The Sprinkler Nerd Show
If you are a Landscape Entrepreneur this show is for you. Andy, a former contestant on the ABC hit television series Shark Tank, irrigation technology expert, and multimillion-dollar eCommerce entrepreneur brings his curiosity & creativity to tease out the secrets of successful landscape influencers and business owners. Discover how to get a leg up on the competition, be the smartest person at the design table, and advance your career in the irrigation and landscape industry at any level. All stones will be unturned as Andy digs into the nerdy details of business, technology, and personal growth here on the Sprinkler Nerd show. To join the community of Sprinkler Nerds transforming the Green Industry visit www.SprinklerNerd.com.
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#166 - The Championship Turf
04/26/2024
#166 - The Championship Turf
Quench Soil Moisture Sensor: ========== The Championship Turf: A Tale of Precision and Care In the bustling town of Riverview, where sports were the heartbeat of the community, there lay a sprawling athletic sports complex known as Champions Field. This complex wasn't just any sports venue; it boasted some of the most meticulously maintained turfgrass that athletes had ever competed on. The secret to their pristine fields lay in the hands of two sophisticated tools: Wesley, the WeatherStation, and Sam, the Soil Moisture Sensor. Wesley was perched atop a tall post, overlooking the fields with a vigilant eye. His primary task was to monitor the environmental conditions—specifically evapotranspiration rates that influence how much water the turf lost to the atmosphere. With a plethora of sensors and a sophisticated algorithm, Wesley could predict water needs for days ahead, ensuring that the groundskeepers were always one step ahead of the weather. Nestled beneath the surface of the lush green turf was Sam, who kept a low profile but played an equally crucial role. Sam's world was the root zone of the turfgrass, where he continuously monitored the moisture levels. His precise readings were vital, especially right before big games, to ensure that the turf was neither too dry—risking injury to players and damage to the grass—nor too wet, which could lead to slips and poor playing conditions. The harmony between Wesley and Sam was critical, especially during the sports season. Wesley's data helped plan the watering schedules, but it was Sam's real-time readings that often dictated immediate actions. For instance, on a day leading up to an important football match, Wesley might suggest a lighter irrigation based on a cool, cloudy forecast. However, if Sam detected that the soil moisture was lower than ideal, the irrigation system could be adjusted to deliver just the right amount of water, ensuring the turf was in optimal condition when game day arrived. The groundskeepers at Champions Field relied heavily on the data from both tools. They had a central command center where Wesley’s forecasts and Sam’s readings were displayed on big screens, allowing for quick decisions. This setup not only conserved water but also ensured that the turfgrass was always game-ready, providing a safe and competitive environment for athletes. Throughout the seasons, Champions Field hosted numerous events, from soccer tournaments to track meets. Athletes often remarked on the exceptional quality of the turf, noting how it enhanced their performance and reduced injury risks. This reputation made Riverview a preferred venue for major sporting events, drawing teams and fans from across the region. One memorable event was the national college soccer championship, held on a particularly hot and dry weekend. Thanks to Wesley’s accurate weather predictions and Sam’s diligent moisture tracking, the groundskeepers were able to implement a tailored watering program that maintained the turf's resilience and vibrancy throughout the event. The championship went off without a hitch, with players and coaches praising the excellent condition of the field. Through the story of Champions Field, we see how tools, when used in their ideal applications, can achieve results that not only meet but exceed expectations. Just as in any field, be it agriculture or athletics, the right technological tools—like Wesley and Sam—can make all the difference, turning a regular turf into a championship-grade playing field. Chapter Two: The Power of 'And' at Champions Field As the seasons changed and Champions Field continued to flourish, the complex became a beacon of innovation and teamwork, not just in sports but also in the way it was maintained. The success of the field was often attributed to the harmonious use of both Wesley, the WeatherStation, and Sam, the Soil Moisture Sensor. This collaboration illustrated the powerful concept of "And," where the integration of multiple tools led to outcomes far superior than any single tool could achieve alone. The "And" philosophy at Champions Field became particularly evident during an exceptionally challenging season. The weather was erratic—unpredictable bursts of rain followed by prolonged dry spells. The old approach of relying solely on predictable patterns was insufficient under these conditions. It was during this time that the groundskeeping team, led by veteran manager Tom Harrison, decided to fully embrace the "And" philosophy—not choosing between Wesley or Sam, but aligning their strengths to tackle the challenges ahead. Tom organized a series of strategic meetings where data from both Wesley and Sam were analyzed in tandem. Wesley provided the broader climatic trends, which included not just predictions of rain or sunshine but also detailed reports on humidity, wind, and solar radiation—all of which affected the turf's evapotranspiration rates. Meanwhile, Sam offered a granular view of the soil’s current state, providing data that was critical for making immediate adjustments. This dual approach allowed the team to create a dynamic irrigation schedule that adapted to both the predicted conditions and the real-time needs of the turf. When Wesley indicated a week of high sun exposure and low rainfall, the team planned increased irrigation to compensate. However, if Sam reported adequate moisture levels in the soil before these adjustments were made, the watering could be scaled back, conserving water while still maintaining perfect playing conditions. The power of "And" was not just about using both tools but understanding how their inputs complemented each other to create a holistic management strategy. This strategy was put to the test during the high-stakes regional athletics championship. Just days before the event, an unexpected heatwave hit Riverview, putting potential stress on the turf and the athletes. Thanks to the combined insights from Wesley and Sam, the groundskeeping team implemented a preemptive cooling protocol for the turf. They adjusted the irrigation times to early mornings and late evenings, reducing evaporation and maximizing water absorption. Wesley’s forecasts ensured that the water was applied just before the coolest parts of the day, while Sam's moisture tracking confirmed that the soil retained optimal moisture levels throughout the event. The championship was a resounding success, with record-breaking performances and minimal disruptions. Coaches and athletes praised the condition of the turf, noting how it remained resilient and supportive despite the heatwave. The success underlined a crucial lesson for the team at Champions Field: the best results come from not having to choose between one valuable resource or another but from leveraging every available tool in concert. The story of Champions Field is a testament to the idea that embracing the concept of "And" can lead to exceptional outcomes in any field. By moving beyond binary choices and fostering an environment where multiple solutions coexist and complement each other, any team can achieve more than what seems possible—creating a winning strategy on and off the field. Epilogue: Embracing 'And' in Life and Business As the tale of Champions Field illustrates, the synergy between Wesley the WeatherStation and Sam the Soil Moisture Sensor was not just a story about maintaining turf. It is a powerful metaphor for decision-making in business and in daily life. Often, we find ourselves facing choices that seem to demand one solution over another. However, the concept of "And" encourages us to hold two seemingly conflicting thoughts or strategies simultaneously, exploring the strengths and potential of each. In the professional sphere, this might mean balancing cost efficiency with quality, or innovation with reliability. In personal decisions, it might look like weighing immediate pleasures against long-term benefits. The challenge lies in not defaulting to an easier either/or mindset but embracing the complexity and richness of "And." The dual approach at Champions Field taught the team to adapt and thrive in changing conditions by integrating diverse data and strategies. Similarly, in business and life, combining different viewpoints and solutions can lead to more robust and flexible strategies. This doesn't mean compromising between two points but rather synthesizing them in a way that leverages the best of both worlds. For instance, consider the entrepreneur who must choose between investing in growth or solidifying the current operations. By applying the "And" philosophy, they might find a strategy that allows for gradual expansion while strengthening existing processes, thus securing stability as they grow. In our daily lives, embracing "And" might mean learning to balance work and personal life, not by sacrificing one for the other, but by finding ways to enrich both. It could mean engaging in healthy debate with friends or colleagues—valuing their different perspectives as much as your own, leading to deeper understanding and more innovative solutions. This approach is not without its challenges. Holding two opposing ideas in mind and giving them equal consideration is an exercise in mental flexibility and openness. It requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to venture into the complex space where innovative solutions live. Yet, the rewards can be significant, leading to outcomes that might never be reached through more conventional either/or thinking. As you navigate the complexities of your professional and personal life, consider the lessons from Champions Field. Embrace the power of "And," allowing yourself to see beyond binary choices. Explore the potential that lies in the harmony of combining different tools, thoughts, or viewpoints. This might be challenging, but it is precisely in these challenges that the greatest opportunities for success and fulfillment are found.
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#165 - Split Open (the pulse)
04/19/2024
#165 - Split Open (the pulse)
This episode is brought to you by, PHISH, and the letter 'S'. 'S' is for SPLIT. Split Open and Melt.
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#163 - Irrigation System Vitals
04/12/2024
#163 - Irrigation System Vitals
In this insightful episode, Andy and Paul reflect on their recent project, delving into the complexities and vital importance of pressure in irrigation systems, especially pertaining to a vast green rooftop. While the specifics of their project remain confidential, the co-hosts openly discuss the general scope, centered around the deployment of wireless sensors for data analytics, enabling the client to monitor conditions of the landscape more accurately. They outline the project's challenges, from the discovery of low water pressure on the rooftop to the absence of water meters and pressure gauges, illuminating how their technology provides the client with crucial insights previously obscured. Emphasizing the critical role of monitoring, they illustrate how their wireless sensors and dashboard platform reveal the "vital signs" of water infrastructure, much like a medical check-up reveals the health of a human body. Paul and Andy share anecdotes from their fieldwork, where they identified a significant leak due to a mainline break, likely caused by inadequate winterization. The revelation of this break underscored the hidden nature of water problems and the need for meticulous observation and the right tools to diagnose and manage such issues effectively. The episode pivots to a discussion about data collection, particularly the innovative use of wireless technology. They replaced a failing wired system with a more robust wireless one, including soil moisture sensors and water meters with both analog and digital capabilities. This transition from wired to wireless signifies a substantial improvement in monitoring and managing the system, with the potential for real-time insights and rapid problem detection. Throughout the podcast, the hosts compare an irrigation system's vital signs to human vital signs, with pressure transducers acting like a blood pressure monitor, providing real-time feedback on system health. They argue that knowing the pressure in an irrigation system is paramount, even more crucial than flow rates in some cases, as it can instantly signal issues such as leaks or system malfunctions. A central theme is the emphasis on the importance of starting diagnostics at the water source rather than the controller and the need for constant pressure monitoring to ensure system integrity. This approach could potentially transform maintenance routines and system diagnostics in the industry. Key takeaways and insights include: The "vital signs" of irrigation systems, akin to those in medical practice, are crucial for diagnosis and management. The conversion from wired to wireless systems represents a significant step forward in monitoring capabilities. Real-time pressure monitoring can reveal issues that flow monitoring might not, highlighting the need for comprehensive diagnostic tools. The hidden nature of water systems necessitates the adoption of visual and digital tools for accurate assessment. Andy and Paul's dialogue underscores their commitment to innovation and their continual learning process, as they seek to enhance their understanding and management of irrigation systems. Their hope is to develop tools that will become industry standards, ensuring that businesses can effectively manage their water systems. As the episode concludes, the sense of partnership and mutual respect between the two is palpable, as they look forward to their next project with anticipation. Listeners are left with a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of irrigation systems and the evolving technologies that monitor and manage them. Key Points: The importance of pressure in monitoring irrigation and plumbing systems. Discovery of a significant leak due to a mainline break on the project's large green rooftop. Transition from a problematic wired system to an innovative wireless one. The utility of wireless soil moisture sensors and dual water meters for both analog and digital monitoring. Comparison of irrigation system diagnostics to checking human vital signs, emphasizing the crucial role of pressure transducers. Importance of starting system diagnostics at the water source for accurate assessment and management. The discovery that booster pumps were cycling without effectively raising the pressure, affecting rooftop irrigation performance. The podcast's emphasis on continuous innovation and the application of new diagnostic tools to improve industry standards.
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#162 - Context vs. Control, Lesson From Reed Hastings
04/05/2024
#162 - Context vs. Control, Lesson From Reed Hastings
In this episode, Andy, delves into the nuanced debate of context versus control within the realm of management, particularly focusing on the irrigation industry. This concept, inspired by an episode of the , co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, challenges traditional management styles by advocating for a more empowered approach to leadership. Through Reed Hastings' insights and his own reflections, Andy explores how setting clear contexts rather than imposing strict controls can lead to more innovative and motivated teams. Highlights Inspiration from Reed Hastings: The idea of context vs. control was sparked by Reed Hastings' discussion on the Tim Ferriss show, emphasizing creative management styles over conventional, control-based approaches. Definition of Context vs. Control: Control is described as a rigid, micromanagement style, whereas context provides goals and empowers employees to achieve them in their own way. Impact on the Irrigation Industry: Andy applies these concepts to the irrigation industry, suggesting that understanding the 'why' behind actions can lead to more engaged and self-sufficient teams. Reed Hastings' Metaphor: The comparison of industrial and creative companies illustrates how context-driven management can lead to innovation and unique customer experiences. Management Philosophy: Andy expresses his preference for a management style that sets a clear context, allowing for autonomy and self-guided decision-making within teams. Key Takeaways Setting the context in management involves clearly defining the goals and the 'why' behind tasks, and empowering team members to make decisions that align with company objectives. Context-driven management can foster a culture of innovation and flexibility, particularly beneficial in creative or service-oriented industries. Understanding and implementing the context vs. control management style can enhance team motivation, satisfaction, and overall performance.
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#161 - Would You Rather Have FLOW or PRESSURE?
03/29/2024
#161 - Would You Rather Have FLOW or PRESSURE?
In the episode of the "Sprinkler Nerd Show," host Andy Humphrey and his guest, Paul, embark on a detailed discussion about the technical aspects of irrigation systems, specifically focusing on the importance of flow and pressure monitoring. Andy begins by recounting his observations of inefficient sprinkler systems at a resort, noting that a vast majority are functioning poorly. He suggests that the resort's irrigation system is so ineffective that it might as well not be in operation. This real-world issue leads him to reflect on the broader implications for the irrigation industry, particularly the innovations in flow and pressure monitoring technologies. To dive deeper into the topic, Andy introduces a thought experiment based on the game "Would You Rather?" The game is simple: one person poses a dilemma in the form of a question starting with "would you rather," and the other person chooses one of the options. Andy uses this format to pose a significant question to Paul: Given a choice between flow monitoring and pressure monitoring for a commercial irrigation system, which one would you choose? Paul acknowledges the complexity of the question. Traditionally, the industry relied heavily on flow monitoring, with pressure monitoring being a more recent development. He expresses a preference for both but understands that the question demands a choice. The conversation shifts to an in-depth analysis of the two monitoring methods. Flow monitoring is essential for understanding water usage and identifying leaks through abnormal flow patterns. It is a vital tool for water conservation and efficient system management. On the other hand, pressure monitoring provides diagnostic insights that are not immediately apparent through flow data alone. For instance, pressure fluctuations can indicate issues with the municipal water supply that could affect irrigation system performance. Andy and Paul discuss the scenarios where one type of monitoring may be more advantageous than the other. For example, Paul shares an anecdote about a situation in Washington, D.C., where several irrigation systems under his management experienced a drop in performance due to a reduction in municipal water pressure. This incident underscores the value of pressure monitoring, as it can provide early warnings about changes in water supply that are beyond the control of the irrigation system manager. The discussion delves into the practicalities of managing large-scale irrigation systems. They examine how continuous logging of pressure data can provide insights that intermittent readings cannot. Paul points out that as municipal water systems age, providers often reduce water pressure to extend the lifespan of the infrastructure, impacting irrigation systems connected to the municipal supply. This practice, while beneficial to the municipal system, can have unintended consequences for irrigation, making pressure monitoring an invaluable tool for understanding and adapting to these external changes. As they further explore the nuances of flow and pressure data, Andy and Paul consider the implications of having one without the other. They agree that while flow sensors are crucial for accounting for water usage, pressure sensors offer a more sensitive diagnostic tool that can help explain why certain anomalies in water usage may occur. Andy then offers a perspective that connects the physical observations of an irrigation system to the data provided by sensors. Walking around the resort, he notices visible signs of system failure, such as broken infrastructure and poorly performing sprinkler zones. He posits that either a flow sensor or a pressure sensor could indicate such problems, but each does so in a different way. A flow sensor could detect a broken pipe through abnormal water usage, while a pressure sensor could indicate a drop in performance due to pressure changes. As they wrap up their discussion, both Andy and Paul lean towards the importance of pressure monitoring when forced to choose. They liken pressure sensors to a doctor checking blood pressure—a critical first step in diagnosing a patient's health. They explore the idea that while flow is a measurement of consumption, pressure provides a more immediate reflection of system health. Paul highlights that from a management standpoint, pressure data is more actionable, especially when monitoring remotely. He also notes that installing pressure sensors can be simpler and less intrusive than installing flow sensors, which often require cutting into the mainline. This ease of installation makes pressure sensors a more attractive option for quickly and cost-effectively assessing system performance. In conclusion, Andy and Paul's conversation in the "Sprinkler Nerd Show" episode brings to light the strategic importance of choosing the right monitoring tools for irrigation systems. They discuss the trade-offs between flow and pressure monitoring and conclude that while both are essential, pressure monitoring may offer a slight edge in terms of diagnostics and system management, particularly when faced with the constraints of municipal water supplies and the need for remote system oversight. Their dialogue is a testament to the evolving technological landscape of irrigation and the need for professionals in the field to adapt and make informed decisions about the tools they use to manage water resources effectively.
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#160 - Zigging While Others Zag
03/22/2024
#160 - Zigging While Others Zag
In the latest episode of the "Sprinkler Nerd Show," host Andy shares his insights on the importance of being unconventional in the irrigation and landscape industry. Below are key thoughts highlighted from the discussion: Embrace Unconventionality: Humphrey emphasizes the need for businesses to stand out by being the "orange in the apple bin," advocating for a distinct approach to conventional industry practices. Question the Status Quo: He encourages listeners to think differently by asking unique questions to clients, proposing innovative solutions, and redefining the customer interaction experience to set themselves apart from competitors. Redefine Industry Standards: By adopting unconventional methods, such as integrating advanced technologies like soil moisture sensors, businesses can lead the market and force competitors to follow their innovative practices. Zig When Others Zag: Humphrey highlights the advantage of going against the grain, suggesting that by choosing less traveled paths, businesses can find shorter lines to success, symbolizing less competition and a more distinct market position. Challenge Perceived Limitations: He inspires businesses to question why certain practices are avoided in the industry and to explore these areas as potential opportunities for innovation and differentiation. Change the Game: Humphrey posits that by being unconventional, businesses can not only set new trends but also change the rules of the game, compelling even large competitors to adapt to these new standards. Seek Opportunities for Innovation: The discussion suggests looking for what is missing in current offerings and exploring unconventional solutions that could potentially change the future of the industry. Encourage a Mindset of Exploration: By sharing his upcoming vacation plans and the prospect of unconventional thoughts it might inspire, Humphrey models the behavior of seeking inspiration from outside the industry to bring fresh ideas to one's business. Value of Continuous Learning: Ending on the note of appreciating his audience for seeking knowledge through podcasts, Humphrey underscores the importance of continuous learning and staying open to new ideas as a way to achieve unconventional success. This summary captures Andy Humphrey’s message of leveraging unconventional thinking as a strategic tool for differentiation and leadership in the irrigation and landscape industry, encouraging businesses to innovate and redefine industry standards.
