Ridder DrainChecker

The Ridder DrainChecker offers a solution to the problem of finding the right irrigation balance and monitoring plant water uptake. By providing accurate measurements of substrate saturation rate and the amount of drain water produced, growers can optimize their irrigation strategy and increase crop yield while saving water.

The Ridder DrainChecker measures the amount of drain water, and optionally its EC and pH, at the end of the substrate gutter. Thanks to the inductive flow sensor (no moving parts), the measurements are highly accurate and remain reliable with little maintenance. Additionally, the DrainChecker is affordable enough to apply to every irrigation tap group, providing faster and more detailed feedback on irrigation than central drain measurement.

Drain measurement is essential for finding the right irrigation balance and determining plant water uptake. With the Ridder DrainChecker, growers can record how quickly saturation is reached (first drain water), how much drain water an irrigation session leads to, and how many accumulated minerals are flushed away. This is directly related to plant activity (water uptake, evaporation) and is therefore one of the most important control mechanisms in substrate cultivation.

The measurements from the Ridder DrainChecker can be read with Ridder and third-party process computers. The Ridder CX500 and Ridder MultiMa climate computers support local drain measurement and local irrigation control. With these computers, the drain water volume or percentage can be used to alert and influence irrigation.