OK, so straight up..... This might be one of my favorite Smarter Every Day videos ever. It has everything I love.... hard work, fluid dynamics, mechanics, control systems, nature, beautiful shots, teamwork, different people working together. It feels like cramming 2,000 pounds into a ziploc bag. I genuinely love it, and I'm grateful that your support made it possible. A huge thank you to everyone who supports me on Patreon. If you'd like to get the stickers, I'd love to send you some, so please make sure your address is correct! If you'd like to consider joining the "team", you can sign up at www.patreon.com/smartereveryday. Again, thank you so much for helping me make this kind of stuff. If you'd like to see the extended cut, it's here: th-cam.com/video/wTPnV7YfaGQ/w-d-xo.html.
I really enjoyed watching the video as well. I could tell this was not an easy video to make, but I loved your passion in this, and I love how you break things down even if they are simple.
I wonder what sponsor pulled out this year... but telling me defeats the purpose, because it's free sponsorship for the act of removing their sponsorship. I guess I could go back through old videos and see who's been missing this year. Hmm... I could go back through old videos just because they're awesome to watch. What a great idea! Off I go.
What I love about Destin is how humble he is when talking about the roles and jobs of others. Whether they’re NASA engineers or a couple of guys who assemble grain bins he always emphasises how important they’re roll is and how they know much more about their role than he does and views every single one as an expert in their own field, regardless of what they do.
Seriously, his humbleness is inspiring. He's literally a rocket scientist and yet he has such a curious and humble mindset. I really want to be more like that.
I've just realized that Destin's farming videos have actually taught me a lot about how to conduct myself in manual jobs. I always remember the advice _"When you first join a team, volunteer to do the jobs no-one else wants."_ That has served me well in my career these past few years.
My man's Jose is out here in a long sleeve in 90 degree weather. he mentioned hes done 4 or 5 hundred CPI systems in alabama - dude has probably seen 110 degree summers elsewhere. respect to the man
Yeah that’s really what you should wear in high temps is a breathable light colored shirt that covers as much skin as possible. Next time you’re driving and pass a construction site, you’ll notice that most folks are wearing long sleeves and long pants. All for the same reason.
You talk like a pilot. When someone gives you a direction, you loudly and clearly repeat it back to them so they know you know. What an absolutely great communication style, and always well adapted to your audience. I think watching you empathetically connect with people who usually don’t get a lot of appreciation is my favorite part of your videos.
I am a Hydrogeologist at the Wisc dept of agriculture, and I constantly think of Destin's farming videos as a useful oppurtunity to better understand the sort of things people I work for deal with. I'm very excited for this center pivot irrigation episode in particular, as my job revolves around the wells they draw from.
As a Geology student and lover of our natural world I really thank you for the job you do. Was lucky enough to see a guest speaker who works with farmers on managing water resources and it struck me as a tough but absolutely necessary line of work.
Feel very similar. I am a hydrogeologist with the state of Oklahoma that manages our aquifer studies that supports our groundwater permitting program and was just thinking I should share this with my team as we work with farmers all the time when we set up our well networks or look to do pumping tests and we often don't really think about all the stuff that goes into what they actually do and know out there in the fields.
Huge shoutout to José and his crew for having you on(tolerating a new guy is an exercise). Also shoutout to you Destin for putting yourself, time and time again, in the "new guy" position for your audience. Being the constant new guy takes a level of bravery and I tha k you for sharing.
I grew up around these systems; even did some IT contracting for one of the largest center-pivot manufacturers, but I never realized how fantastic the systems were. Thanks for the video and your way of telling the story.
Those colored graphical aids when you're talking about how things move, what they affect, and their consequence is so enormously helpful!! Sometimes I feel a helpless when I lose track of what's going on which makes it difficult to get through a learning video, but your enthusiasm and helpfulness really teach me so much. Thanks Destin!
I love how willing Destin is to get his hands dirty in order to teach the audience, rather than sit by and just record. You really proved yourself out there to them while providing solid content
He’s a rural engineer. This is NORMAL life. It’s hardly “getting your hands dirty” to not be a pen pusher or a “privileged TH-cam, creator”. Back in time before this insane era, people broke their backs and sweated rivers, just to earn enough to stay alive! There is no such thing as “going to the gym”, life itself is the gym. We live in an age of pansies
It's indeed not something a lot of people would do but I think Destin has also proven how well it works. He really gets in there and earns the trust of the people who actually assemble the stuff and learns from them.
Destin, you don't know how excited it made me to see a pivot on a Smarter Every Day thumbnail. Sometimes I watch your videos with my dad, especially the ones that are farming related. He's a civil engineer by education, a farmer, and started his center pivot irrigation business a few decades ago, which he still runs today. I grew up around these machines and have helped put them together, calculate bridge lengths for crossing ditches, etc. You document the construction process beautifully and show so much respect toward people in agriculture. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this video. I look forward to watching the long cut!
Smarter Everyday is so wholesome and earnest while asking great questions and engaging my curiosity. Some other STEM TH-camrs could learn a lot from your humility. Curiosity about really cool science stuff brought me to this channel, but the down-to-earth personality and love of learning keep bringing me back.
I was sure that the wheels would work with gears and water pressure. When I have own house I would want to build something like this to circle the house (pivot@roof). Or put irrigation system inside the soil before the new top soil.
Nope. This is not technology (drill a hole and take water by tubes) and neither science. This is the worst thing people could invent and use. There is enough water undeground for years and maybe few decades. But this kind of underground water is there for hundreds or thousands of years. There is no chance to use this for more than few years. And it will do a lot of drying in those places...
so you're meaning non ?? or likely not much ?? leonardo da vinci would've been got a better solution in 5min. pure ingnorance is that is all that to me
Having seen many of these moving along the fields as I drive by...I have always wanted to see one of these up close. Thank you for sharing this experience with us. I learned a lot.
Jeremy, imagine designing and building a robotic arm that had joints/pivots that "followed the leader" of the finger or manipulator with some quasi-"bang bang " controls.
@SmarterEveryDay - Thank you for putting this together...I'm not a farmer, but I've seen and been around these pivots my whole life and always wanted an in-depth explanation of how they work. You've provided that in spades and I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting all the work into this video. You explained everything beautifully.
I love how quickly he swatted your hand away at 7:06 when you grabbed the back of that piece. That's the mark of someone who works with their hands every day, and is around others who also work with their hands. it's easy to quickly get pinched between two heavy pieces of steel banging around with a lot of momentum behind them. Edited to correct the timestamp.
I absolutely love how giddy and excited Destin gets every time he learns how something works or learns a new skill! I'm 45 and I, myself *still* get that "child-like" giddy, excited feeling (like a kid opening Christmas presents), any time I learn something new! Keep doing your thing, Destin!
I'll tell you what. I stumbled across this video and I've been irrigating with pivots for 22 years. I get lots of visitors and they ask all the same questions you had and you explained it great! I'm gonna use this video for the next group that asks me questions about pivots! great job!
THANK YOU! 28 years ago this guy who grew up on Florida’s beaches married a Minnesota farm girl and EVERY trip to the farm we’d drive past these things and I could never figure out how something so flimsy looking, that’s full of water, has the power to MOVE through farm fields. You’ve just made my day by explaining it to me from start to finish. THANKS VERY MUCH! Love your stuff Destin…
As a former engineer and career farmer in Mississippi, I still found this fascinating! Your slo-mo video was excellent and informative. It is also great to see two intelligent, understated southern boys shining the light on our enthralling world of agriculture.
I work on these things daily. Been doing it for over 16 years. I also have the privilege of personally knowing Jose. We’ve worked together in the past. I was excited to finally see an informative video made in my line of work!
I work in agriculture and I'm super glad that you got the opportunity to show everyone what I try to explain with gestures and sketches haha. Great content as always!
From growing up on a farm working on irrigation sprinklers to now being a mechanical engineer I thoroughly enjoyed this video! Your channel has had a large impact on my career path. Thank you for the constant effort you put into teaching the world!
I found the "follow the leader" way of moving amazing! Really smart, I always thought it was like a set speed per tower, pre-calculated based on the radius. But this is much better, it adjusts, so if wheels slip or go slower/faster than predicted then the system will correct automatically. Awesome.
Following from the outside also makes the most sense too, since it has to drive the fastest. If it were following from the center, the outside would have the most starts and stops at high speed and possibly not even keep up in some situations, slowing the whole process down. It is so much easier for the shorter, slower inside one to catch up
I always wondered about that as well. I had incorrectly assumed they were running at different speeds or geared differently. The limit switch thing makes a whole lot more sense.
