One of the top questions we heard over the last several months at the tradeshows was whether the HydroMover was a kit that could retrofit a gas-powered wheel line mover. The short answer is no it is not. It is a standalone wheel line mover. The HydroMover is a one-to-one replacement for the legacy gas-powered movers. So, you simply roll out the existing gas mover, and roll in the HydroMover and you are set to go! The HydroMover is compatible with standard 4” or 5” pipes and has a universal flange that will fit either a 6 or 8 bolt pattern.
What is a bolt-on kit?
So, for the long answer. First let’s look at what a bolt-on retrofit kit is. There are a few irrigation companies out there right now that offer a system that bolts onto your existing wheel line mover. These systems replace the gas-powered motor with an electric motor, batteries and solar panel. These systems struggle with reliability because they attempt to power not only the motor itself, but also the hydraulics. Hydraulics are power-hungry. As a result, these systems can have a hard time maintaining the power to move the line where you need it to go.
The HydroMover Difference
The HydroMover is a standalone mover and is built a bit different from standard gas wheelline movers. One difference is that we have no hydraulics. This is important because our units do not have any hydraulic “let off” when the machine is stationary while irrigating, or standing in the field in the off season. The combination of our gear ratio (468:1) and the electric motor in our power train prevents the machine from being blown around in the wind – or “free-wheeling.” Without the power hungry hydraulics, our solar system is able to charge the batteries quickly. One set move of approximately 60’ requires only minutes to top up the batteries. Our system sips on energy compared to the units electrifying the hydraulic movers.
Interested in learning more? Give us a call or shoot us an email, we’d be happy to answer your questions!
