Equipment Testing

The Center for Irrigation Technology (CIT) is the only independent laboratory in the United States specializing in testing and evaluating irrigation equipment. CIT plays a leading role in the development of national and international standards for irrigation equipment and testing procedures. Our lab, field and educational activities address both both agricultural and turf/landscape irrigation and drainage. CIT's expertise and sphere of activity are recognized worldwide.

SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES

Principle areas of activity include product testing and evaluation, standards development and implementation, information and technology transfer and analytical studies.

DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS

The Center is retained by the Irrigation Association (IA) to conduct industry reviews of draft ISO (International Standards Organization) standards, to summarize the results and to draft the United States' position for transmittal to ISO. The Center's staff review industry and national standards as they are being prepared, and vote through appropriate ASAE and IA committees on their final adoption. In support of its testing program, the Center also develops standardized test procedures for equipment evaluations where other applicable standards are lacking.

Non-standard testing procedures have been designed and implemented to meet specialized needs. An example of this is a test for the mechanical strength of gear sets in valve worm gear actuators.

EQUIPMENT TESTING AND EVALUATION

CIT has developed a state-of-the-art hydraulics lab for testing irrigation equipment. Manufacturers (Hunter, Nelson, Netafim, Roberts); researchers (UC Davis, USDA); and other countries (Australia, Republic of China, Italy, Zimbabwe) have used CIT's lab as a model for developing or revising their own. The lab has received certification from organizations including ASSE (American Society of Sanitation Engineering), IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials), UL (Underwriters Lab oraory), UL of Canada, the Canadian Standards Association, several cities, states and local agencies.

A wide variety of irrigation equipment is tested in the laboratory for appropriate performance parameters. Equipment tested includes sprinklers, valves, drip emitters, micro-sprayers and sprinklers, drip hose, filters, pressure/flow regulators, backflow prevention devices, water meters, pipes, fittings, air and vacuum valves, soil moisture sensing devices, valve actuators, irrigation controllers, and specialized irrigation machinery.

CIT staff consults on product development and application. Test results are presented in a computer format suitable for use in technical reports and sales literature.

POTENTIAL TESTING SERVICE USERS

The service is of value to the following organizations:

Manufacturers

New product design development, evaluation, quality control, etc.
Design data for sales and technical literature.
Evaluation of competitor's products. Failure analysis.

Consultants

Verification of manufacturer's literature. Quality control.

Users

Verification of manufacturer's literature.
Applicability of performance data to system design.
Specialized product testing. Failure analysis.

Governmental Organizations

Product testing to applicable standards.
Development of standards and practices.

Educational Institutions

Development of design data to support course offerings.

DESCRIPTION OF LAB TESTING SERVICES

Indoor sprinkler testing to a 100 ft. (30.5 m) wetted radius.Outdoor sprinkler testing to any wetted radius and capacity.Hydraulic testing of valves, fittings, etc. to 6000 gpm (380 L/s).Component leakage and burst pressure testing to 1500 psi (10,400 kPa).Component operating pressure testing to 200 psi (1,370 kPa) depending on flowAir and vacuum relief valve testing to 125 psig (860 kPa) pressure and 6.0 psig (40.0 kPa) vacuum.Elevated temperature testing of components to 180°F (82°C).Valve closing speed determinations to 600 gpm (38 L/s).Performance tests on filters (headloss and particle separation efficiency).Cyclic endurance testing.Drip emitter testing to characterize manufacturing uniformity and determine pressure and temperature relationships.Quantified characterization of sprinkler drop spectrums.Component failure analysis.Material quality testing on polyethylene (ESCRIgepal) and polyvinyl chloride (acetone).Electron microscope inspection.

PARTIAL LISTING OF CIT CUSTOMERS

Agricultural Products Inc., Ontario, CA
American AVK Company, Fresno, CA
American Cyanamid Company, Stamford, CT
Ames Company, Woodland, CA
Antelco Corporation, Longwood, FL
Aquapore Moisture Systems, Phoenix, AZ
Automata, Inc., Grass Valley, CA
Big Canyon Country Club, Newport Beach, CA
Bowsmith Inc., Exeter, CA
Boyle Engineering Corp., Fresno, CA
Buckner Inc., Fresno, CA
CBG Enterprises (Gravi-Chek), San Diego, CA Champion Irrigation, Los Angeles, CA Chapin Watermatics, Inc., Watertown, NY
City of Newark, Newark, NJ
Claude Laval Corp., Fresno, CA
Dig Corporation, San Marcos, CA
Drip-In Irrigation, Fresno, CA
Dura Plastic Products, Inc., Beaumont, CA
E.I. Dupont, Wilmington, DE
Febco Division of CMB Ind., Fresno, CA
Geoflow SDI, San Francisco, CA
Greenscape Irrigation, Inc., Greenlawn, NY
Hardie Irrigation, Laguna Niguel, CA
Harkers Hollow Golf Club, Phillipsburg, NJ
HIT Products Corp., Lindsay, CA
Hunter Industries, San Marcos, CA
Inverness Golf Club, Toledo, OH
Iowa Export-Import Trading Co., DesMoines, IA
Irridelco International Corp., Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Irrometer Co., Inc., Riverside, CA
J.M. Lord, Inc., Fresno, CA
K-Rain, Riviera Beach, FL
Materials Processing Corp., Minneapolis, MN
MWD of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Nantucket Cranberries, Middleboro, MA
Nelson Irrigation Corporation, Walla Walla, WA
Netafim Irrigation Inc., Fresno, CA
Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Fresno, CA
Paramount Farms, Kettleman City, CA
Pepco WCP, Inc., Fresno, CA
P.G.A. West, LaQuinta, CA
Plastro Irrigation Inc., Suisan, CA
PotLatch Corp., Boardman, OR
Rain Bird Sales, Inc., Glendora, CA
R & G Sloane Mfg. Co., Sun Valley, CA
Richdel/Garden America, Carson City, NV
Roberts Irrigation Products, Inc., San Marcos, CA
Safe-T-Lawn, Inc., Miami, FL
Santa Ana Country Club, Santa Ana, CA
SCGA Members Club, Murrieta, CA
Senninger Irrigation, Inc., Orlando, FL
Southern California Edison, San Dimas, Ca
Superior Farming Co., Bakersfield, CA
Systematic Irrigation Cont. Inc., Newport Beach, CA
The Toro Company, Riverside, CA
Thompson Mfg. Co., Chino, CA
T-Systems International Inc., San Diego, CA
Turlock Irrigation District, Turlock, CA
Wade Mfg. International, Fresno, CAWadsworth Golf Construction Co., Plainfield, IL
Weather-Tec Corp., Fresno, CA
Western Ag Products, Los Angeles CA
Zurn Industries/Wilkins, Paso Robles, CA