I've seen many of those irrigation machines here in France and always wondered how they moved. I thought each set of drives had different gear ratios to keep the whole thing in line. But the 'bang bang' method makes more sense as all the gearboxes can then be the same ratio. Thanks for the great video. Cheers!
Different gear ratios could still be used but it's probably best to keep the ratios low for the sake of efficiency. Different ratios alone wouldn't account for changes to the terrain while the bang bang method allows the inner boxes to keep up even if they hit a snag and presumably stop the whole thing if they can't get unstuck. I'm not sure how they actually do it but a simple method would be to check for pulses from the closest motor and if it doesn't get a signal to move (because one of the outer sections is stuck) or if it's constantly got a signal to move (innermost section is stuck) it could kill the power and send a message through the smartphone app/service. I work in manufacturing, in particular on press lines, and there's quite a few safety systems in place that look for periodic pulses such as a shortfeed sensor (makes sure the coil is in position before trying to hit it) and part eject sensors (makes sure the part properly ejected so it doesn't get smashed on the next hit). Some of our presses also have a sensor on their shakers (moves scrap chutes back and forth in a certain rhythm to push scrap into a hopper) to make sure the shaker doesn't stop while the operator is busy with other tasks (loading coils, raking scrap, emptying part buckets, catching parts, emptying waste coolant buckets, filling cooling buckets, ect). Some jobs get really busy and/or scrap can build up fast (some jobs we could walk outside and watch grass grow).
Fluid dynamics are one of the most intriguing things to me. Being from Mississippi I've seen these things all over. I know what they are, but always wondered how they work. I know it must be some amazing mechanics and engineering behind it all. Too bad for me I have got the whole family interested in your videos so I'm not allowed to watch until everyone is home...
My favorite thing about this channel is that sometimes it's really just Destin going through life and having a "wait a minute, how does that work?" moment that becomes an awesome video like this.
Thats what Im here for... The guy can be inside a nuclear submarine below 30 feet of ice in the Arctic and go "Wait, this shower works this way" and seeing the people that actually know how that shower works "hey, this guy knows what he is talking about" is the whole point of this channel hahahah
Takes a lot of hard work to make it feel like this, I am sure he is working incredibly hard to find the next good subject to cover and tosses most of his ideas without us seeing them.
On every road trip my family ever took growing up my father would see one of these and say, “look kids! A rolling irrigation system!” It didn’t matter if we were all asleep or if we had just seen one 5 miles up the road, he had to point them out. When we finally got old enough to start making fun of him about it he finally stopped, but it truly was funny. And he truly was fascinated by them. He passed away almost six years ago now. He would have loved to have seen this video!!
The way you break things down to their basic structures is really friggen impressive. The red/blue outlines on the arms between the sections was the best way to have explained it as possible. Plus it helps that when you remove the cover, you just skip all the electrical stuff and go "see this, it does this, and that controls the whole thing"
@@bobdebouwer7835 What? Are you serious? You don't think water usage isn't figured into their calculations? Not to mention those crops are quite literally the reason you're alive today. What do you think happens to the water? Once the plants use what they need, it sinks and gets reabsorbed into the ground. If some remains on the surface, it evaporates and eventually all that evaporated water will go back to the earth in the form of rain.
@@soundguydon In many places farmers have "water rights" and they intentionally overuse water only because they don't want to lose their claim over how much water they are allowed to use. It's not particularly honest or honorable. In regions that frequently experience droughts, that water could sorely be needed elsewhere. Then there's also the issue of crops often being left to rot in the field whenever supply becomes too abundant, just so they can keep the price of food from falling.
Center pivots used to be entirely powered by water pressure, drive and all. Would love to see a closer breakdown of how those work (starting with the smaller scale garden scale impulse sprinkler?)
Seeing ya build the pivot in the off-season, watching it operate late in the season and riding in the combine during harvest makes ya realize this 20 minute video took almost a year to make. 😊
I must have driven past these kind of things about a dozen times a year, for decades now, and it always bugged me that I didn't really know exactly what they were doing or how it all worked (I got that they were irrigation, at least, but absent that big-picture insight I didn't really know a lot else). So this video really hit the spot!
Hey man I just want to take a second to say thank you I've been watching you since I was probably 13 I'm 19 now and still have a vast and never ending thirst for knowledge and always seek to get smarter every day and that is solely because of you so I had genuinely thank you and this video was amazing and the men you were working with highly respect you I can guarantee you of that
My wife works at a Soybean processing facility it would be awesome to see you do a in depth look at how they make different things out of beans. I love hearing her talk about it and learning how it all happens.
Please do get a video made of this somehow, so many industrial uses of soy totally aside from food. Got to hear a presentation on soy-based gear lubricants and it was surprisingly fascinating. What little I know about soy-based plastic and other processes tells me about the incredibly exciting uses for soy besides feed and food-grade soy. Which... isn't the intro to this video made of soybeans?
As a non native English speaker, I absolutely loved the captions!! We feel all your joy of being there and it's so heartwarming. Thank your for this incredible content Destin !
I've been selling these for 11 years here in the pacific northwest, irrigating off the Columbia basin irrigation district. This video is great, I'm so glad you explored this. Alabama and much of the midwest have consistent rainfall, I'd love for you to dive into our canal and irrigation system off the Columbia river here in Washington state, where we are irrigating a desert with 8-13 inches of rain a year.
I will add, the build crews are amazing. We have 5 full crews in house and they work like mad. This last year they gathered crews for a downed machine in super hot conditions and knocked out a 1/4 mile pivot and running water in 7 hours.
I live in the same area and I was wondering, how many of these get built up here? (If you know) I would assume that a lot of the usable land would already be in use for farming, or is there a lot of expansion happening?
As someone who took many a road trip as a kid, and wondered how these worked, thank you a ton for this. I had no idea so much work and engineering goes into systems like this, and I feel like I have that experience for every video y'all make on this channel. Thanks for the content!
Not gonna lie, it would be nice to do more videos with Trey, he teaches us a lot about agriculture and engineering when it comes to his farm and what he does 💯💯
Would love to see you do another farming video on dairy and dairy feed storage, specifically the history of silage, from silos to piles. As a farmer I love that someone with a big audience is teaching people about what we do. Thanks!
These "agricultural getting in touch with real work + turbo pulling tractors" series, is amazing, it really shows allllllll the work that is put into having something to eat. Thank you for sharing this. For all of your videos!
This video blew my mind. I live in the suburbs, but drive out through farm country all the time. I've always seen these irrigation systems, but never realized just how well engineered they are. So great!
I always wondered if the wheels were motorized or the pivot was just giga torquing it up, and the wheels just kept up. I clearly underestimated how gigantic these systems are, there's no way that the pivot could torque the whole thing in a circle without the sheer power exploding pipes and their connection points😂
I guessed these might be hydraulically driven by the water, no need for electricity, or just a smidge like a beacon/receiver. Boy was I wrong. Simple, effective, less is more!
@@YCbCr google TL irrigation pivots. They are hydraulicly powered and the towers move continuously together rather than start and stop like this one. Pretty neat design.
I’ve had so many questions driving past these bad boys on road trips (the water and the movement, primarily). So cool to see it get the attention it deserves!
Ive worked a few years detassling corn, several of the fields we worked had these irrigation pivots and I'd always wondered how they worked, amazing video as always!
Great video Destin. This content is educational not only in mechanics and fluid dynamics, but also reminds young people that food doesn’t come from the grocery store. I’m sure it will inspire a few to become more interested in farming, which is a good thing.
This is industrial farming though, which is interesting in its own way, but I think the farming most people are interested in is self-sufficient farming, you know, farming just enough in order to 'save your bacon' and not be so dependent from other people or organizations to put food in your table.
@@dougstitt1652 Doesn't matter, family or company, the use of heavy duty agricultural machinery and farming methods with the intent of selling most, if not everything of what the crops produce, it's still called industrial farming by definition. Also, I only define "family farm" when most of the people working there belong to the same family.
Growing up in a large city, I’ve never been exposed enough to understand how this works, but have ALWAYS been fascinated and wondered how this works. This just popped up and fulfilled a massive thought void for me. Awesome. Thank you so much.
I have 11 pivots on my farm in Tasmania, Australia with the largest being 10 spans and of all the machinery and equipment the pivot is the one thing I tell new employees that they will have to learn as you go as I'm constantly learning new things. When everything is working they appear very simple but when they go wrong it's a bottomless pit of complications. Once you add variable rate irrigation to the mix and the mapping that's required you start to understand just how technical farmers need to be to operate in the modern day. Thank you so much for the video!
