Weathermatic, the inventor of the irrigation industry’s first rain sensor, is celebrating its 60^th year in business by releasing the SmartLine family of water management products. 

According to Brodie Bruner, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, the SL1600 Controller and the SLW20 On-Site Weather Monitor are the first of many water management products to be produced under the SmartLine trademark.  The SmartLine SL1600 Controller and SLW20 On-Site Weather Monitor was recently voted winner of The Irrigation Association’s New Product of the Year contest.

“This patented breakthrough technology,” Bruner notes, “utilizes on-site weather data and audit based controller input to provide auto adjust watering times for each system zone.  Evapotranspiration (ET) data is calculated daily and watering times for each zone are also changed daily to match plant water requirements.  Actual field tests have shown that water savings can be 24 to 28% or more annually while protecting landscape investments.  Additionally, the SL1600 automatically schedules run and soak cycles to eliminate run-off.” 

“The SL1600 not only utilizes technology to save water and protect landscaping,” Bruner notes, “it was also designed with an unmatched set of professional features.  For example:  easy dial programming; a large, easy-to-read backlit display; one button manual program start; hot swappable zone modules; on-board multi-meter with visible volt/amp diagnostics; and the unique valve locator function.” 

The SL1600 is a modular controller offering 4 to 16 zones utilizing the SLM4 module with built-in MOV surge protection.  Later this year, Weathermatic will also introduce an SLM12 module that will allow up to 24 zones in the SL1600.

The SL1600 can be used as a conventional timed watering controller in the Standard mode, or with the optional SLW20 On-Site Weather Monitor, it can be used in the Auto Adjust mode for weather based watering schedules.  Many contractors are already setting up special marketing and sales programs to utilize the SmartLine products to develop a profitable business of replacing conventional controllers with SmartLine.  Water purveyors in many areas of the United States are already offering rebates to customers for making this switch to water saving SmartLine technology.

The SL1600 is UL listed for outdoor or indoor installation.  Each unit includes a power cord and knockouts are available for hardwire installation and other special requirements.  The SLW20 weather monitor includes rain and freeze sensing features, eliminating the need to purchase these products separately.