Automated Irrigation Project at Kambaliampatti - Making Remote Farm Management Easier

From Irrigation Challenges to a Fully Automated Solution

Managing a farm from hundreds of kilometres away can be challenging, especially when regular irrigation depends heavily on manual labour.

This was the situation faced by our customer, an architect based in Bangalore, who owns around 7-8 acres of agricultural land near Kambaliampatti, close to his native place. Since he visits the farm only occasionally, managing regular irrigation had become a challenge.

The farm is primarily developed with timber-based crops, which generally do not require frequent watering once they are properly established. However, during the initial growth stages, timely and appropriate irrigation is important for healthy plant development.

The customer had appointed labour to take care of the farm, but the irrigation activities were not being carried out consistently. With the additional challenge of labour availability and the owner being based in Bangalore, he was looking for a solution that would reduce manual dependency and ensure that irrigation happened at the right time.

We received this enquiry through Mobitech, and our team visited the farm to understand the existing irrigation system and the customer's requirements.

Understanding the Existing Irrigation System

During our site inspection, we found that the farm was being irrigated directly from a borewell. While the water source itself was not the major concern, the existing irrigation design required improvement.

The borewell was approximately 700 feet deep, and the existing system had been designed with around 70-90 trees under each valve.

Considering the depth of the borewell, the available discharge, and the requirement for uniform irrigation, this arrangement was not an ideal design. Managing too many trees under a single valve can affect the efficiency and uniformity of water distribution.

Rather than simply automating the existing arrangement, we decided to first rework the irrigation design and then automate it.

This is an important part of our approach at Tamilnad Irrigation Equipments - we believe automation works best when the underlying irrigation system itself is properly designed.

Reworking the Irrigation Design

During our inspection, we identified an existing 20,000-litre sump on the farm. Instead of pumping directly from the borewell to the irrigation valves, we decided to make better use of this existing storage facility.

The revised system was planned as follows:

Borewell → 20,000-litre Sump → 3 HP High-Pressure Pump → Mainline → Automated Valves → Drip Irrigation

For this arrangement, we recommended a 3 HP Openwell Submersible high-pressure pump to supply the irrigation network.

This two-stage approach provided better control over the available water and allowed us to separate the water-filling process from the irrigation process.

Once the design was finalized, we moved on to the execution.

1. Automating the Irrigation System

The biggest requirement of the project was to reduce the customer's dependency on labour.

For this, we selected a TCON timer-based automation controller with a wired system.

The automation work included:

• Installation of automated irrigation valves
• Laying and connecting the required control cables
• Installation of a semi-automatic filtration system
• Automation of the borewell filling cycle
• Automation of the sump-based irrigation cycle
• Programming the irrigation schedule according to the farm's requirements

                                                      

                                         

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Since the plantation is predominantly timber based, there was no need to irrigate the farm continuously. Instead, the irrigation schedule was planned according to the crop requirements, ensuring that the trees received adequate water without unnecessary irrigation.

Automating the Borewell and Sump

Previously, the borewell motor had to be operated manually. With the new system, we installed a timer along with a float-based water level controller for the borewell.

The system works in a simple and efficient sequence:

During the Day ☀️

The borewell motor switches on according to the programmed schedule and begins filling the 20,000-litre sump.

Once the sump reaches its required water level, the float-based water level controller automatically switches off the borewell motor.

This eliminates the need for someone to manually monitor the sump.

During the Night 🌙

Instead of irrigating during the hot daytime hours, we programmed the system to irrigate the farm during the night.

The stored water in the sump is pumped through the 3 HP high-pressure openwell submersible pump and distributed through the automated valves and drip irrigation network.

The timer programs were optimised according to the crop and farm requirements, allowing the system to make better use of the stored water while reducing unnecessary evaporation and supporting better water absorption into the soil.

This means the farm can now complete its irrigation cycle with minimal manual intervention.

2. Servicing and Alteration of the Drip System

While working on the automation, our team also inspected the existing drip irrigation network.

We found that several drip laterals, tubes, and outlets were damaged or required replacement.

Rather than limiting our work to automation alone, we decided to carry out an overall service of the drip system as part of the project.

The required:

• Damaged drip tubes
• Laterals
• Outlets and fittings

were replaced wherever necessary to bring the system back to proper working condition.

This ensured that the newly installed automation system was connected to a properly functioning irrigation network.

A Practical Solution for Valve Protection

Another small but useful addition came during the execution stage.

The automated valves required proper protection from external conditions and accidental damage. Instead of purchasing expensive valve chambers, our team came up with a simple and economical solution.

We fabricated valve covers at the site using 200-litre plastic drums, converting them into practical protective covers for the valves.

It was a simple idea, but one that helped keep the project economical while providing the required protection.

Going Beyond Irrigation - Securing the Farm

Since the farm is located slightly away from the main road and the owner is based in Bangalore, security was another practical concern.

During our discussions, we understood that having CCTV surveillance would provide the customer with additional peace of mind when he was away from the farm.

As part of our support, we recommended a reliable CCTV installation professional to the customer. Following our recommendation, a CCTV security system was installed at the farm.

With this addition, the farm now has two important systems working together:

• 💧 Automated irrigation for efficient and scheduled watering
• 📹 CCTV surveillance for improved farm security

This combination makes it much easier for the customer to manage and monitor his property remotely.

Project Outcome

What started as a challenge in managing a remote farm has now been transformed into a reliable and largely automated irrigation system.

The borewell automatically fills the 20,000litres sump during the day, while the stored water is used for night-time drip irrigation through the automated valves. Since the plantation is mainly timber-based and does not require frequent watering once established, the system allows irrigation to be scheduled according to the actual needs of the trees.

We also serviced the existing drip network, replaced damaged components, and added CCTV surveillance to improve farm security.

Most importantly, the entire project was completed within the committed timeframe, leaving the customer highly satisfied with the execution and the overall solution.

Today, the farm is automated, secured, and easier to manage remotely - exactly what the customer was looking for.

Good automation begins with good irrigation design.

📞 Contact Us

Managing your farm from a distance? Facing labour shortages or difficulties with regular irrigation?

Tamilnad Irrigation Equipments can help you design and automate your irrigation system based on your farm's actual requirements.

From drip and sprinkler irrigation to valve automation, pump systems, and filtration, we provide complete irrigation solutions designed for efficient and reliable farm management.

📱 +91 94437 77180
📱 +91 94433 57180

Let's make your farm smarter, more efficient, and less dependent on manual irrigation.