One thing not covered here is when the pivot goes down in the middle of the night. Nozzles are clogged and have to either be replaced or cleaned out. So much more, than just putting one in a field and letting it work. You are so correct about, bottomless pit. They are ingenious though.
In all fairness, from an engineering standpoint guns are incredible machines. Complex and purely mechanical devices which need to withstand massive forces, that have become so refined over hundreds of years that they now have an almost elegant simplicity. That so much effort and ingenuity was put into devices whose sole intended purpose is to murder really says more about humanity than any philosopher ever could.
@@sylvrwolflol Not just murder. Take a look at some of the extreme engineering that goes into target rifles (e.g. 6mm rail guns). Yeah, there is a lot of work that goes into military and self defense arms, but even the stuff that isn't intended to shoot anything but paper is rather impressive.
Growing up in central Nebraska, irrigation pivots are a permanent part of my fondest childhood memories, traveling across the plains to Grandmas house, watching those extraordinary machines do their thing. Well done Destin! You just added another level of intrigue to those precious memories. I don't get back to that part of the country much these days... but when I do, I'll remember this video.
These structures destroy the soil by using so much groundwater. Eventually the ground bassins will dry out. These systems wash away all the fertilizer. So you have to use more of it. You just end up with an empty soil without groundwater. There are systems that impregnate water into the top layer of the soil. This way the water won’t evaporate as quickly as just using big sprinklers. But first we got to think about if it’s not better for people planet and profit to farm crops in these sort of places. There is so much cool innovation on these kind of topics! Nothing bad about the video. Love your enthusiasm:)
My neighbor Henry who is well past 80 spent many years in South America building pivots as well with building them all over the country. Now there are more than enough companies local that one no longer needs to travel. If you get an offer to go some where to build pivots take it. Train well and learn all you can and then find a bigger company that offers international work.
@@susa4727 very hard but very rewarding to see all the little parts laid out and put together into one recognizable pivot. In a way you do get used to it. In another, it is always heavy parts.
Interesting fact: my husbands grandfather was the one to invent these center pivots. Their last name is Zimmerer, which is why the company is named Zimmatic. His grandfather’s engineering mind inspired his whole family to become engineers as well (including my husband, his great grandson), and helped the small city in Nebraska so much they have a parade in his honor every so often. Awesome episode, great felt personally connected.❤
@@NoctilucentArts same with all other inventions... Someone solves a problem, and it's a benefit to everyone who needs it... just because you use a rubber tire, or a double pane insulated window doesn't mean you must be smart enough to have created it for yourself.
@@volvo09 So I must be a genius because I know how to use tools invented by other people and follow established routines. Like farmers following established routines using tools invented by other people.
Yours are the only engineering videos that are so wholesome I am brought to tears. You really understand that the whole point of this is about people, and your genuine interest and excitement is inspiring. Thank you for using your platform in this way.
The fact that the entire system is controlled by the one motor and the rest of the segments manage themselves is awesome. Also, the pump that drives those things is terrifying. I've heard so many stories of when those have issues and the fun it causes.
OH MAN Destin you really did it this time! thank you so much for putting this together for us. I'VE WONDERED FOR YEARS how these sections stay in sync. you covered everything and so much more then I even thought of. learned a new term *bang bang controls* Notes: that Telehandler is probably the most fun machines you'll ever operate. if your ever in WI you can take our's for a whirl.
Please more agriculture videos! I love learning about all this stuff! It's extremely important to our everyday lives but most people don't know anything about it.
Excellent video, very informative! We live in semi-rural area where you see these fairly frequently. If I had to make an educated guess on how they work, I would have been pretty much spot except for how they moved. I figured it was calculated by a computer in the control box. But, the mechanical system is genius, and, when you think about it, it makes a lot more sense. It would minimize potential damage should an outer section get stuck.
Also, that simple (mechanical!) cam switch set up is easily replaceable. A farmer can easily swap it out, without a degree in hydraulics or electronics or water pressure. Keep It Simple Silly!
@@kitwalker3826 I was gonna say lol those cams and ESPECIALLY the switches are wearable items and I've actually replaced switches like those sooo often its silly, so seeing it connected in the manner that it was is genius in and of itself lol.
@Drick lol, idk who hurt you but most of what you said is soooooo incorrect. Where I live I can drive for hours in about any direction and see a pivot sprinkler every once in a while, who I just kind of assumed people knew what they were. Just like you assumed that I'm a defect and invred. Idk where you got that😂
Your editing and color highlighting throughout really made this entire contraption significantly more comprehensible. Thank you for the all the effort you put into the editing.
14:41 That is a REALLY cool graphic and an amazing way to go from 2D to 3D! The drawing on the right combined with the overlay on the left is just awesome! I am absolutely going to use that to explain stuff in images in the future!
I was a farm worker over 2020 and '21. I got to watch a pivot get set up and even helped with the irrigation, including laying the wire and pipe out. I got to learn a lot about how they worked, but this really filled in the gaps in understanding I had. Especially the brushes at the center that power the whole pivot. I really enjoy these videos that highlight the crazy innovation that farms see on a regular basis.
I don’t think that I’d ever just look up a video about center pivots or irrigation systems. But a “Smarter Every Day” pops up and here I am watching with rapt attention. Never stop making these
Hi Destin. Thanks so much for doing what you do! I have a suggestion for a video idea. Making things work in the past was not only more labor intensive, but also required knowledge of it. So long before you or I, or even our grandparents were a thought in our Great Grams & Paps minds, People had to learn. To be "Smarter Every Day". So finally I get to the idea: Operation of a coal fired, steam locomotive. From stone-cold boiler to full operation. All the prep and maintenance in between, and what lesser known tips & tricks from experienced engineers, firemen and brakemen past & present. I have seen videos on getting a locomotive up & running. They are wonderful. But I would LOVE to see your take on it. There are still many of the old locomotives making regular runs today for tours and exhibition. The way you present a subject is unique, interesting, engaging, and just downright superb. This could be another little series if you have the interest/time for it. Locomotives. Steam boats & ships, power plants, mills, assembly lines, city water pumps etc. of the past.
Great video, love seeing farm tech explained. You didn't mention it, but I love the little bridge over the drainage ditch at 12:30. Would love to see another video on field drainage, another important feature of modern farming that is not well known.
Major props for being the new guy. It's never easy to be the guy slowing down the job while you learn and it would be easy to step back and film but you gutted it out. Another great video
I was endlessly fascinated by these in the years I drove past them. And finally, the best possible person that can - explains it!! Awesome stuff, and thanks so much Destin. It hit the spot.
I live in the Midwest and see these things all of the time and was always curious how they stay aligned when they move. Thanks Justin. And I just finished a round trip driving from Michigan to Colorado and back and saw dozens and dozens of these systems and was determined to find a TH-cam video to explain. When I saw Smarter Everyday and it was the first video in the list I knew I’d have the best explanation possible.
Whether you know it or not, Destin... This channel is becoming an exponentially more educational and entertaining version of "Dirty Jobs". Love every single video and can't wait for more.
@@TimPerfetto .... Instead of just saying the same confusing thing again, why not explain how or why I've ruined anyone's life? What are you even talking about?
Fascinating video as always! Obviously there's way more to farming than many people (myself included) realize. On another note, center pivot is great in places like AL where there is plenty of groundwater that gets replenished with rain. In places much further west, however, they're rapidly draining underground aquifers that were built up over millenia and sadly they will run out someday, probably within the next 50-100 years. Hopefully humanity has figured out a solution before that happens.
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I live in the Midwest and can drive for hours in any direction and see these. I have marveled at them for years and had all the same questions you answered in this video. I knew they were an engineering feat just by looking at them thanks for the great video.
I stupidly assumed these things were way simpler. I grew up growing tobacco and had to help put irrigation pipes together which were just pipes and sprinklers. I had always thought that's what these were but with wheels. It's fascinating to learn about such ingenious solutions there are to problems I didn't know existed
Same, I just figured they were water-powered like those little lawn sprinkler tractors that follow the hose. That synchronization switch could probably be made into a mechanical valve. Wonder if a fully mechanical version of this thing exists?
This takes me back to my first time on a plane, flying over the Midwest, wondering who put thousands of circles across the land. You’ve answered all the questions I’ve been wondering. Thanks for fulfilling my curiosity. 😊😊
I love these type of videos in general. This was a topic I didnt show the slightest thought to, but was literally excited throughout the video learning how complex yet primative it all is. So Glad I watched, Thank You for creating Great Content!
your channel feels worth supporting. valuable content that isn't just mechanical and scientific learning and interests but a showcase of a lot of interesting people, its so cool to see all of it.
