by
Tammy Wallace | Aug 24, 2017
Irrigation pivots and automobiles – two things that typically don’t get grouped together but have a surprising amount in common. What makes them so similar? While “wheels, metal, and motors” is a good answer, technology has done the most to tie the two products together.
Sure, technological advancements have helped improve efficiency on the production line, but other than helping to reduce prices, these advancements don’t impact consumers directly. What DOES directly impact the consumers is the way new technologies are implemented in the products themselves.
Imagine for a moment that you’re shopping for a new car. Every single car on the lot, except for one, has the ability to tell you things like tire pressure, fuel level, and oil temperature. There is no way that you’d buy the one vehicle that isn’t capable of showing the simplest diagnostic information, and, when it comes to irrigation, that's not a choice you should have to make either.
By installing some AgSense hardware, you can reap all of the benefits of information at your fingertips. In real time, you’ll be able to see the current status of an entire fleet of irrigation systems, receive alerts when a machine gets stuck or loses power, and be able to remotely start and stop your pivots and pumps. But that’s just the beginning. Just like with your vehicle, your AgSense app offers quite a few of those ‘standard’ features that you wouldn’t want to go without. Let’s get ready for a “road trip” and examine a few more of those features.
The Compass
Not only does your car have a compass in the rearview mirror, but most vehicles today are also equipped with GPS systems built right into the dash – all of this to help you know where you are and where you’re headed. AgSense can do this for your pivots, utilizing GPS to track speed, position, and direction of travel. AgSense not only tells you where you are, but historical reports show you where you’ve been too. Data can be organized in countless ways to help you stay the course.
The Fuel Efficiency Gauge
When it comes to both cars and pivots, efficiency matters. You want to make sure you’re conserving all the energy you can. With a vehicle, it’s about getting the most miles per gallon. With AgSense reports, you can see how many gallons of water have been pumped. Compare that to how much energy you’re using, and you can have a pretty good idea of how you can improve your efficiency.
The Itinerary
Before hopping into a vehicle, you know where you want to go and how you want to get there. Should you happen to veer off course, your GPS system can re-route you to help you arrive at your destination. This is a lot like using AgSense to monitor soil moisture data. This information can help you determine when you should irrigate as well as if you’re irrigating too much or too little. Use soil moisture data to help stay on course with your irrigation schedule.
It was a short road trip, but AgSense helped us make it through! No matter the scenario, AgSense technology can be used to find your irrigation solution. Whether it’s checking the position of a pivot or analyzing soil moisture data, AgSense can be your guide to help navigate your irrigation season.