At SureFire Ag, we strive to be the experts in precision fertilizer application. That means not only providing expert advice to our customers, but also real-world solutions that are applicable to a wide range of liquid application scenarios. In this series of articles, we will be exploring the three Distribution Systems available for our Liquid Application Systems.
Sentinel Row Control
Sentinel Row Control is our newest and most advanced offering for liquid fertilizer application. This combines Sentinel Row Monitor (row-by-row flow monitoring available since 2016) with flow control valves to control the flow and rate of each row. This allows every row of your planter to be its own section capable of controlling a unique rate, with monitoring of the as-applied rate in the cab. This is the perfect solution for high-speed, prescription rates, or any advanced application scenario. It is ISO compatible with most major displays (see your SureFire dealer for more details).
For all its cutting-edge functionality, the plumbing for Sentinel Row Control is actually quite simple. A Sentinel flow meter contains four flow meters banked as one. A tube or hose runs from the flow meter of each module to the row control valve mounted on or near the row unit. The flow control valves control the rate and act as on/off valves for section control. You can then simply run a tube from the module to the placement device.
Sentinel Row Control is advantageous over a manual dual-tube setup, or even the LiquiShift Gen 3 setup as it allows for greater conservation of costly fertilizers due to the precise rate control and the individual row/section control. It also has more flexibility in terms of rate and product as there is no metering tube or other metering device that limits you to a specific range or viscosity. The greatest limiting factor is the rate range of the pump, rather than the row plumbing. Like any premium solution, the price point is higher, but the savings in terms of time, headache, and product utilization make Sentinel Row Control a profitable solution for precision fertilizer application. Sentinel Row Control is on a limited release for the 2022 planting season. We hope to offer it for full release for the 2023 planting season.
Learn more about SureFire's other distribution system options here:
Or, explore our Liquid Application Systems products here.