actual water lost, rather than guesswork.
As these new
controllers have become more competitively priced for
residential applications we are offering them to our customers,
both in new installations and as retrofits to existing systems.
There are two kinds of
ET- based controllers available.
The first kind relies on a network of
weather stations and ET
data...
...collected miles away and communicates with your
controller via satellite, a phone line or the Internet, and
requires an ongoing subscription.
I have checked out the
WeatherTRAK by Hydropoint and WeatherTRAK enabled
controllers from Irritrol and
Toro, took their online training course, and got
certified to install them.
These controllers get regular
updates via satellite transmission. Subscription fees start at $48
per year.
Photo and
logo courtesy of Irritrol and Weathertrak
The second kind uses a single on-site
weather station:
Updated - July 2010
The
ESP-SMT Smart Controller System is like having a full-time
technician in your garage…who is constantly calculating the exact amount of water
needed to best water your lawn and garden… saving you the money
you currently lose by
over-watering.
Large water users (golf courses, parks, etc.) can
afford sophisticated equipment to fine-tune
their sprinkler systems so they only use as
much water as is needed.
Just
like those advanced systems, the new Rain Bird™ ESP-SMT
Smart Controller uses long-term historical weather
data, actual rainfall and temperature data, as measured by an
on-site weather station, and detailed information about each zone
of your property and comes close to those commercial
sprinkler management systems costing tens of
thousands of dollars.
When
you choose the ESP - SMT Smart Controller
you’ll save time, water (as much as 70%), and money,
too.
Save Water...
Saving water while maintaining lush and healthy lawn
and gardens is a Rain Bird™ objective… and the
ESP - SMT Controller
works.
Water savings can range from 30% to over 70%, and water
wasted to over-watering or runoff is virtually
eliminated.
Save
Money...
While you invest in the controller only once, you buy
water every month… and that’s a great reason for you to invest in
your own SMT Controller. It pays dividends
on your one-time investment, every single month for years to
come.
It’s
quite unlike your current sprinkler controller
schedule settings which never change… unless, of
course, you or your technician change them
manually.
Not
only does the ESP - SMT Controller suspend
your scheduled watering when there’s been enough rain, but it also
determines when to water next, and how long to water when it’s
time… and it does this, by zone, for each unique zone of
your sprinkler system… a custom schedule, based
on your specific on-site water requirements.
On-site Weather-Based Controller
Adjustments Mean Your Sprinkler Always Delivers Just the Right
Amount of Water...
Find
out how adding a Rain Bird™ ESP - SMT Smart
Controller to your sprinkler system can
save you time and money… and in fact, offers you a payback of as
little as a year or two on your investment…
Photos courtesy of Rain
Bird™
For sprinkler controller
troubleshooting, repairs or replacements, and questions
about "Smart" sprinkler controllers, call
us.
408.369.1391 | 
