The pressure on sports turf grounds professionals to deliver top quality playing surfaces has never been greater. It is essential that they team up with manufacturers and partners that understand their needs and can deliver proven, reliable and efficient solutions.  

“The irrigation system is only one of many essential cogs in this complex machine, but it is so important to get it right. Rain Bird have been working hard in recent years to deliver a cohesive package aimed specifically at pitch irrigation and 2024 sees the launch of thenew 11000 series rotor and the new 952 series rotor,” says Simon Edginton, Director of Landscape Watering Systems (LWS), the principal UK Turf distributors for Rain Bird.  

These rotors, when combined with a choice of advanced Rain Bird irrigation controllers and remote smart management options, create a package that offers a host of features that will future proof any facility. Rain Bird’s 11000 Series has the advantage of not requiring the higher operating pressure of many other irrigation rotors. With their full 32 metre radius, the 11000 Series rotors facilitate irrigation over larger areas with uniform coverage and are ideal for in-field use on large sports pitches. The number of heads needed to irrigate a typical pitch is reduced by up to 40%, compared with traditional rotor solutions. This means lower investment costs, fewer components and faster installation. Full and part cycle operation, plus tail nozzles, are available in one unit. 

The larger water droplets produced help to counteract wind drift, prevent water wastage and ensure maximum efficiency. The Seal-A-Matic™ (SAM) check valve also prevents wasteful low-head drainage. To save time, nozzles are pre-installed and can be easily adjusted with a standard screwdriver. An ACME threaded inlet simplifies installation and when it comes to maintenance and adjustments, rather than having to laboriously unscrew the top of the rotor, the Snap Ring action is faster and easier. 

For pitch side installation, Rain Bird’s latest 952 Series Rotors are available in full 360º as well as part circle versions, adjustable from 30º. The throw radius ensures head to head coverage across a complete pitch in conjunction with the 11000 Series. A self-adjusting automatic stator modifies water flow to control rotation speed and ensure consistency. Rapid Adjust technology provides easy arc adjustments and the  MemoryArc® feature retains two part-circle arc settings, so that users can move between full and part-circle operation in seconds. Different nozzles can be accommodated and changed quickly plus a tail nozzle can also be inserted. 

When it comes to irrigation control, Rain Bird’s ESP-LXIVM powerful two-wire controller consigns the use of decoders to the past. The use of smart control modules with integrated latching coils (IVM-SOL) means the need for decoders is eliminated and this results in 50% fewer cable connectors in the field.  

Unlike decoders, these smart modules stay in constant communication with the controller, providing real time system data that simplifies diagnostics and troubleshooting. This is a major consideration for future proofing a system as this real two-way communication provides superior feedback and is unmatched by any other turf control system. Incidentally, this IVM technology is fully proven as it is based on the Rain Bird IC system that has been used on all UK golf projects for the past 10 years. 

The standard ESP-LXIVM supports up to 60 and the Pro version up to 240 stations which can be split across 10 flow zones. 16 stations can be run simultaneously and up to 40 irrigation programs can be set up to meet the needs of the most demanding sites. 

Today’s turf professional expects the convenience of remote irrigation management and a choice of network cartridges are available for access with Rain Bird’s proven IQ4 central control platform. Sports turf installations can be managed through a PC, tablet or smartphone, opening the door to a wide range of advanced management functions. Irrigation programs and schedules can be quickly set and adjusted from anywhere and intelligent scheduling can be employed based on local weather forecasts. Alerts and alarms covering flow monitoring and other operating conditions enable any emerging problems to be detected and addressed quickly. 

LWS also offers alternative Rain Bird controller options (including conventional decoder based units), many of which can also be upgraded to smart control with the addition of the LNK2 WiFi module enabling smaller installations to also be managed remotely through the Rain Bird App. 

Contact LWS for more information and to discuss how LWS and Rain Bird can assist with a specific project. Landscape Watering Systems, Bratch Lane, Dinton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 5EB. T: 0345 230 9697 www.lws.uk.com