Modular Controllers Mean You??ll Always Have "The Right Controller for Every Job"

Have you ever gotten to the job site with an 8-station controller to find you really needed 10 stations? Or having a controller that was too big when you could have used something smaller and saved the extra dollars?

Hunter has taken a revolutionary approach to irrigation controller design that will ensure that such scenarios won?t happen to you. It?s known as modularity and the Hunter modular controllers have been selling like hotcakes.

Modularity: A Hunter First

Hunter first introduced the concept of modularity in 1998 with the introduction of the ICC controller. The product was an instant success, but because it can be configured from a minimum of 8 all the way up to 48 stations, it primarily was designed for larger sites. Then the Pro-C was introduced about two years ago: a modular controller that meets the needs of "smaller" landscapes like residences and light commercial sites.

And the response to the newest Hunter controller has been phenomenal from the start. The second year of sales for the Pro-C has been even more successful than the inaugural season, with the controller emerging as the leading product in many regions. The enormous popularity of the Pro-C has Hunter?s competitors in the irrigation industry in a virtual panic, as nobody else has a controller to compete with this.

Simply put, modular controllers are the hottest thing the industry has seen in years. And, the concept of modularity is something that Hunter has cornered the market on.

Everyone Uses Them

"Everyone needs to use modular controllers, it?s the only way to go," said Mike Eagen of Eagen Irrigation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "We use the Pro-C for our smaller jobs and the ICC for our larger jobs and we wouldn?t use anything else. They?re both easy to install, easy to program and easy to custom fit to the size we need."

Modularity not only ensures that you will have what you need, it also helps guarantee that your distributor will have what you need. And the end result is that you?ll always have "the right controller" for the job.

"We never have a worry that our distributor will be out of the more ?popular? sizes of controllers," said Lance Eitel of Southern Irrigation in Bullard, Texas. "Because the ICC and Pro-C are modular, our trucks can essentially carry the full range of controller sizes with just a small investment in inventory."

Troubleshooting Made Easy

"Modular controllers have made troubleshooting easier," said Steve Chvilicek of Frontier Lawn and Landscape in Havre, Montana. "The Pro-C (the ICC, as well) has been designed so that the surge protection is isolated from the main PC board. When there is a problem all we need to do is replace the field module instead of the whole unit."

In addition to the surge protection that shields the controller?s microcircuits against electrical spikes and lightning, the Pro-C also boasts a self-diagnostic short circuit detection system that skips shorted stations and continues watering the rest of the system. And there are no fuses to blow or replace.

Simplified Inventory

Maintaining inventory of controllers is never an easy thing for contractors. How many 4-station units do I need to have on hand? How many 12?s? How many over 20? It?s a guessing game and contractors hate to guess, they want to be certain.

Modular controllers like the Pro-C and ICC make it possible to stock controllers with certainty. Because you can be certain that you?ll always have the controller you need: with a Pro-C, as long as it?s from 3 to 12 stations, and with an ICC, anywhere from 8 to 48.

That?s because all a contractor needs to stock ? in the shop as well as out on a crew?s truck ? are base units (in plastic, metal or stainless steel) and station modules. The Pro-C modules each contain three stations, the ICC modules come in increments of four or eight stations.

The easy inventory is not just a benefit to contractors. Distributors like Hunter modular controllers, too. By stocking Pro-C and ICC and their respective modules, distributors can meet the demand of any contractor that walks through the door.

Features, Features, Features

Whether the controller you need is for a smaller landscape (Pro-C) or a larger one (ICC), Hunter?s modular units won?t shortchange you on capabilities.

Virtually every feature is here: dial programming and a large-easy-to-read display, independent day schedule options for each of the fully-independent programs (3 on Pro-C, 4 on ICC), 365-day calendar, programmable master valve, seasonal adjustment, rain sensor bypass, and non-volatile memory just to mention a few. And, both units boast Hunter?s simplified user set-up and easy programming style.

Plus, the Pro-C also puts the power of programming right in your hands with the convenience of a removable front panel.

"In addition to being easy to use and easy to expand the controller?s size, both the Pro-C and ICC have the kinds of features that appeal to our needs," said Kevin Paulen of Oasis Irrigation in Atlanta. "We appreciate the long station run times for deep soaking needs and drip systems. In addition, the ability to do interval watering makes it easy to accommodate the irrigation restrictions our region has to deal with. We?ve switched all of our inventory to modular units. Pro-C and ICC are all we stock and all we install."

One Big Happy Family: All Hunter Controllers Share the Same "Look"

If you can program an SRC controller, you can program an ICC or a Pro-C. Hunter has standardized both the programming functions and the product design within their line-up of controllers, giving all products an integrated look and feel.

This is good news for service crews, since the uniform design makes it possible for them to know exactly how a Hunter controller operates ? regardless of which model it is. If a technician knows how to service one Hunter controller, they will know how to service any Hunter controller.

The similarities between the trio of controllers don?t end there, however. The change is as much about style as it is about substance, since the ICC, Pro-C and SRC now also share the same color and faceplate design. The result is a more professional appearance and stronger product identity for the fastest growing family of controllers in the irrigation industry!