Trainer on Advanced Irrigation Systems & Automation

Freelance Trainer required (Only Trainers must apply)

Course Title:
Advanced Irrigation Systems & Automation with Netafim, Hunter ACC2 (75‑Station) & Rain Bird Controllers

Duration: 5 Days (approx. 7–8 hours per day)
Format: Classroom + Hands‑on labs + Field / demo site work

1. Course Overview

This 5‑day program gives participants a solid foundation in irrigation system design, operation, and troubleshooting, with a strong focus on automated control systems using:

• Netafim controllers (e.g., NMC‑Pro, NetBeat platforms for irrigation/fertigation) Netafim+2ManualsLib+2
• Hunter ACC2 75‑station decoder controller (ACC2 Decoder series) Hunter Irrigation+2Hunter Irrigation+2
• Rain Bird ESP‑LX series controllers (LXME / LXME2 / LXIVM families) Rainbird+3Rainbird+3Rainbird+3

The course blends hydraulic fundamentals with practical programming, commissioning, and fault‑finding on real or simulated controller hardware. By the end, participants will be able to design, program, operate and maintain modern automated irrigation systems for landscapes, turf, agriculture, and commercial sites.

2. Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Fundamentals & Design

• Explain core irrigation concepts: soil‑water‑plant relationships, evapotranspiration (ET), application rate, distribution uniformity, and system efficiency.
• Interpret basic hydraulic parameters (flow, pressure, friction loss) and apply them to pipe sizing and station layout.
• Identify and specify key system components: pumps, filters, valves, emitters, drippers, sprinklers, sensors, and communication wiring.

Automation & Controllers

• Describe the architecture of automated irrigation systems (field wiring, decoders, communication buses, sensors, fertigation units).
• Program Netafim controllers for irrigation and fertigation schedules, including sensor‑based and weather‑based adjustment. ManualsLib+1
• Configure and program a Hunter ACC2 75‑station decoder controller, including stations, programs, flow sensors, and alarms. Hunter Irrigation+2Hunter Irrigation+2
• Configure Rain Bird ESP‑LX series controllers (conventional and 2‑wire) for multiple programs, flow management and water windows. Rainbird+3Rainbird+3Rainbird+3

Operation, Monitoring & Troubleshooting

• Commission new installations: valve mapping, station verification, pressure and flow checks, and sensor calibration.
• Diagnose and rectify common electrical and hydraulic faults (wiring issues, short circuits, valve failures, low pressure, clogged filters).
• Use built‑in diagnostics, logs, and alarms in Netafim, Hunter ACC2 and Rain Bird controllers to troubleshoot system issues.
• Optimize schedules for water saving and energy efficiency while maintaining landscape/crop quality.
• Develop basic standard operating procedures (SOPs) and documentation for ongoing operation and maintenance.

3. Target Audience

This course is designed for:

• Irrigation contractors and technicians
• Grounds and facilities managers (golf courses, stadiums, campuses, parks)
• Farm and estate managers using drip/micro, sprinkler, or mixed systems
• Landscape architects/irrigation designers who want practical controller skills
• Municipal water and parks department staff
• Technical sales/support staff for irrigation suppliers and distributors

4. Training Methodology

• Interactive classroom sessions – short lectures, live demos, Q&A, case studies.
• Hands‑on controller labs – programming exercises on Netafim, Hunter ACC2, and Rain Bird controller hardware or simulators.
• Field / demo‑site sessions – valve boxes, decoders, wiring, pressure measurements, sensor checks.
• Group design exercises – small teams to design and sequence a system for a sample site.
• Scenario‑based fault finding – simulated breakdowns and alarms to practice structured troubleshooting.
• Daily quizzes & final practical assessment – to cement learning and give measurable outcomes.

6. Detailed 5‑Day Course Plan

Times are indicative; adjust to your local schedule and hardware availability.

