What are the maintenance methods for a center pivot irrigation machine?

The maintenance of an irrigation machine plays a decisive role in the irrigation of pastures, grasslands and meadows. It not only ensures that the irrigation machine will continue to run powerfully in the field in the future, but also more effectively saves irrigation costs and improves irrigation efficiency. So how should a center pivot irrigation machine be maintained?

1. Drainage. After the harvest season and before the ground freezes, run the equipment with water for one week. The purpose is to clean the irrigation machine and to preserve soil moisture and prevent dust. Then carry out the drainage of the reservoir, water pump and buried pipeline.

Note: When the temperature is below 4°C, irrigation is prohibited. Because water evaporation absorbs heat, when the temperature is below 4°C, sprinkler irrigation will cause the temperature near the equipment to drop below 0°C, and the condensed water attached to the span body will freeze into ice. If irrigation continues for a long time, ice hangings will form, which will crush and collapse the equipment.

If short-term irrigation is needed, a dedicated person must watch it at all times and be ready to stop the machine at any moment.

2. Correct parking of the equipment

In order to prevent harsh wind and sand from eroding the irrigation machine body, the equipment should be parked along or against the wind direction, rather than across the wind direction; avoid the equipment straddling roads to prevent accidental collisions or damage by pedestrians; park the equipment along the ridges to avoid the equipment being perpendicular to the field ridges. When the equipment is longer than 8 spans, it is recommended to remove the last 3 span bodies.

3. Maintenance of the center point

1. Open the drain outlet at the lower part of the center point and discharge the remaining water from the center point.

2. Check that the nuts are tightened in place, with the end of every bolt shank protruding 2-3 threads beyond the nut.

3. The circuit wiring is unobstructed, with no aging/damage and no loose connections.

4. The plug nut on the upper part of the collector ring is fully tightened.

5. Clean the sand and dust inside the control cabinet.

6. Clean the collector ring: open the plastic protective cover of the collector ring, clean the sand and dust inside the collector ring, check the wiring inside the collector ring, and use a screwdriver to retighten the span body cable connections.

4. Protection of electrical components. Winter wind and sand will enter the control cabinet of the irrigation machine, the center point collector ring and the interior of the span body tower boxes, affecting the service life of the electrical components inside. Therefore, users are advised to wrap the equipment's center point control cabinet, collector ring and all tower boxes with sturdy plastic sheeting.

5. Preventing the irrigation machine pipeline from freezing and cracking

1. Rinse the equipment

After the irrigation season ends, pump water to clean the irrigation machine and wash away any foreign matter that may remain in the pipe.

2. Drain the center point

Open the drain outlet at the lower part of the equipment center point and discharge the remaining water from the center point.

3. Check the automatic drain valves

The red automatic drain valve above the tower of each span of the equipment needs to be checked manually. If the automatic drain valve is blocked by sand, stones, etc., the remaining water in the span body cannot be discharged automatically, so the operator needs to check it manually.

4. Rinse the sand discharge outlet

Open the sand discharge outlet above the drive tower of the equipment's end span and discharge the remaining water in the cantilever.

5. Drain the underground pipeline

Open the drain valve of the underground water supply pipeline and discharge the water in the pipeline.

6. Drain the center point water pump

Drain the center point water pump that provides secondary water lifting for the irrigation machine.

6. Maintenance of the span body and sprinklers

1. Looking up from below the truss, carefully observe the truss angle steel assembly, tension rod clamping plates, pipe flanges, reinforcing plates and tower diagonal brace nut positions, so that the nuts are tightened in place, with the end of every bolt shank protruding 2-3 threads beyond the nut.

2. In order to prevent the sprinklers and drop tubes from being damaged by the strong winter wind.

(1). Iron drop tubes

Some equipment uses iron drop tubes. Remove these iron pipes in order, mark the sprinklers and pressure regulators according to their original positions, clean them and store them in the warehouse.

(2). Plastic drop tubes

Some equipment uses plastic drop tubes. Tie these plastic pipes together with the counterweights onto the span body angle iron. Remove the sprinklers in order, clean them and store them in the warehouse.

7. Maintenance of the tower frame

1. Check that there is no gap between the five bolts of the reducer and the fastening plate.

2. The tire casing is undamaged, the nuts are tightened in place, with the end of every bolt shank protruding 2-3 threads beyond the nut. Check whether the tire pressure of each span of the equipment is normal. If a tire leaks, it will be damaged during the entire winter parking period. It needs to be inflated or repaired in time.

3. There is no gap between the motor junction box bolts and the fastening plate, and the fixing nuts are tightened in place. The plastic plugs are not loose.

4. The coupling nuts are tightened in place, with the end of every bolt shank protruding 2-3 threads beyond the nut.

5. The tower frame braces and tower frame ladder nuts are tightened in place, with the end of every bolt shank protruding 2-3 threads beyond the nut.

6. The tower box nuts are tightened in place, with the end of every bolt shank protruding 2-3 threads beyond the nut, and there are no loose wire connections.

7. After tightening in place, gently shake the automatic drain valve so that there is enough gap between the automatic drain valve and the short connector to completely drain the remaining water in the pipeline.

8. Tightly wrap the motor, tower box and tires with plastic sheeting to prevent wind-blown sand and rain and snow from entering.

9. Carry out maintenance on the wheel reducer.

(1). Drain the dirty oil: slowly loosen plug A to let the gear oil flow out slowly; when the gear oil becomes transparent, plug the plug back in and tighten the seal.

(2). Add new oil: open plug B and pour in new oil

(3). Oil filling time: if the oil level is higher than the worm gear and worm, there is no need to refill oil; otherwise, refill oil

(4). Gear oil type: 85W-140, GL-5 (ZIMMATIC)

Note: Carry out the above operations only after the equipment has been running for 4 years or has run for a full 4000 hours, but customers may decide for themselves according to their needs.

8. Cantilever maintenance

1. Check whether the fixing bolts of the cantilever diagonal steel wire rope are secure and whether the fixing pins are loose; if so, refasten or replace them.

2. Open the sand discharge outlet above the drive tower of the equipment's end span, discharge the remaining water in the cantilever, rinse the sand discharge outlet clean at the same time, and then reinstall the sand discharge outlet.

9. Other checks. For the water pump, transformer and other equipment that supply water and power to the equipment, close the drain valve of the buried pipeline, open the outlet gate valve, and do the relevant fire prevention and anti-theft work.