Been in construction all my life from refineries pipe line steel mills and I’ve never knew how these work, great job and even old timers like myself can learn a new thing or two
I have also been flying a lot lately, and have always wondered how these work! Thank you so much for making these videos for us. I agree with your assessment; this video had everything! Thank you for highlighting the vital role that farming and irrigation play in our lives, whether we remember to notice every day or not. As a current hydrology student, I love the education you are sharing with everyone, and as a fellow follower of Jesus, I love the way you lead by example. Every video has always shined with respect for everyone you interact with, humility as you learn from their expertise, and love for these people and the work that they do. Thank you for providing a gold standard as I look towards a career working together, continuing to learn, helping others, and hopefully someday to teach and share that knowledge as well as you do. Much love for all that you do!
Thank you! I always wondered how each set of drive wheels stayed in sync. I figured the entire system was powered by water pressure; hydro dynamic control valves at each set of drive wheels. Your illustration of the control arm linkage and electro mechanical cam was awesome. I love your content and teaching style.
always interesting to see other crews put up pivots. The way this crew puts the pivot together is completely different than how I am used to. the main reason we dont "span" the pivot this way is because this way you are way more likely to bend the pipe flanges when you put the v-jacks or trusses together. Also the amount of time wasted on hauling each span out separately. We also never tighten the bolts on the center point until it is sitting on the pad over the anchor bolts. Not sure about the sprinkler outlets and cross threading them, in general Zimmatic pivots just have horrible threads all the time and if you get any dirt in there you will fight every one of them. Like I said all crews are different so it is interesting to see how others work with the same material, and with more people since its usually a crew of two for us lol
Oh, Man. This is a good one! I have ALWAYS wondered about these. Living in rural WI, I see these all the time. I knew they were for irrigation, and I knew there was a pivot, but I always thought that the positioning of each section was done by a computer and a GPS telling which set of wheels to move, and how far. The switch being turned on simply because the connected tower has moved is ingenious! I love this video, and I love farmers. Remember people... The farmers being THIS GOOD at their jobs is what allows us all to have the abundance that we have. LOVE your local farmers!
Man - this video was a massive nostalgia trip. I spent many a summer on Kansas farms and some of the most peaceful times in my life were out riding the irrigation all day long. I had to have been about 8 and it was my job to make sure everything was running right. To do this, I climbed the tower and went for a ride. As far as I know, known of the pivots I monitored ever failed.
From the Philippines and been seeing this on documentaries and movies for years, i knew its for watering the crops but never understood how it worked... today finally remembered to lookl this up and found your videos... Learned a new thing today! thank you
My hat is off to you, Dustin, for letting us in on how clever the folks around are and what we owe those before us for devising the everyday things that help us care for each other. Admiration from a brother engineer...
Thank you from everyone who rides in the car with me as I drive past these pivots. I will no longer have to wonder out loud how all these things work together to irrigate a field. Now they can finally hear me explain how it all works, especially how the outer rings get the same amount of water as the inner ones (I’ve wondered that for years).
Thank you for covering the engineering curiosities of everyday life. I see these irrigation systems all the time but I've never stopped to wonder exactly how they work. This video not only taught me about pivot irrigation, but gave me a new perspective on the work that farmers do and I think that's awesome. I can't wait to see what you upload next!
I grew up out in the middle of nowhere with these things sprinkled in the fields around. My family doesn't own any, but I've always wondered how they worked. Thanks so much for this video!
OK, so straight up..... This might be one of my favorite Smarter Every Day videos ever. It has everything I love.... hard work, fluid dynamics, mechanics, control systems, nature, beautiful shots, teamwork, different people working together. It feels like cramming 2,000 pounds into a ziploc bag. I genuinely love it, and I'm grateful that your support made it possible. A huge thank you to everyone who supports me on Patreon. If you'd like to get the stickers, I'd love to send you some, so please make sure your address is correct! If you'd like to consider joining the "team", you can sign up at www.patreon.com/smartereveryday. Again, thank you so much for helping me make this kind of stuff. If you'd like to see the extended cut, it's here: th-cam.com/video/wTPnV7YfaGQ/w-d-xo.html.
Was there laminar flow you could find on the pivot?
I really enjoyed watching the video as well. I could tell this was not an easy video to make, but I loved your passion in this, and I love how you break things down even if they are simple.
Did it have a laminar flow though?
I have always wondered how these move whenever I see them while driving.
I wonder what sponsor pulled out this year... but telling me defeats the purpose, because it's free sponsorship for the act of removing their sponsorship. I guess I could go back through old videos and see who's been missing this year. Hmm... I could go back through old videos just because they're awesome to watch. What a great idea! Off I go.
Shoutout to all the mentors that tolerate and teach the new guy, you guys are legends.
They're stealing our jobs though /s
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without good mentors there would be no new guys. A bad teacher can ruin the learning process easily.
This couldn't be said more. Patience and understanding for the guys coming up whether it's Farming or Trades.
@@moezbenhamouda4725 Yeah, cause there is a HUGE rush of lazy Americans wanting those jobs. (sarcasm)
What I love about Destin is how humble he is when talking about the roles and jobs of others. Whether they’re NASA engineers or a couple of guys who assemble grain bins he always emphasises how important they’re roll is and how they know much more about their role than he does and views every single one as an expert in their own field, regardless of what they do.
Destin is literally a national treasure
Absolutely, it's something I always take note of with Destin.
Seriously, his humbleness is inspiring. He's literally a rocket scientist and yet he has such a curious and humble mindset. I really want to be more like that.
Destin's great virtue is in realizing that everyone he encounters is a genius.
I would love to see a team up with him and Mike Rowe.
So wholesome seeing Destin slowly earning their trust and eventually getting jobs to do, love your vids mate!
Hello
Didn’t think you would be here
Hello iPod man!
Definitely didn't expect to see you in these comments 😊
I've just realized that Destin's farming videos have actually taught me a lot about how to conduct myself in manual jobs. I always remember the advice _"When you first join a team, volunteer to do the jobs no-one else wants."_ That has served me well in my career these past few years.
My man's Jose is out here in a long sleeve in 90 degree weather. he mentioned hes done 4 or 5 hundred CPI systems in alabama - dude has probably seen 110 degree summers elsewhere. respect to the man
The long sleeves is for sun block! I do the same thing, but I wear white cause it's WAY cooler than a darker color. Same thing with jeans - white
ye fr respect to hosehey
Yeah that’s really what you should wear in high temps is a breathable light colored shirt that covers as much skin as possible. Next time you’re driving and pass a construction site, you’ll notice that most folks are wearing long sleeves and long pants. All for the same reason.
You just burn hands working all day under sun short sleeves.
Body heat keeps you cool when it's over 98 degrees Fahrenheit. The long sleeves help to contain your body's natural A/C.
You talk like a pilot. When someone gives you a direction, you loudly and clearly repeat it back to them so they know you know. What an absolutely great communication style, and always well adapted to your audience. I think watching you empathetically connect with people who usually don’t get a lot of appreciation is my favorite part of your videos.
people usually get annoyed when i confirm stuff back to them lol. glad to see its appreciated somewhere
@@ganon8835 i mean obviously there's time and place for everything. It's definitely very useful in a fast paced and error prone environment
@@aronseptianto8142 yeah fast paced, error prone, and where the errors cost lives. This form of communication is common in surgeries as well.
@@skyorrichegg yeah, definitely not in an office setting though
-Nice personality
-Thanks, it's yours 😎
I am a Hydrogeologist at the Wisc dept of agriculture, and I constantly think of Destin's farming videos as a useful oppurtunity to better understand the sort of things people I work for deal with. I'm very excited for this center pivot irrigation episode in particular, as my job revolves around the wells they draw from.
As a geography major, your job sounds pretty exciting too. I'm in the Central Valley of California, so Ag is a big deal around here.
As a Geology student and lover of our natural world I really thank you for the job you do. Was lucky enough to see a guest speaker who works with farmers on managing water resources and it struck me as a tough but absolutely necessary line of work.
"revolves.' I see you
Feel very similar. I am a hydrogeologist with the state of Oklahoma that manages our aquifer studies that supports our groundwater permitting program and was just thinking I should share this with my team as we work with farmers all the time when we set up our well networks or look to do pumping tests and we often don't really think about all the stuff that goes into what they actually do and know out there in the fields.
"as my job revolves around the wells" Sooo, you ARE a center pivot irrigation system...? :D
Huge shoutout to José and his crew for having you on(tolerating a new guy is an exercise). Also shoutout to you Destin for putting yourself, time and time again, in the "new guy" position for your audience. Being the constant new guy takes a level of bravery and I tha k you for sharing.
