Overview
The Irrimec OPTI RAIN ST3 is a water-powered hard hose travelling irrigator manufactured by Irrimec, designed to deliver reliable, fuel-free irrigation across medium to large-scale agricultural operations. This turbine drive irrigator utilises the energy of the irrigation water itself to rewind the hose reel, eliminating the need for external power sources or fossil fuels. With hose diameter options ranging from 63 mm to 90 mm (2.48 to 3.54 inches) and hose lengths extending from 200 metres to 400 metres (656 to 1,312 feet), the OPTI RAIN ST3 provides exceptional coverage flexibility for diverse field configurations. The water-powered turbine system drives a precision gearbox and chain transmission, ensuring smooth, controlled hose retrieval while the raingun irrigates along the travel path.
What distinguishes the OPTI RAIN ST3 within the turbine drive hard hose irrigator category is its robust three-wheel chassis configuration combined with a sophisticated hose guide system that ensures uniform winding and prevents hose damage during retrieval. The turbine is directly flanged to a heavy-duty gearbox, transmitting hydraulic power through a sealed chain drive mechanism that requires minimal maintenance while delivering consistent rewinding speed proportional to water flow. The ST3 platform features a galvanised steel chassis treatment for long-term corrosion resistance, while the integrated cart design provides stable support across uneven terrain. With sixteen available hose configurations spanning five diameter classes, this hose reel irrigator offers unmatched versatility for farms requiring energy-independent irrigation solutions that operate reliably in remote paddocks without access to electricity or fuel supply infrastructure.
Key Features & Benefits
- Water-Powered Turbine Drive: Eliminates all fuel costs and electricity requirements by harnessing the energy of the irrigation water supply itself, making it ideal for remote fields and reducing operational expenses to zero for the drive system.
- Energy Independence: Operates reliably without external power sources, diesel engines, or electrical connections, ensuring consistent performance even in locations without grid access or fuel delivery infrastructure.
- Proportional Speed Control: Rewinding speed automatically adjusts in proportion to water flow rate, with an integrated by-pass valve allowing fine-tuning for precise travel speed matching to soil infiltration rates and crop water requirements.
- Sealed Chain and Gearbox Transmission: Heavy-duty chain drive within a protected gearbox housing delivers efficient power transfer from turbine to reel drum, minimising wear and maintenance intervals while ensuring reliable operation season after season.
- Advanced Hose Guide System: Precision-engineered guide mechanism ensures uniform layer-by-layer hose winding onto the reel drum, preventing overlaps, kinks, and abrasion damage that reduce hose lifespan and system efficiency.
- Galvanised Chassis Construction: Hot-dip galvanised steel frame and structural components provide superior corrosion resistance in humid agricultural environments, extending equipment service life and protecting your investment.
- Three-Wheel Stability Platform: Robust cart configuration with optimised wheel spacing delivers excellent stability during transport and operation across sloping or uneven terrain, reducing tipping risk and ensuring safe field positioning.
- Ultra-Low Noise Operation: Water-powered turbine produces minimal operational noise compared to engine-driven reels, creating a quieter working environment and reducing disturbance to livestock or residential areas near irrigation zones.
- Minimal Maintenance Requirements: Absence of combustion engines, fuel systems, spark plugs, air filters, and oil changes dramatically reduces routine maintenance tasks and spare parts inventory, lowering lifetime ownership costs.
- Sixteen Hose Configuration Options: Five hose diameter classes from 63 mm to 90 mm combined with multiple length options provide exceptional flexibility to match system capacity to field dimensions, water supply characteristics, and crop irrigation requirements.