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#159 - Experiment to Learn
03/16/2024
#159 - Experiment to Learn
In this episode of the Sprinkler Nerd Show, Andy Humphrey shares his experiences and insights from Salt Lake City, Utah, where he visits OpConnect and spends quality time with his son at the University of Utah. He looks forward to enjoying St. Paddy's Day weekend activities, including drinking green beer and skiing. Amidst his travels, Andy seizes the opportunity to engage in a thoughtful discussion on the topic of soil moisture sensing technology, its applications, and the broader implications of experimenting in life and business. Andy underscores the podcast's mission to assist irrigation professionals, regardless of their experience level, in leveraging technology to enhance their services and gain competitive advantages. He passionately discusses the experimental nature of life, encouraging listeners to embrace trial and error in both personal and professional contexts. Andy advocates for a mindset of continuous learning and experimentation, particularly in the realm of soil moisture sensing, to better understand and optimize irrigation practices. Highlighting recent conversations on soil moisture sensing, Andy delves into the practical benefits and transformative potential of this technology. He emphasizes the importance of data collection and analysis to validate assumptions about soil conditions, which can lead to more informed decision-making in irrigation management. Through a series of anecdotal insights, Andy illustrates how soil moisture sensors can reveal the nuanced behaviors of soil under various conditions, offering a more scientific approach to irrigation that challenges traditional assumptions and practices. Andy encourages his listeners to adopt an experimental approach when utilizing new technologies, viewing them as tools for discovery and improvement. He stresses the significance of observing and interpreting data over time to gain deeper insights into soil moisture levels and their impact on irrigation efficiency. By promoting an inquisitive and open-minded attitude towards technology, Andy hopes to inspire irrigation professionals to explore new possibilities, question established norms, and ultimately, enhance their expertise. Concluding the episode, Andy extends an invitation for feedback and engagement, emphasizing his openness to connecting with the audience and sharing knowledge. He leaves his listeners with a message of encouragement to remain curious, willing to experiment, and committed to advancing their skills in the ever-evolving field of irrigation.
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#158 - Bottleneck Management
03/08/2024
#158 - Bottleneck Management
Self-reflection is the key. It's the process of questioning our methods, our decisions, and our attitudes towards change and adversity. It's about asking, "Am I the bottleneck in my team's performance? Do I resist new technologies or methods that could enhance our service? How can I lead better, communicate clearer, and inspire my team?"
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#157 - Don't Be Like Steve Ballmer - LIVE from Landscape Ontario
03/01/2024
#157 - Don't Be Like Steve Ballmer - LIVE from Landscape Ontario
Smart controllers don’t save water. Nozzles don't save water. They CAN, but I believe that Irrigation professionals, who are CURIOUS ENOUGH to know how to use smart controllers have the potential to save water. 20 years is a long time not to have an answer for something that seems so basic, and I've come to the realization that it is easy to connect the dots looking backwards. We can laugh at Steve Ballmer now, but at the time, he MIGHT have been right...so, here is my message for you today - The future doesn't create itself, someone has to create it. I encourage you to stay curious, and to borrow a phrase from Reid Hoffman co-founder of LinkedIn, “things that seem totally Nut Balls, 10 years later, that’s just the way you do it!”
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#156 - Curiosity as a Catalyst
02/23/2024
#156 - Curiosity as a Catalyst
PATENT REFERENCE: Background on the Invention: In certain areas of the country where dry climatic conditions prevail, sprinkling and irrigating systems are generally maintained for prolonged periods of time. Obviously, however, means are required for automatically closing down said systems when there is rainfall or when moisture conditions in the atmosphere are excessive. Also, upon completion of the rainfall, automatic reopening of the sprinkling system is desired. Moisture-responsive actuators have been known to operate in response to the weight of rainfall captured in a receptacle attached thereto or in response to certain types of moisture absorptive mechanisms associated therewith. Also, ground sensors and probes have been used. However, such devices have proven to be inefficient, of short life, and relatively costly to manufacture. Can you guess what the Patent is? I'll give you a moment to think. Let me repeat the first sentence: In certain areas of the country where dry climatic conditions prevail, sprinkling and irrigating systems are generally maintained for prolonged periods of time. Obviously, however, means are required for automatically closing down said systems when there is rainfall or when moisture conditions in the atmosphere are excessive. Can you guess? RAIN SENSOR. Although for the purpose of a Patent, the name is, MOISTURE RESPONSIVE SWITCH ACTUATOR. Why am I mentioning this to you? Because this patent was issued on August 11, 1972 We are still using a device that supposedly makes an irrigation controller, "SMART", that was invented in 1972. Now I'd like to read you the Patent Abstract to add a bit of clarity. Patent Abstract: A moisture-responsive actuator is employed for controlling the operation of a fluid-operated sprinkling or irrigating system or the like. The moisture-responsive actuator is provided with hygroscopic material which expands in response to contact with rainwater to de-press a switch to deactivate the sprinkling system, the hygroscopic material contracting upon a drying thereof to release said switch whereupon the sprinkling system is activated. WHY? Why are we still using this technology? I don't have an answer, I'm simply offering you the opportunity to ask. It is thisexample fo Curiosity, that may lead you to your next big breakthrough. The breakthrough can be anything, not necessarilty a product invention. It could be a new way of doing something in your business, and new way of organizing something in your home. It is the act of being Curious, to question things, to ask why, the evokes change and growth. With this in mind, I'd like to propose that Curiosity is a Catalyst for Innovation. Curiosity as a catalyst for innovation highlights impact of asking "What if?" and "Why not?" "I wonder what would happen if.." This mindset has the potential to propel us beyond accepted norms, challenging us to reimagine possibilities. Curiosity can breakdown barriers to innovation, urging us to explore the unknown and question the status quo. It's a reminder that the pursuit of knowledge is endless, and it's through this curious mindset that it becomes possible to uncover new paths to progress and solutions to our most complex problems. Like, why are we still using a Rain Sensor that was invented in 1972, and doesn't actually "SENSE" the rain? It is actually more like a Sponge/Switch. When the sponge is wet, it swells, and trips the switch. Yet, every manufacture today still uses it. Yes, My own curiosity kicked in and I do have a new apporach to this, but I'm not going to share it with you today. You'll need to come to my keynote speech next week in Ontario Canada to find out.. My final thought for today is on the potential to nurture a world that is continuously evolving and enhancing, and that embracing curiosity unlocks limitless opportunities, showing that the pursuit of knowledge and the bravery to question are fundamental to progress and, even, human advancement
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#155 - Negotiation As A Problem Solving Process
02/16/2024
#155 - Negotiation As A Problem Solving Process
Tim Ferris Show Reference: ========== William Ury introduces the concept of self-mastery and the critical role of self-regulation in negotiation and conflict resolution. He suggests that the power to influence others is rooted in our ability to first influence ourselves, acknowledging our inherent tendency towards reactivity. Ury employs the "balcony" metaphor to illustrate a mental vantage point from which we can detach, refocus on our primary objectives, and assess situations with greater clarity. This elevated balcony view encourages a momentary pause between provocation and reaction, providing a pathway to navigate conflicts thoughtfully and avoid impulsive decisions we might regret, like hastily sent emails or messages. I once received advice never to send an email, make a phone call, or send a text when feeling emotional or reactive. Ury echoes this sentiment, suggesting that such a moment of pause to reflect is not just a learned skill but an inherent human capacity that we must consciously practice. So, when you're on the cusp of an immediate reply to an email, as you sense that emotional trigger, take a pause. Hold off. Give it 24 hours. Practice this discipline.
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#154 - Water Wonder, Unleashing Curiosity in Irrigation Innovation
02/08/2024
#154 - Water Wonder, Unleashing Curiosity in Irrigation Innovation
Hello, my friends. Welcome back to the Sprinkler Nerd Show. It's been a while since we last spoke. I'm your host, Andy Humphrey, and this is episode 154. You might notice that I sound a bit under the weather today—I've caught a cold. Though I lost my sense of smell last night, which is funny, I don't think it's COVID. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of travel, from the Consumer Electronics Show to Calgary for a significant event, then directly to Europe for a week with my wife. I got home and the very next day, I fell sick. Despite this, I'm eager to kick my ass into gear, start producing more content, and get back to regular updates. I appreciate your patience and look forward to sharing my thoughts again on a regular basis. If you're a regular listener, you might have noticed my absence. It's been since Friday, January 5, since I last released an episode. Life has been happening—fast and hard. I've been incredibly busy, and today, I thought I would do something a bit different. I'm going to play for you a recording of a keynote presentation I gave for the Canadian Prairie Chapter of the Irrigation Association in Calgary, Canada. I was invited to their annual irrigation conference to give a presentation, and I had to think hard about what I wanted to talk about. It's easy to focus on products, their features, and benefits, but those concepts are fleeting. There's always a new product, a new feature, and such things aren't what truly motivate me. Instead, I chose to share a bit about my journey in irrigation, why I chose this industry—and interestingly, it was indeed a choice. Despite the common joke that nobody intentionally enters the irrigation industry, for me, it was a deliberate decision. I was intrigued early on by the fact that sprinklers operated based on a schedule—Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6 AM—and I wondered why there wasn't better technology to guide water application in the landscape. So, without further ado, I am excited to share with you my keynote presentation. Before we dive in, I'd like to extend a special thanks to everyone in Calgary I had the pleasure of meeting, especially the entire Board of Directors of the local Irrigation Association, the Prairie Chapter. They have built a fantastic community, and I was genuinely impressed by the level of interest and curiosity everyone showed towards the topic I presented. Thank you so much for your curiosity and for giving me the opportunity to speak at your conference. Here is my presentation.
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#153 - Sprinkler Nerds Unite with A.I. Music Opportunity
01/05/2024
#153 - Sprinkler Nerds Unite with A.I. Music Opportunity
Sprinkler Nerd Unite (theme song) [Verse] We're the nerds of the green, the rulers of the lawn Dressed in flannel shirts, rockin' shades like we're cool With our spray heads and rotors, we conquer all terrain We're the ones who make it rain, oh yeah (oh yeah) [Chorus] Sprinkler nerds, rise up and take a stand (take a stand) We're the smart ones, leading the irrigation land (oh-oh-oh) With our wrenches and timers, we're the heroes in disguise Sprinkler nerds, let's light up the skies, yeah! (ooh yeah)
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#152 - UNFUCKIT, 123123
12/31/2023
#152 - UNFUCKIT, 123123
GET YOUR T-SHIRT HERE: --------------------------- Andy (00:46.717): Joining me again today is Paul Bassett for our annual Prediction Show. Welcome, Paul. Paul Bassett (00:53.61): Oh, I'm so happy to be here. This is one of my funniest shows of the year, where we get to banter about the year prior and how our predictions were. So, I was looking forward to this day all year. Andy (01:05.953): And we are going to provide some banter today. This is a guarantee because Paul doesn't have any idea what we are going to talk about today or what this episode is about. I baited him in because we do our annual predictions episode, but I'm going to make a change. Paul Bassett (01:28.254): Okay, this is definitely new. Andy (01:29.029): Because, and this is like a resolution, you know, I want, in 2024, I want to be more honest with myself. Not because I've been lying or anything like that. I just want to sort of lean into my own intuition and try to acknowledge myself and what's interesting to me. And like the prediction episode honestly wasn't that inspiring for me. And I think that it's because it wasn't original. So, and what I mean by that is I didn't come up with the concept for a predictions episode. It wasn't my original thought or idea. I copied the idea from my friend, Andrew Udarian, who runs the podcast, Ecommerce Fuel. And I liked what he did with that kind of approach for predictions and looking back. And so I took it and kind of modeled with it, but... Paul Bassett (02:25.609): And... Andy (02:25.817): You know, as I think about trying to be more honest with myself, I don't think it was that, you know, it was kind of cool and whatnot, but really it wasn't that inspiring to me because I want to create more original content instead of, you know, sort of copying what somebody else has done and try to make it my own. And so with that in mind, I want to make a change. So what we need to do, Paul, is we need to unfuck this episode, this predictions episode. So this is the unfuck it episode. Paul Bassett (02:53.742): Thanks, Bill. All right. Andy (02:55.813): Let's unfuck 2023. You know, what are people still doing in 2023 that needs to be unfucked for 2024? Paul Bassett (02:59.874): All right, that's a good place to start. Paul Bassett (03:10.53): Good thought. It makes my mind spin. Are you asking me, or do you just want me to come up with some thoughts, or are these your thoughts? Paul Bassett (03:38.315): All the time. Andy (03:40.107): Yeah, I... Andy (03:48.65): And just sort of like more rapid prototyping in terms of like, what can we do in our lives, our jobs, our industry, to help move the needle and create that change? And change means you got to unfuck something and change it. Paul Bassett (04:08.826): I love the term. Every time you say it I get giddy like a kid hearing a curse word. Andy (04:15.569): We're allowed to, right? I mean, yeah, I'm gonna tag this episode as not safe for children. Paul Bassett (04:17.59): Yeah, yeah, we're on the internet. Paul Bassett (04:24.718): Oh man, my 10-year-old's not too far from me. And we're gonna say 'unfuck it' at least ten times every minute. Andy (04:34.165): And if you are interested, I'm not saying this to you, but if you're listening and you're interested, you can get yourself a Bill Beckley original 'unfuck it' t-shirt. Visit sprinklernerd.com forward slash unfuck it, and you will find the t-shirt available for sale. Paul Bassett (04:44.542): You can. It's one of the best. Paul Bassett (04:52.278): Well, at least we're going to have more laughs per podcast on this episode than before. Just hearing you say it. Andy (04:56.697): Yeah, right? And this is original, you know, we are not scripting off of a list of shit to talk about. And I think that, you know, it kind of dawned on me a little bit when I replayed the episode number one. So if you're, you know, if you haven't listened to episode number one, and again, I don't mean you, I just mean the listeners, listen to episode number one, which I just put out there a couple of episodes ago, and I was afraid to put it out. But then... Paul Bassett (05:13.023): Yeah. Andy (05:23.961): Once I put it out there and started listening to it, I really appreciated how unscripted our thoughts were, and they were just natural, thought-provoking ideas and conversation, and I want more of that. Paul Bassett (05:38.142): Okay, I mean, dude, that's how you and I live our life. So I prefer that way than any other way. Although I did have some notes, but my notes now that I look at them, going... Andy (05:46.345): Well, we can still use your notes because I'm just trying to like loosen the script a little bit so that we can maybe look at your list and talk about them through the lens of like, you know, unfucking things. Paul Bassett (05:57.45): Oh, and my list was really preparing 10 minutes before our call. Okay, Paul, what are you going to think about? What are you going to do? Like, what are your, you know, predictions or thoughts really? And it's not like I sat for hours at a time and determining, OK, what am I going to think about? I don't need that anymore. It's something you and I do all the time anyway. Andy (06:20.633): Okay, well, do you want me to start off with something, or do you want to start off with something really? So again, I'm just kind of going, you know, the tip of my tongue here. I didn't have a list and I wanted to be a bit more organic, you know, and just have a thought on the fly. So what I'm thinking about first is more like again that inward reflection sort of set of saying, Let's unfuck a thing or widget or a way of doing something. It's like I think we all need a little unfucking of our own meaning. It's really easy to... Paul Bassett (06:24.214): Yeah, go ahead. You start it off. Andy (06:50.365): Grab onto a thought and just ride one perspective, one point of view. And I think we need to carry, we need to think what would it be like if we could carry both perspectives at the same time? So maybe for instance, okay, switching to a matched precipitation rate nozzle might be the right thing to do. We carry that flag, we wave that flag, but what would it also be like if we didn't do that? Is there another way to do it? Would it be okay as well? So can we carry like the two, you know, sort of contradicting thoughts at the same time? Paul Bassett (07:31.318): And I think, Andy, you turned me on to this thought. I mean, another podcast you put in front of me, I don't know how many months ago it was, you know, when this thought came up. But of course you can. And the thing that I when you say that is like, who even cares? Who's even analyzing? Did match precip rate and I'll just make a big difference in the way I water my grass. No. Why is that? You have no way to even freaking tell whether match precip or the regular nozzles infiltrated the soil at a different rate. How do you tell that? Who even cares? How do you know? Does it matter? Andy (08:11.761): And what will even uniform you can do with? Paul Bassett (08:16.114): Exactly. So even if you did switch one zone was matched, precip