October 28, 2018
Troy Ingram-Extension Educator
Irrigation season has wrapped up here in Nebraska. Now is a good time to evaluate you center pivot to make sure it is ready for winter and for another growing season. Here is a quick list of things to look at before winter sets in.
- Flushing the system
- If you have water quality issues or if your well is pumping some sand
- Clean out the sand trap
- Drain water from all pipe above ground
- Panel boxes
- Check for loose or damaged connections
- Seal up openings to avoid rodent damage
- Structure
- Check sprinkler chart for proper sprinkler placement
- Check for worn or broken components, sprinklers and regulators
- Replace every 7,000 – 10,000 hours
- Check for boots, gaskets, and mid-drains for leaks
- Drive train
- Drain water from gearboxes and top off with the proper lubricant
- Check knuckles for wear and make sure shields are in place
- Check tire pressure
- Pivot tracks
- Fill tracks in the fall so they can firm up over the winter
- Park pivot
- Position system parallel to prevailing winds
- Park on level surface not in an old track so the system can expand/contract with the freezing temperatures
- Lock out and secure system
- We don’t want the system to be turned on during the offseason without the grower’s knowledge. Ice buildup could take the system down.
- Clean up vegetation
- Around pivot point and well
- Make the space less inviting to rodents
- Chemigation pumps
- Drain and clean pump and hoses
- Protect from cattle
- If grazing cattle on stalks, protect the system and pumping plant from cattle
It is a good idea to make notes of problems that you encountered during the growing season while they are fresh in your mind!
This article was reviewed by Steve Melvin & Aaron Nygren