Unpowered Measured Irrigation Controller
Universal Measured Irrigation Controller
Measured Irrigation
A major advance in drip irrigation
Unpowered Terracotta Valve with Control Volume Boost Container
In ground installation of the Unpowered Terracotta Valve
Bernie Omodei demonstrates measured irrigation at Sophie's Patch Open Day 2016
Unpowered Terracotta Valve with Control Volume Boost Container
Make your own automatic irrigation valve that responds to
the prevailing onsite weather conditions
Gravity feed drip irrigation of my large native garden
This video has pictures of my beautiful Australian native garden. I will show you how to irrigate a garden with more than 1000 drippers so that you can set the volume of water delivered by each dripper during the irrigation. A unique feature of the irrigation system is that the volume of water delivered by each dripper is independent of the water supply pressure. This low cost invention is more water efficient than a conventional smart irrigation controller.
What is measured irrigation?
Measured irrigation is an irrigation scheduling technique.
For conventional drip irrigation systems, the volume of water delivered by a dripper during the irrigation event depends upon the flow rate and the duration of the irrigation event. But for measured irrigation the volume of water delivered by a dripper during the irrigation event is independent of the flow rate and time.
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Measured irrigation can be completely automatic with the water usage rate directly proportional to the net evaporation rate (evaporation minus rainfall).
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Measured irrigation is usually gravity feed and can be automated without access to mains water or mains power, and so there are no ongoing costs for mains water or electricity.
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Measured irrigation is well suited to smallholders in poorer countries. At almost no cost, a smallholder can upgrade gravity feed drip irrigation to measured irrigation using a bucket and a steel pipe.
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You can upgrade any irrigation system (drip or sprinkler, pressurised or gravity feed) to a fully automated measured irrigation system using the Terracotta Irrigation Controller, the Unpowered Wicking Valve, the Unpowered Irrigation Controller for Solenoid Valves, or the Terracotta Irrigation Controller for Latching Solenoids.
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You can upgrade a gravity feed drip irrigation system with a farm pond to a fully automated measured irrigation using the Automation Kit for Farm Pond Irrigation. Water is pumped automatically from the farm pond to a header tank.
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Measured irrigation is simple and low tech and hence there are fewer things to go wrong – ideal for smallholders with limited access to technical and maintenance support.