Tips

Here are some helpful tips!

Winterizing Your Center Pivot

When you are preparing your center pivot for the winter take care to park your pivot properly into or with the prevailing winds (northwest or southeast).

While you are parking your pivot for the winter, do the following checks; they could save you repairs in the spring.

Remove the sand trap cap, flush the system and replace the trap.
Close and cover any areas where the pesky rodents can enter, check your motor and pump openings.
Inspect the sprinklers. Take note of the location or make repairs to any that are broken or were observed to not work properly.
Grease fittings are located on the pivot, steel u-joints, and on any towable gearboxes make sure they are greased with good quality grease.
Ensure the main control box disconnect is in the off position.

Check Gearboxes

Remove drain plug just long enough to drain any condensed water.
Fill gear boxes so the oil level is just above the worm gear. Change oil after the first year of service and every three years thereafter.
DO NOT overfill as this may result in seal damage.
Grease the Grease Zerks every fall and spring if they are on your gearbox.
Reinke recommends using SAE 85W140 Oil
To increase the life of your gear box use Sprinkler Lube 1200

Check Center Drives

Remove drain plug just long enough to drain any condensed water.
Fill Center Drive so oil reaches the threads of the oil fill hole. Change oil after the first year of service and every three years thereafter.
DO NOT over fill as this may result in seal damage.
Reinke recommends using a good quality SAE 50W or AWE 20W-50 Multi-viscosity engine oil.
To increase the life of your Center Drive use Sprinkler Lube 220

Drain the booster pump case.

Drain all water carrying lines (booster pump line, boom back valve manifold lines).
Drain Electric Wafer Valve bodies (i.e Nelson Valves, X-Cad Valves).

Make sure all drive train components are protected from livestock damage if they are pastured with your machine.

Maintenance During the Season

During the irrigation season many of us are very busy but we must not forget to check the following things.

Check the built in voltmeter on the main control panel inner door, make sure it reads the proper voltage. If it does not find out why and correct it. This will prevent damage to the drive motors and other electrical components.

Grease the fittings on the pivot, at any steel u-joints and on any towable gearboxes approximately three times a season, depending on use, with good quality grease.

Check tire pressures, oil leakage from gearboxes, or for structural damage from the result of severe storms, etc.

Check the alignment of the system.

Check the strainer on your End Gun (this should be checked once a year)

Check the sand trap regularly for sand or debris. If it is full clean it out and with the trap out, flush the system. Replace the trap once the system is flushed. The sand trap may need to checked weekly if the water supply is dirty or the well is pumping a large amount of sand.

Check your alignment during the season if it becomes misaligned your local Reinke Dealer can help.

Spring Start up Checklist for Your Center Pivot

With the end of winter in sight, checking all the parts of your center pivot is beneficial before start up of your machine. The following are some easy steps to check this spring.

Check all electrical control panels and tower boxes.
Check for any chewed wires, control switches, or for damage caused by urine (rodent urine that is, not human!).

Check for loose bolts, nails or screws. Freezing and thawing during the fall, winter and spring seasons, as well as, the use of the machine last year can cause these to come loose. This can result in a poor electrical connection or wires accidently touching each other or other electrical components.

Look for any protective screens that are missing or damaged as these are easy ways for rodents to enter your electrical system and replace.

If you find any rodent damage locate where they are coming in and plug the hole.

Check for any blown fuses in your panels.

Check to make sure your copper ground wire is connected to the ground rod (NOTE- proper grounding of electric pivots extremely important. Improper grounding can be a major safety concern)
Make sure you check for this type of damage before starting up as some components could explode and you could be hurt if you are standing in the way.

Check all motor opening to ensure that the screens are intact. Replace screens that are damaged as these prevent the rodents from entering. You can use a 1/4” mesh to cover the openings.

Check Gearboxes

Remove drain plug just long enough to drain any condensed water.
Fill gear boxes so the oil level is just above the worm gear. Change oil after the first year of service and every three years thereafter.
DO NOT overfill as this may result in seal damage.
Grease the Grease Zerks every fall and spring if they are on your gearbox.
Reinke recommends using SAE 85W140 Oil
To increase the life of your gear box use Sprinkler Lube 1200

Check Center Drives

Remove drain plug just long enough to drain any condensed water.
Fill Center Drive so oil reaches the threads of the oil fill hole. Change oil after the first year of service and every three years thereafter.
DO NOT over fill as this may result in seal damage.
Reinke recommends using a good quality SAE 50W or AWE 20W-50 Multi-viscosity engine oil.
To increase the life of your Center Drive use Sprinkler Lube 220

Check the Tire Pressure

Check tires for cracks and weathering
Check rims for any damage near the bead of the tire.
Check your valve stem for wear or damage.
Check all lugs to ensure they are tight.

Make a visual check of your system making sure that nothing has become loose during the down months.

Grease fittings are located on the pivot center, towable gearboxes, and on the optional Steel u-joints. These should be greased with good quality grease.

Flush the System

Place the Disconnect Switch in the off position.
Make sure the system is not under pressure and then remove the sand trap cap.

Pump water through the system. This will flush out any foreign materials that may plug the sprinkler heads or valves. Replace the sand trap cap

Check your sprinklers & nozzles to make sure they are in good condition using the Tips on inspecting your sprinkler and nozzles.

Slowly pressure your system, as regulators are sensitive to water hammer.

Check that the regulators are working properly, watch the sprinklers irrigation and look for irregularities.

Check the function of the Low pressure drains by pushing each on upward with a rotating motion. These drains are located on the bottom of each hook joint, the last tower top, and on the end boom pipe.

All automatic controls such as Auto Stop, End Gun, Tower Auto-Stop, and Tower Autoo-Reverse should be cycled for proper operation (consult your Reinke Dealer or authorized Service Technician for assistance).

If your system uses generator belts check them for proper tension. Before starting the engine remove any rodent’s nests from the engine fan cover.

The Main Control Panel Switches should be cycled and checked for proper system operation.

Tips on Controlling Wheel Track Ruts Under Center Pivots

Are you having problems with the wheel tracks your center pivot makes? Are they 12 inches deep or deeper? Well here are some ways to help control the tracks.

Try to allow the soil to dry between irrigations.
Make sure your tires are inflated properly.
If you have pooling in your tracks reduce the amount of water you are putting on at that location.
Make sure your machine is running on a proper schedule for watering.
Using your plow or blade to build a ridge where the tracks are (pull soil from both sides of your track) so there is a small road for them to follow.
Put directional sprinklers on either side of the tower as this help with keeping the water away from the tire tracks.
Use shorter spans (130’ to 175’) between towers as they have less weight than long spans.
In your low spots on the field, you can fill the wheel tracks with crushed rocks to help with the deep ruts.