Lightning Surge Protection and Rewiring
save irrigation equipment
When it comes to lightning strikes and the damage they cause
to controller systems, Adrian van Boven has seen it all.
Adrian is assistant General Manager of Hinkler Park Macadamia
Plantation, Bundaberg, Queensland.
"Bundaberg receives its fair share of electrical storms
and each summer, we have strikes on pump sheds, power poles
and/or
strikes in the field. Sometimes we are lucky – there
is only minor damage but large strikes can and do burn
out wires buried in the ground, not to mention the damage
to
the controller itself.” says Adrian.
“
When we were looking to rewire a damaged farm several years
ago, we looked at control options that would better cope
with lightning strikes and be easy to install. In the past,
we used ‘multi-wire irrigation control systems
on our farms. This time we settled on the Rain Bird system
where
we had to run only one cable around the farm, the system
had good ‘range’ and a surge protection system
built into it.
Adrian adds, “Since installation, we have had direct
hits on pump sheds and field solenoids; both times the only
damage was to the Lightning Surge Protection with the controller
and wiring coming through unscathed. Hinkler Park Plantations
has now rewired 4 farms with the Rain Bird system which continues
to be the best irrigation control option that exists for
us on the market today.”
"Bundaberg receives its fair share of electrical storms
and each summer, we have strikes on pump sheds, power poles
and/or
strikes in the field. Sometimes we are lucky – there
is only minor damage but large strikes can and do burn
out wires buried in the ground, not to mention the damage
to
the controller itself.” says Adrian.