Visitors to the Potato Industry Event will see Bauer’s revamped E-series reel irrigators.
A number of modifications have been made to the range, primarily to enhance operation and make maintenance easier. These upgrades come on the back of recent digital additions, including the Smart Rain remote monitoring and control app.
Bauer UK & Ireland sales manager Adrian Tindall notes Bauer attention turned to some aspects of the mechanical components, mainly to improve access for servicing, maintenance and setting-up.
The most obvious visual change is to the side guard that covers the reel-drive turbine and gearbox – but less obvious is that instead of being held in place by 10 bolts, the new version has catches that when released allow the cover to swing away.
That makes it quicker and easier to access components such as the belt that transfers drive from Bauer’s highly-efficient water turbine to the pulley on the chain and sprocket that slowly rotates the drum to pull in the hose and either a rain gun or boom.
Opening the new cover also reveals a larger battery to power the Ecostar 6000 controller with its 4.3in LED touch-screen, which is supplemented by membrane buttons for the most frequently used functions. “Users can store up to 12 different irrigation programmes that define retraction speed, pre-irrigation, post-irrigation and speed zones, and then retrieve them at any time to save having to enter individual parameters for every irrigation session,” noted Mr Tindall.
Remote access via SMS on a mobile telephone enables irrigation managers to not only stop and start the Rainstar irrigator remotely but also adjust retraction speed, check on the status of the machine and receive error messages.
A ‘run finished’ message can be activated, and thanks to a digital input on the irrigator’s water meter, the Ecostar 6000 controller also records the session and running total of water used.
The battery itself is now kept charged by a more efficient solar panel; it is still fitted flush to the cover but can now be propped at an angle to harvest energy from the sun more effectively.
Other changes include more easily accessible pipe drum bearings should they need attention and retrospective installation of brakes if needed.
The Bauer E-series comprises five models from the E 100 to E 500, each available with seven to 11 different diameter and length combinations of Bauer’s own polyethylene (PE) pipe manufactured at the group’s principal factory in Voitsberg, Austria.
This year’s Potato Industry Event is being held at the Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate, on November 22 and 23, 2023.
