save up to 90% Chemical
System
WEED-IT is a plant detection technology that applies chemical only to the target instead of spraying bare ground.
Intelligent sensors sample the ground 40,000 times per second searching for living plant matter up to speeds of 15mph. The WEED-IT system measures the ground speed and will adjust application timing so that the target is within the spray pattern.
WEED-IT runs on a standard 12 volt system. Power is connected directly to the battery and runs to an interface box. The interface box does many tasks, one of them is to invert 12 volts up to 48 volts. A low voltage system suffers high power loss over large distances, so to overcome this WEED-IT inverts 12 volts to higher voltage levels so that power loss across large 133ft booms is minimized.
One interface box has enough power to run a 133ft system without any additional components.
History
The development of WEED-IT began in the Netherlands in 1999, with the first system being released for civil use in 2001.
European environmental departments raised their concerns of blanket chemical usage over footpaths and street gutters. WEED-IT was developed to address this issue and come up with the solution that now only sprays 10% of blanket rates across many local councils in Europe. The technology is most commonly fitted to quad bikes where operators scope footpaths, roadway and gutters for weeds.
In March 2009, the WEED-IT company was approached in the interest to modify this system so that it could be used for summer spraying in the broad acre farming conditions. After significant testing in the south of France with very pleasing results, November 2009 saw the first production system arrive into Australia.
Since then there have been over tens of thousands of sensors sold into Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Russia, and now U.S.A. Systems are sold to growers, corporate clients and custom applicators. The results continue to bring testimony to know the value of WEED-IT.
Weed detection and elimination has become a priority for farmers across the world with the changing summer rainfall patterns, herbicide restrictions, and the increase in weed resistance. WEED-IT is helping farmers everywhere to decrease their chemical usage and fight weed resistance with its precision spraying technology.
WEED-IT Is Designed To Run Day Or Night
WEED-IT System Includes:
- Detection Sensors
- User Console
- Power Converter
- Speed Source
- Flow Sensor (optional)
- Nozzle Bodies, Spray Tips, Caps
- In addition, the sprayer may also need:
- Ramsay Valve pressure regulator
- Air compressor and regulator
Specifications:
- Sensors are placed every 40” with nozzles on 10” centers for booms up to 133ft width
- Traditional nozzle bodies can be stacked onto the wet boom on 20” centers
- Sensors are mounted 43” from the ground with nozzle height and distance back being variable and configurable in the console settings
- Adjustable spray margins
- Spray at speeds up to 15 mph
- Full PWM operating at 50Hz in all operational modes
- WEED-It samples the ground 40,000x per second
- SPRAY AT NIGHT!
Weed-it control unit
WEED-It comes with a separate water proof module that is mounted in the cab of the sprayer. This module is used to control application rates, for diagnostics, and programming. It can be paired with some GPS systems to track spray rates and weed density.
The WEED-IT will work with any type of pump, as long as it provides the required amount of liquid to feed all the nozzles along the boom. To maintain the pressure to all these nozzles, the system needs a Ramsay valve (pressure accumulator, membrane valve) in the spray line. It is controlled by a small air compressor. If the spraying system already has an air compressor, this can also be used for the WEED-IT system. When the pressure exceeds 6.0 bar (85 psi) the unused fluid flow goes back into the tank via a return line (dump line). We recommend WEED-It be run at a 3.0 bar or (43.5 psi) pressure.