Also love the dude that smacked Destin's hand out of the pinch hazard!
"Shout out for the people organized and asked way way way ahead of time and the host that gets paid thousands of dollars to pander."
I grew up around these systems; even did some IT contracting for one of the largest center-pivot manufacturers, but I never realized how fantastic the systems were. Thanks for the video and your way of telling the story.
Those colored graphical aids when you're talking about how things move, what they affect, and their consequence is so enormously helpful!! Sometimes I feel a helpless when I lose track of what's going on which makes it difficult to get through a learning video, but your enthusiasm and helpfulness really teach me so much. Thanks Destin!
If only I knew what you were talking about
@@janeblogs324 I’m assuming the red outlines on the mechanical moving bits that regulated the moving of the wheels that turn the whole thing.
I love how willing Destin is to get his hands dirty in order to teach the audience, rather than sit by and just record. You really proved yourself out there to them while providing solid content
Not just willing, he insists on it. He was physically unable to just take "no" as an answer when he asked to help
He’s a rural engineer. This is NORMAL life. It’s hardly “getting your hands dirty” to not be a pen pusher or a “privileged TH-cam, creator”.
Back in time before this insane era, people broke their backs and sweated rivers, just to earn enough to stay alive! There is no such thing as “going to the gym”, life itself is the gym.
We live in an age of pansies
It's indeed not something a lot of people would do but I think Destin has also proven how well it works. He really gets in there and earns the trust of the people who actually assemble the stuff and learns from them.
Mike Rowe 2.0
Dude got the respect of a Mexican crew leader. That really means a lot.
Destin, you don't know how excited it made me to see a pivot on a Smarter Every Day thumbnail. Sometimes I watch your videos with my dad, especially the ones that are farming related. He's a civil engineer by education, a farmer, and started his center pivot irrigation business a few decades ago, which he still runs today. I grew up around these machines and have helped put them together, calculate bridge lengths for crossing ditches, etc. You document the construction process beautifully and show so much respect toward people in agriculture. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making this video. I look forward to watching the long cut!
Seems like your dad underwent a
career pivot
Smarter Everyday is so wholesome and earnest while asking great questions and engaging my curiosity. Some other STEM TH-camrs could learn a lot from your humility. Curiosity about really cool science stuff brought me to this channel, but the down-to-earth personality and love of learning keep bringing me back.
Yes! 🙌🏻
Thanks for sharing. Had no idea it was that complex, but also simple at the same time.
Many things are just that. If you drill down far enough all the most complex systems are comprised of simple parts.
This is what top-tier engineering looks like.
Ingenuity is best portrayed when it wholly solves a complicated problem with a simple process.
@@goodgoyim9459 What?
I was sure that the wheels would work with gears and water pressure. When I have own house I would want to build something like this to circle the house (pivot@roof). Or put irrigation system inside the soil before the new top soil.
It’s amazing how much technology and science work together to fit every little aspect of crop yields.
Nice
Whoops 🤭🤭
Nope. This is not technology (drill a hole and take water by tubes) and neither science.
This is the worst thing people could invent and use.
There is enough water undeground for years and maybe few decades. But this kind of underground water is there for hundreds or thousands of years.
There is no chance to use this for more than few years. And it will do a lot of drying in those places...
👍
so you're meaning non ?? or likely not much ??
leonardo da vinci would've been got a better solution in 5min. pure ingnorance is that is all that to me
Having seen many of these moving along the fields as I drive by...I have always wanted to see one of these up close. Thank you for sharing this experience with us. I learned a lot.
Jeremy, imagine designing and building a robotic arm that had joints/pivots that "followed the leader" of the finger or manipulator with some quasi-"bang bang " controls.
@SmarterEveryDay - Thank you for putting this together...I'm not a farmer, but I've seen and been around these pivots my whole life and always wanted an in-depth explanation of how they work. You've provided that in spades and I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for putting all the work into this video. You explained everything beautifully.
I love how quickly he swatted your hand away at 7:06 when you grabbed the back of that piece.
That's the mark of someone who works with their hands every day, and is around others who also work with their hands.
it's easy to quickly get pinched between two heavy pieces of steel banging around with a lot of momentum behind them.
Edited to correct the timestamp.
You remember a whole lot better when the reaction to something dumb is severe. I bet he had that swat in his head the next time he wanted to grab it.
The timestamp is actually 7:04 if you want to see what he's talking abounded
Yep, rule #1 keep human parts out of hard steel parts, they bite and don't bark before taking some hide.
I understand that completely as someone who works the ramp for an airline. Constantly moving new hires away from dangerous areas.
Yup
I absolutely love how giddy and excited Destin gets every time he learns how something works or learns a new skill! I'm 45 and I, myself *still* get that "child-like" giddy, excited feeling (like a kid opening Christmas presents), any time I learn something new!
Keep doing your thing, Destin!
His excitement and giddiness are infectious, aren't they? I wonder what his IQ is?
@@scottkempton6085
He seems like a very bright individual for sure!
I'll tell you what. I stumbled across this video and I've been irrigating with pivots for 22 years. I get lots of visitors and they ask all the same questions you had and you explained it great! I'm gonna use this video for the next group that asks me questions about pivots! great job!
Please tell me how the wheels work on the field. Do they damage the crop, or no?
THANK YOU! 28 years ago this guy who grew up on Florida’s beaches married a Minnesota farm girl and EVERY trip to the farm we’d drive past these things and I could never figure out how something so flimsy looking, that’s full of water, has the power to MOVE through farm fields. You’ve just made my day by explaining it to me from start to finish. THANKS VERY MUCH! Love your stuff Destin…
um... why didn't you ask your wife?
@@maxsdad538 Good question! She grew up on a small dairy farm and didn’t have irrigation… She’d never given it much thought…
As a former engineer and career farmer in Mississippi, I still found this fascinating! Your slo-mo video was excellent and informative. It is also great to see two intelligent, understated southern boys shining the light on our enthralling world of agriculture.
@Something-Something-Dark-Side 🤣 Bless your heart, it is not.
@Something Something Dark Side You made it all these years in life and still act the jackass?
They are not complicated at all… had them all my life.
@@SmokeShow9969 how much money you wanna bet you couldnt come close to creating this design?
This is really what is missing in africa, we need the expertise, the engineering... and we need mentors wo can make this happen not the government!...
I work on these things daily. Been doing it for over 16 years. I also have the privilege of personally knowing Jose. We’ve worked together in the past. I was excited to finally see an informative video made in my line of work!
thats so cool - I cant imagine what your reaction must have been when you think to yourself, "Hey, wait a minute, I know that guy!" XD
How much would this cost?
No way.........
Jose....
I'll leave lol.
@@gurpurvenkatesh roughly 15k a tower these days, another 40-80k needed for well and pump probably.
I work in agriculture and I'm super glad that you got the opportunity to show everyone what I try to explain with gestures and sketches haha. Great content as always!
From growing up on a farm working on irrigation sprinklers to now being a mechanical engineer I thoroughly enjoyed this video! Your channel has had a large impact on my career path. Thank you for the constant effort you put into teaching the world!
@Karl with a K Is this a genuine opinion?
I found the "follow the leader" way of moving amazing! Really smart, I always thought it was like a set speed per tower, pre-calculated based on the radius. But this is much better, it adjusts, so if wheels slip or go slower/faster than predicted then the system will correct automatically. Awesome.
Following from the outside also makes the most sense too, since it has to drive the fastest. If it were following from the center, the outside would have the most starts and stops at high speed and possibly not even keep up in some situations, slowing the whole process down. It is so much easier for the shorter, slower inside one to catch up
That's how I thought they worked as well. I just went and explained it to my sister.
My first instinct would have been to make the outer segments follow the inner one, but your reasoning makes sense. It's probably smarter this way.
I can imagine this is also alot more analogue in nature than alternatives thus making it easier to maintain and repair.
I always wondered about that as well. I had incorrectly assumed they were running at different speeds or geared differently. The limit switch thing makes a whole lot more sense.
This is the type of positive, humble, pick me up content that everyone should be consuming.. Destin, you are amazing
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Hear hear!
I've seen many of those irrigation machines here in France and always wondered how they moved. I thought each set of drives had different gear ratios to keep the whole thing in line. But the 'bang bang' method makes more sense as all the gearboxes can then be the same ratio. Thanks for the great video. Cheers!
