Controllers

What makes the FertiGator unique is its ability to precisely control how much fertilizer goes out to each zone.

There are three types of controllers distinguished by the number of zones and injectors it can control.

Increasing the Number of Zones
If you have more than 8 zones on your property you can easily link additional controllers to handle 16, 24 or 32 zones. All you need to do is purchase an additional controller of the right type which includes a connector to link them together.

The FertiGator AR-3 Controller
For complex properties we recommend using the FertiGator AR-3 Controller. The AR-3 controller is the most exciting innovation in the entire field of non-agricultural fertigation. The FertiGator AR-3 is a 40-zone controller that independently controls three different injectors. It can be used with any combination of three M or Pro Series single or double injectors.

There is nothing that the AR-3 Can't do! The AR-3 can deliver turf fertilizer only to the turf zones, flower food only to the garden zones and other specialty lawn care products to where they are needed most.

Using three double injectors working in tandem, the AR-3 can deliver up to six times the fertilizer that the M1 Kit can deliver. By linking more than one AR-3 there is virtually no limit to the size or complexity of property you can manage!

How Controllers Work
The controller is wired into the sprinkler system controller and is usually mounted beside it. When a sprinkler zone activates, the FertiGator reads this and causes the injector to pulse which sends fertilizer out into the line. The FertiGator injects just one milliliter (one cubic centimeter) per pulse.

Each irrigation zone on the controller is programmed to deliver precisely the right amount of fertilizer for that zone. Injection rates may vary from as high as 19 pulses every two minutes to one pulse every eight minutes. A zone can also be programmed at 0 pulses if necessary.

The top row of green lights on the FertiGator 8-zone controller represents the zones. They are also used to program the pulse period. The controller tells the FertiGator injector when to pulse based on the settings for that zone. The settings range from 0 to 19 for each zone and are represented by the second row of lights on the controller. The 0 (red, first light) setting does not deliver any fertilizer. The 19 setting is the maximum setting. The FertiGator injector delivers the number of milliliters of fertilizer displayed (from 0 to 19) evenly spaced during the pulse period. The pulse period is the amount of time it takes to deliver the specified number of pulses. For example, if the zone is set at 10 pulses and the pulse period is set at 3, the FertiGator will pulse 10 times every 3 minutes that the zone is open, every time you water.

You will notice gradual greening of your lawn and vegetation instead of the usual surge of growth. This is desired for the health of your lawn and landscape. The FertiGator can regulate foliar growth. If after a month or so of use you feel you want the lawn to be greener you can increase the pulse rate on all or some of your zones. If on the other hand you wish to mow your lawn less, you can reduce the pulse setting on some or all of the zones. The FertiGator gives you maximum flexibility to balance your desired growth with your desired look.

FertiGator controllers have non-volatile memory, which means that they can be turned off without losing the program that was entered, even for an entire winter.