Measured irrigation

05/11/2024

This is the only irrigation controller in the world where the water usage rate is proportional to the onsite evaporation rate. If it has not rained since the previous irrigation event, then the water discharged by each dripper (or sprinkler) during the irrigation event is proportional to the volume of water that has evaporated from the surface of the terracotta pot since the previous irrigation event.

If it has rained since the previous irrigation event, then the volume of water discharged by each dripper (or sprinkler) during the irrigation event is proportional to the volume of water that has evaporated from the surface of the terracotta pot minus the rain that has entered the terracotta pot since the previous irrigation event.

The Unpowered Terracotta Irrigation Controller should be located in your garden so that the weather conditions at the controller are the same as the weather conditions experienced by your plants. Most irrigation controllers use weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology (evapotranspiration, for example) rather than the onsite weather conditions, and hence the Unpowered Terracotta Irrigation Controller saves more water.

This is the only irrigation controller in the world that is unpowered, and so it can operate for months on end in remote locations without having to worry about power outages or battery failure.

The Unpowered Terracotta Irrigation Controller may be purchased at the Measured Irrigation website:

08/02/2024

Hi everyone. I have had a great week culminating in a major improvement in the design of the Terracotta Irrigation Controller for Solenoid Valves. I have been able to reduce the retail price by $100. The controller can be connected to any solenoid valve and so the size of the irrigation application can always be increased by using a bigger solenoid valve. Use for sprinkler or drip irrigation, gravity feed or pressurised irrigation.

Because this is measured irrigation, the amount of water delivered by a dripper or sprinkler is independent of the water supply pressure.

Two controllers are available from the Measured Irrigation website:
Terracotta Irrigation Controller for Solenoid Valves
https://www.measuredirrigation.com/product-page/copy-of-terracotta-irrigation-controller-1
Terracotta Irrigation Controller for Latching Solenoids
https://www.measuredirrigation.com/product-page/small-terracotta-irrigation-controller

The User Manuals can be downloaded from Measured Irrigation website.

01/12/2023

Automation Kit for Farm Pond Irrigation

As well as the User Manual, the kit includes the following two components: Unpowered Terracotta Valve and 12 volt 38 watt submersible pump with 19 metres of waterproof electrical cable.
You will need to purchase a 40 watt solar panel to connect directly to the pump (no battery required).

Turn on the water supply from the header tank and the irrigation starts immediately. The control dripper drips water into the terracotta pot during the irrigation. The control volume is defined as the volume of water that drips into the pot during the irrigation event. The control volume is also the volume of water that seeps through the terracotta pot between irrigation events.

The irrigation starts again automatically after the control volume of water has seeped through the pot. The cycle continues indefinitely and so you can leave your plot unattended for weeks on end.
It is important to note here that the control dripper is adjustable. If you reduce the flow rate of the control dripper, it takes a lot longer for the control volume of water to drip into the pot and so the duration of the irrigation event increases and your plants get more water. On the other hand, if you increase the flow rate of the control dripper, the control volume of water drips into the pot more quickly and so the duration of the irrigation event decreases and your plants get less water. Adjust the control dripper so that the irrigation delivers the appropriate amount of water to your plants at their current stage of growth.

The time it takes for the control volume of water to seep through the pot depends on the prevailing on-site weather conditions. When it is hot and dry, the water seeps more quickly and so the interval between irrigation events is shorter. When it is cool and overcast, the water seeps more slowly and so the interval between irrigation events is longer. If it rains, rainwater collects in the saucer and drains into the pot. This means that the start of the next irrigation event is delayed.

The Unpowered Terracotta Valve uses on-site weather data (namely, evaporation and rainfall). Most smart irrigation controllers do not use on-site weather data. Instead, they use weather data from the nearest weather station.

You can adjust the interval between irrigation events by adjusting the gap between the upper and lower floats. The interval between irrigation events if the time it takes for the control volume of water to seep through the porous terracotta pot.

The header tank is filled automatically by the 38 watt pump at the bottom of the farm pond. A 40 watt solar panel is connected directly to the pump.

01/12/2023

Automation Kit for Farm Pond Irrigation

As well as the User Manual, the kit includes the following two components: Unpowered Terracotta Valve and 12 volt 38 watt submersible pump with 19 metres of waterproof electrical cable.
You will need to purchase a 40 watt solar panel to connect directly to the pump (no battery required).

Turn on the water supply from the header tank and the irrigation starts immediately. The control dripper drips water into the terracotta pot during the irrigation. The control volume is defined as the volume of water that drips into the pot during the irrigation event. The control volume is also the volume of water that seeps through the terracotta pot between irrigation events.

The irrigation starts again automatically after the control volume of water has seeped through the pot. The cycle continues indefinitely and so you can leave your plot unattended for weeks on end.

It is important to note here that the control dripper is adjustable. If you reduce the flow rate of the control dripper, it takes a lot longer for the control volume of water to drip into the pot and so the duration of the irrigation event increases and your plants get more water. On the other hand, if you increase the flow rate of the control dripper, the control volume of water drips into the pot more quickly and so the duration of the irrigation event decreases and your plants get less water. Adjust the control dripper so that the irrigation delivers the appropriate amount of water to your plants at their current stage of growth.