Different gear ratios could still be used but it's probably best to keep the ratios low for the sake of efficiency. Different ratios alone wouldn't account for changes to the terrain while the bang bang method allows the inner boxes to keep up even if they hit a snag and presumably stop the whole thing if they can't get unstuck. I'm not sure how they actually do it but a simple method would be to check for pulses from the closest motor and if it doesn't get a signal to move (because one of the outer sections is stuck) or if it's constantly got a signal to move (innermost section is stuck) it could kill the power and send a message through the smartphone app/service. I work in manufacturing, in particular on press lines, and there's quite a few safety systems in place that look for periodic pulses such as a shortfeed sensor (makes sure the coil is in position before trying to hit it) and part eject sensors (makes sure the part properly ejected so it doesn't get smashed on the next hit). Some of our presses also have a sensor on their shakers (moves scrap chutes back and forth in a certain rhythm to push scrap into a hopper) to make sure the shaker doesn't stop while the operator is busy with other tasks (loading coils, raking scrap, emptying part buckets, catching parts, emptying waste coolant buckets, filling cooling buckets, ect). Some jobs get really busy and/or scrap can build up fast (some jobs we could walk outside and watch grass grow).
I’ve been having a couple of bad days. Your videos make me happy. Thank you Destin.
You've got this.
@@smartereveryday :)
@@smartereveryday ❤
Literally everyone has bad days. You're not alone. They are temporary and are always soon followed by good days. Take care, Dani.
@Dani Ochoa
destin's videos dont usually make me happy but i enjoy watching them but it makes me happy that his videos make YOU happy :)
To me, you are one of the cornerstones of what makes TH-cam great. Thank you for what you do.
Preach! To people in the know, Destin is royalty.
Fluid dynamics are one of the most intriguing things to me. Being from Mississippi I've seen these things all over. I know what they are, but always wondered how they work. I know it must be some amazing mechanics and engineering behind it all. Too bad for me I have got the whole family interested in your videos so I'm not allowed to watch until everyone is home...
We have the same rule with Star Wars. Making it a family experience is half the fun!
This is the most hilarious yet wholesome comment I've ever red lmao.
I've seen these in the Delta, but not really here in Simpson. Now I know what I'm looking at when I see them.
For someone who is naturally curious about mechanical things these videos are really wonderful. It's really inspiring. Thank you!
My favorite thing about this channel is that sometimes it's really just Destin going through life and having a "wait a minute, how does that work?" moment that becomes an awesome video like this.
Thats what Im here for... The guy can be inside a nuclear submarine below 30 feet of ice in the Arctic and go "Wait, this shower works this way" and seeing the people that actually know how that shower works "hey, this guy knows what he is talking about" is the whole point of this channel hahahah
Takes a lot of hard work to make it feel like this, I am sure he is working incredibly hard to find the next good subject to cover and tosses most of his ideas without us seeing them.
Always the best way to learn.
On every road trip my family ever took growing up my father would see one of these and say, “look kids! A rolling irrigation system!” It didn’t matter if we were all asleep or if we had just seen one 5 miles up the road, he had to point them out. When we finally got old enough to start making fun of him about it he finally stopped, but it truly was funny. And he truly was fascinated by them. He passed away almost six years ago now. He would have loved to have seen this video!!
Sounds like you had a great dad!💪
Lol where? In Bama he'd be saying that every 60 seconds
Great Story!
May he RIP
Fun fact: In Hungary, these are called "lineár" (and yeah, it means what you think it means).
The way you break things down to their basic structures is really friggen impressive. The red/blue outlines on the arms between the sections was the best way to have explained it as possible. Plus it helps that when you remove the cover, you just skip all the electrical stuff and go "see this, it does this, and that controls the whole thing"
Modern farmers are geniuses but don't make a ton of profit. It means a lot and it's very honest work
Such genius until they used all the ground water.
@@bobdebouwer7835 What? Are you serious? You don't think water usage isn't figured into their calculations? Not to mention those crops are quite literally the reason you're alive today. What do you think happens to the water? Once the plants use what they need, it sinks and gets reabsorbed into the ground. If some remains on the surface, it evaporates and eventually all that evaporated water will go back to the earth in the form of rain.
Not a ton of profit but it's enough to have a large house+ workshop+ garage(s) etc... housing is 4-8x cheaper than in city/ suburbs.
@@soundguydon In many places farmers have "water rights" and they intentionally overuse water only because they don't want to lose their claim over how much water they are allowed to use. It's not particularly honest or honorable. In regions that frequently experience droughts, that water could sorely be needed elsewhere.
Then there's also the issue of crops often being left to rot in the field whenever supply becomes too abundant, just so they can keep the price of food from falling.
Center pivots used to be entirely powered by water pressure, drive and all. Would love to see a closer breakdown of how those work (starting with the smaller scale garden scale impulse sprinkler?)
Wonder why they changed because that would make perfect sense.
@@Liwet. maybe it required more fine tuning of the nozzles and pressure and it's more convenient to use a motor
Electric motors are simple and also very energy efficient devices.
Technology connections actually did a video on the impact sprinkler, which was interesting to watch.
Reliability & consistency. Too much variability in water flow that affects drive speed, I'm sure the water powered ones are real finicky.
Seeing ya build the pivot in the off-season, watching it operate late in the season and riding in the combine during harvest makes ya realize this 20 minute video took almost a year to make. 😊
Just want to say thank you to all the farmers out there. Your job makes all of our lives a whole lot easier.
I must have driven past these kind of things about a dozen times a year, for decades now, and it always bugged me that I didn't really know exactly what they were doing or how it all worked (I got that they were irrigation, at least, but absent that big-picture insight I didn't really know a lot else). So this video really hit the spot!
Hey man I just want to take a second to say thank you I've been watching you since I was probably 13 I'm 19 now and still have a vast and never ending thirst for knowledge and always seek to get smarter every day and that is solely because of you so I had genuinely thank you and this video was amazing and the men you were working with highly respect you I can guarantee you of that
@@보예노지-w3c eat doo doo
My wife works at a Soybean processing facility it would be awesome to see you do a in depth look at how they make different things out of beans. I love hearing her talk about it and learning how it all happens.
Maybe you could make a video, Adam! Ask your wife if she'd be okay with that!
Please do get a video made of this somehow, so many industrial uses of soy totally aside from food. Got to hear a presentation on soy-based gear lubricants and it was surprisingly fascinating. What little I know about soy-based plastic and other processes tells me about the incredibly exciting uses for soy besides feed and food-grade soy. Which... isn't the intro to this video made of soybeans?
It’s nice that you genuinely enjoy hearing about your wife’s job :) 👍🏼
@@N0no420 classic family.
The mainstream media have demonized family life, women and men teamwork.
I;m thinking about thos beans
As a non native English speaker, I absolutely loved the captions!! We feel all your joy of being there and it's so heartwarming. Thank your for this incredible content Destin !
As a person who doesnt like their own pronunciation but lives and works in the US, i do like the captions.! It helps a lot to get and practice.
-- haha I felt that, as someone trying to learn Spanish.
I've been selling these for 11 years here in the pacific northwest, irrigating off the Columbia basin irrigation district. This video is great, I'm so glad you explored this. Alabama and much of the midwest have consistent rainfall, I'd love for you to dive into our canal and irrigation system off the Columbia river here in Washington state, where we are irrigating a desert with 8-13 inches of rain a year.
I will add, the build crews are amazing. We have 5 full crews in house and they work like mad. This last year they gathered crews for a downed machine in super hot conditions and knocked out a 1/4 mile pivot and running water in 7 hours.
I live in the same area and I was wondering, how many of these get built up here? (If you know)
I would assume that a lot of the usable land would already be in use for farming, or is there a lot of expansion happening?
As someone who took many a road trip as a kid, and wondered how these worked, thank you a ton for this. I had no idea so much work and engineering goes into systems like this, and I feel like I have that experience for every video y'all make on this channel. Thanks for the content!
I operate around 60 pivots, and this might be the first video I’ve ever seen about them. Very cool!
Thats alot! We used to have 1...lol
I help run a family farm with about 10000 acres all irrigated
About 105 pivots
Not gonna lie, it would be nice to do more videos with Trey, he teaches us a lot about agriculture and engineering when it comes to his farm and what he does 💯💯
Would love to see you do another farming video on dairy and dairy feed storage, specifically the history of silage, from silos to piles. As a farmer I love that someone with a big audience is teaching people about what we do. Thanks!
These "agricultural getting in touch with real work + turbo pulling tractors" series, is amazing, it really shows allllllll the work that is put into having something to eat. Thank you for sharing this. For all of your videos!
It just makes me think that if there was a big collapse we'd all be so screwed
This video blew my mind. I live in the suburbs, but drive out through farm country all the time. I've always seen these irrigation systems, but never realized just how well engineered they are. So great!