and the other one was not, how in the world do you tell? Is it just visually coloring of the grass? Or is there another way to that? That's about, that's the only way you don't know. You can, you know, one of the thoughts you, you gave me, and when I think about it now, I'm trying to visualize how the water goes through the air. Andy (08:28.797): Mm-hmm. Paul Bassett (08:42.25): Hits the ground and then infiltrates into the soil and what that profile of soil moisture moving through the soil looks like. Who's to even know today? I don't know, do you know? No, I don't have a tool to do it. It's just my imagination thinking it's flowing through the soil in the same aspect as it was before. So it is a thought. Good one. Andy (09:06.789): Yeah, and again, I literally came up with the MP, or not MP, match precipitation rate thought on the fly. It could be anything. We tend to like to grab a hold of something, stand on a soapbox, say, this is the way. So I guess my challenge would be, what if we were to unfuck that and say, well, what if it wasn't? Can we carry the alternate thought at the same time so that we have two different perspectives or viewpoints so that... The mind stays open to new thoughts coming in versus trying to channel down a one-way street. Paul Bassett (09:38.774): And that is a very good thought that a lot of people can't wrap their head around, right? Unless you're open, like either you're a Democrat or a Republican, you can't be one or the other, can you? Andy (09:51.921): Why can't you just be purple? Paul Bassett (09:56.071): True that both of us with our purple on today, although because the Ravens are playing right now, but it's true. Andy (10:02.041): Yeah, why does it need more blue? We need more purple. Paul Bassett (10:05.194): We need more purple for sure. So that's a good thought. Because sometimes we all get conditioned to think this way is the right way. Why don't you think the other way? Why can't ear green controllers and sprinkler heads work differently than someone else? Because you've been conditioned that this is the way it's always done and we've always done it. And this is the way I'm always gonna do it. I don't wanna change. I like it the way it is. No, you're right. It's so much better to have an open mind. Andy (10:14.057): Mm-hmm. Andy (10:22.77): Mm-hmm. Paul Bassett (10:34.891): And be an accepting. Andy (10:34.961): So, unfuck ourselves. I guess that was my first thing is like, before we can think about maybe somebody else or a gadget or a gizmo or a process or a software needs to change, what if it was like we could look at ourselves first and see, unfuck our own thoughts to have, to hold both thoughts to be true at the same time. Paul Bassett (10:57.886): And for you and I, we are open-minded people. We are not red or we are not green. We're certainly purple for sure. I think this thought-provoking is for those of the folks that are listening to Andy and I right now. You know, we're challenging you in the new year to think differently, right? Unfuck the way you think things and think of it another way. Because there are other ways to look at the glass. Is it half empty? Is it half full? It doesn't matter. You just got to have your own perspective on how you see something. And we are encouraging more thought-provoking thoughts. Andy (11:37.741): Yeah, and I'll read a quote that you sent to me recently, which has to do with change. And I guess that's what we're talking about here, to some extent. And the conclusion of this quote, I don't remember who said it, was a story about Nokia and Nokia not changing, you know, and getting eaten alive. And the conclusion was the advantage you had yesterday will be replaced by the trends of tomorrow. You don't have to do anything wrong. As long as your competitors catch the wave and do it right, you can lose and fail. To change and improve yourself is giving yourself a second chance. To be forced by others to change is like being discarded. Those who refuse to learn and improve will definitely one day become redundant and not relevant to the industry. They will learn the lesson in a hard and expensive way. And again, this is not, you don't have to do anything wrong. You just, if you do nothing and your competition changes, that is just like doing something wrong. You don't have to do anything as long as your competition keeps changing and evolving and you don't, you know, that's a problem and you'll learn the lesson the hard and expensive way. So if everybody's switching to Wi-Fi controllers and whatever else and ET and soil moisture and this, that and the other, you gotta give it a shot. Paul Bassett (13:05.57): You know, it's funny you say that and thank you because, you know, every time I see an article or some kind of quote like that, you know, it's good for me to send to you because you and I think on the same wavelength when it comes to those types of things, right? And I'm a little bit older than you, you know, I'm 54 and I like different stuff. I mean, I could change my entire career and profession every other year because it's not that I get bored, but I like new. I like change. Change feels comfortable and good to me. I don't like stasis. So I like it when something changes. I like when there's new stuff out there. I like new things, right? Because I want to test the boundaries of technology. And that's why you and I are on the same wavelength. Andy (13:55.557): And the boundaries of people and industry and it's nice to be able to stick yourself out there a little bit and wonder what it's like to fall off the end of the ocean because if the world's flat you might reach the end. So let's go figure out what's at the end. Paul Bassett (14:11.682): You know, it's funny you say that because, you know, there's something that I see in outside of our business, you can look at other companies and other people and other technology as it comes through and disrupts a company in a business. I'm seeing something similar happening and morphing in the water sector and the irrigation where there's other companies and people entering into our space that is going to disrupt and change the way our irrigation businesses are developed in the future. And that's what I'm seeing, right, Drew, based on the change factor. Andy (14:53.401): Mm-hmm. And even if we don't know specifically, you can kind of, your intuition tells you that it's out there. It may be to be determined who and what it looks like, but it's out there. Wait, it's coming. Paul Bassett (15:07.914): I mean, you could feel it, right? I mean, because as long as I've been in this business, there's always some gut, you know, if you have your finger or your pulse onto, you know, the market, you can kind of sense it. You can kind of feel a groundswell coming on. And I'm feeling this similar groundswell coming on right now, whether it happens next year or not, but I mean, it's happening today. Andy (15:31.593): So let what? Is there anything that comes to mind specifically that you can share? Paul Bassett (15:37.994): Well, to me, it's more about technology now. When I say technology, that's certainly a big broad stroke, but I feel there's a lot of additional technology from outside businesses and outside our space entering into our space, right? Whether it's wireless soil moisture, whether it's flow, it's solar, there's a lot of different tech coming in our space. And the reason I feel it is because I see it, right? Because I'm in it, we're in the top, right? And you can sense it, but you know, as even at the IA show, you can see more tech coming out when you go to different places and do different things. Because fortunately for me and my business, I'm not just touching irrigation. You know, we're touching a lot of other water stuff. So there's so many other technologies that are coming into our space because of the perceived abuse or waste of water in our space. And people outside of our industry want to understand why that is and get into it and help. Andy (16:52.941): Mm-hmm. Yep. I can see that. And so for me, I would agree. And I think that, let's see, what's in my gut and intuition is that there was technology coming, let's say 15 years ago that was new at that time. So let's roll back to like 2003 or four or five or six. You could say that two wire was new and it was technology. You could say that the first ET controllers were new and that was technology. And what I sense that's different is that now users, contractors, people, industry, now kind of questions it more, meaning in order to question it, you have to understand it and learn it. And back in the time, people just said, nope, I'm good, man, doing it the way I've been doing it. And there's a little bit more like, okay, bring it on. What's that? Let me check that out. Bring it on. And 15 years ago, there wasn't really a bring it on attitude. And I'm not saying to bring it on attitude is everywhere, but I feel like it didn't even exist back then. And now there's a little bit of bring it on. In addition, I feel like the technology that was brought on, now people are questioning it. So as it relates to like ET controllers, weather-based, now people want to know why is it doing what it's doing? And in order to have a thought like that, it means you have to be curious enough to want to know and want to understand. And that is, I think it's those thoughts that'll move the industry forward, not just I'm gonna buy this thing and hang it up there, but now we're at a point where users really want to know how it's working, is it working correctly? Is there a better way to do it? And I don't think that was as strong 15 years ago. Paul Bassett (18:49.862): And you're right, even to a point that I think about as I process your thoughts into my mind, and I equate it to my business, I can see that because I'm more curious even to try to understand what do the algorithms that these ET controllers do precisely to a program? Like, I want to see inside and outside, what is it doing and how is it doing and where is it physically saving me water or schedule times or all the above. So you are right on. Andy (19:24.977): Right, do you trust it? And that's really the question, is if you don't trust it, it's maybe because you don't know how it's working. So how can you trust something if you don't even know what it's doing? Why it's doing it. Paul Bassett (19:38.442): So we do, you know, clearly you and I are more curious than most folks in our business. But yeah, I mean, it's true. I personally want to know, I mean, how many times did the device suspend watering due to the ET threshold that we established? Show me where that happened. Right. And why did it do that? Right. So you're right. The technology and the data now that's available allows people who are more curious to really uncover what is going on under the hood of these devices. Andy (20:10.921): Mm-hmm. Yeah, so again, I think that's just the people are different. They're a little bit more hungry for new than they were 15 years ago. Paul Bassett (20:23.306): And when you say 15, guess when the iPhone was invented. So more of us have the ability to see the technology a little clearer with these devices at the end of the day. So Apple's certainly done a lot of technology businesses good because now we can see the information a lot clearer at the palm of our hands too. Andy (20:48.793): Yeah, yeah. All right. Well, maybe just since we're since this is not the end of the predictions episode, maybe we should just talk about when you got on your list that you that you like that you feel more passionate about. Paul Bassett (21:02.722): Well, whether it's a prediction or not, I mean, I think you and I, you know, we're trying to gain the pulse of tech and industry, right? Every day of every year. So it allows us to at least look back on what we thought at the end of the year and maybe look forward, right? One of the benefits of us is, you know, we were looking at tech, whether it's inside or outside of our business. But I know one of the things that I saw, and we talk about it constantly is I feel there's gonna be more and more controller accessories, meaning devices and sensors in the market coming on, outside of the big companies. I do see that. I mean, I feel it. I'm looking at things that are coming in and the IA show even proved it more to me last, here a couple of weeks back. There are a lot of tools and things that we can now use to help us, whether it's... Andy (21:38.737): Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Paul Bassett (21:58.498): ...ties directly into a controller or not that are gonna be better for us in the future. So, again, whether it's a prediction for this year, last year, next year, I'm just seeing a lot more of these things and a lot more people getting into our space than ever before. Andy (22:13.081): Yeah,...
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#151 - Inner Harmony - Journey to Self-Belief
12/29/2023
#151 - Inner Harmony - Journey to Self-Belief
Every entrepreneur begins with a dream, a vision that feels timeless, much like creating a classic album. When Smashing Pumpkins, the band behind 'Siamese Dream', started their project, they were sure they were creating something classic. In the world of entrepreneurship, this conviction is your starting point. It's the belief in your idea's potential, in its ability to stand out and make an impact. But how do you nurture this belief, especially in the face of doubt and uncertainty?
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#150 - EPISODE #1, What Are You Afraid Of?
12/22/2023
#150 - EPISODE #1, What Are You Afraid Of?
Recorded in January 2019 - Episode #1 has never been published, until now. ----- What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of failure? Does the fear of failure trick you into believing that perhaps perfection is the goal? Does fear prevent you from starting? Why do people have great ideas, but do nothing with them? I'd like to introduce today's episode as something that although was a bit of a failure at the time, was simply the first attempt. And I thought it would be important to show all of you an example for attempt #1. And to encourage you to keep trying at whatever it is you have a vision for. What you are about to hear is Podcast Episode #1, that was never released. Why? Because it didn't meet my expectation, and I was embarrassed, or perhaps scared of failure, scared of what other people might think, those other people being you, and sometimes are not actually afraid to fail, we are afraid to BE SEEN failing. Think about that! It is not missing the shot that is scary, it is being seen missing the shot that is scary. So, this episode is for me. It's my turn to be seen missing the shot. Even though this was my very first shot, I was too afraid to play it, so I'm going to lean in and play my failure for you. This was recorded in January of 2019, before I knew anything about podcasting and I was just experimenting. Before we jump into it. I have 2 thoughts that would encourage you to embrace. #1 is the concept of TRYING: TEN STEPS TO INNOVATION! TRY TRY AGAIN TRY ONCE MORE TRY A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY TRY IT AGAIN TOMORROW TRY AND ASK FOR HELP TRY TO FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP TRY TO FIX WHAT IS NOT WORKING TRY TO EXPAND WHAT IS WORKING JUST KEEP TRYING UNTIL YOU SUCCEED #2 is to frame life as an experiment. How can you fail if this is just an experiment. Life is often like a vast experiment, a perspective that holds profound truth. Like an experiment, life is filled with hypotheses, trials, errors, and results—each phase a critical component of the journey. This analogy beautifully mirrors our own experiences, where each attempt, each 'try and try again,' becomes a stepping stone to unforeseen outcomes and valuable lessons.
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#149 - THE ONLY SPRINKLER FITTING YOU WILL EVER NEED
12/15/2023
#149 - THE ONLY SPRINKLER FITTING YOU WILL EVER NEED
My special guest today is Chris Sinsel, inventor of , the universal sprinkler fitting. FREE SAMPLE HERE >> "You know, I wanted to make something universal, and I needed something for a 3/4" sprinkler head and a 1/2" sprinkler head. So I was taking measurements because, and I screwed a 1/2" sprinkler head onto a fitting completely tight and went to take measurements. I realized you only use approximately half the threads on that fitting. And for some reason I just had this idea that I wonder if I could fit that 1/2" threaded portion into a 3/4" inch sprinkler head and see if that worked."
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#148 - Is 30% Wet or Dry?
12/08/2023
#148 - Is 30% Wet or Dry?
Three irrigation contractors walked into a bar... 3 irrigation contractors, experts in their field, decided to unwind at a local microbrewery after a long day's work. As they sipped their IPAs, they couldn't help but carry their profession into their leisure time. "Did you guys see the irrigation as you walked in," asked the first contractor. "It looked like trunk slammers put that system in". "I don’t know, it's probably due to the crappy soil in this part of town," said the other contractor. "Really? I always thought the soil was pretty descent around here." "Let's make a bet," boasted the 3rd contractor, always confident in his soil identification skills. "I bet the soil outside this brewery is loamy," The second, with a smirk, disagreed. "No way, it's definitely sandy soil. I can tell just by looking at the plants growing out front." The third, not one to be left out, chimed in, "You're both wrong. That's classic clay soil if I've ever seen it, just look at all that runoff". The banter continued until they decided to settle the bet: whoever was right would get free beer for the night. Excited, they stumbled outside, each scooping up a handful of soil. But as they examined their findings, they could not agree – each was convinced their assessment was correct. In a twist of professionalism, they decided to send a sample to a testing lab for an accurate analysis. The suspense was intense as they had to wait A WEEK for the results. Finally, by the next Friday, the lab results arrived, and to their astonishment, they were ALL wrong. The soil was a Unique mix, unlike any of the types they had argued for. A smirk of astonishment filled their faces as they realized not only their shared mistake, but also that no one would win the free beer!
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#147 - Vision A.I. Sensor + 2023 IA National Convention
12/01/2023
#147 - Vision A.I. Sensor + 2023 IA National Convention
My Philosophy "I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon if I can. I seek opportunity – not security. I will refuse to be a kept citizen, to be humbled and dulled by having my state and nation look after me. I want to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed – never to be numbered among those weak and timid souls who have known neither victory nor defeat. I know that happiness can come only from the inside through hard constructive work and sincere positive thinking. I know that the so-called pleasures of the moment should not be confused with a state of happiness. I know that I can get a measure of inner satisfaction from any job if I intelligently plan and courageously execute it. I know that, if I put forth every iota of strength that I possess – physical, mental, spiritual – toward the accomplishment of a worthwhile task ere I fall exhausted by the wayside, the Unseen Hand will reach out and pull me through. Yes, I want to live dangerously, plan my procedures on the basis of calculated risks, to resolve the problems of everyday living in a measure of inner peace. I know if I know how to do all this, I will know how to live and, if I know how to live, I will know how to die." H.B. "Pat" Zachry Founder, H.B. Zachry Company Sept. 27, 1901 - Sept. 5, 1984 A pioneer of a futuristic construction systems, first used to build Hilton Palacio del Rio.