The time it takes for the control volume of water to seep through the pot depends on the prevailing on-site weather conditions. When it is hot and dry, the water seeps more quickly and so the interval between irrigation events is shorter. When it is cool and overcast, the water seeps more slowly and so the interval between irrigation events is longer. If it rains, rainwater collects in the saucer and drains into the pot. This means that the start of the next irrigation event is delayed.

The Unpowered Terracotta Valve uses on-site weather data (namely, evaporation and rainfall). Most smart irrigation controllers do not use on-site weather data. Instead, they use weather data from the nearest weather station.

You can adjust the interval between irrigation events by adjusting the gap between the upper and lower floats. The interval between irrigation events if the time it takes for the control volume of water to seep through the porous terracotta pot.

The header tank is filled automatically by the 38 watt pump at the bottom of the farm pond. A 40 watt solar panel is connected directly to the pump.

01/12/2023

Automation Kit for Farm Pond Irrigation

As well as the User Manual, the kit includes the following two components: Unpowered Terracotta Valve and 12 volt 38 watt submersible pump with 19 metres of waterproof electrical cable.
You will need to purchase a 40 watt solar panel to connect directly to the pump (no battery required).

Turn on the water supply from the header tank and the irrigation starts immediately. The control dripper drips water into the terracotta pot during the irrigation. The control volume is defined as the volume of water that drips into the pot during the irrigation event. The control volume is also the volume of water that seeps through the terracotta pot between irrigation events.

The irrigation starts again automatically after the control volume of water has seeped through the pot. The cycle continues indefinitely and so you can leave your plot unattended for weeks on end.
It is important to note here that the control dripper is adjustable. If you reduce the flow rate of the control dripper, it takes a lot longer for the control volume of water to drip into the pot and so the duration of the irrigation event increases and your plants get more water. On the other hand, if you increase the flow rate of the control dripper, the control volume of water drips into the pot more quickly and so the duration of the irrigation event decreases and your plants get less water. Adjust the control dripper so that the irrigation delivers the appropriate amount of water to your plants at their current stage of growth.

The time it takes for the control volume of water to seep through the pot depends on the prevailing on-site weather conditions. When it is hot and dry, the water seeps more quickly and so the interval between irrigation events is shorter. When it is cool and overcast, the water seeps more slowly and so the interval between irrigation events is longer. If it rains, rainwater collects in the saucer and drains into the pot. This means that the start of the next irrigation event is delayed.

The Unpowered Terracotta Valve uses on-site weather data (namely, evaporation and rainfall). Most smart irrigation controllers do not use on-site weather data. Instead, they use weather data from the nearest weather station.

You can adjust the interval between irrigation events by adjusting the gap between the upper and lower floats. The interval between irrigation events if the time it takes for the control volume of water to seep through the porous terracotta pot.

The header tank is filled automatically by the 38 watt pump at the bottom of the farm pond. A 40 watt solar panel is connected directly to the pump.

07/07/2023

This video is making an impact

DIY automatic clay pot irrigation may facilitate food security for thousands of smallholders.• Clay pot irrigation uses less water than any other irrigation ...

22/06/2023

Watch my latest video Pitcher Perfect Irrigation for Smallholders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiX9EY6snJM
The key features of Pitcher Perfect Irrigation are:
· Unpowered
· Very low cost and simple to install
· Uses less water than any other irrigation system
· Irrigate an unlimited range of crops at the same time
· Water usage responds to changes in weather and crop needs
If you can afford a float valve, you can leave your garden unattended for months on end. A smallholder will have time for other acticities such as travelling to the market to sell or exchange their produce.
Detailed instructions for installing Pitcher Perfect Irrigation can be downloaded from the Measured Irrigation website:
www.measuredirrogation.com.au
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.
P.S. You may wish to provide financial support to promote food security for poor smallholders. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you my bank account details.

22/06/2023

Watch my latest video Pitcher Perfect Irrigation for Smallholders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiX9EY6snJM
The key features of Pitcher Perfect Irrigation are:
· Unpowered
· Very low cost and simple to install
· Uses less water than any other irrigation system
· Irrigate an unlimited range of crops at the same time
· Water usage responds to changes in weather and crop needs
If you can afford a float valve, you can leave your garden unattended for months on end. A smallholder will have time for other acticities such as travelling to the market to sell or exchange their produce.
Detailed instructions for installing Pitcher Perfect Irrigation can be downloaded from the Measured Irrigation website:
www.measuredirrogation.com.au
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.
P.S. You may wish to provide financial support to promote food security for poor smallholders. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you my bank account details.

20/04/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPEp849wK_s

Clay pots have been used to irrigate crops for over 4000 years. Clay pot irrigation is more water-efficient than drip irrigation - the plants decide how much...

15/04/2023

I have produced 2 flyers for Measured Irrigation. One for the Unpowered Terracotta Valve and the other for the Unpowered Wicking Bed Controller.