I-60: The Problem Solver for Existing Systems Needing to Update Due to Low Pressure

At municipal sites across the land, superintendents are finding that a retrofit to the Hunter I-60 can provide the cost saving alternative to adding a booster pump to a site that already has commercial-grade rotors installed.

Likewise, those dealing with first-time installations are finding it’s a no-brainer to choose the I-60 over other rotors that just can’t match the Hunter products for its ability to perform and penny-pinch at the same time.

When an irrigation system has to depend upon municipal water supplies, low pressure issues can become a big concern. What often occurs is that the system was originally installed back when the municipal water pressure was operating at a higher pressure level. In those earlier days, there were fewer homes and businesses to tap into the supply. But, as the city grew, water pressure dropped—sometimes significantly—because of the increased usage.

In order to keep an individual system operating at the same degree of efficiency that it did when originally installed, the typical remedy called for the installation of a booster pump. The added expense was viewed as the only way to get the pressure up to an operational level and allow the rotors to work effectively.

Forget the Pump, Install I-60 Instead

The Hunter I-60 is a rotor that has been specifically designed to operate under low pressure. Because it was created for just these conditions, it allows you to space rotors at the distance desirable in large landscapes such as city parks or community sports complexes.

“We have numerous events here throughout the year—concerts, festivals, and, of course, the usual weekend picnickers and park goers,” said Martin Franco, grounds superintendent at Glen Helen Regional Park near San Bernardino, California. “All that traffic can give the landscape a workout. Then, you add in the fact that in the summer, daytime temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees. We need a rotor that can keep things looking their best.

“The I-60 is rugged enough to stand up to this environment. The stainless steel riser and heavy-duty gear drive are built to take it. And because the I-60 is made for use with lower water pressure, the rotors are helping our turf to receive the amount of water they need…not something less than we had come to expect with a regular mid-range rotor.”

The I-60 also is teeming with user-friendly features that have become commonplace with Hunter products. Of course, there are the aforementioned stainless steel riser (for increased durability in harsh soil conditions) and heavy-duty water-lubricated gear drive (for year-after-year reliability). But there’s more:

• Six color-coded nozzles provide truly uniform coverage and allow for quick identification
• Easy arc adjustment from 40-360 degrees is possible with the sprinkler in up or down position, and with the system in operation or off
• Hunter’s patented VStat® self adjusting stator drives with more power and adds years to sprinkler life
• Save water and reduce liability concerns with a drain check valve that handles up to 10 feet elevation change

Excellent Coverage with Minimal Runoff

In addition, because the I-60 is designed to provide wide coverage while operating under lower pressure, you’ll also find it’s a product that makes more economic sense. Since it uses less water to run, the I-60 also eliminates the need to install larger pipe (another savings for the budget conscious).

But with all this emphasis on large spaces, don’t get stuck thinking of the I-60 as just a long distance specialist. The rotor is more than that, with exceptional close-in coverage.

In fact, what makes the I-60 so efficient in operating with low water pressure is its single-nozzle design that features Hunter’s patented Precision Distribution Control™ for reduced turbulence and maximum radius.

As gear-driven pins intermittently diffuse the stream it results in water-efficient performance and the absolute minimum of runoff and waste. When the pins are in the distance mode, the I-60 features superior large radius coverage. When the pins are in the diffused mode, the result is perfect close-in watering.

In addition, this patented technology will eliminate the need to boost your local water pressures for efficient coverage with expensive and complex pumping systems.

If you have an existing system that now has to contend with a lower pressure water source, Hunter has the large area rotor that’s engineered specifically to meet the challenge. Stop by your authorized Hunter distributor and find out more about the I-60 today.