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#146 - The First Soil Moisture Sensor for Universal Access
11/24/2023
#146 - The First Soil Moisture Sensor for Universal Access
Andy: Hello, all you listeners out there in podcast land. I hope everybody's having an amazing day after Thanksgiving. This episode is going out to the world on Friday, which is the day after Thanksgiving. So I hope everybody had an awesome, relaxing end of season, sort of speak in our world and a season day after Thanksgiving. And this is, we're coming into a big week next week, which is the annual irrigation conference called the IA show. Technically it would be the irrigation association annual conference and at the conference, I will be. Not at a booth or anything formal, but demoing some technology that I've been working on for this last year, which is a long range wireless soil moisture sensor. And if you are able to join us Tuesday evening, which is the night before the show, I will have plenty of sample. And for those interested to join the beta group, some beta devices. And I thought. What better way to prep for next week than to have another discussion with my good friend, Paul Bassett, who has been helping to advise on the development of the sensor [00:02:00] and, uh, the entire, uh, let's call it a project, the entire project. So Paul, welcome back to the podcast. Oh, Paul: thanks for having me, Andy. And I can't wait to be one of the first beta users and testers of of this technology. It's been something that our industry's been needing for. Since its inception. So this is going to be one of those technologies that hopefully everyone's going to embrace because it's now going to have the soil moisture sensing, right? In the palm of your hands. Andy: That's good in the palm of your hand. When, while he's saying Paul saying that I have one in the palm of my hand and what's pretty awesome too, is I would say you are one of our industry's beta testers. You know, there's a probably just a handful, maybe there's more than a handful, but there's a few people that have always had a liking to test new products and seek out new products in just that early adopter sort of way. And you are definitely one of them. And this is not your first time, this will not be your first time beta testing soil moisture sensors because you've actually been testing them for, you know, 20 years at this point. At least Paul: 20 years for sure. And I remember when, when baseline. First came out with their control system and their soil moisture sensors. And I was ecstatic back then and still to this day on how the technology works. And I really like the taking the wired soil moisture sensor readings and converting it over to now a wireless reading, which is just phenomenal being able to transmit. Out of the ground, what the soil moisture is without a Andy: wire and to be able to try to connect the dots, so to speak, in terms of hand. No, it just rained. Let me quickly check my app and [00:04:00] see what that did to the soil profile, right? Or, you know, we adjusted some run times. I had the crew adjust some run times. Let me take a look at the app and see what that did to the moisture profile. I think that most of the time when we set a schedule on a controller, start time, run time, day of the week, it's an educated guess, right, using whatever tools we have ability at that moment in order for us to determine what the run time should be to apply the right amount of water. But there is never been really a tool, I shouldn't say never, there are some, but there's not a universally available tool that anyone could use to then see the results of. What did that adjustment from 30 minutes to 45 minutes look like, or from one hour to 30 minutes? What is it actually doing to the soil? There isn't a universal tool available that anyone can use easily and affordable to start learning. Paul: And I like what, what you've done by taking on this particular project and Finding the latest technology that's available and using the, that technology and intertwining it with soil moisture sensors, specifically, most folks aren't really aware of, you know, how this frequency transmits and how it was received and how it gets moved from the device into the palm of your hand. Why don't you tell us how that Andy: works? Yeah, there's a stack. We won't go right now all into all the details, but there's a stack of of different technologies that when you stack it together, the data basically passes through the stack and it is delivered to you in the web browser on the phone or the computer. So the device pings through a gateway, either private or public. Then it goes up to a network server and the network server passes it to an application server. Then the application server is what pushes it to the U. I. So one data point, one point of moisture has to pass through all [00:06:00] those little channels along the way in order for the user to then see it on their device. And that's been, uh, I wouldn't say it's a challenge, but it makes what seems, it makes what seems so simple, actually quite technical under the hood. It is Paul: very technical under the hood, Andy, for sure. And the way you describe it. Andy: Yeah, and you gotta sort of learn each of those, each of those, you have to learn each of those, um, pieces of technology. Because it's not just one of them. And so one of the things that I've done is, you know, gathered a group of people together, i. e. you as one of the advisors and, uh, and Nate as as an engineer, uh, and then a whole slew of other people that are sort of experts in their line of work. So it might be it's the network server developer, or it's the application server developer, or it's the hardware engineer, or it's the application developer. Um, you know, designer of the actual, uh, capsule, if you will, the hexagon. So there's kind of had to have been a T there's a whole team that's sort of working on this project, uh, to move data from the ground all the way up to the cloud or right into the palm of your hand. And what I think is pretty awesome. Is that where we, where we've landed started from an idea, you know, that you and I shared back in the spring where we kind of said, man, what would it, if sole moisture sensors were easy, what would that look like? And that's where we came up with this, you know, scan it, drop it, connect it. You know, you don't have to call anyone. You don't have to activate anything. You can just. Scan it, drop it and connect it. And, you know, so what people will, we'll see is that that is the trying to make it easy for the everyday person has been our goal and both affordable, [00:08:00] affordable and easy for the everyday person. So you can just. Grab one out of your truck, scan it, drop it, add it to your account, and you're off and running. Paul: Andy, it's phenomenal to hear that because it sounds like it's something that's been really needed in our industry to be able to have something this easy to deploy that it sounds like almost everybody could use it. It's not just for the professionals. Is that right? Andy: That's that's the goal. You know, there are products out there that have 10 X 100 X. The capabilities of what what I've been building because the The point of what I've been trying to build is something that's for everyone. Not something that is extremely scientific, not something that's research grade, not something that has to be connected to a control platform, but just a soil moisture sensor for the everyday user so they can have the tool to learn. So they can have the tool to see what happens as a result of their watering patterns. And I really think that that's a missing, a missing piece is that we don't, we are not able to connect the dots on what happens when you apply the water. We apply the water and then we We imagine what happens to it, and then we make some assumptions based on the health of the plant material. If the plant material is not healthy, then we make another assumption of I either over watered or I under watered, but we don't have a good tool to actually learn about the health. The application or precipitation rate, you know, and as it relates to the runtime on what you do. And so I think that, you know, somebody might say, I don't know really where I want to use this sensor. It's like, well, just go put it somewhere and you'll quickly have some data that will make you more curious. And you'll want to put another one in another spot because you'll get even more curious and then you'll start bringing in more data. You'll start learning and then you'll become. Over time, a better [00:10:00] irrigator because you have the, you know, cause and effect, so to speak, Paul: and, and to one of the things that I've learned through the knowledge lab that you've been working on is that, you know, this, this information that you're displaying, you're putting it in a way that It's easy for people to see it and understand it and ingest it. It's not in major graphs and very hard to see. So that's one of the things that I've really been encouraged about by the way that you're displaying the information on the application. Andy: Yeah. Again, right. It's gotta be easy and understandable and ideally in the palm of your hand, you know, the sensor in the palm of your hand and the data in the palm of your hand and I'm pretty excited about, uh, The level, let's see, how do I say this, the, I'm pretty excited about the level that the application is at for beta, you know, I think that, um, you know, a lot of products come to market as beta and they really are at level one, you know, maybe it's just one, just one graph and it's very simple, but what, uh, What the users will see in the, in the first beta launch is actually a lot of additional features in the software, um, such as notifications, users can set up an email notification that if the soil reaches a certain threshold equal to or greater than equal to or less than, et cetera, they can get an email notification, uh, right in the beta, in the beta version. That is a good, Paul: you're right. I did when you showed that to me, I was like, wow, I mean, it doesn't feel like it's irrigation technology. It doesn't, it's so much different in the way that you're able to bring it into the irrigation field, [00:12:00] um, with this technology is, is really astounding. Andy: And that's, it's interesting that you mentioned that because technology by itself would not be for any one industry because the technology is simply the technology. And so in this instance, it's about taking the technology that's available in the, in the greater world. But then applying it to our industry, using it. Um, you know, such like, uh, for instance, if the user would rather not have an email notification, but would rather have that notification run into a slack channel that they're on. That's totally possible. You know, we can send a notification when the soil moisture sensor reaches a certain threshold and send that notification through slack Paul: and forgive me for being one of the older guys on this call, but I don't use slack and I don't even know what it is. Well, Andy: you use Microsoft's version of Slack, which would be called teams. Okay. Uh, even though they're different, they're similar Slack, you know, predates teams, but, uh, you know, Slack is like, is like a chat communication tool with additional features and threads, uh, similar to Telegram. I know you use Telegram Slack would be similar and used by, you know. Used a lot by corporate America now to message with, with teams and update teams kind of like in a, uh, more efficient way than sending emails, sort of speak. And then how does it? Yeah, another modern tool, I guess. That's why I'm Paul: mentioning it. Tell me when you say that, because, you know, again, how does it interact with this, this slack? What do you, how do you Andy: set this? Yeah, I mean, the beauty of slack is let's say you've got a group of 20 people on a slack channel. And they can all be notified in Slack channel if the soil moisture reaches a certain point, right? So it's just, you know, there's a million different types of examples like that, uh, where you can take data from one source connected to another source. [00:14:00] Um, yeah. Paul: And when you're talking again, it doesn't feel like we're talking irrigation and that's what I like about what you're doing is you're bringing in technology that's not within the irrigation field and you're tying it into our application. So. That's another thing which really amazes me that you've done. Andy: Yeah, cool. Thank you. It'll be interesting. I'm really curious to see what users, number one, do with it. Where do they want to put it? What do they, what do they learn from it? What, uh, you know, what light bulbs go off for them that they didn't know before? And... Those kinds of insights will be helpful in order to, uh, improve, you know, the project, improve the product, the project to figure out which areas, you know, maybe need more focus, both from perhaps the data collection perspective, but also so that I don't have to assume what the users want. Because we need the users to use it to tell us, you know, the reasons and the places and what they need so we can build that. Paul: Well, you know, the use cases that I've started understanding when, when you came to me with this technology was that, you know, when I have a bunch of controllers out there and I'm manning to them and, you know, we have rain sensors on, they're supposed to shut them down when it rains. But we really. The settings aren't great, and you don't really have any feedback loop on those on the, uh, the rain sensor. Like, I don't know what the rain sensor set at. Is it a quarter inch? Is it an eighth of an inch? Um, and then sometimes we have to rely on remote weather stations, and I don't really ever find trust those when it rains or doesn't. So I really needed the ability to understand how the water is being applied at the site level. And I need to know when it [00:16:00] rains, what does the rain do to the moisture that I can shut the system down? So that's where I've been extremely interested in in these devices, having that capability and insight. Into what happens not only when an irrigation cycle applies the water, but what happens when it rains and how long does that take that rain to get to the moisture level in the soil that I don't need to operate my irrigation system. Andy: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah. I like just thinking about what you're saying. It's almost like, uh, those who are curious will really like. We'll probably have a great experience with the sensor because it allows them to say something such as I wonder what happens when blank, you know, fill in the blank. I wonder what happens when it rained yesterday. What did that do? Which you don't have the visibility right now. Rain sensor clicks off, but it doesn't give you any data. It's it's just a switch. But there's there's there's no data coming out of it. Speaking Paul: of switches, I know you and I don't want to get ahead of myself because there's a lot of things that you talk about in your mind that goes on with With regards to what's next and what can you do, but I know you and I've had some discussions about, you know, having this sensor tie into a local like switch in the controller, like a rain switch where that you can suspend that. irrigation cycle on the standard controller with a rain sensor type switch that connects directly to the application. Is that what I heard? Andy: Right. Yep. Uh, yeah, we can hit that for a moment. So I think in any, as soon as, as soon as you have one idea and one idea becomes a product, then all of a sudden it unlocks more things. Okay, great. We can measure the moisture, but then, well, how do we? Turn the controller off or keep the controller off. Well, we need something tied to the controller. Okay, what can we tie to the [00:18:00] controller? Well, we need some type of a receiver switch that can open and close the rain sensor terminal since that's the controllers, you know, external device connection. So if we can open and close a rain sensor terminal, then we can. pause or suspend the controller. So, you know, the idea is, uh, and I guess I'll just share it is after, you know, after the, the, the hex moisture sensor is, you know, finalized beta, et cetera. Then the idea is to have a smart switch and a smart switch would be a universal controller adapter that can be used in combination with the soil moisture sensor or really anything else. Potentially in the world that's connected to the cloud, whatever that device might be, we can connect it to our smart switch, I. E. And then connected to the irrigation controller. So you could suspend the irrigation for any other possible reason, because now the smart switch is connected to the cloud. So, yeah, keep your, uh, keep your eyes open for that one, guys, because that, that, the smart switch would work with or without a soil moisture sensor. It may be the connection to the controller for a soil moisture sensor, but you could use it, you could just use it as a remote control off switch if you want. Now, now that I think about it, Paul: well, Andy, I know, you know, all the things that you're thinking of there are extremely interesting to me, you know, I'm very curious with technology. So I'm glad you're able to, you know, bring this to market, um, and take some of your ideas and it helped enhance and save water in the irrigation industry. Andy: Yeah. Appreciate having the number one beta tester in my back pocket. Paul: Well, I'm the one that's very curious. Andy: Yeah, and so guys if you are curious and you're listening to this prior to the IA show it starts next week Uh, meet up with Paul and I, we're going to have, uh, you know, get some people together with OpConnect on Tuesday [00:20:00] evening. Uh, and then again, you can join me at the baseline brew crew if you haven't registered for that on Wednesday. Uh, but Tuesday I'll have some, I'll have some beta units of the, of the sensor and the application. So if you want to get involved and participate and be curious and join in on the project. Would love to have you. Yeah. Look forward to meeting anyone who wants to come out and say hello at the show. Paul: Well, I'm anxious, Andy, for sure, to be able to get more of these out in the field and, and test them and see what's happening in my soils. Andy: Cool. Right on. Well, thank you, Paul, for the little, uh, the little brain share, and thank you for your support and, uh, being a fantastic advisor, uh, to me and the project really appreciate it. Paul:I'm probably your number-one cheerleader. There's no doubt about that. Andy: Thanks, man. I'll see you. Next week and, uh, catch everybody else, uh, catch you guys next week on another episode of the sprinkler show. See ya
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#145 - Trades RULE, and My Next BIG Thing
11/17/2023
#145 - Trades RULE, and My Next BIG Thing
Happy Hour Invitation >>>>> Podcast Reference: ======== Alex Wilhelm - You know, for a really long time, people looked down their nose at people who worked with their hands and those jobs were viewed as, as lesser. And even the whole blue collar white collar divide was, was not just class in the United States, but it was also, you know, kind of like a cultural cachet that, that, that were valued to jobs didn't have. Uh, if we think about the power of digital technologies in a realm of generative AI, we're taking away the white collar premium. And oddly enough, pushing that back onto the blue collar jobs, there's a full circle element to this that I, that I, that I appreciate and find ironic that the computer guys got so smart, they took away their own jobs. Andy Humphrey Hey there, my friends. It's your host, Andy Humphrey. Welcome to episode 145. of the sprinkler nerd show. I'm super stoked that you're tuning in today. Just like to remind myself this super stoked you're turning into tuning in today because there is a whole universe of podcasts out there more than anyone could ever listen to in a hundred lifetimes. There's a whole universe of podcasts out there. So the fact that you're hanging out here today. is pretty awesome. Thank you so much. And I hope that you are having an awesome day wherever you are listening from. And as I say that wherever you are listening from, tell me where you are listening from. I love making new friends with all of you guys. So feel free to shoot me a text message. I'll give you my personal cell phone number here. It is two zero eight. Send me a text message. Tell me where you are listening from. And uh, when you do text me, please add your name. Don't just say something like, hello, how are you? So I know that. Uh, you are not just a, another bot trying to, trying to sell me something because I do get a lot of spam text messages. So shoot me a text message, 208 908 3229, tell me where you're tuning in from. Uh, let's see, you guys know that I love sharing. Stories and insights and sometimes even a few laughs here and there. And I hope that today's episode adds some good vibes to your day. I'm going to share a few things that I think would particularly resonate with anyone in the trades. Uh, community, which obviously would be the landscape and irrigation industry as a trade. Um, and, uh, you know, if you are loving the vibes today, as I say that, you know, if you're loving what you hear, why not spread the good vibes with others, share it with your work buddies, share this episode in this podcast with your work buddies or anyone that you think might appreciate these topics, particularly anyone. Who might be like you, who likes to think divergently. I mean, different. I mean, anyone who likes to question what it is they think they know, because at least that's what I like to do. Question what it is I think I know so that I can be curious, curious, curious enough to learn something new. Okay. All right. Enough of this chit chat intro. Let's jump right into the heart of today's episode. Here we go. If you are an irrigation professional, old or new, who designs, installs, or maintains high end residential, commercial, or municipal properties, and you want to use technology to improve your business, to get a leg up on your competition, even if you're an old school irrigator from the days of hydraulic systems, this show is for you. So for today, I have three topics to share with you. Number one, something I heard recently that points favorably. To the future of the trades industry. Number two, an invitation to join me at the op Connect late night welcome party at the IA show. Number three, a technology platform that I've been building with two other team members for the past year that we will have ready for beta testing soon. So, okay, let's start with the future of the trades industry, and in case you missed it. Missed it in the intro. I'm going to play this clip again for you, this really short clip, and I may play it a few times just to drill the point home. The computer guys got so smart they took away their own jobs. The computer guys got so smart they took away their own jobs. The computer guys got so smart they took away their own jobs. Let me play it one more time. The computer guys got so smart they took away their own jobs. It's frickin awesome. I just think that this is an amazing concept. The computer guys got so smart they took away their own jobs. There's just something so ironic about that that it reminds me of these lyrics. Now this is a story all about how My life got flipped, turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air My life got turned flipped upside down and that might be exactly what is coming for some people as it relates to a I their life is going to get turned flipped upside down because what they think what they thought they think what they think they thought they knew the value of that is changing. The puck is moving. So some people's lives are going to get turned flipped upside down. However, the reason I say that trades rule. And that's kind of why I put that in this episode is because what really resonated with me and this episode, which I, you know, will link here in the show notes, what resonated with me is when Jason Calacanis predicted that the jobs that require the sort of like human hands or like, aka the trades, you know, plumbers, carpenters, anything that requires the trades will be more in demand. And I think that it's sort of like the, you know, it's that flip happening. It's like the poles getting reversed when society at one time, uh, it's not that we When I say we, society, devalued blue collar jobs, we put this sort of false, um, pedestal under white collar jobs, aka going to college, aka getting a degree. You know, I, we'll save my true thoughts on this for another podcast, but is, where is the value there if much of what is taught there can be and will be outsourced to another country? Right? Through the internet, remote workforce, or replaced by AI. Is that the, is that really where humans should put their value? And what's really fascinating, flip that over, blue collar jobs, work with your hands. These types of jobs will be in more demand than ever. And he says six figures. So good news for you guys wanted to just play these quotes because as I listened to them in my day to day and the content that I consume when something It sticks out to me. I want to share it with you and that one did because I think it looks bright for the future of the trades industry. Whether you work in the trade, whether you are a sole proprietor, whether you own the business and employ trades people, the entire trades industry looks positive. So let's play the entire quote from Jason Calacanis right now. What are the safe jobs? Do you think in a world of AI, if you're 18 right now, listening to this, anything physical in the world, that's like a trade skill is going to be crazy. Like, you know, try getting a plumber, electrician, any of those jobs. So if you have the propensity, it's going to be a six figure job. And I would say it's safer than the equivalent six figure job. You might get after 20 years of being a journalist, right. To hit six figures as a teacher or journalist is a 10 to 20 year journey, I'd say. And your job as a plumber, electrician, carpenter. Pick the trade will be higher. Excellent. Now let's move on to item number two on my list today. And that is an invitation to join me at the op connect late night. Welcome party at the I a show up. Connect has generously. Scheduled a happy hour irrigation appreciation event on Tuesday, November 28th. So if you are listening to this and plan to attend the IA show, which officially I believe starts Wednesday trade show anyway, Tuesday night. From 8pm to 9pm, we invite you to join OpConnect, Justin, Breck, you know, and myself at Rita's Riverwalk, Rita's Riverwalk, at 8pm Tuesday, November 28th, from 8pm to 9pm, and then I will sponsor the Late Late Night. Event, so if any of you guys stay past 9 p. m Then I'll take over from OpConnect and this will be the sprinkler nerd meetup sponsored event in the after party So join OpConnect, Justin Breck, myself at the IA show Tuesday night, November 28th, Rita's River Walk, just google that, I could give you the address, but just google it, it's Rita's, like Margarita, Rita, Rita's River Walk, San Antonio, Tuesday, November 28th, 8pm. Would love to see you there. But this is my lead in to my third kind of announcement and that is about the technology platform that the three of us have been building for the past year, which eventually will be a very A comprehensive platform and there's multiple legs of the platform that range from analytics to control to monitoring and the first kind of public release of the technology is a long range wireless soil moisture sensor. I'll pause for a moment. Yes, you heard that, a Long Range Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor Platform. And our platform has two parts. Number one is the hardware technology of the sensor, which has a, um, how do I say this? A shelf life, an installed shelf life of approximately five years. So we, we have engineered, manufactured an amazing product that measures the soil moisture at three inches and measures it at six inches. It provides an average and the soil temperature. And we're building this at an affordable price because part of our business plan is what we are calling the democratization of soil moisture sensor technology. So we believe that. If you, why would you want to spend 800 on one soil moisture sensor, we believe that you should be spending 800 for at least 10 to 20 soil moisture sensors. Because one, we want to, we want to get a lot of sensors out there because we want you to learn. We don't want price to be the barrier. We want to help the industry learn. How to water better, how to water more efficiently, to learn what runtime actually does. What does 30 minutes of runtime look like in your soil moisture? And one of the only ways to do that is to build a product that is affordable, that can scale to the everyday user. Um, so we are excited to announce the release, the beta release of our brand new long range wireless soil moisture sensor platform that will be available to see at the first. You can see this first at the op connect happy hour on Tuesday, November 28th at 8 PM. So if you come and you're excited about this, you can join our beta list and we could probably have you leave the show. with some product in hand. And when we say long range should be at least a mile, a mile, one mile. Pretty awesome. We want you to put sensors everywhere. We don't want wire to be the barrier or location to be the barrier. We want you to feel. The freedom of putting a sensor wherever you want, okay? Now this is, I don't have more to share on this outside of that, but if you think about this scaling up to an analytics platform that has all of the data. We're talking flow data, pressure data, irrigation control. That is the sort of comprehensive platform that we are working on that incorporates the three legs of the stool, which is control, analytics, and monitoring. And we are launching with the release of our H2 Soil Moisture Sensor, H4 Harmony, H4 Hexagon. You guys are going to love the way this thing looks. I'm so freaking excited and I can't wait to, I'm actually most excited to see how you guys use it. And that's why we want beta users because we'd like to know. where you use it, why you use it, what is the data you want to see, what do you want it to do, so that we can improve the lives of the everyday irrigator, landscaper, and client. So. There it is. That's my, that's my third announcement is the release of our new technology platform, long range wireless soil moisture sensors that our hope is to democratize sensors. Okay, so that's it for this episode. Thank you so much. I hope to see many of you. At the show coming up the week after Thanksgiving. And, um, if you don't, if you can't attend the happy hour, send me a text message again, 2 0 8 9 0 8 3 2 2 9. Happy to meet up with you. I'm going to be roaming the show every day. Happy to meet up with you. Uh, learn about your business, what you're into. If there's anything I can do to help you, if you're interested in looking at our new sensor platform, happy to review that. with you as well. And again, thank you so much for listening. Please share this episode with a friend or another industry colleague, or maybe somebody else that you know, that's in the trades, that's not in irrigation or landscaping. Maybe, you know, somebody that's just doing home construction or they're doing HVAC and you want to send them that little nugget about the future of trades. Share this episode. It would mean a lot to me. Thank you so much. Have a great weekend and we'll catch you on the next episode.
