PRE-SEASON PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
When planting and spraying season is upon us and you plan for irrigating crops in the summer, you need to consider what you are asking of your irrigation system. The pivot is the only piece of machinery that a farmer owns that sits out in the elements 365 days a year. The pivot does not get the opportunity to spend the winter in a shed like the combine and planter. However, a pivot, like the other machinery is a substantial investment, and needs to last for many years, performing when you need it most. Ray Mayne wants to remind farmers that performing proper care of the pivot will help their bottom line by providing a greater return on investment.

“Preventative Maintenance is less expensive then reactive maintenance for the farmer because it is done while no crop is in the field. If there is crop in the field, then there would be maintenance cost on top of crop loss.”  Hunter Walls, Walls Irrigation

Before planting season begins, it is important to take a look at your current irrigation systems to see what preventative maintenance can be done to prevent down-time when you need your pivot to run at peak performance later in the season. The team at Ray Mayne suggest focusing on system maintenance rather than repair when failure occurs. Always consult the maintenance section of the owner’s manual of all Reinke products to insure the reliability and longevity of every pivot.

With the Reinke warranty, you have the option of working with Ray Mayne to send out a certified technician to provide preventative maintenance while using Genuine Reinke Parts for any repairs. In order to thoroughly inspect your irrigation system, we have put together a check list of steps to go through in order to achieve peak performance of your irrigation system.

 First, verify safe operating conditions of your pivot in the pre-season. Second, prevent system downtime during critical irrigation periods with minimal maintenance. Finally, extend the longevity of the system through post-season maintenance and winterization to protect your investment. By taking these preventative steps, farmers will have confidence and peace of mind regarding the system’s reliability.

MID SEASON PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
No matter what time of year, it’s important to make sure your pivot is operating in tip top shape. Now that preseason preventative maintenance has come and gone, the next step is to identify what you should focus on during mid season. By following the mid season preventative maintenance checklist, you’ll be able to make sure your pivot is operating smoothly during the peak of the growing season. Once crops are in the midst of the growing season, providing routine maintenance to your pivot can pose additional challenges. The next time your pivot is parked along the edge of the field or close to a pivot road, take some time and inspect the system’s components to make sure they are functioning properly. Locating a potential problem and taking preventative measures to fix it before additional damage may occur will save you crucial downtime and costly repairs.