I always wondered if the wheels were motorized or the pivot was just giga torquing it up, and the wheels just kept up.
I clearly underestimated how gigantic these systems are, there's no way that the pivot could torque the whole thing in a circle without the sheer power exploding pipes and their connection points😂
Same here. Drove across the Midwest wondering the same thing. Had no idea how big they really truly are
I guessed these might be hydraulically driven by the water, no need for electricity, or just a smidge like a beacon/receiver.
Boy was I wrong. Simple, effective, less is more!
@@YCbCr google TL irrigation pivots. They are hydraulicly powered and the towers move continuously together rather than start and stop like this one. Pretty neat design.
@@bonanzabiker...best kind of wrong. :) Sounds interesting, thank you!
I literally work on these for a living and always wished someone would make a video on how complex they actually are thanks Dustin!!!
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I’ve had so many questions driving past these bad boys on road trips (the water and the movement, primarily). So cool to see it get the attention it deserves!
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complex on lazyness ??
Ive worked a few years detassling corn, several of the fields we worked had these irrigation pivots and I'd always wondered how they worked, amazing video as always!
Great video Destin. This content is educational not only in mechanics and fluid dynamics, but also reminds young people that food doesn’t come from the grocery store. I’m sure it will inspire a few to become more interested in farming, which is a good thing.
This is industrial farming though, which is interesting in its own way, but I think the farming most people are interested in is self-sufficient farming, you know, farming just enough in order to 'save your bacon' and not be so dependent from other people or organizations to put food in your table.
@@you2be839 pivots aren't industrial farming i work on a family farm with 13 of them
@@dougstitt1652 Doesn't matter, family or company, the use of heavy duty agricultural machinery and farming methods with the intent of selling most, if not everything of what the crops produce, it's still called industrial farming by definition.
Also, I only define "family farm" when most of the people working there belong to the same family.
Undocumented immigrant pickers are the reason you have food in your table
Growing up in a large city, I’ve never been exposed enough to understand how this works, but have ALWAYS been fascinated and wondered how this works. This just popped up and fulfilled a massive thought void for me. Awesome. Thank you so much.
I have 11 pivots on my farm in Tasmania, Australia with the largest being 10 spans and of all the machinery and equipment the pivot is the one thing I tell new employees that they will have to learn as you go as I'm constantly learning new things. When everything is working they appear very simple but when they go wrong it's a bottomless pit of complications. Once you add variable rate irrigation to the mix and the mapping that's required you start to understand just how technical farmers need to be to operate in the modern day. Thank you so much for the video!
One thing not covered here is when the pivot goes down in the middle of the night. Nozzles are clogged and have to either be replaced or cleaned out. So much more, than just putting one in a field and letting it work. You are so correct about, bottomless pit. They are ingenious though.
You know he's from the south when his representative pivot is a revolver cylinder. Stay Awesome Destin
In all fairness, from an engineering standpoint guns are incredible machines. Complex and purely mechanical devices which need to withstand massive forces, that have become so refined over hundreds of years that they now have an almost elegant simplicity.
That so much effort and ingenuity was put into devices whose sole intended purpose is to murder really says more about humanity than any philosopher ever could.
And I think the tube was a gas tube.
@@sylvrwolflol Not just murder. Take a look at some of the extreme engineering that goes into target rifles (e.g. 6mm rail guns). Yeah, there is a lot of work that goes into military and self defense arms, but even the stuff that isn't intended to shoot anything but paper is rather impressive.
Growing up in central Nebraska, irrigation pivots are a permanent part of my fondest childhood memories, traveling across the plains to Grandmas house, watching those extraordinary machines do their thing. Well done Destin! You just added another level of intrigue to those precious memories. I don't get back to that part of the country much these days... but when I do, I'll remember this video.
Me too. From Nebraska. Center pivots the norm, and run well on that perfectly flat prairie.
Nebraska boy here!!!
My parents live out past fields of these, I’ll definitely look at them in a different way now
These structures destroy the soil by using so much groundwater. Eventually the ground bassins will dry out. These systems wash away all the fertilizer. So you have to use more of it. You just end up with an empty soil without groundwater. There are systems that impregnate water into the top layer of the soil. This way the water won’t evaporate as quickly as just using big sprinklers. But first we got to think about if it’s not better for people planet and profit to farm crops in these sort of places.
There is so much cool innovation on these kind of topics!
Nothing bad about the video. Love your enthusiasm:)
I just started a job building pivots four weeks ago! Very cool to see Destin do what I do everyday!
How's the work?
Are you tired at the end of the day? Do you get used to it?
Kudos to you for doing such a laborious job!
My neighbor Henry who is well past 80 spent many years in South America building pivots as well with building them all over the country. Now there are more than enough companies local that one no longer needs to travel. If you get an offer to go some where to build pivots take it. Train well and learn all you can and then find a bigger company that offers international work.
@@susa4727 very hard but very rewarding to see all the little parts laid out and put together into one recognizable pivot. In a way you do get used to it. In another, it is always heavy parts.
@@kameljoe21 I'm actually doing pivot work to transfer into welding but there really is a lot of opportunity because pivots are so widely used.
Interesting fact: my husbands grandfather was the one to invent these center pivots. Their last name is Zimmerer, which is why the company is named Zimmatic. His grandfather’s engineering mind inspired his whole family to become engineers as well (including my husband, his great grandson), and helped the small city in Nebraska so much they have a parade in his honor every so often. Awesome episode, great felt personally connected.❤
Very cool!
Sounds like he was the "genius", not farmers who are just using the tool.
@@NoctilucentArts same with all other inventions... Someone solves a problem, and it's a benefit to everyone who needs it... just because you use a rubber tire, or a double pane insulated window doesn't mean you must be smart enough to have created it for yourself.
@@volvo09 So I must be a genius because I know how to use tools invented by other people and follow established routines. Like farmers following established routines using tools invented by other people.
I was just curious, where does Valmont industries fit in?
Yours are the only engineering videos that are so wholesome I am brought to tears. You really understand that the whole point of this is about people, and your genuine interest and excitement is inspiring. Thank you for using your platform in this way.
This whole presentation was absolutely outstanding
And gov't subsidized soybeans that get stuffed into every food product to stretch them out and reduce testosterone levels. Isn't modern farming grand?
The fact that the entire system is controlled by the one motor and the rest of the segments manage themselves is awesome.
Also, the pump that drives those things is terrifying. I've heard so many stories of when those have issues and the fun it causes.
OH MAN Destin you really did it this time! thank you so much for putting this together for us. I'VE WONDERED FOR YEARS how these sections stay in sync. you covered everything and so much more then I even thought of. learned a new term *bang bang controls*
Notes: that Telehandler is probably the most fun machines you'll ever operate. if your ever in WI you can take our's for a whirl.
Please more agriculture videos! I love learning about all this stuff! It's extremely important to our everyday lives but most people don't know anything about it.
No they sure dont..Its amazing the stupidity..If I was a city dweller I would have a inquiring mind to know!
Excellent video, very informative! We live in semi-rural area where you see these fairly frequently. If I had to make an educated guess on how they work, I would have been pretty much spot except for how they moved. I figured it was calculated by a computer in the control box. But, the mechanical system is genius, and, when you think about it, it makes a lot more sense. It would minimize potential damage should an outer section get stuck.
Tbh I was half expecting it to be entirely water powered but maybe there's not quite enough power in the pressure
Also, that simple (mechanical!) cam switch set up is easily replaceable. A farmer can easily swap it out, without a degree in hydraulics or electronics or water pressure. Keep It Simple Silly!
@@kitwalker3826 I was gonna say lol those cams and ESPECIALLY the switches are wearable items and I've actually replaced switches like those sooo often its silly, so seeing it connected in the manner that it was is genius in and of itself lol.
I never realized that this wasn't common knowledge since I grew up with this. Thanks for covering it!
@Drick lol, idk who hurt you but most of what you said is soooooo incorrect. Where I live I can drive for hours in about any direction and see a pivot sprinkler every once in a while, who I just kind of assumed people knew what they were. Just like you assumed that I'm a defect and invred. Idk where you got that😂
Your editing and color highlighting throughout really made this entire contraption significantly more comprehensible. Thank you for the all the effort you put into the editing.
14:41 That is a REALLY cool graphic and an amazing way to go from 2D to 3D! The drawing on the right combined with the overlay on the left is just awesome! I am absolutely going to use that to explain stuff in images in the future!