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#144 - Top 10 You Gotta Know This
11/10/2023
#144 - Top 10 You Gotta Know This
Welcome back to another episode of the Sprinkler Nerd Show. I'm your host Andy Humphrey. This is episode 144 coming to you on Friday, almost a live Friday. We're gonna get this one aired within the next two hours. So if you're listening to it on Friday, this episode is being recorded at 9.32 a.m. And I'm joined today by My good friend, , who joined me last week in my hometown of Traverse City, Michigan for the Iceman Cometh Race. Paul is a survivor. We may talk about that a little bit today, but while he was visiting, we had this idea to record an episode calling it kind of like Irrigators Top 10, and these would be sort of 10 facts that we should all have readily available in our mind at any moment without having to open. a book. So we're going to kind of talk today about 10 things all irrigators and or landscapers who do irrigation should kind of just know. So Paul, welcome. Paul Bassett (01:12.718) Oh, Andy, it's always good to hear from you and be with you and come up with these fantastic new topics to do a podcast on. As we were preparing this, I've been in the irrigation business 35 years, so you would think these would all be at the top of mind. As you go through life, sometimes you forget or you don't always use these calculations every day. So it was a very good reminder for me to be able to have these at the top of my fingers and be able to... the pull them out so probably one thing we should do is text these outer get these the folks and you know have them put it on a screenshot and have it available. Andy (01:51.774) Yeah, because I mean, really sometimes when you're in the field, you got to make changes to a design, or you want to run a quick calculation for a customer to run an estimate or an ROI. And you can't always just Google something and find it and figure it out or pull out your design book. And so we kind of thought there are some things. We tried to think of 10, of course, to make this episode a 10 list, which was actually kind of hard. If you're listening to this and you've got other ideas, let us know because this was just a list that we put together kind of top of mind. And when we get started, you'll see that this list is, we're trying to make it sort of memorizable things versus concepts. But I think there are a couple that are concept based, but we really think that these are just sort of the, you know, if we were in school, these would be things you would memorize and there would be, and you would put on a test. You would be asked these questions and you commit them. to memory, sort of like, you know, how many states are there in the United States? That would be a fact that you'd commit to memory that everyone would know. Just common knowledge. And so maybe that's what we need to call this, sort of like common knowledge facts that irrigators should have top of mind. Paul Bassett (03:08.834) Or as you say with this particular topic, common knowledge concepts or constants. I even, constants, common knowledge constants in the irrigation industry. And all of these numbers and calculations that we're gonna discuss are all in tests that we've taken in the irrigation industry, whether it's a certified irrigation designer, contractor, and all of these are extracts from any of the textbooks that we've ever read. Andy (03:15.834) Constance, right. Constance. Paul Bassett (03:38.422) be a part of. Andy (03:40.894) Mm hmm. So I think what we should do is, well, first of all, let me congratulate you on finishing the Iceman Cometh race. I'm really impressed because you didn't even hesitate when race registration opened. You signed up and this was six months prior. And this is no joke of a race 30 miles point to point in the woods with 5000 other riders and you just signed up without any hesitation. You flew your bike out to Michigan and. Boom, you'd finished the race, so congrats, man. Paul Bassett (04:11.358) Yeah, and it was super fun and I can't wait to do this. Hopefully every year for the rest of my life. I got the bug. It was good to hang out with you and all your friends in Michigan. And I am so excited about next year. I definitely going to do a little bit more training and hopefully my neck won't be as jacked as it has been this last year. So can't wait, dude. Andy (04:33.09) Yep, anybody who's into biking that happens to be listening to this, check out iceman.com. And if you're interested, register and we will, you know, get a tent for us irrigators and throw a party in the woods in Michigan after the bike race. It'd be a heck of a lot of fun even if we just got two or three other people into biking. You want to come to Michigan and hang out next year with Paul and I in the woods for Paul Bassett (04:58.422) Can't wait, man. Andy (05:00.246) Okay, so I think that to kind of set the tone for this, I'm going to say the first one that I want to use to let people kind of understand what we're talking about. So here would be a for instance, you're on a project and you take a static pressure reading and then you see that there's a slope on the hill and it looks to be about 20 feet of elevation from where you took your static pressure reading to the bottom of the hill. what is it that all irrigators should know about pressure as it relates to elevation that they should commit to memory so that if you take a pressure reading at the top of the hill, you can calculate what your pressure will be at the bottom of the hill. Paul Bassett (05:47.882) Very good. And yes, this is definitely something, especially if you live, not necessarily in your neck of the woods, Andy, where it's flat and in Michigan, where you are. Andy (05:56.238) Yeah, but even 10 feet, right? 10 feet to the eye over a distance can look flat. So, you know, many sites have elevation, even if it's only enough where you might need a check valve or something in a sprinkler. But using the what do we want to call this the constant of pressure due to pressure loss, or gain due to gravity, I guess is where I'm going with this would be the constant that everybody should know. and I would say first and foremost they should commit like a half psi. If they can remember 0.5 psi that's the easiest one but then the actual number is 0.433 psi loss per foot of elevation or gained per foot of elevation. Paul Bassett (06:46.038) And that's what I've always really put in my mind as I'm doing calculations is half a pound per every foot of elevation. And it makes it easier round. At least you got a little buffer, especially if nowadays, and I know I think you and I really going to talk more about the residential element on this to make it more simplified for people. But, you know, we do a lot of work in commercial and there's a lot that's happening in what we do with green roofs and got to get water to a top of a building. Now that's a hundred. Andy (06:51.992) Right. Paul Bassett (07:16.362) stories or whatever it is. So you're like, oh. Andy (07:18.736) Even if it's six, right? Even if it's 30 feet or 20 feet. Paul Bassett (07:22.338) I mean, it's a big loss, right? And, you know, we're going to need pumps to get the water pressure unless the building has a booster pump. So a lot of this has to do with making sure you overcome the pressure losses of elevation in your calculations so you don't get stuck. Andy (07:35.034) Yep. And coming out of a pond, you know, a lot of municipal sites have, you know, secondary sources and a lot of times the pond are at the bottom of a slope. That because generally where you know, the water collects. So whether it's retention basin or a pond, you know, it's good to take that into consideration. What is the elevation of the pump? What is the elevation that it needs to get to? And you can quickly run that calculation by remembering, you know, one half pound of pressure for every foot. of elevation, either gain or loss. So now that's an easy one. Probably all you guys listening, that's an easy one. But if not, just remember, half a pound of pressure and the actual number is 0.433, but a half pound will always cover you because it's a greater value than the actual value. Okay. So let's go to a second example, number two. Do you have one, Paul? Paul Bassett (08:07.007) Easy way to do it, Andy. Paul Bassett (08:30.166) I do. And this comes in a lot of times when you're on a property or you're with a homeowner and they say, well, how much water do I need to apply in my landscape in a given week? What do you do? Oh, let me run the math. Well, first of all, we need to know how big is your property. And one of the calculations that we use is how many square feet are in an acre. And this is something that we We should all try to commit the memory so you know exactly how much water you need to apply, but you know, 43, 560 is that's how many square feet are in an acre and these are the numbers that you need to be able to have when you calculate how much water is being applied. So you can say, well, I have a half an acre of property. Okay. Well you divide, you know, the 43, 560 and half, and then that's your square footage and then well, how much water do we need a week? We're going to calculate one inch of week. And then we should be able to determine from there how much water that site needs in a week. And you can tell your customer, here's how much you'll be expecting to pay in water per week in the growing season. Andy (09:36.418) Now you just covered a whole bunch of shit. Not only the $43,560, but one inch of water, you know, breaking it down to square feet and then telling them how much that's going to cost. That is a whole episode right there. So I'm going to just make a note on that. Paul Bassett (09:50.19) I did probably overwhelm. Yes, apologize on that. Andy (09:54.006) Oh good, man, I love it. So 43,560 square feet in one acre. That's what we think is that you should commit to memory. How many square feet in an acre? And. Paul Bassett (10:06.954) Yeah, and again, what happens too is like a lot of guys and gals are out here when we work in athletic fields, they're going to consume a bunch of water and they're a large area. So this is really where I first started understanding the square footage when we started doing soccer and football and baseball fields because you got such a large area, it's way more than a half an acre. So you got lots of acreage and the client wants to know how much water are we going to be putting down? How much do we need? So that's where those numbers come in handy more specifically then, than when you're doing residential. Andy (10:39.878) Okay, I think that then rolls into our third constant, which you kind of started alluding to when you said, you know, how much water is one inch, you know, for gallons. So I think the next thing that should be committed to memory is how many gallons is one acre inch, one inch of water over an acre. How many gallons is that? Paul Bassett (11:07.498) And one of the things again, for those of us who haven't been into the irrigation show or the conference or taking classes, these are all things that, that like page one and two of our books that go through all these content and then they reiterate it throughout. And, and I think Andy, you did the same with our numbers that a half of a pound per foot will we know that the physical number of an acre inch is 27,154. Who wants to remember 154 all the time is so hard. Is it 154? Is it 560? So Andy and I make it easy. It's 27,000 gallons. Just like a half a pound. Then that's about right. But it is the actual number is 27,154 and that's how many gallons of water it would take to cover an inch of land over one acre. Andy (11:38.61) Mm-hmm. Andy (11:45.834) Mm-hmm. 27,000 gallons. Andy (12:01.686) Yep, so if your client has a half acre lot and they're just, you know, again using one inch as an estimate, this might be more, might be less, but annualized, let's just say it's an inch over half an acre, then you can take 27,000 gallons, divide it by two, right? You get 13,500 and that would be one inch of water for half an acre. So knowing those constants in your mind would allow you to do some quick math on the fly without opening up any design books. Paul Bassett (12:31.714) And then why would you apply one inch of water? Where does one inch come from, Andy? Why would we apply an inch? Where does that come from? Andy (12:39.484) Oh man, you're gonna test me in front of all these people listening? It's the plant water requirement, right? On the average for, I believe, cool season turf, one inch of water per week. And then again, in the summer, based on the actual evapotranspiration rate, it could be an inch and a half or it could be more. And in the spring, it could be a quarter of an inch or one inch, but when you annualize it, that is the number one inch that is used for, you know, sort of quick math, if you will. Paul Bassett (13:08.046) Well, you said a calculation or term in your discussion point here of evapotranspiration. What are the four things that create evapotranspiration? Andy (13:19.954) Cool, well, let's make that our next, you know, not a constant, but the next sort of fact that every irrigator should know is what is ET, evapotranspiration, and then what you said, what are the four variables that make up evapotranspiration for climate, you know, weather variables that make it up. So we have air temperature. humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. So those... What's up? Paul Bassett (13:57.386) Rainfall's not in that, Andy. Rainfall's not in that. Andy (14:01.894) rainfall would be considered like the counterbalance. So rainfall is used to fill the bucket up, but those four variables are used to calculate the bucket depletion, if you will. So those variables calculate the depletion. Rainfall then fills it back up. So if you had one inch of depletion and you had one inch of rainfall, then you have zero. The water requirement is balanced out. But evapotranspiration is just water loss. It doesn't have rainfall. Rainfall is just the added value to help estimate the water needed. But it's not a part of the actual evapotranspiration equation. Paul Bassett (14:50.326) Excellent discussion point, Andy, because sometimes people forget that rainfall is not calculated in ET. It's also sometimes kind of hard to figure out where to get ET data from. It's not like we can go ping a source and we have it all over the country. You have to go find it and it has to be a good reliable source. I think more and more people are starting to... Andy (15:14.031) Yeah. Paul Bassett (15:16.822) give access to ET so it's becoming readily available for us. Andy (15:22.09) It is kind of wild, you know, even when you think about all these smart controllers out there in the world, which when we say smart controller, that means many things to many people. There's really no good quantifiable definition of a smart controller, but it just amazes me that even on the screen, let's just take Hydrawise. Sorry, Hunter, I'm just using this as an example. On the screen of the Hydrawise controller, why doesn't it just show you the ET value? Like we need to put that in front of people so that they understand why it's doing what it's doing. Show me on the screen what you know yesterday's ET is. Paul Bassett (15:48.62) I know. Paul Bassett (15:57.09) Very good suggestion, Hunter. Andy (15:59.27) So, and Hunter, anyone, right? We should just put it out there. It's as important as how many gallons of water did I use yesterday. Paul Bassett (16:08.718) Well, I know Andy, we've been kind of talking about some of the little more advanced constants in the irrigation, but let's talk about some that are a little bit easier, which folks really should know as well. And what we're going to do is there's a lot of different pipe types in the world. And we, you and I, when we did this discussion, we wanted to pick something that's a little on the simpler side. So for those who use poly pipe or HDPE. forgive us, but we just chose schedule 40 PVC is our constant pipe type and it's going to be an average PSI 50. But you know, folks should know how much water does a one inch piece of schedule 40 pipe flow through at a standard pressure? I mean, because when you're out in the field and you're looking at how many heads are on a zone and you know the pipe size and you say, well, What, why is there 20 gallons a minute flowing on this one inch piece of pipe? And I have absolutely terrible pressure because that pipe should only be running 13 gallons a minute. Now you have 20 and you gotta make an adjustment. You gotta fix it. So, you know, that's something that's really important for all of you listening out there. How much water can we flow through our pipe? Andy (17:17.072) Right. Andy (17:27.186) Mm-hmm. And we'll have to save this for another episode where maybe we talk about the concepts versus the facts. So you and I wrote down that we thought it would be important, again, mostly residential speaking to know the maximum flow rate for schedule 41 inch at 13 gallons a minute and the maximum flow rate for three quarter inch schedule 40 at eight gallons a minute. But the most important thing is to know how to find this. where to look, how to find this, and that would be, you know, understanding a friction loss chart. And friction loss charts are in the back of every manufacturer's catalog, most manufacturers catalogs. And it's important not to exceed a certain velocity. So, you know, this will lead into the next sort of constant that we want to talk about. But the maximum flow rate is determined by the velocity Paul Bassett (17:56.097) Yes. Andy (18:25.286) the pipe such that it puts less stress on the fittings and less stress on the systems with water not moving as quickly through the pipe. And so we think that all irrigators should know what is the maximum velocity in feet per second that is used in these friction loss charts. So why don't you tell us what that maximum velocity should be? Paul Bassett (18:50.838) Well, it's funny you say that because, you know, always handy for me is my book, constant book, that I have to reference all the time because I'm looking up charts. So when you look at, okay, well, we were gonna use one inch PVC, you go down in your chart book, you go, okay, well, what is the flow rate of it? And in all of the books and charts you see, it's five feet per second is the standard in the irrigation industry of how fast that you're going to move the water through the pipe to ensure that the fittings aren't damaged, the valves aren't damaged, you don't have excessive pressure and water hammer. So five feet per second is what's going to allow us to get our 13 gallons a minute through our schedule 40 PVC. Andy (19:38.054) right five feet per second. Five feet per second guys five feet per second. What's so fascinating too is when you look at friction loss charts, the friction loss going from like a one inch pipe to an inch and a quarter pipe when you're at that five feet per second is a big deal. You might go from three psi loss per hundred feet to you know or to one psi loss per hundred feet by upsizing And it's a great example of how faster moving water creates a lot more friction loss. Going back to your point, Paul, if you're running twice the volume of water that you should be through a size pipe, your velocity increases tremendously, which then causes there to be a lot of friction loss. And that's why you put too many heads on a zone. It just doesn't balance out and you get poor performance because of all that friction loss. Paul Bassett (20:38.474) And I've seen this way too often in the 30 some years that I've been doing this. The client goes, why isn't my sprinklers working properly? What is going on? Do I need a booster pump? No, we need to split the zone. Well, what's that going to cost? Right? You always hear that. Well, I'm sorry, but you know, somebody tried to get away with doing something that they shouldn't have, and now you need to split...