Day 1 – Irrigation Fundamentals & System Components

Morning

• Session 1: Introduction & Safety (1 hr)
• Course structure, assessment and expectations
• Electrical and hydraulic safety around pumps, valves, controllers
• Lock‑out/tag‑out basics; safe use of test equipment
• Session 2: Soil–Water–Plant & Irrigation Methods (1.5 hrs)
• Soil texture, infiltration rate, field capacity, wilting point
• ET, crop coefficients, irrigation frequency and run time
• Surface, sprinkler, and drip/micro irrigation – pros/cons, appropriate use
• Session 3: Hydraulics Essentials (1.5 hrs)
• Pressure, flow, friction loss, elevation effects
• Reading pump curves; mainline and lateral sizing concepts
• Practical mini‑exercise: calculate pressure and flow at a distant station

Afternoon

• Session 4: System Components & Architecture (2 hrs)
• Pumps, filters, valves, air valves, pressure regulators
• Emitters, sprinklers, dripline layout, mainline and lateral layout
• Overview of conventional vs. 2‑wire/decoder systems
• Typical architecture of Netafim, Hunter ACC2, Rain Bird ESP‑LX systems
• Lab 1: Component Identification & Basic Assembly (1.5 hrs)
• Hands‑on inspection of valves, solenoids, filters, drippers, sprinklers
• Build a simple manifold with valves and dripline
• Demonstration of pressure and flow differences with different nozzles

Day 2 – System Design, Zoning & Introduction to Automation

Morning

• Session 5: Irrigation Zoning & Station Layout (2 hrs)
• Criteria for grouping plants and sprinklers into zones/stations
• Matching precipitation rates and head spacing
• Calculating run times based on ET and application rate
• Exercise: design zones for a small landscape/golf fairway/farm block
• Session 6: Wiring Basics & Sensors (1.5 hrs)
• Low‑voltage control wiring basics, gauge selection, splices
• 2‑wire/decoder design rules (loop vs. radial, maximum distances) Hunter Irrigation+1
• Common sensors: rain/freeze, soil moisture, flow meters, pressure switches

Afternoon

• Session 7: Introduction to Controllers & Programming Concepts (2 hrs)
• Generic controller concepts: stations, programs, start times, run times, cycles/soak, seasonal adjustment
• Manual vs. automatic mode; master valve / pump start
• Overview:
• Netafim (NMC‑Pro, NetBeat / NetMCU overview) Netafim+2Netafim USA+2
• Hunter ACC2 (conventional vs. decoder) Hunter Irrigation+2Hunter Irrigation+2
• Rain Bird ESP‑LX (LXME, LXME2, LXIVM series) Rainbird+3Rainbird+3Rainbird+3
• Lab 2: Generic Controller Programming Exercise (1.5 hrs)
• Using training controllers or software simulators
• Create simple programs: turf vs shrub zones, different start times
• Introduce cycle‑and‑soak to prevent runoff

Day 3 – Netafim Automation & Fertigation

Morning

• Session 8: Netafim Controller Hardware & Architecture (1.5 hrs)
• Overview of NMC‑Pro and/or NetBeat NetMCU hardware and I/O capacity ManualsLib+2Netafim USA+2
• Wiring to valves, pumps, fertigation units, filters and sensors
• Communication options (PC/remote, RTU concepts where applicable) Netafim USA+1
• Session 9: Netafim Irrigation Programming (2 hrs)
• Creating irrigation programs by time, volume, and conditions ManualsLib+1
• Calendar‑based, ET‑based, and sensor‑triggered irrigation
• Grouping valves and handling long‑run irrigation (e.g., >24h scenarios)

Afternoon

• Session 10: Netafim Fertigation & Filter Automation (1.5 hrs)
• Dosing channels, EC/pH control, fertigation by time vs proportional to flow ManualsLib+2Netafim USA+2
• Automatic filter flushing sequences
• Safety considerations: chem handling, injection lockouts
• Lab 3: Netafim Practical Programming & Diagnostics (2 hrs)
• Step‑by‑step programming of:
• A multi‑valve irrigation schedule
• A basic fertigation program (simulated)
• Running test programs; viewing logs/history
• Simulated issues: sensor failure, valve not responding, flow outside expected range – and how to diagnose in the controller
• Mini‑Assessment & Q&A (0.5 hr)
• Short quiz on Netafim concepts
• Open Q&A on participants’ own Netafim installations

