Automatic irrigation system buyer's main country

When they talk aboutautomatic irrigation system, immediately imagine complex control panels and humidity sensors - but in reality the key question always comes down to who is buying it and why. The main customers are not just looking for “smart watering”, but a specific solution for their soils, climate and budgets. For example, in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, the demand is primarily for systems with frost-resistant pipes and the ability to work during power surges - because winters are harsh and there are interruptions in electricity. And in the UAE, let’s say, there is an emphasis on energy efficiency and minimal water evaporation. This is me from experiencebuyer's main countryI analyze: if such nuances are not taken into account, even the most advanced technology remains idle.

Why Buyer Geography Affects System Design

Previously, we thought that automation was the same everywhere. But no: in 2019 we delivered a batch of standard controllers to Turkmenistan - and six months later they began to fail en masse due to sand in the air. I had to shield the housings and install additional filters on the ventilation holes. Now we design all systems for Central Asia with a protection class of at least IP65, even if the customer did not initially mention this specificity.

Another example: in Russia, many farms require the ability to remotely control via a mobile network, but at the same time, so that the system can work offline if the connection is lost. This is a feature of large areas with unstable coverage. We had to develop a hybrid mode, where the controller stores data locally and synchronizes it when a signal appears.

But in Europe, say, in Spain or Italy, integration with weather stations and weather forecasts is more valued - there the climate is milder, but water is strictly regulated. There, the automation should not just water according to a schedule, but recalculate the rate in real time. By the way, it is precisely for such cases that weShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdbegan to use adaptive algorithms based on data from local weather sensors.

Costly mistakes when entering new markets

I remember that in 2021 they almost failed a project in Egypt - they proposed a system designed for a stable pressure in the pipes of 3.5 atm. But on site it turned out that during peak hours it drops to 1.8. The drips did not work, farmers called with complaints. Well, we managed to quickly replace the modules with low-pressure ones. Now we always request detailed water supply parameters in advance, even if the customer assures that “everything is standard”.

Another common problem is interface localization. It would seem a trifle: but in Iran or Saudi Arabia, operators often prefer not English, but Arabic or Farsi. Once we had to reflash the control panels after installation - we lost three weeks on logistics and configuration. Now inShandong Lingyao Co.,LtdWe install multilingual firmware for all regions in advance, even if the order originally came in the English version.

And also - customs nuances. In Belarus, for example, a separate certificate is required for solenoid valves, and in Argentina a declaration of conformity is required for pipe materials. If you do not prepare documents in advance, the equipment will hang at the border. We are now for everyonebuyer's main countryWe maintain a certification checklist and update it once a quarter.

How to select equipment for a specific customer

Look: recently there was a request from Uzbekistan - a system is needed for a cotton field of 200 hectares. At first they offered a standard set: a central controller, drip lines, disk filters. But when our engineer went to the site, it turned out that the water was coming from the ditch with a large amount of organic matter - we had to add a sand and gravel filtration stage. Without this, disc filters would clog within two weeks.

Or another case: in the Krasnodar region, a customer wanted to automate the watering of a vineyard. Everything seemed simple - but there is a slope with a height difference of 15 meters. We had to calculate the hydraulics with pressure zoning and install pressure reducing valves on each terrace. By the way, it is for such objects that we often use frequency converters - they allow you to smoothly regulate pumps without pressure surges.

But for greenhouse complexes in the Moscow region, for example, the most important thing was integration with the heating and supplementary lighting systems. Thereautomatic irrigation systemworks in conjunction with climate control - watering starts only when the set temperature and humidity are reached. For such projects, we have developed a gateway for data exchange between our controller and systems like ?Agrotis? or ?Grinda?.

Technical details that are often overlooked

Many people forget about water quality - and this is the basis for the longevity of the system. For example, in Crimea, water hardness reaches 400 ppm, and without regular acid washing, emitters become overgrown within a season. We now always recommend installing injectors for chemical treatment - even if it was not originally included in the project.

Another point is reservations. Once in the Rostov region, the main controller burned out due to a thunderstorm, and the entire field was not watered for a week. Now, for fields larger than 50 hectares, we install either a backup controller or the ability to manually control the valves directly. This adds 10-15% to the cost, but customers are more willing to agree after such cases.

And of course, power supply. In Kazakhstan, for example, diesel generators are often used in the steppe regions - they can cause voltage drops. We had to modify the power supplies of the controllers so that they would maintain the range of 160-250 V. A trifle? But without it, the system may go into error and stop watering.

Prospects and what is changing in approaches to irrigation automation

Now I see a trend towards predictive analytics - systems are beginning to not only respond to current humidity, but to predict the need for water based on data for several years. We are inShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,LtdWe are testing such algorithms on projects in the Stavropol Territory - it’s too early to talk about results, but farmers are already noticing water savings of up to 20% compared to standard timer control.

Another interesting direction is hybrid systems for small farms. Not everyone is ready to invest in full automation, but wants gradual modernization. We recently did it for a farmer in Tatarstan: we started with a weather station and two irrigation zones, then we added remote control through our portal https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru, with plans to connect soil moisture sensors. The main thing is to initially build in the possibility of scaling.

And of course, mobile solutions. Previously, they thought that only young farmers needed this, but it turned out that experienced farm directors aged 50+ quickly master smartphones if the interface is intuitive. We made a simplified version of the application with large buttons and voice prompts - and now even those who were initially sceptical about “telephone field management” are requesting it.

Conclusions and recommendations for choosing a system

If we generalize experience, there is no universalautomatic irrigation system. You always need to look at: 1) the source of water and its quality 2) the topography and area of ​​the field 3) the crops and their growing season 4) the qualifications of the personnel on site 5) the budget not only for purchases, but also for maintenance.

Often customers save on design - they say, “it’s already clear where to lay the pipes?” But then alterations are more expensive. We now always insist on pre-project inspection, at least remotely using maps and weather data. This is especially critical for new regions where there are no established statistics.

And lastly, don’t chase after the “smartest” one. system. Sometimes a simple timer control with the possibility of manual override is sufficient. I have seen cases where complex AI solutions were installed for a small greenhouse farm - and in the end they worked at 10% of their potential, because there was no specialist to configure them. It is better to start with basic automation, but with a reserve for the future - this is exactly what we offer through our website https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru for different types of farms.