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#143 - You Have NO Competition - Just Put Them An A Bucket
11/03/2023
#143 - You Have NO Competition - Just Put Them An A Bucket
The race is on to set the mood for today's episode, which is about competition. I'm going to talk about competition because I've had a few suggestions that maybe I should talk a little bit about some business strategies. Maybe at some point, we'll talk about finances, P& L, balance sheet, estimating. But in this episode, I want to talk a little bit about sales and we will talk more about sales in future episodes. But I think today what I want to do is talk about. competition, and how, how you speak about your competition. Do you speak about your competitors? When do you speak about your competitors? Should you speak about your competitors? Because, uh, you know, in the landscape industry, there's oftentimes not a lot of sales training and the way that a lot of us handle. Our competition isn't always very strategic. It's oftentimes unprofessional. Yet, Um, we tend to, when I say we, my observation is that a lot of you get tied up thinking too much about your competitors, which also affects the way you price and market your company, your products, your services, et cetera. So today I'm going to dig into how to speak about your competition, how to frame your competition, and how to position yourself and your competitors in this episode. If you are an irrigation professional, old or new, who designs, installs, or maintains high-end residential, commercial, or municipal properties, and you want to use technology to improve your business, to get a leg up on your competition, even if you're an old school irrigator from the days of hydraulic systems, this show is for you. Okay, here we go. So I think I'm going to use just my own personal experience, um, helping to build the baseline company, uh, specifically because, you know, way back in the day when, when I was first introduced to baseline, which was. 2004 or 2005, they, they didn't, they didn't have any salespeople. It was just the founders, a couple of engineering, manufacturing people, and a, you know, sort of receptionist, uh, accountant, a bookkeeper, if you will. That was it. There were like five people, you know, and then, and then we, we grew the company. But, uh, at one point there, nobody knew who Baseline was. Nobody knew really amazing emerging technology. Nobody knew who the company was. So the various sales situations, that I was a part of, there was only competition because nobody knew, who I was. And I'm going to try to make a couple of analogies as we go through this, but I want to start by saying there's a difference between being the existing leader in the space, the biggest. competitors versus being the incumbent small, let's call it startup company, whether that's a manufacturing, a distributor or retailer, a contractor, whenever you're starting out, you're kind of that smaller emerging player. So depending on who you are, when you're listening to this, you know, keep this in mind because there might be some strategies that you want to deploy. If you are the small and emerging, and there might be some cautionary words if you are the biggest players. So when I say the biggest players, let's just say Rain Bird, Toro Hunter. Transcribed Uh, for instance, in, in our industry, or if it, as it relates to contractors, you know, maintenance contractors, perhaps Brightview is a big player. And then, you know, Joe's, uh, Joe's landscape maintenance that's starting up is the, is the incumbent. So just keep that in mind as we go through this. But I want to start by saying that in the most general sense, I tend to, and I guess me, my, my thought is to, when you talk about your competition, try to talk about them without naming them or naming their particular product or their particular company. If you have to talk about your competitors, you don't have to talk about them by name. And there are a couple of reasons why this is beneficial. And instead of talking about them by name, I think it's better to look at kind of the entire landscape. Uh, and if you are a startup tech company bringing, let's say some new estimating software or design software to market, you might be, you might be addressing the entire United States or perhaps the entire world. And if that's the case, what you want to do is, is look at that entire. market and then put your competitors, put the existing competitors into buckets and there's some real benefit to this. So put your, put your competitors into buckets. And again, if you're, if you're servicing the entire country, you want to look at the entire landscape of the United States. If you're serving a local market, you want to create, uh, your, your buckets based on that local market. So, I'll point out that these buckets may not exist. You, get to create the buckets. And You want to create buckets that frame your product exactly where, or your service, your business, your company, you want to use buckets that frame your business exactly where you want to be positioned and by positioning, by, by creating these buckets exactly where you want to position your, you are also creating, uh, you're framing your competitors into those buckets. This is not what your competitor thinks they are. This is where you get to say, you get to create these buckets and you get to educate your, your, your, your customer about the market, about the buckets, what the different, um, you know, the full landscape looks like without talking by the competitor by name or their feature by name. You're just kind of giving the lay of the land. Companies that are like type A, and companies that are like type B. And so let me give you an example of what I would do. Um, at baseline, so instead of speaking about the competition, what I would do is I would create buckets that would speak to baseline's kind of core benefit while also kind of planting the seed so that if the customer were to speak with, let's say, Rainbird, Rainbird would not have the capability that I just positioned. Even though I didn't say Rainbird, I would create a bucket and position Rainbird in that bucket or I would create a bucket and position Baseline into this amazing bucket so that if they were to speak with Rainbird, Rainbird wouldn't have that particular feature. So something like this You know back, let's say around 2010 I would say something like one of Baseline's core benefits is that We are a technology company, and because of this, we focus a hundred percent on modern web architecture, modern web performance, right? And, and building a technology platform that plays nicely with modern web performance. Your IT department and an example of this would be our web-based interface. You can access baseline software Using any web browser. There's no software to purchase no software to load on your machine or update and We consider this to be the new standard Okay? So there's the bucket. The new standard that I created, that I framed, which is modern web platform, web based interface. And the reason that I would say this is because at the time, 2010, Baseline was the only company So instead of saying something like, Yeah, we have a web based interface. Instead, I would position it as a technology company with modern web architecture. We consider this to be the new standard in the industry. Okay? Now, by saying that, you know, plant the seed that That web based platform is the future web based platform is the new standard so that if the if that client happened to go talk to a competitor and have a discussion about web based platforms, the competitor would not be able to wouldn't wouldn't have that doesn't have that capability, which, you know, puts them in that in that bucket. We'll talk about how what we what we also kind of call that. But how I like to think of that is that you create the narrative. You get to, you know, tell the story, paint the picture, create the narrative of what the market looks like, what the region looks like, what the, you know, how irrigation is performed in your city, your market, you get to create that narrative. So your customer doesn't create their own story or their own narrative. So I would say something like, you know, we, this was, you know, me and my baseline days, we are different than traditional. Irrigation manufacturers that major in plastic manufacturing for blank reason. We are different than legacy manufacturers that major in blank. Okay. Because. You know, who wants to be considered if you're buying a piece of technology, do you want to be, you want to, do you want to be framed as a legacy company or a traditional company? So those are kind of two buckets that I would create. Never mentioned the competitor by name, but I, but I would just create those buckets. And say we are different than legacy companies. We are different than traditional companies. Sometimes I would mention by name, but you can do that if you are the smaller company. We'll talk about that in a second. You can name the competitor sometimes if you are the smaller company, because if Rainbird is, you're not trying, they already know. They're probably going to have a conversation if, if you're a commercial maintenance company, likely in a, in a metro area, likely your customer may have a discussion, let's say with Brightview. And again, I'm, I'm just using names that might be, that you might be able to relate to. It's likely that they're going to have a conversation with Brightview. So you could say something like, we are different than traditional companies like Brightview. Because blank, now you've framed Brightview as a traditional company, or you could say something like, we are different than legacy companies like Brightview because blank. Again, I may seem like I'm picking on Brightview. I'm not. I'm just naming them because there are only a few sort of large national companies that might be in every local area. So if you are working at Brightview, please don't take this personally. I'm just just using it figuratively. But it doesn't also, it doesn't always work the other way around, okay? So, if you are Brightview, if you are Rainbird, if you are SiteOne, Ewing, et cetera, and you are the, let's say the... current market leader. And again, I'm not saying Rainbird's the market leader, but technically, yeah, they kind of are, right. They're one of the market leaders. If you are the market leader, I think it is rarely an advantage to specifically naming competitors. So there was nothing better for me in the early days and for Baseline in the early days, nothing better than if one of the larger leaders like Rainbird, Toro, Hunter, even Rainmaster, Kalsense, you know, and Tukor for that matter. There was nothing better than if they would name Baseline. And the reason is because nobody knew who Baseline was. So, if a larger competitor were to bring up Baseline in the conversation, all of a sudden, it's like they, they immediately legitimize Baseline. Not legitimizing the features and the capability, but by naming the company, they legitimize the fact that Baseline's large enough to be a part of the conversation. Okay? So, if you're the larger company, if you're the market leader, it's rarely to your advantage to name the smaller incumbent. And this, and I'm not going to name names, but there are existing examples of this, even in the irrigation industry that I see regularly from larger technology companies that are the market leaders naming smaller incumbents. And it is, it does nothing but legitimize them, bring them into the conversation. And if your customer did not know who they were. Now they know who they are and if you name them, they probably should go do their due diligence and talk to them because if they're legitimate enough for the market leader to be aware and add to the conversation, then your customer probably needs to go have a conversation and so you just did yourself a disservice by mentioning them and bringing them into the conversation. So that's kind of like I would say the untold Untold rule is that if you are the bigger company, don't bring in, don't bring in your smaller, the, the small guys. Okay. Um, let's see, what should we, where should we go next with this? I think that this also relates to something that we see called a kill sheet and a kill sheet. You, you've probably seen, um, let's just say sprinkler manufacturer, a, you know, creates a kill sheet for their new rotor. And in this kill sheet, you see a list of features from their rotor. And then you see, you know, competitor one, competitor two, competitor three, and you see this like a, you know, comparison. Uh, feature, feature comparison, it's known as a kill sheet and there's a couple of reasons why I don't particularly like kill sheets. Number one, because it brings competitors into the conversation that may not have been in the conversation already and legitimizes them. But it also helps bring up this phrase that I, that I love to use, and that is in the sales process. Of course, don't answer questions that haven't been asked. A lot of times we want to assume our customer, our prospect is going to ask us something. And so you see a lot of salespeople that just love to talk and they start, they start answering questions that the customer hasn't even asked. And oftentimes it's leading them down a path that they weren't going to go down before. And I think this is a great, you know, the kill sheet is a great example of that. You're answering, you're answering questions that the customer hasn't even asked. So it really serves, it really serves little purpose unless the customer specifically came in. You know, searching for, you know, this exact difference. So you might be able to now, as I think about this, you might be able to have like a landing page, right? If somebody goes to Google and they search, you know, Rainbird 5, 000. Versus Hunter PGP, right? You may not want to, I would not recommend you ever have that conversation with a prospect unless they ask. And if they ask, you don't necessarily have to show. But if they search that on Google, okay, maybe you want to have a landing page that talks about that, those differences, but that would be kind of the only, the only time I would recommend having that, that kill sheet or, you know, in your local area, if you think people are searching. You know, Contractor A versus Contractor B. So, in other words, let's say you're a salesperson for some fictitious company called Complete Irrigation. I wouldn't recommend you say something like, you may have heard of Advanced Irrigation because they are new, they're advertising a lot in this local area, but they don't do Blank. Don't say that. If you are the larger company, i. e. complete irrigation, don't say something like, you may have heard of advanced irrigation because they are the, they are new and they're advertising a lot. Don't mention the competition, especially when they're smaller. All right. So don't mention the competition if they're smaller. Don't answer questions that, that haven't been asked. And I would say if you are asked about the competition, it doesn't mean you have to provide an answer. Okay. This is where strategy comes in. Just because someone asks you a question doesn't mean you have to provide an answer to that question. Number one, you could reply with another question. Number two, you get to respond any way that you, any way that you want to. So what I would do if, if someone asks you about. Uh, your competitor, go back to your positioning buckets, you know, instead of answering the question exactly, uh, find a bucket to put them in, you know, that, that way it can help you avoid the question. So if they, if somebody were to ask me something, you know, specific about Rainbird, I would, you know, I might say something like, well, you know, the way that legacy companies handle that feature is blank. Okay. You get to, you get to reposition them, which also positions you. Okay. So I may have gotten a little off track. I hope, I hope not. But I think that in summary here, you know, competition is, how do I say this? Competition is kind of made up. It's always there. It's never going to go away. How you relate to the competitor is up to you. Okay, so that's why there are no competitors. The only competitor is you. You are your own biggest competitor. I guess those might be some of my final words. You are your own biggest competitor. And I think that in summary, again, if you're the larger company, it will not help for you to name your smaller competitors, even if they happen to be, you know, The cute, the cute girl, AKA the pretty girl at the dance. It doesn't mean you have to talk about them. Don't talk about the new smaller competitors. And remember that you get to control the narrative. It's your narrative. You get to position. yourself, your company, your, your product, your service. And you also get to position your competitors by educating your customer about the entire landscape and placing competitors into certain buckets without mentioning them by name. So never miss an opportunity to position your competitors, paint the picture of the market. Position your competitors accordingly. And as a result, I think your competitors will only be left to. React and that's what you want to do. You want to seem like you are, you know, the entire market, you've created these buckets, you've framed up the competition into certain buckets and, and then your competitor will only be left to react. So I think, uh, yeah, this, this could be the one of the first. First episodes I've done with sales strategies, and I think the sale is easy if the positioning is done Properly so yeah take that for what it's worth think of think of creating buckets positioning framing And then the sale just becomes easy after that and and some of this is unlimited again You just use your creative use creativity to create buckets that frame up your company Even if you are the, um, your company is the oldest in your market area, even if your company is not using technology, even if your company, you know, is not, if your company is not keeping up with the times, you still get to create new buckets to position your competitors and frame yourself in the way that you want to be framed in a way that you know your, what your customers are looking for. Thank you as always for listening. Really appreciate you guys. Really appreciate those who, uh, reach out to me. Thank you, Michelle from Canada for connecting with me this week. Great to talk to you and, uh, if you haven't already follow, subscribe, share this podcast with a, with a colleague or a friend. And, uh, it kind of feels good to have 143 episodes, so if you've only listened to a couple, you know, dig back into the archives, find something else to listen to, and I would always love to have a suggestion if you have something that you'd like me to talk about or do some research on or bring on a guest, reach out any time. So thanks so much guys, we'll catch you next week on another episode. Bye bye.
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#142 - The END of ET
10/28/2023
#142 - The END of ET
Link to Data Chart (ET vs. Air temp) ----------------------------------------------- BAM! We're on fire today, guys. This is the end of ET. End of it. End of ET. Do I have your attention? Think about it. This is the end. The end. This is the end. The end. End, my friends. All right. Hopefully I do have your attention. Because... I just want to make you think. You guys know me by now. I love thinking of things upside down, sideways, backwards. Just think of something in a way you've never thought of it before, and when I say this is the end of E. T., what does that mean to you? I'm just gonna sit here for a minute and let you think about that. When I say the end of E. T., what does that mean to you? Hmm. Does it mean we're never going to use ET again? Possibly. However, ET is a uh, known good formula. It's a very detailed calculation that probably took whoever came up with it, Edmund Monti, lots and lots of research to figure out. So, I don't, I personally don't think it's the end of EET in terms of we're never going to use it again. I guess what I wanted to, what I want you to think about is that is it the right tool to determine how much water we should apply to the landscape right now? For that purpose, I think this is the end of et not today 'cause this is still how we're watering. But if we fast forwarded 20 years, will we be using ET to determine how much water to apply to the landscape? Right now? At this moment I want you to go out to your landscape, to your project and I want you to water turn on the sprinklers. How long? Should you water the landscape right now? How long should you water it? Will you, will you look at yesterday's wind speed, yesterday's temperature, yesterday's solar radiation, yesterday's humidity? Will you look at yesterday's Cite environmental data to determine how long to water today. Right now, I don't think you will , so when I say it's the end of et, we are in the transition zone. We are in the transition zone of taking a mechanical. system, a turn on now for 15 minutes every Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6 a. m. We're in the middle of that transition to a automated system that can apply the right amount of water. Right now, in real time. And the only way to do that is to put a sensor in the soil. So this is a long winded way of saying my prediction is that this is the end of ET as a real time automation tool. ET will become the Will become, and actually is right now, the only tool and the best tool to predict water usage, to run calculations, to forecast, to run, uh, forecasting models. It's the only tool for that, but it's not the right tool to automate the irrigation system right now, here, today. So I'm going to start talking more about soil moisture sensors, how they work. You know, the ups, the downs, the, the, the good, bad, and the ugly. But I kind of wanted to just frame this episode around the end of ET number one to get your attention. But number two, so that you can understand where is it, where is et the right tool for the job? And in my opinion, the right tool for the job is for forecasting, calculating estimating, but it's not designed for real-time watering. It's not designed to. Be the tool to water until the ground is at field capacity and stop watering. If I told you to go outside right now and only put down enough water so that the soil reaches field capacity and turn it and it turns off, would you really use yesterday's weather data to run a calculation for that? All right, I'm in the weeds a little bit, but that's the that's my topic for today. And I ran. An experiment that really got me excited. It has to do with ChatGPT, and I asked ChatGPT a really cool question that had some amazing results, and what's kind of fun about ChatGPT is that it doesn't have a It doesn't have a, you know, a horse in the race. It doesn't care who's right or who's wrong. It's very, uh, sort of factual. You know, so it doesn't have a lens. It's not seeing our industry through, you know, the eyes of one manufacturer or that manufacturer or who's right or who's wrong. You know, it's a very... I'm trying to think of the right word. Factual. So I asked ChatGPT, instead of using an actual... air temperature sensor like a thermometer to control a thermostat, would it be possible to calculate the air temperature instead of using a thermometer? Okay? And this is a fantastic analogy because it directly correlates to to et. 'cause if ET is the value that we use to water more or water less, that's like saying the temperature goes up or down. The only difference is the temperature is something that you can, you can measure, right? You can measure the temperature with a thermometer. , just like you can measure the moisture in the ground. With a sole moisture sensor. Yet, we are not doing it. So when I asked ChatGPT, instead of using an actual air temperature thermometer to control a thermostat, would it be possible to calculate the air temperature instead? Do you want to know what, what the computer said? What, uh, what Mr. ChatGPT said? He said, yes, it is possible to estimate air temperature using alternative methods instead of directly measuring it with a thermometer. However, this is great. However, the accuracy and feasibility of these methods vary, and they might not always be suitable for controlling a thermostat. Here are a few methods that can be considered. And there's six of them. And when, when I read these, I want you to think about ET, evapotranspiration. I want you to think about the fact that we are calculating, calculating water use. But we are not measuring it. We are not measuring it. We're using third party factors, wind speed, temperature, humidity, solar radiation, air temperature, to calculate the water use. Okay. So there are. A few methods we can consider for calculating the air temperature to control the thermostat to turn the heat on or off instead of measuring it. Here's the first method. Based on other environmental data, boom! We could control a thermostat based on other environmental data. Does that sound familiar? Can we control an irrigation controller based on other, other environmental data instead of just how much moisture is in the ground? You could use something called a radiation budget. Using instruments to measure incoming and outgoing radiation can allow one to estimate the temperature. This method is often used in remote sensing applications and meteorology. You could use heat balance. If you can measure or estimate all the other heat fluxes in an environment like radiation, conduction, convection, latent heat due to evaporation, condensation, you can estimate the temperature Based on the heat balance equation. The frickin heat balance equation. This is like, this is so awesome. It is exactly like E. T. The evapotranspiration equation. The similarities are like, it's like brother sister. We don't do this with our thermostats, but we do it with our landscape. Alright, the heat balance equation. I'm gonna make that bold again. I'm kind of just reading my notes here. That's a good one. That's a writer downer. Heat balance equation is like the evapotranspiration equation. Okay, method number two, using electronic components. A resistor. A resistor's resistance changes slightly with temperature. While this isn't typically as accurate as a dedicated temperature sensor, it can give a rough estimate. Okay? You could also use a diode or transistor. The voltage drops across a diode, or the base emitter junction of a transistor changes with temperature. By measuring this voltage drop, you can estimate the temperature. And that, that correlates a little bit more similar to using a soil moisture sensor because we're using kind of third party measurements to estimate the soil moisture, okay? Now um, I think, I think I'm going to skip over these other three, you know, you can ask ChatGPT this, this same thing or ask Google BARD, whatever, but the last one is called data modeling. If you have a strong understanding of all the factors influencing temperature in a given setting, like in a building, you can create a model that predicts temperature based on inputs like outside temperature, time of day, insulation. Machine learning models can also be trained on historical data to predict temperatures. Data modeling, okay? That's what we're doing with our landscape systems. We are not measuring real time moisture in the soil. We are using what might be considered in the heat industry, the heat balance equation and data modeling, but we are not measuring actual moisture for the most part, right? 95%. So, yeah, just think about that. Think about that and think about where we can, where this is going to go. Okay. All, all of this money, this effort placed on, on data modeling, evapotranspiration to adjust runtimes in a controller. This is the end, not here, not today, not 2023, but the prediction is here because if we look at another industry, look at the past and we look at other technology that's out there to control something like our heating and cooling, we are not using data modeling for that. We are using a real sensor. So in this industry, in our industry, in the future, and now, the best way to water is going to be with a soil moisture sensor. And the only way for this to be the, uh, the, for this to, um, hmm, what's the word? I'm losing my words here. The only way for soil moisture sensors to be everywhere, for every system to use them, they have to be easy to use, easy to install, easy to understand, And they have to be like, frickin cheap. Okay? Because we can't take a 600 soil moisture sensor and put it on every home in the world. You can't take, you know, 20 600 sensors and put them on one commercial site. You, frankly, you can't, it makes no sense even a sensor that's 250 is too expensive. So in the future, maybe not only does every zone have a sensor, maybe every zone has 10 sensors. We have to get to a place where the technology is, uh, is for the everyday person and the price is for the everyday person. So that's my prediction. This is the end of E. T. As used to automate irrigation systems. I think we're going to, we're going to pivot this more effort will probably be placed into using ET as a predictive model so that you can go, uh, and run your own water use calculations to understand how much water is being used on this site and how much water should be used on this site based on historical ET. So you can decide if this site is over watering or under watering and run your models, run your, run your prediction models. Run your ROI models to see if there's an opportunity to enhance the performance of the system. But we're going to get away from using ET to make real time watering decisions, okay? So I think probably the next episode we'll start talking a little bit more about this and maybe this will become kind of like the, uh, The figurehead episode for my, um, personal opinions that this is a new, you know, I just kind of decided to, to share it and using the thermostat analogy has always been a good one. Uh, but I never took the time to really dig in or ask, uh, you know, use the tool like chat GPT to tell me. Imagine if, imagine if we didn't have a, we didn't have a, an actual air temperature sensor in the building. How else could we control the thermostat? I can, it came back with, use, you can estimate the temperature based on the heat balance equation. And if you have a strong understanding of all the factors influencing temperature in a given setting, like in a building, you can create a model that predicts temperature based on inputs, like outside temperature. Wait a minute, you could use outside temperature to predict the inside temperature? Well sure, you just have to know how big is the room, how many people are in there, what's the type of insulation, what directions do the windows face. We could give it all these inputs, run a data model, and probably get within 10 percent of actual air temperature in the room. Or we could just put a damn air temperature sensor in the room. So, all right, whoo, I got to calm down, cool down a little bit. Just getting excited. This is a lot, a lot of thoughts all coming together with a, um, I don't know, almost like a, a new vision. So just want to challenge you guys to unthink, relearn, challenge yourself to question what it is you think, you know. Every day can be a new day. Ask yourself, is this the right way? Am I doing this the right way? Do we, are we all thinking the right way? And I think, uh, I'll probably put Maybe I'll just link it in the show notes. I, uh, I have my own set of, uh, sensor tools and suites and software that, that I use just for kind of, uh, Um, learning about this kind of stuff and I run, um, I run the ET equation for my house using a local weather station. So I have, uh, I record the daily ET every day and I built a model that shows the average air temperature daily. Overlaid on the daily et and what's really fascinating is that the air, the daily average air temperature when overlaid with et um, the, the similarities are striking. And so in other words, when ET goes up, temperature goes up, when ET goes down, temperature goes down. And it's almost as if. You could use air temperature to adjust your controller. So let's say we didn't run these ET models and you only had air temperature. You could adjust your run times based on air temperature and it would likely be better than just running it On a time schedule. So I'll take this graph, I'll try to find a way I can, I can put it online and then allow you to click the link so that you can view it. Uh, just cause it's, it's fascinating. You know, it's almost, uh, makes me think if have we, have we confused the hell out of everybody in this industry by trying to explain evapotranspiration 101 ways, do you need one on site? Do you need one in your local town? There's like, there's all these questions when really, what if there was just a. Air temperature sensor and we adjusted the runtime, you know, up or down just based on, uh, based on the air temperature because the correlation is striking. And I think if somebody were to ask me, you can't use a weather station, Andy, but you can pick one data point to model from. I would choose air temperature just just like chat. GP set chat. GPT said that we could use air temperature outside the building. to run and predict the temperature inside the building. Temperature is a key factor. And I also noticed that my house, when the temperature is cooler, you know, specifically because I'm in the Northern climate, we have cool season grass. So my grass is just healthier. It is, and what I mean healthier, it's less stressed when the air temperature is cool. So when the air temperature is cool, it's almost like. It looks like I've just watered and fertilized, but I did nothing. The air temperature just came down. The grass got happier, healthier, less stressed. I really don't need to water because the grass is happy just based on air temperature. So it's kind of like, all right, once the daily, once the daily air temperature, let's say for cool season grass, and I don't know what these should be. So I'm kind of just spit balling here, but what if the daily air temperature was below 75 degrees, you know. Do you need to water or do you need to water like half as much? What matters more, the daily ET or the average air temperature and the type of plant material you're trying to grow? Just, just some interesting questions when you start looking, when you start looking at the data and we have, uh, Yeah, we have this bias that, you know, E. T. is like a one size fits all. We try to adjust it, uh, based on root depth and plant type and all these factors. I don't know. It's just I'm tired. It's very tiring to know there are other ways to automate the system, yet we continue to push the same agenda. Not that it's an agenda. It sometimes seems that way. Um, so anyway, there you have it, guys. Thank you so much for listening to my little, uh, So stood in my soapbox for a bit and I'm trying to think if there's anything else that was on my mind related to this. I'm sure that there is, um, you know, it makes me think, uh, of, uh, a quote and I'll actually, maybe I'll play it. There was a quote from the, um, the episode that I recorded with the CEO of Irrigreen and he made this correlation to, you know, with their developing as similar to, uh, a carburetor. So we don't have carburetors in our car anymore because we have electronic fuel injection. But at one point, there was no electronic fuel injection. So you kind of had this mechanical You know, carburetor device that control the air intake and it's kind of what's happening here in, in our industry with, with ET. We think that using ET to automate might be like having electronic fuel injection, but, but it's not because it's not measuring anything. It's, it's, it'd be like having a electronic fuel injector that just calculated everything instead of measuring it. So maybe I'll play that quote, mix it in here. And, uh, Transcribed Yeah. Thanks so much for listening. Please, you know, hit the subscribe button, uh, or to follow. And if, uh, this episode resonated with you and you have a hard time sometimes explaining ET or, or you agree, or, or even if you disagree and you think I'm just full of shit, share this episode with someone, have them listen to it and see what they think. Love to get this discussion going more so we can just continue to elevate the industry and find the right tools for the job. So hope you guys have a great weekend. Thanks for, thanks for tuning in as always and, uh, catch on the next episode. Bye bye.