Day 4 – Hunter ACC2 (75 Stations) & Rain Bird ESP‑LX Controllers

Morning – Hunter ACC2

• Session 11: Hunter ACC2 75‑Station Decoder Controller Overview (1.5 hrs)
• ACC2 decoder architecture, station and flow capacity (75‑225 stations, multiple flow sensors, multiple P/MV outputs) SiteOne Landscape Supply+3Hunter Irrigation+3Hunter Irrigation+3
• Conventional vs. decoder configurations
• Design considerations for 2‑wire paths (distances, branching, grounding) Hunter Irrigation+1
• Session 12: ACC2 Programming & Flow Management (1.5 hrs)
• Creating and managing up to 32 programs, start times, station groups/blocks Hunter Irrigation+2SiteOne Landscape Supply+2
• Flow monitoring, flow zones, and alarm responses
• Simultaneous station operation and hydraulic management
• Lab 4A: ACC2 Hands‑On (1.5 hrs)
• Mapping decoders/stations to field valves (on a trainer or simulated wiring)
• Creating programs for different areas with flow‑based scheduling
• Simulate a high‑flow leak; observe and respond to alarms

Afternoon – Rain Bird ESP‑LX

• Session 13: Rain Bird ESP‑LX Series Overview (1.5 hrs)
• ESP‑LXME / LXME2 (modular up to 48 stations) & ESP‑LXIVM (2‑wire up to 60/240 stations) Rainbird+3Rainbird+3Rainbird+3
• Expansion modules, Flow Smart modules, and Smart Valve Technology
• Typical landscape/golf/commercial applications
• Session 14: Rain Bird ESP‑LX Programming & Water Management (1.5 hrs)
• Programs, start times, station settings, water windows and seasonal adjust
• Flow management features (FloWatch, FloManager, SimulStations, etc.) Rainbird+1
• Use with weather sensors and central control where applicable
• Lab 4B: ESP‑LX Hands‑On (1.5 hrs)
• Add station modules and configure new stations
• Create multiple programs with different water windows
• Test a flow or sensor alarm scenario and practice corrective actions

Day 5 – Integration, Troubleshooting, Optimization & Assessment

Morning

• Session 15: Integrated System Operation & Commissioning (2 hrs)
• Checklist for commissioning new automated systems (all brands)
• Valve and station verification, pressure/flow confirmation
• Sensor installation checks: flow meters, rain/soil moisture sensors
• Documenting final settings and as‑built drawings
• Session 16: Structured Troubleshooting (1.5 hrs)
• Systematic approach: symptom → isolate → test → diagnose → remedy
• Electrical faults: shorted solenoids, open circuits, decoder conflicts
• Hydraulic faults: pressure loss, air locks, clogging, leaks
• Using controller diagnostics (Netafim, ACC2, ESP‑LX) to shorten fault‑finding time

Afternoon

• Session 17: Optimization & Water/Energy Saving (1.5 hrs)
• Applying ET data and soil moisture feedback to fine‑tune schedules
• Use of cycle‑and‑soak, station priority, and simultaneity to reduce pump energy
• Practical examples of water savings after re‑programming controllers
• Group Project: Design & Program a Complete System (1.5–2 hrs)
• Teams receive a sample site (e.g., sports field complex, estate, farm block) with:
• Map, plant types, water source limits, and hardware list
• Tasks:
• Propose zone layout and basic hydraulic concept
• Select controller brand and architecture (Netafim / ACC2 / Rain Bird)
• Create a program strategy (programs, start times, flow management)
• Each team presents their design and reasoning.
• Final Assessment & Feedback (0.5–1 hr)
• Short written quiz + practical demonstration (e.g., set up a program and resolve a fault)
• Individual feedback and recommendations for further development
• Course debrief and next‑steps (advanced modules, certification routes, etc.)

Job Types: Part-time, Temporary
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: AED75.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week