Everywhere you look, you can find things that are paired together perfectly. Some things “just go together” (i.e., mac and cheese, pancakes and syrup, peanut butter and jelly, etc.), while others do not (like trying to write an article so close to lunchtime…). In my opinion, a perfect pair is formed when one thing complements the other so much that you can’t imagine what it would be like if they were apart. With that definition in mind, I would say that smart panels and irrigation monitoring form a perfect pair of their own.
Why pair up smart panels and irrigation monitoring? Well, in short, it’s the same reason any pair is formed – to help consumers save resources by increasing product efficiency. If you want a better idea of how smart panels fit into the picture, maybe the best thing to do is to take a look at some other “smart” technologies on the market. We have smartphones, smart cars and smart homes. These things help save time, gasoline, energy and so much more. So, why not do the same thing with irrigation monitoring?
Owning and operating center pivots can be a lot of work. Of course, maintenance work will need to be done on a regular basis, but that’s only the beginning. Before you can start using the center pivots, you’ve got to figure out a few basic things. For starters, you’ll need to know how much water to apply, and where and when to apply it. After you’ve finished the maintenance and planning stages, it’s finally time to start irrigating. When the machine is in operation, the focus shifts to monitoring. You’ll end up driving out to the field multiple times a day to check on the center pivot. Is it still moving? Is the water still flowing? Surely, there must be an easier way to handle irrigation monitoring. Well, there is. Enter: the smart panel.
By installing a smart panel or other web-based technology on your center pivot, you can rest easy. Now that your smart panel is handling the irrigation monitoring for you, your time and energy can be spent elsewhere. Just like that, one of the biggest inefficiencies in your day-to-day checklist has been completely removed. If you want to start the center pivot, you no longer have to make a trip to the field. You can do it directly from your phone, because that’s what a smart panel allows you to do. If the center pivot stops moving, you’ll get a text message. Things are different now, because you have the benefit of being in-the-know without having to go through the hassle of gathering the information yourself.
It didn’t take much to improve your quality of life during the irrigation season; your irrigation monitoring is now done for you. Not only do you no longer have to worry about what “might” be happening out in the field, but also you have access to vital reporting information – right at your fingertips. Local regulatory groups may require you to report on how much water you use. Luckily, all of those calculations are done for you. Thanks to your smart panel, you can quickly find any water usage data that you need. Almost everything you need to manage the irrigation side of your operation is no more than a few clicks or taps away.
There’s a lot of planning and work that goes into each irrigation season. There are many inconveniences that will come up, and there’s no getting around that. So, the best thing you can do is invest in a smart panel. It’s the perfect complement to your entire irrigation monitoring process. Rewarding yourself with the purchase of a smart panel will allow you to remove a not-so-perfect pair from the irrigation season: the work and the worry. In no time, you won’t remember how you ever lived without all of that vital information at your fingertips. That’s how you’ll learn that irrigation monitoring and smart panels “just go together.”