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#141 - Straight Out of GIE (EQUIP)
10/21/2023
#141 - Straight Out of GIE (EQUIP)
Andy shares is update after speed dating at the EQUIP Show this week (formerly known as, GIE). K-IT Wire Konnector:
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#140 - How I Got Out Of Jury Duty
10/13/2023
#140 - How I Got Out Of Jury Duty
In this episode, Andy shares how he used Chat GPT to draft a Jury Excuse Letter which formally excused him from Jury Duty. Letter Template:
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#139 - What We See Is All We See
10/06/2023
#139 - What We See Is All We See
What's up my friends. Welcome back to the pod. This is your host, Andy Humphrey. I'm actually at the moment driving back from Grand Rapids, Michigan. I attended, uh, yesterday the conference called American... No. Association of Water Technology. Association of Water Technology. AWT. Annual National Conference was in Grand Rapids and I thought, you know what? I have an affinity for technology. I'm in the water business. Let me go check out this AWT conference. So, I drove down to Grand Rapids yesterday just to attend the trade show. It was 150 to go, you know, see who, see what the water technology conference is all about. I also wanted to catch up with my friend, Justin and Breck from OpConnect. Special shout out to you guys on the podcast today. Good to see ya. Lots of fun. Thank you for a good time last night. And anyway, back to the conference. Wasn't quite sure what to expect. You know, like I said, I just kind of figured that because I'm in the water technology business, I should go to the water technology conference. Come to find out that it was mostly... Hmm, what's the right way to describe it? Mostly, kind of industrial cooling towers, boilers, water treatment, things of that nature. And, I guess, uh, that's not what I would first think of as it relates to technology. However, there is a lot of technology in how we treat water and how we manage and control cooling towers. commercial buildings. And what was also interesting is that it was a bit similar to the irrigation and landscape industry. I might say a slightly more professional, and I, I say that from just judging the book by its cover, meaning it appeared that attendees were a little bit better Dressed than a landscape show. So it doesn't mean that it's higher quality. I just noticed that it seemed like it was a bit more of a professional event. I understood that there's about 5, 000 people that attended. And I think for me, and this kind of relates to something that I wanted to share with you today, it, it felt, it was good to see the water industry through a completely different lens. And to get on the field with a new set of players, not just, you know, guys like guys and gals like you and me that understand irrigation, but to see what is happening in other industries and how technology and I guess digital technology may be affecting other industries. And from the most part, it mostly felt like a conference from the early 2000s. In other words, I didn't see a lot of sort of IoT mobile software tech. There was some, but not a lot. Most of what I saw was industrial type controls. Lots of pipes, lots of valves, lots of dosing pumps, things of that nature. Less software. And what is fascinating, I think, about that is there, there could still be a bit of a missing gap in terms of these guys focus, uh, down in the weeds, although maybe it's not really down in the weeds, they focus on the details of water Clarity, I guess, or, or water, water treatment, uh, especially in the cooling towers, with less focus on how much water is going in and how much water is coming out. It's mostly they focus on what happens in between. Less focus on water going in and water going out, more focus on controlling the water, treating the water in between. And, uh, yeah, so I guess that was kind of my 10, 000 foot view, uh, observation. And it's not that different than... then the irrigation industry. Oftentimes, this industry, our industry, the landscape industry, focuses on, let's say, the runtime of the zone and the precipitation rate of the zone and the types of sprinklers and the types of drip and the spacing of the drip and the infiltration rate of the soil and all these things. The details in between with a little less focus on, uh, the 10, 000 foot view. How many gallons of water is this landscape using per cycle per day, per month, per year? And is that the right amount of water? You know, those 10, 000 foot view, uh, lenses that we, we spend less time focusing on the big picture and we spend more time focusing on the details. And I wonder. What would happen if we did it the other way around? Sometimes to, to see what you can't see you have to change the place that you're standing. You have to stand somewhere else and look back or take another perspective and that might be, as I, as I talk here, that might be the lead into What I, uh, wanted to share, which was kind of about, you know, our own biases or, or, or our own cognitive biases and our own blind spots. And this could be one of them, that we focus on the details, we focus on not mixing sprays and rotors and the fundamentals and the infiltration rate and the precipitation rate. And all of those details because we're not focusing on the big picture and maybe that is a potential blind spot. So my question would be, is it a blind spot? Where are your blind spots? How do you know if you have a blind spot? And I heard this quote earlier in the week. And you guys know that I like to write down the quotes that I hear and share them with you. So the quote went something like this. We believe that what we see. is all there is. I really like that. We believe that what we see is all there is. And that's why oftentimes we almost want to convince other people that what we believe is true because that's all that we see. And the analogy that, uh, I don't remember who said this. I just wrote it down, but I didn't, I can't remember actually where I heard it, but the analogy was You're on a train, and you're holding a ball. You're on a train, you're holding a ball, the train is going 60 miles an hour, how fast is the ball moving? I'll let you think about that. You're on a train, you're holding a ball, you're going 60 miles an hour, how fast is the ball moving? And I love this because your first thought is, well, the ball... Or maybe your thought is the ball's not moving. I'm, I'm on the train. I'm holding the ball. The ball's not moving. But, but what I didn't give you, what I didn't give you was to think about from whose perspective am I asking? Am I asking you on the train how fast the ball is moving or am I asking someone else outside the train how fast the ball is moving? Because depending on who you ask, you will get two different answers. If you ask the person on the train, they'll tell you the ball's not moving. If you ask the person outside the train how fast the ball is moving, they'll say the ball went past at 60 miles an hour. So, one question can have two different, completely different answers, yet both are 100 percent correct. It just depends on who you ask. So I think that it, we could get caught up in, in a similar pattern in our industry when someone asks the question, how do you reduce water usage? Well, we're probably all going to have the same answers, but the answers could vary depending on who you're asking and what their level of knowledge is, and how they want, what their plan of attack would be to reduce the water usage. Again, I don't think that there's any one particular way or one particular answer. There's only many answers and there may be a couple more questions that you want to ask before you can answer that question more accurately. So, yeah, coming back to the, to the water conference. That's how I felt a bit. I was able to change my perspective, go from inside the train to outside the train or go from inside the irrigation water industry to step out of the industry and step in to the water technology through a different lens, through this industrial. Uh, industrial water technology lens. And come to find out, there's a lot of similarities. It's water. Water is used. Water is wasted. And there is technology both controlling the water, monitoring the water, and managing the water. And, like I said, I think the closest similarity is that both industries, when you're in the industry deep, you focus on the details. You focus on... The small, the small aspects and you lose a little bit of perspective on the bigger, on the bigger picture. And because I'm not in the industrial water space and I don't know how to treat the water like all these guys in the show and gals in the show know and they know their industry inside and out. My observation was that's where they focus. And when I asked people. Who manages, who decides how much water goes into the building for, let's say the cooling tower and how much goes out and is that the right amount? A majority of the response was that that wasn't really managed or tracked. So I think we should probably reflect back and ask ourselves those same questions. How many gallons should this site? Should this landscape be using? Start with the big picture. How much water goes into the landscape? How much water goes out of the landscape? Can't really measure how much goes out of the landscape, but how much goes in and is that the right amount? Start there, then, then go down. into the details to figure out how to make that, how to make that happen, how to apply that right amount of water just simply based on gallons per square foot per day. Gallons per square foot per day, per cycle, per month, per year. What is your gallons per square foot and how do you set up the control system to apply that? Right amount of gallons per square foot and how do you monitor it to make sure you're still applying the gallons the correct gallons per square foot, so Bunch of things here today to share with you, but I just wanted to kind of give you my thoughts on the association of water Technology and just that that quote here that we believe that what we see is all there is That's such a good one. We believe that all We believe that what we see is all there is, so the next time you're, you're stuck, the next time you're not seeing something, get off the train and then see how fast the ball is moving. Otherwise, the ball's not going to be moving. All right, I think that's what I have here today, guys. Thanks for, thanks for tuning in. Appreciate you listening to, uh, the last couple weeks of my solo episodes and... I do have, there's a whole bunch of new content that I am preparing that could possibly take this podcast in a slightly, uh, different direction, still water, but, uh, perhaps in a slightly different direction, and I'm kind of putting the framework for that together with a possible, uh, December, I shouldn't say launch, not really a launch, but, um, Perhaps a December pivot. Not, not quite sure yet. Still getting my thoughts together, but I think overall I'd really like to start talking more about water in its entirety with maybe a slightly less focus on the ins and outs of irrigation specifically. So. Anyway, that's kind of, uh, what's going on in my head. Thanks again for listening. Appreciate you guys. Remember to subscribe to this podcast, podcast, podcast. That would be an interesting app. Podcast. Do you have the podcast app? How to turn your podcast into cash? Remember to subscribe and please share this with a friend, someone that you know, who may enjoy the ins and outs of irrigation technology, as well as episodes seeded in with what's going on in Andy's mind. So again, thank you so much. Have a great weekend. Catch you on the next episode.
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#138 - Technology Augments People
09/29/2023
#138 - Technology Augments People
Welcome back to the sprinkler nerd show, I'm your host, Andy Humphrey, this is episode #138, and my goal for this episode to share a reminder with you. By now you know that I'm a technology evangelist - and by that - what I mean is that I believe technology will improve the human experience, and that technology is merely a tool - A tool for the human - but not to replace the human. There often appears to be a polarization as it relates to technology, and especially, new technology. There are those who embrace it, use it, and experience the benefits from it - whatever those benefits happen to be. And there are those who avoid it, oppose it, are afraid of it, or tend to right it off as not necessary. There is no right or wrong to either of these view points, everyone is entitled to their own thought, beliefs, and experiences. I just find this interesting. Likely there is some sort of psychology behind this, but I;ll save that for another episode to allow myself to research that hypothesis further. But today, I wanted to share a quote with you, that resonated with me this week, and depending on how you view technology might hit home, or you might argue against it, or maybe if you are a technology avoidant (which you are likely not if you choose to listen to this show), perhaps this quote will offer some positive encouragement for the future of the human & technology convergence. I will play the actual quote for you, but first I'd like to summarize it for you in my own words. It goes like this: "People say that Technology will displace people, when in fact, it is people who use technology that will replace people who do not use technology" That is essentially the gist of the quote and the reason I really like this is becasue this is exactly what is happening in our industry. I often say that A smart controller does not save water, someone who knows how to use a smart controller can save water" There is a difference. The tech is just the tool. The human who uses the tool is the one who has the upper hand. Make sense? So going back to the quote - technology alone will not displace people, but people who use the technology will replace people who do not use the technology.
