Advanced controller for Rainstar reel irrigators

The Ecostar 6000 is a new, more advanced electronic controller for Bauer Rainstar reel irrigators that provides new features including water usage records. Developed as an alternative to the standard Ecostar 4000S and optional Ecostar 4200 controller, while supplied with a 4.3in LED touch-screen for entering and adjusting settings, basic functions on the Ecostar 6000, such as start and stop, and reel-in speed or precipitation input can also be handled by a set of dedicated buttons. The new controller can quickly be switched between retraction speed and precipitation amount operating modes, a defined pipe length can be programmed to activate a signal lamp when the PE hose has been pulled out the required amount, and a timer can be set for an additional sprinkler irrigating around the Rainstar. Users can store up to 12 different irrigation programmes, and then retrieve them at any time to save having to enter individual parameters for every irrigation session. Remote access via SMS on a mobile telephone enables irrigation managers to not only stop and start the machine but also adjust retraction speed, check on the status and receive error messages – as well as a ‘run finished’ message – on up to four phones. The new controller also records the quantity of water used since the last start, and it is possible to transfer the data to farm records software using a USB memory stick. The Ecostar 6000 can be installed on Rainstar reel irrigators in the compact T Series, which starts with the T32 handling Bauer PE pipe in 65-85mm diameters from 220-350m in length, and the full-size E Series, which tops out with the E55 XL carrying pipe lengths of 560-740m in 125-140mm diameters.