I was a farm worker over 2020 and '21. I got to watch a pivot get set up and even helped with the irrigation, including laying the wire and pipe out. I got to learn a lot about how they worked, but this really filled in the gaps in understanding I had. Especially the brushes at the center that power the whole pivot. I really enjoy these videos that highlight the crazy innovation that farms see on a regular basis.
I don’t think that I’d ever just look up a video about center pivots or irrigation systems. But a “Smarter Every Day” pops up and here I am watching with rapt attention. Never stop making these
Hi Destin. Thanks so much for doing what you do!
I have a suggestion for a video idea. Making things work in the past was not only more labor intensive, but also required knowledge of it. So long before you or I, or even our grandparents were a thought in our Great Grams & Paps minds, People had to learn. To be "Smarter Every Day".
So finally I get to the idea: Operation of a coal fired, steam locomotive. From stone-cold boiler to full operation. All the prep and maintenance in between, and what lesser known tips & tricks from experienced engineers, firemen and brakemen past & present. I have seen videos on getting a locomotive up & running. They are wonderful. But I would LOVE to see your take on it. There are still many of the old locomotives making regular runs today for tours and exhibition. The way you present a subject is unique, interesting, engaging, and just downright superb.
This could be another little series if you have the interest/time for it. Locomotives. Steam boats & ships, power plants, mills, assembly lines, city water pumps etc. of the past.
Great video, love seeing farm tech explained. You didn't mention it, but I love the little bridge over the drainage ditch at 12:30. Would love to see another video on field drainage, another important feature of modern farming that is not well known.
A farmer friend of mine said Drain Tiles and drainage were the second best payoff next to irrigation itself for cash crops.
The best part about these for me is they provide an excellent aviation marker for doing turns around a point. :)
I am from Africa Zimbabwe. I love the work you did. I love the detailed information. I learnt a lot from this
Major props for being the new guy. It's never easy to be the guy slowing down the job while you learn and it would be easy to step back and film but you gutted it out. Another great video
I really like the camera tracking you did with the colors and markings on this video! Much easier to follow and looks great!
I was endlessly fascinated by these in the years I drove past them. And finally, the best possible person that can - explains it!! Awesome stuff, and thanks so much Destin. It hit the spot.
I live in the Midwest and see these things all of the time and was always curious how they stay aligned when they move. Thanks Justin. And I just finished a round trip driving from Michigan to Colorado and back and saw dozens and dozens of these systems and was determined to find a TH-cam video to explain. When I saw Smarter Everyday and it was the first video in the list I knew I’d have the best explanation possible.
These pivots have been one of my biggest questions for the past 20 years, I swear, since I first saw them!
Thank you, Destin!
Whether you know it or not, Destin... This channel is becoming an exponentially more educational and entertaining version of "Dirty Jobs".
Love every single video and can't wait for more.
Why are you ruining his life
@@TimPerfetto ???? Dirty Jobs didn't ruin Mike Rowe's life, if that's what you're implying?
What are you trying to say here?
@@williamdowling7718 WHy are you ruining my life
@@TimPerfetto .... Instead of just saying the same confusing thing again, why not explain how or why I've ruined anyone's life? What are you even talking about?
@@williamdowling7718 OhhhohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhAHAHhahahahaaaaaaaa
Fascinating video as always! Obviously there's way more to farming than many people (myself included) realize.
On another note, center pivot is great in places like AL where there is plenty of groundwater that gets replenished with rain. In places much further west, however, they're rapidly draining underground aquifers that were built up over millenia and sadly they will run out someday, probably within the next 50-100 years. Hopefully humanity has figured out a solution before that happens.
Droplet irrigation would be a good start...
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I live in the Midwest and can drive for hours in any direction and see these. I have marveled at them for years and had all the same questions you answered in this video. I knew they were an engineering feat just by looking at them thanks for the great video.
I stupidly assumed these things were way simpler. I grew up growing tobacco and had to help put irrigation pipes together which were just pipes and sprinklers. I had always thought that's what these were but with wheels. It's fascinating to learn about such ingenious solutions there are to problems I didn't know existed
Same, I just figured they were water-powered like those little lawn sprinkler tractors that follow the hose. That synchronization switch could probably be made into a mechanical valve. Wonder if a fully mechanical version of this thing exists?
Thank you!! I had always wondered how the wheels stayed aligned! I thought maybe it was computerized but turns out it’s simpler and better than that!
This takes me back to my first time on a plane, flying over the Midwest, wondering who put thousands of circles across the land. You’ve answered all the questions I’ve been wondering. Thanks for fulfilling my curiosity. 😊😊
I'm not sure about all of the midwest, but in Michigan, they don't really use the pivot irrigation. I see that more in more arid regions
@@micahtawney1 yeah this is more of a Great Plains thing than a Midwest thing.
I love these type of videos in general. This was a topic I didnt show the slightest thought to, but was literally excited throughout the video learning how complex yet primative it all is. So Glad I watched, Thank You for creating Great Content!
your channel feels worth supporting. valuable content that isn't just mechanical and scientific learning and interests but a showcase of a lot of interesting people, its so cool to see all of it.
Been in construction all my life from refineries pipe line steel mills and I’ve never knew how these work, great job and even old timers like myself can learn a new thing or two
I have also been flying a lot lately, and have always wondered how these work! Thank you so much for making these videos for us. I agree with your assessment; this video had everything! Thank you for highlighting the vital role that farming and irrigation play in our lives, whether we remember to notice every day or not. As a current hydrology student, I love the education you are sharing with everyone, and as a fellow follower of Jesus, I love the way you lead by example. Every video has always shined with respect for everyone you interact with, humility as you learn from their expertise, and love for these people and the work that they do. Thank you for providing a gold standard as I look towards a career working together, continuing to learn, helping others, and hopefully someday to teach and share that knowledge as well as you do. Much love for all that you do!
Thank you! I always wondered how each set of drive wheels stayed in sync. I figured the entire system was powered by water pressure; hydro dynamic control valves at each set of drive wheels. Your illustration of the control arm linkage and electro mechanical cam was awesome. I love your content and teaching style.
always interesting to see other crews put up pivots. The way this crew puts the pivot together is completely different than how I am used to. the main reason we dont "span" the pivot this way is because this way you are way more likely to bend the pipe flanges when you put the v-jacks or trusses together. Also the amount of time wasted on hauling each span out separately. We also never tighten the bolts on the center point until it is sitting on the pad over the anchor bolts. Not sure about the sprinkler outlets and cross threading them, in general Zimmatic pivots just have horrible threads all the time and if you get any dirt in there you will fight every one of them. Like I said all crews are different so it is interesting to see how others work with the same material, and with more people since its usually a crew of two for us lol
A guy after my very heart Zimmatic Zimbabwe
Oh, Man. This is a good one! I have ALWAYS wondered about these. Living in rural WI, I see these all the time. I knew they were for irrigation, and I knew there was a pivot, but I always thought that the positioning of each section was done by a computer and a GPS telling which set of wheels to move, and how far. The switch being turned on simply because the connected tower has moved is ingenious! I love this video, and I love farmers. Remember people... The farmers being THIS GOOD at their jobs is what allows us all to have the abundance that we have. LOVE your local farmers!
There is a system called a corner arm that goes on the end of the pivot that runs off gps steering
So cool to see it all turn on for the first time
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Man - this video was a massive nostalgia trip. I spent many a summer on Kansas farms and some of the most peaceful times in my life were out riding the irrigation all day long. I had to have been about 8 and it was my job to make sure everything was running right. To do this, I climbed the tower and went for a ride. As far as I know, known of the pivots I monitored ever failed.
I could see the mess that would happen if a drive motor failed and someone didn't catch it.
From the Philippines and been seeing this on documentaries and movies for years, i knew its for watering the crops but never understood how it worked... today finally remembered to lookl this up and found your videos... Learned a new thing today! thank you
My hat is off to you, Dustin, for letting us in on how clever the folks around are and what we owe those before us for devising the everyday things that help us care for each other. Admiration from a brother engineer...
Thank you from everyone who rides in the car with me as I drive past these pivots. I will no longer have to wonder out loud how all these things work together to irrigate a field. Now they can finally hear me explain how it all works, especially how the outer rings get the same amount of water as the inner ones (I’ve wondered that for years).
Thank you for covering the engineering curiosities of everyday life. I see these irrigation systems all the time but I've never stopped to wonder exactly how they work. This video not only taught me about pivot irrigation, but gave me a new perspective on the work that farmers do and I think that's awesome. I can't wait to see what you upload next!
I grew up out in the middle of nowhere with these things sprinkled in the fields around. My family doesn't own any, but I've always wondered how they worked. Thanks so much for this video!