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#137 - All The Water on the 45°N Parallel
09/22/2023
#137 - All The Water on the 45°N Parallel
Welcome back to another episode of the Sprinkler Nerd Show. I'm your host, Andy Humphrey, coming to you from the 45th parallel, the 45th parallel. That might make you wonder what parallel you are on. What is your parallel? It's not typically something that we think about unless we're talking about the seasons or the amount of sunlight. We kind of just take for granted where we live, but not necessarily in reference to a parallel. I think we all know what the equator is. Right? Zero. So 45 would be halfway to the North Pole. I'm on, I should say 45th parallel north. I didn't clear, I need to clarify that. 45th parallel north, which runs directly across West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan. And today I'm taking my sailboat, which is a 35 foot sloop. It's 1961 Allberg 35 hull number two that was gifted to me by some friends in the. Awesome story that I almost want to tell you right now because I'm on her, but let's save that maybe for another time because it's not super relevant. But what is relevant is I'm on right now, I think the second largest body of freshwater. I should fact check that because this is Lake Michigan. And I believe Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes in terms of total volume and then Lake Michigan. So this must be the second largest body of water. And there's all kinds. Here's a fun facts about the Great Lakes, most of which we should probably know because of the industry that we're in and actually we should just likely know as American citizens because this water is in the United States, uh, although it touches Canada, no, that's not true. Lake Michigan does not touch Canada. It touches the upper peninsula of Michigan. Lake Superior touches Canada and then the other Eastern Great Lakes touch Canada. Anyway, I'm on Lake Michigan. I'm returning my boat to dry dock, which is about a four and a half hour power and this week got a little ahead of, got a little ahead of me and I didn't record an episode and I'm hoping that when I get to port here in another hour, I can sit down and see if any of this recording actually came out. I'm, I've got this newer microphone, it's handheld cause the last time I recorded an episode with the wireless lavaliers, it didn't come out so well. I'm looking here at my iPhone and at the, you know, sort of. The, I don't have the words for it, but the, the sound waves, yeah, the sound waves. And I can clearly see my voice and I don't know how much of it's being filtered out with the noise. You can maybe hear the sound of my atomic four engine purring away original engine, which is freaking crazy that an engine from 1961 still works from what I understand. Atomic fours are, you can't kill them as long as you maintain them, you can't kill them. And they're heavily used in tractors. Some of you guys listening are familiar with engines and mechanics. I'm not and owning this boat, I've become more and more familiar, particularly this year on how carburetors work because I don't ever, most of us don't have to mess with carburetors on our vehicles unless you have an antique vehicle and such. So I had a couple issues this year with float sticking and fuel filling the basin, the bottom of the carburetor and it's spilling out. And then there's a vacuum tube that on this model sucks it out, returns it to the top of the engine. So, yeah, became a little bit of a, I guess a novice expert, even though those words are opposites. I'm a beginner at engine repair. So anyway, there's a lot to think about when I'm out here for a couple hours on Lake Michigan because the water is fresh and there are places, many places in the United States and the world where there's no water, yet I look out here and it's hundreds of feet deep fresh water. And here in Traverse City, we have two bays, West Bay. East Bay. And there's a 20 mile long peninsula. That's a couple of miles wide and on East Bay, not far from my house, it gets almost 600 feet deep, which is pretty incredible of fresh water. And, uh, you know, it's just fascinating that living around here, people take water for granted because it's right here and there's so much of it. Yet the population is in very dense around here. So I wonder what, I wonder what the world might look like in 50 years. And in 500. 100 years, will we continue to build where there's no water, or will these areas become more populated and what kind of conversations will we be having as a society as it as it relates to that? Will we allow development to take place, such as here in northern Michigan, where there's a lot of water? What, what kind of conversations will we have, and will this land become extremely valuable because of its water resource, and will the arid deserts be devalued over time? Will water play into the future value of property? Not because of the mineral, the water rights on the property, but because of access to it and people wanting to build, uh, build here and grow these communities. So, anyway, as I sit here on Lake Michigan, solo, on my boat, I have the auto pilot running. And you guys would laugh if you saw my autopilot because this boat has a tiller, which is super fun when you're sailing. because you get a really good feel. But when you let go of the tiller, the boat literally turns immediately. It does not drive straight because of the prop wash that comes off the prop uh, against the rudder. It just turns immediately. So I've got the tiller tied off to a cleat on the port side with some tension and it steers a straight line and if I need to deviate a little bit, all I have to do is slide the line tied to the tiller up a couple... Millimeters or down a couple millimeters to get back on track or change course. Uh huh What else am I gonna share with you here? Solo on the mic. I think, uh, I was talking too much. I let my cigar go out. Yes, I have a cigar. 'cause smoke it if smoke one if you have one. And I, because I had engine trouble earlier this year, I wasn't sure if I was even gonna make it up to Northport, but now I North port's in sight, so I'm going to make it so I figured I would. Light up a cigar and relax and celebrate making it to Northport as well as celebrate cleaning some data. We put some sensor devices on a new client's property and all of the data that came back, we were able to match it up and we have a clean, a clean set of, of water use data that we're providing for a client and that feels really good also. And I hope that wherever you are on this, this weekend in September that you're happy, you're healthy. You can celebrate life. You can celebrate the industry that we are in and the position that we have having a hand in our water resource and perhaps maybe think about it that way. You have a hand in the water resource. It's not just, you know, growing plants, although that's what we are doing. It's using the right amount of water and water is a precious resource and there are many individuals in the world that don't have any water to even drink. So remember, you're in the water. You're technically in the water resource business and feel proud of it. Learn as much as you can about it. Keep an open mind about it. Lots of ways to accomplish all kinds of things. And you know, all sprinklers are created equal, right? It's the, it's the user of the device that holds the power, not this sprinkler or that sprinkler or this controller or that controller. It's you, you, the installer, you, the maintainer, you, the designer, you guys are the ones. So yeah. What else, what else is going on in the world? Of water. Let's see, I did learn this week that there are two states that do not, that all the water in the state runs off. And I don't think I'm going to give you the answer. I'm just going to leave that there. If you're curious, you could probably Google it. There are two United States that any, that all the water that lands from the sky leaves the state. Think about that. Literally leaves the state. And of course I'm not counting, you know, there are ponds and, and um, you know, bodies of water. But generally speaking, any water that lands in the state exits the state. That was just an interesting, I guess an interesting fact I learned this week that you can, you can do some bar trivia next time you're alone and you tell somebody what you do, ask them that question. I won't give you the answer. You can go figure it out. Yeah, so, appreciate you guys listening. And, um, yeah, this is, I gotta get this podcast in because I'm sticking to my everyday fri I it really doesn't matter. I guess it doesn't really matter what I'm doing, or what I have time for. It's up to me to make the time, and up to me to make some content. And, God, I would just love to host a, some kind of an event up here on Lake Michigan. Because it's just such a great place to, it's just such a great lens to look at what we do through. And maybe that's the way to describe, all of us have different lenses. If you live in Miami, you have a lens on what we do, and what this industry is. Through the lens of Miami, if you live in Seattle, you are going to have a lens on this industry and what we do through the lens of Seattle. Same thing goes for San Diego, San Antonio, Boston, New Orleans, St. Louis, Minneapolis. We all have a lens on what we do from the position at which we sit and where we're located and what we've learned. And I can tell you that sitting on one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the world is such an Perspective really, really makes you think, uh, let's see. Are there any exciting announcements out there that I can share? Um, Hmm. Hmm. I don't think there is this time. Yeah. I would just say, try something new next week, install a new product you've never used before. See what happens and make that a, make that a general practice in what you do. Always try new things, experiment what you think works, embrace. And what doesn't work, leave to be and maybe try it another time later. So that's all I got guys. I can see North Port Marina in sight. I'm not too far away. I appreciate you guys listening to the mind of Andy today. Thank you so much. We'll catch you on the next episode. I'm out. Bye bye.
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#136 - 500 Million Gallons at Hickam AFB, Hawaii
09/15/2023
#136 - 500 Million Gallons at Hickam AFB, Hawaii
500 Million Gallons at Hickam AFB In this episode, Andy has a discussion with Paul Bassett, in the car, driving to the Hickam AFB in Honolulu Hawaii. Learn more about === Andy: Welcome back to a very special edition of the Sprinkler Nerd Show. I'm your host, Andy Humphrey, joined by the one and only the magnificent Paul Bassett live, well not live, as close to live as we can get from the island of Oahu, Honolulu, on the way to, where are we going today, Paul? Paul: We're going to the Hickam Air Force Base, where we're saving a bunch of water by retrofitting out some old, antiquated irrigation systems. Andy: And I think we should, you should give a little background on the Hickam project and why. Why you're here and then we can see if we have enough time to discuss why why I'm here with you But give us some background on the Hickam Paul: project Well, we were lucky to be fortunate to be selected to help the Air Force Base and our client Amoresco save energy and water They're using based on our analysis initially in this particular project over half a billion gallons of water If you are an irrigation professional, old or new, who designs, installs, or maintains high end residential, commercial, or municipal properties, and you want to use technology to improve your business, to get a leg up on your competition, even if you're an old school irrigator from the days of hydraulic Andy: systems, this show is for you. Paul: Um, specifically on the irrigation system, we analyzed them consuming about 300, 350 million gallons annually to virtually apply water to the grass around the common areas and the housing Andy: units. Is that just outdoor water use or is that indoor and Paul: outdoor? Well, the half a billion would have been total. So 350 million approximately annually on the landscape and 150 million. Uh, on the interior homes and Andy: businesses and facilities. Wow. So Envacore though is headquarters in Maryland. How does a company headquarters in Maryland end up securing a project here in Honolulu? Paul: Well, fortunately for us, we do work all over the country, uh, with regards to the Department of Defense. And we've been working with this particular client as long as we've been in business, 15, 20 years. So they trust, we're a trusted partner with them. So we're able to secure projects virtually all over the world with this client. And the client's Amoresco? Client on this one is Amoresco, yes, and they're, they're an energy service company. So what we do is we help them, when they secure projects, develop and build energy and water conservation projects for them that, that pay for themselves and the reduction of the utility bills. Andy: So people oftentimes hear about these projects and hear about opportunities to conserve water and do performance contracting and generate an ROI that has a payback return on the savings, but I don't think a lot of, let's say, industry, Companies and professionals have an opportunity to get involved with them. So maybe you could tell us a little bit more about, you know, about this side of the, of the industry that only a few get to participate in right now. Paul: Well, I think luckily for us, we've found a way. to really parlay irrigation savings into performance contracting. So it's really water savings as a service. And the key to the success that we've had over the years is we deploy and integrate the newest and latest technology to be able to almost in real time watch the water consumption move through the water meters and then report on that information directly to our client. So one of the benefits that we have is that You know, we, we calculate savings based on evapotranspiration and the amount of water being applied to the landscape. But in the real world, you really need the data to prove out the savings that you promised. So in order for our company and my company to be successful, we have to prove year after year that what we calculated in the water savings is real and tangible. Andy: Awesome. So let's go back to, in order to... potential is. Let's, let's go back to when this project first started. When was that? What year were you first involved and how do you actually start looking at a project like this for the first time? Paul: Well, this project has been going on since 2015. Initially there's been a lot of back and forth and up and down and contract negotiations and challenges. But what we typically do is we'll get the water bill and the utility bill and we'll analyze, you know, how much either energy or water. Water is being consumed and we determine from there what either gallons per square foot or gallons per person is being consumed and we'll do a weather analysis and we'll calculate how much water should be consumed by this particular plant in this particular climate and then we look at the utility bill and we say, huh, we think this site should be using 20 gallons per square foot annually and we see it's using 30 gallons per square foot annually. And then right away at that point, we know that we have an opportunity for savings. Andy: Okay. So you do the analysis and then at what point do you actually come on site to do some verification and to look and see if that's actually poor performance with controls, if there's leaks, if it's distribution, when do you come in and do your first analysis? Paul: Well, when we do the utility analysis initially, and then we determine the viability of the opportunity, meaning we deem that there is potential for savings by looking at all of it. Okay. data. And if the data says yes, we think there's an opportunity. Then at that point, we all agree that we're going to engage into a contract and then we're going to deploy folks to be able to come out and actually physically do the audits, run through the irrigation systems, count all the sprinklers, try to determine the flow rates, extract the schedules and controls, and then establish from that point what the actual irrigation system or plumbing system or lighting system is consuming energy and value. I'm going to the Andy: utility bills. Okay. So your team put eyes on every sprinkler on this project several times. Yes. Wow. Okay. So let's talk about the scale of this project so that the listeners can visualize what, what this is. So maybe let's talk about, let's go top down. If you can recall some of the data in terms of how many water sources, how many controllers, how many zones and potentially how many sprinklers. Paul: Well, as I mentioned prior to the, um, Initial conversation, Andy, we initially analyzed that they were using, consuming about half a billion gallons of water through all of the piping network and infrastructure. We then got all the housing unit counts and the peoples and bodies per potties. And we had meter data for all the irrigation. And then once we deemed that, then it was time to get really boots on the ground. And then from that point, we, we really go in and identify all the controllers, all the water supplies, all the valves. We put it all on a map, um, inventory, everything at that point. And, and then we know exactly what we're going to be getting involved with at that point. Okay. Andy: So how many is that? You know, it's one thing to hear a half a billion gallons, but let's flip that over and turn and turn that into number of controllers, number of water sources, sprinkler count. What are those numbers look like? Paul: We were just over 200 controllers on the site that were not battery operated controllers, just standard plugin controllers. We have 135, 140, I believe water connections where the feeding those 200 and some controllers. And then it was over 30, 000 sprinklers that were within the scope Andy: of services. Okay. And those sprinklers include pop up spray heads, three quarter inch rotors, and one inch rotors. And Paul: some drip. Some drip. You know, not much, but some drip. We're phasing the drip out of the scopes. Okay. Well, Andy: there's not a lot of projects opportunity. Well, maybe there are, but they 200 controller retrofit opportunity and 135 water sources. That's a massive scale. And, what I didn't realize about this base before visiting is that it's like a village. People live here. You come through the gate, we're about to, right now, show them our DBID cards. To get access to the base, but this is like kind of Entering a private HOA community that's run by the government you live here you work here Everything happens on the base and maybe because I didn't grow up in the military. This is all new to me There's probably a lot of listeners that are like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we know this but to me I guess I thought at first that the base was just military operations I didn't realize that people lived on the base and that all of this housing and infrastructure is managed Paul: Yeah, I mean, again, I think for us on this particular military base, I mean, there's a bunch of soldiers that live and work on the base and they consume water. They have consume energy. They want their grass to look good. I'm just like the rest of us who live in the regular population. Sorry Andy, we were going through the gates. So Andy: I got distracted. Yeah, we going through real time, getting our security checked out right now. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you too. And, uh, I also I should have done my homework, but I didn't realize this is a. a joint base or what a joint base even Really meant and so this is and you can tell me paul. This is the air force and the navy. Is that correct? Paul: Yeah, the official name of the site is joint base pearl harbor hickam okay, and we're we're working on the hickam side, which is the Air Force side of the military privatized housing Andy: because this is a very strategic location for the United States and it's security for the world here in the Pacific. So they have air and sea operations, not really land operations because there's no land here. This is all this is in the middle of the. Pacific Ocean. So we have the air, right? And the sea joint on this base. Paul: Yeah. And ideally if, if you think about how we're working here, it's primarily to reduce the amount of energy and water that the federal government spends on this utility. So we are helping the taxpayers reduce our debt or demand on the utility spent on this base. Andy: And at this point, uh, let's start back. What, when did you start the actual renovations? Paul: Well, once we got the approval to move forward with the construction, we started October of 2022. So we're just about a year and 11 months in into construction, um, which we're about halfway through the project. Um, it was a two year. Construction period. So we're about halfway in and, and we're right on, right on schedule with, with the construction timeframe. Andy: Okay. And I think, you know, let's, let's talk a little bit about, I would love to hear from you. Where, where are you, where do you start? So you did the analysis, you know what you need to change. You've got your, you know, marching orders. Where do you start Paul: first? Well, we were dictated here by the military and the housing folks on where we wanted to start. And there's some specifics that they wanted us to focus on certain areas of the base. And as you know now, Andy, there's multiple... neighborhoods that we work in. There's five distinct neighborhoods that we worked in, so we're, we're focusing on a neighborhood at a time. We're going in and completing that specific neighborhood, getting that fully functioning, getting that up a hundred percent, and then we can start managing the water and the data. And then once we complete a given neighborhood, then we move on to the next Andy: neighborhood. Okay, and do you start with controls and get control of the system and work down to the sprinkler, or do you start with the sprinkler and work back Paul: up to the controls? Well, we have a couple of different crews that we have, uh, deployed on the base. We have one crew that is focused on controls, number one, then we have another crew that we have come in as going to do the flow sensor master valves install. And then the, the final crew, which is the largest of the crews are the ones that are replacing all the sprinkler heads. So ideally we, we just, depending on how the. Workflow is the first crew goes in and starts retrofitting all the controls. That way we reduce or remove all of the standard control systems and then get control with the web based remote opportunity. And that way it's easier for the managers to control the control system remotely while the guys and gals on the ground are really doing the, doing the dirty work. And Andy: what type of controls do you have here? Did you go? Paul: We, we, um, went with weather track, which is, you know, the. System that's been proven beneficial for our company and our clients long term. We've been deploying WeatherTrack for over 20 years. Andy: And, uh, which model Paul: weather track? The ET Pro 3. Okay. Um, and then because there's some complexity of the water supplies, we have multiple controllers on a single supply. We have multiple supplies on multiple controllers. So using their OptiFlow system really helps integrate and manage the water on some of these Andy: complex systems. Okay. At this point, as of today, September 15th. How many controllers have you retrofitted and installed? Paul: Last I looked, we're about 125. So just over halfway, the halfway point of the controls. Andy: Okay, and are of all those 125, do they all have flow sensors and master valves? Paul: Today they don't because we're With the complexity of the digging permits and some of the other things. I think we have about 30 to 35 of the flow sensors installed at this point. Um, and then now we just got approval recently to go ahead and start excavating and some of the other areas to start putting in the flow sensors and master valves. It's just a little more complex with digging and excavating here on a military base. There's a complexity with regards to the, the permits that are required to dig on the site. Okay, so Andy: you've got, uh, I think you said maybe 35 flow sensors. How, who watches those or looks at those and do you have to report on those or what do you do with that Paul: data? Yeah, we have team members that their responsibility is to go ahead and analyze the data every day, take a look at all the reporting, take a look at all of the flow. Um, and then if there's a, there's an anomaly or an alert condition and then we dispatch the folks on the ground to go ahead and analyze and determine what the problem is. Okay. Andy: And as of today, 11 months in, what, what's been the most difficult part of the project so far? Paul: What we've seen is the transition between our services and the existing maintenance services. Like who's responsible for what? A lot of times they just wanted to go ahead and. Push everything on to us and the communication between our team and the existing facilities maintenance team Has been the biggest challenge trying to let them understand that they're still responsible For the neighborhoods that they have been working in and we're responsible for the neighborhoods We're working in so trying to get all of the parties together to make sure we're all working as one has been the biggest challenge Okay, Andy: so let's uh I think let's maybe not bring this to a total close, but let's move to, you know, what we've been working on this week without, you know, exact details. Uh, you know, but maybe we should just talk a little bit about the concept of these very difficult, hard to manage areas that were part of this project that fall outside the standard scope of replacing a controller. And, you know, requiring some, some different type of technology that, you know, we look forward to sharing with the listeners at some point here in the future. And this is not a, a testing ground, but this is a unique application that we're able to deploy some very innovative technology to solve particular problems that traditional industry isn't able to solve. Paul: Yeah. Well, good, good insight, Andy. One of the things that we found on this particular facility is that there's a lot of. Medians that are going through the neighborhoods. Um, and they're running and operating on a battery timer controller. So there's no remote activation or remote monitoring. So what we're doing is we're, we're in the midst of deploying some smart valves. What is a smart valve? A smart valve has more than just one activation. So it has flow sensing and master control and pressure and soil moisture. So what we're able to do is take away that old school just running whatever that time battery controller was and being able to provide remote access into that insight and be able to actuate that valve and monitor that flow remotely. Right Andy: valve to the cloud where there is no infrastructure. There's no wires. There's no control. We just have one valve in a median We can now take that information put it right to the cloud manage it remotely and have all Paul: of the data And that's really what has been extremely fun and rewarding to be able to deploy Some of this new technology into a place where they're just been using traditional controls. Andy: and when it is just a single battery operated controller that is not connected to anything it runs a schedule, right? It does that schedule every Monday, Wednesday, Friday at a particular time and that's part of the water waste issue is there was no Smarter automation just ran like a Paul: Like a clock and that the problem with that is is because of the site so big and it's hard to manage That these things that batteries die and now that area is brown and nobody understands Why or the they never adjust the clock from the summer rotation? So it was running seven days a week and then in the winter time It's still running seven days a week because nobody really sees it So there was really a lack of insight and management of those particular devices Yeah, Andy: and there is outside of this project, there is a really big market opportunity for this technology. And I cannot wait to, uh, share this with the world when we're ready, perhaps at the IA show. For those of you listening, if you would like to join us at the IA show, we may be ready to share a little bit more about what we've been, what we've been working on and what Paul's deployed here at Hickam. Super exciting. Paul: Well, Andy, I know we are going to wrap this up because we got another. Half a day here to finish up this project. Andy: So, and you're going to get dirty, right? I'm going to sit here in the car and edit up this podcast, right? You're going to, you're going to get, get dirty today. Paul: I suppose not much editing luckily for this one today, Andy. Andy: Yeah. This might be one of the podcasts that is totally in the raw, not much editing. So I hope our mics work. Paul's got a mic on, I've got a mic on again, technology, dual wireless mics, just piped into my iPhone right here. So we got to the site. We're ready to finish up our last day. Thank you guys for listening. Keep your eyes open. There are projects like this that are out there. And large or small, there's plenty of projects like this. If you keep your eyes open, you will find them. Any, uh, last words of advice, Paul, for someone looking to maybe, you know, not get out of just installing sprinklers, but expand their business into more of this conservation performance contracting? I mean, Paul: my... Thoughts to that is just keep your eyes wide open, be willing and open to change and test and fail and then succeed after you...
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