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Travelling Irrigation

  • Linear Irrigation
  • Linear Irrigation sprayer
  • Linear Irrigation pipe
  • Linear Irrigation in field
  • R50 with drop pipe kit pulling out
  • R21 and R30 in lifted position
  • Team look at a Linear Irrigation
  • Linear Irrigation
  • Linear Irrigation
  • Linear Irrigation sprayer
  • Linear Irrigation pipe
  • Linear Irrigation in field
  • R50 with drop pipe kit pulling out
  • R21 and R30 in lifted position
  • Team look at a Linear Irrigation
  • Linear Irrigation

Travelling irrigators are great for properties where high winds are a factor or where you need a more precise application of water.

These irrigators are also known as hard hose irrigators or hose reel machines. They consist of a polyethylene (PE) pipe coiled on a steel ‘cotton reel’. Either a trolley and rain gun, or a boom structure with small sprinklers, is then attached to the end of this pipe. Simply hook your tractor up to this trolley and unwind the pipe across the area you want to irrigate. Once the rain gun or sprinkler boom is in place, pressurized water is supplied to the cotton reel which drives a water turbine and gearbox to retract the trolley and irrigate the field as it goes.

Travelling irrigators are very versatile and can easily be shifted around your property. You can irrigate various run lengths at different speeds and apply low application rates where necessary. These machines are suitable for awkwardly-shaped fields and have several advantages over soft hose irrigators or shiftable sprinklers (namely less crop damage, no hose kinks and less labour required). You can isolate wet areas or spell fields if harvesting crops. Using a boom is particularly good for cropping and specialty seed production due to the high uniformity of the nozzles on the boom (similar to that of pivot and linear irrigators). Booms also use much less energy than rain guns so are cheaper to run.

WaterForce are New Zealand’s leading supplier and agent for Ocmis Hard Hose irrigators (from Modena, Italy). We stock a full range of Ocmis machines suitable for the New Zealand market. Also in stock are a range of foldable booms built specifically to suit the Ocmis range of irrigators. These booms range in size from 24m to 64m (or lane spacings up to 90m) and can be folded up quickly when shifting your irrigator to another site.

Our team of WaterForce engineers can work with you to determine which irrigation method will best suit your property. Our consulting process will consider your complete irrigation system including:

  • Water source and abstraction method
  • Climate, soil types and crops
  • GPS surveying, design, plans and mark out
  • Power requirements – diesel or electric
  • Equipment selection
  • Health and safety
  • Project management
  • Service and maintenance
Key Features

Features and benefits of a travelling irrigator with a rain gun include:

  • Can be easily shifted (even between properties) making them a versatile option.
  • Only has one pass in pulling out hose which minimises crop damage (compared to a soft hose irrigator which has both hose and wire rope to pull out).
  • You only need to pull out the hose length required so varying run lengths pose no problem.
  • Doesn’t suffer hose kinking or damage that can occur with a soft hose irrigator.
  • Computer can control the speed and offers varying speed options even over the travel run to suit different crop needs.
  • Requires a low labour input compared with soft hose irrigators or shiftable sprinklers.
  • Delivers a low application rate, allowing efficient water uptake by the soil and optimising your water use.
  • Can irrigate awkwardly-shaped fields allowing all areas of a paddock to be irrigated.
  • Gives you the ability to isolate wet areas or spell fields if harvesting crops.
  • Zone design allows you to manage varying soil types.
  • Nozzles can be easily removed for cleaning if blockages occur.
  • Travelling irrigators and rain guns provide good resale value.
     

Features and benefits of a travelling irrigator with WaterForce boom include:

  • All the features of a rain gun system but with the additional benefit of:
    • Very high uniformity from the nozzles on the boom (similar to pivot and linear uniformity). This makes it very good for cropping and specialty seed production.
    • Requires up to 63% less energy to operate than a rain gun which will lower your running costs and means lower pressure rated pipe can be used.
    • Can often be retro-fitted to a medium pressure system like replacing a roto rainer or similar.
    • A WaterForce boom can be folded up quickly for ease of shifting and transportation.
    • Nozzles can be easily removed for cleaning or changed to reduce application rate.
Highlights

Key consideration of a travelling irrigator with a rain gun include:

  • These systems have medium to high energy requirements due to losses through the hose and the pressure required at the rain gun.
  • You normally need to shift this system every 12-24 hours.
  • The wind can affect uniformity for water application.
  • The larger and longer hose models require a large tractor to pull out the trolley.
     

Key considerations of a travelling irrigator with WaterForce boom include:

  • An irrigator and boom system will require slightly more labour input to shift between hydrants.
  • You normally need to shift this system every 12-24 hours.
  • Any obstacles can restrict travel runs.
  • The application rate will be excessive if your rotation time is extended too far.