Tony Ware

RM-2 NOW WITH WEATHER STATION OPTION

The RM-2 Internet based irrigation controller, can now be enhanced with the addition of a competitively priced weather station. This allows the RM-2 to calculate daily ETo and measure rainfall. Using the Linovision IOT-S300WS7, equipped with a total-solar-radiation sensor, the value of daily reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is computed by the RM-2. This figure can be […]

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Add Irrigation Control to a PLC

By adding the DG-3 decoder interface and the TW/NG-1 family of irrigation decoders, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) can be extended to become irrigation controllers, along with their existing functions. The TW/NG-1 decoder family offers unique features, some patented, not available in other brands. They have been designed by a group with 29 years experience in […]

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Upgrade your wall-mounted controller to an Internet-based one.

The RM-2 can replace TW-2, TW-3, Rainmaker RM-1,  Demi-Rain, Irri-monitor and other wall mounted controllers, to bring true Internet control, whilst keeping your existing Tonick decoders.  No App or special server needed, just your usual browser, as the web pages are in the controller. The RM-2 controller is priced competitvely against the 'big names' and […]

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Drip Irrigation - What it Entails & the Pros and Cons

Drip irrigation is one of the most important weapons in our armoury when it comes to conserving the Earth’s limited natural resources while at the same time striving to feed a growing planetary population. The tale of how drip irrigation was discovered and has developed over the centuries to become one of the most important […]

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The Most Modern Methods of Irrigation

With a growing global population driving a rapid increase in demand for food supplies, the agricultural industry struggles to grow the crops so desperately needed in order to avert starvation in many regions around the Earth. That, and the effects of climate change, which, at current rates, is likely to cause severe droughts, are putting […]

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The Most and Least Efficient Methods of Irrigation

The amount of irrigation water that is needed to efficiently water plants and crops is dependent on the crop, the climate in which the plants or crops are grown, and the type of irrigation technique employed. In the same way as with a home garden, there are various designs of sprinklers, some of which are […]

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How Long and How Often Grass Should be Watered

How often you should water grass and for what duration depends on several things, including the type of grass, the type of soil in which it's planted, the amount of sun and rainfall, and for what the grass is used, whether it's a traditional lawn or a sports playing surface. Here in the UK, we […]

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How Do Lawn Sprinklers Work?

If you put the words “water” and “buffalo” into one sentence, what’s the first thing that springs to mind? Most people would probably answer, “Well, Bubalus bubalas, of course." Actually, they probably wouldn't use its scientific name but would revert to its more popular name - the water buffalo. But if you're an irrigation buff, […]

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Training Course: Using 2wire Decoders

Everything you want to know about 2wire decoders. An 80-page training manual covering all aspects of using and faultfinding decoder installation using 2wire irrigation decoders. Not vendor specific. Course Contents 2 Wire Advantages & Weaknesses 2 Wire Decoder Types: DC vs. AC 2 Wire Lightning Protection Principles Extending Zones Using a 2 Wire Hybrid Controller […]

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How to Sample Golf Course Soil

Getting to grips with the condition of the soil on a golf course is no simple task. Golf courses are vast. They cover huge areas of ground. It means you will encounter various types of soil and environmental conditions. Certain areas of the course will be open and exposed to the elements. Other sections of […]

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How to Prime an Irrigation Pump

One of the best ways of ensuring the growth of healthy plants and vegetables is to ensure you use an appropriate irrigation method. Whether you are a home gardener or farmer, one of the most common ways of irrigating plants and crops is with the use of an irrigation pump. There are several different types […]

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A Look at Internet Irrigation Controllers and How They Work

Watering your garden or lawn can be something of a chore. The bigger the area you're watering, the more of a chore it becomes. It's why irrigation systems were designed. If you've already automated your garden watering it is probably one of your best time-saving achievements, especially during those hot summer months. That network of […]

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What is Smart Irrigation?

You will be familiar with smartphones and probably smart TVs. But you may not be familiar with smart irrigation. Smart irrigation might not affect you right now, but it is working on your behalf and is being used to improve our lives and to protect and conserve our environment Why is Smart Irrigation Smart irrigation […]

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How Much Water Crops Need and Why

The UK agricultural and farming industry only contributes a relatively small amount to the national economy and employment stakes. However, it uses nearly 75% of the total land area and produces many important benefits for the population, the most obvious of which is the food it provides. Some of the side benefits that the agricultural […]

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Add 2-Wire Decoder Irrigation to Your SCADA PLC

PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) may now be enabled to run irrigation using 2wire decoders. This is useful where the PLC is already doing control, like waste-water or pumping, but irrigation or water spreading is also needed. With Irrigation added, it can then be incorporated into SCADA. Currently, to control irrigation, multi-wire outputs (usually relay) need […]

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What is Subsurface Drip Irrigation

A subsurface drip irrigation system is a highly efficient, low-pressure network that utilises drip tubes or tapes to deliver water directly to the root systems of plants and crops. The concept of drip irrigation, which would lead to subsurface drip irrigation, was the brainchild of a Polish-Israeli inventor, Simcha Blass who developed the idea together […]

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How to Maintain Golf Course Bunkers

Golf course bunkers first came into being on links land due to "natural" occurrences. Originally, the ground was open farm or common land. Cattle and sheep roaming the area would find hollows in which to take shelter from rough weather. Their hooves would break down the surface inside the hollows, revealing the sand underneath, and […]

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What an Irrigation System is and How it Works

According to the Collins English Dictionary, an irrigation system supplies the land with water by artificial means such as digging ditches or diverting canals and rivers in order to deliver water to promote the growth of food crops. Today, the principle is still the same, even though the methodology may have changed quite significantly. Irrigation […]

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What Landscape Irrigation is and How it Became Smart

One of the key constituents of maintaining a healthy landscape, whether in a private or a public garden, is effective irrigation. When watered correctly, any landscaped area, be it a garden or lawn, becomes more resistant to pests and other horticultural problems. When you create a water-efficient lawn or garden irrigation system, you can create […]

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The Different Types of Golf Course Grass

Most golf players will appreciate a good course with its smooth playing surface and luxurious feel, however, not too many will understand the dynamics of what makes a golf course the best it can be. There are many steps to making a golf course, and they all have an important part to play in making […]

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