Technical Specifications
| Specification |
Details |
| Manufacturer |
Irrimec |
| Model |
OPTI RAIN ST3 |
| Product Type |
Hard Hose Travelling Irrigator |
| Drive System |
Water-Powered Turbine (Hydraulic Energy from Irrigation Supply) |
| Turbine Configuration |
Direct-Flange Mounted Turbine with Integrated By-Pass Valve for Speed Control |
| Transmission Type |
Sealed Gearbox with Chain Drive to Reel Drum |
| Hose Diameter Range |
63-90 mm (2.48-3.54 in) |
| Hose Length Range |
200-400 m (656-1,312 ft) |
| Maximum Hose Capacity |
400 m of Ø 75 mm hose (1,312 ft of 2.95 in hose) |
| Speed Control Method |
Water Flow Regulation via By-Pass Valve (Proportional to Pressure and Flow Rate) |
| Wheel Configuration |
Three-Wheel Chassis Platform (Stable Cart Design) |
| Chassis Treatment |
Hot-Dip Galvanised Steel Construction |
| Hose Guide System |
Precision Mechanical Guide for Uniform Layer Winding |
| Raingun Compatibility |
Compatible with Full Range of Agricultural Rainguns (Model-Specific Selection Required) |
| Water Inlet Connection |
Flanged Inlet (Size Varies by Hose Diameter Configuration) |
| Operational Noise Level |
Low (Water Turbine Operation Only, No Engine Noise) |
| Power Requirements |
None (Self-Powered from Irrigation Water Supply) |
Available Hose Configurations
| Model Designation |
Hose Diameter |
Hose Length |
Typical Application Range |
| 63 TG |
63 mm (2.48 in) |
280 m (919 ft) |
Small to Medium Fields, Low to Moderate Flow Rates |
| 63 TG |
63 mm (2.48 in) |
350 m (1,148 ft) |
Extended Coverage for Smaller Diameter Systems |
| 70 TG |
70 mm (2.76 in) |
265 m (869 ft) |
Medium Flow Applications, Compact Field Configurations |
| 70 TG |
70 mm (2.76 in) |
280 m (919 ft) |
Standard Medium-Capacity Irrigation Runs |
| 70 TG |
70 mm (2.76 in) |
300 m (984 ft) |
Extended Medium-Diameter Coverage |
| 70 TG |
70 mm (2.76 in) |
310 m (1,017 ft) |
Maximum 70 mm Configuration for Long Field Runs |
| 75 TG |
75 mm (2.95 in) |
300 m (984 ft) |
Higher Flow Capacity, Standard Coverage Distance |
| 75 TG |
75 mm (2.95 in) |
320 m (1,050 ft) |
Extended High-Capacity Irrigation |
| 75 TG |
75 mm (2.95 in) |
350 m (1,148 ft) |
Long-Distance High-Flow Applications |
| 75 TG |
75 mm (2.95 in) |
400 m (1,312 ft) |
Maximum ST3 Capacity for Extensive Field Coverage |
| 82 TG |
82 mm (3.23 in) |
220 m (722 ft) |
High Flow Rate, Compact Distance Configuration |
| 82 TG |
82 mm (3.23 in) |
270 m (886 ft) |
Large Diameter, Medium Coverage Distance |
| 82 TG |
82 mm (3.23 in) |
300 m (984 ft) |
High-Capacity Standard Run Length |
| 82 TG |
82 mm (3.23 in) |
320 m (1,050 ft) |
Extended Large-Diameter Coverage |
| 90 TG |
90 mm (3.54 in) |
200 m (656 ft) |
Maximum Flow Capacity, Short to Medium Distance |
| 90 TG |
90 mm (3.54 in) |
230 m (755 ft) |
Highest Diameter Option for Intensive Irrigation |
Turbine Drive System & Operation
The OPTI RAIN ST3 turbine drive system harnesses the hydraulic energy contained within the pressurised irrigation water supply to power the hose retrieval mechanism. As water flows through the system toward the raingun, a portion is diverted through a precision-engineered turbine unit that is directly flanged to the main gearbox housing. The turbine's impeller blades convert water pressure and flow into rotational mechanical energy, which is transmitted through a sealed chain drive to the reel drum. Rewinding speed is inherently proportional to water flow rate, creating an automatic synchronisation between irrigation application and travel speed. An integrated by-pass valve allows operators to fine-tune the amount of water flowing through the turbine, providing precise control over retrieval speed to match soil infiltration characteristics, crop water requirements, and desired application depths without any electronic controls or external adjustments.
This water-powered design delivers significant operational advantages over engine-driven alternatives, particularly in remote agricultural locations. With zero fuel consumption, there are no ongoing costs for diesel or petrol, no emissions produced during operation, and no need for fuel storage or transportation to distant fields. The turbine system operates virtually silently compared to combustion engines, reducing noise pollution and creating a more pleasant working environment. Maintenance requirements are drastically reduced as there are no spark plugs to replace, air filters to clean, oil changes to perform, or engine tune-ups to schedule. The system's performance reliability is directly tied to water pressure consistency, making it exceptionally dependable when supplied with stable pressure from pumping stations or gravity-fed systems. For farms with multiple irrigation sites spread across extensive acreage without electrical infrastructure, the OPTI RAIN ST3's energy independence eliminates the logistical challenges and capital costs associated with providing power to every irrigation position, while ensuring consistent performance regardless of location.
Ideal Applications
- Remote Pasture and Rangeland Irrigation: Water-powered operation eliminates the need for electricity or fuel delivery to distant paddocks, making the ST3 ideal for extensive grazing operations where power infrastructure is unavailable or prohibitively expensive to install.
- Forage and Fodder Crop Production: Cost-efficient long irrigation runs with zero fuel consumption reduce operational expenses for alfalfa, clover, and hay production, where irrigation frequency and coverage area directly impact profitability in competitive forage markets.
- Field Crops and Row Crops: Uniform water distribution along extended travel paths suits maize, soybeans, cotton, and vegetable production, with proportional speed control ensuring consistent application depths matched to crop growth stages and soil moisture requirements.
- Sports Turf and Golf Course Maintenance: Ultra-low noise operation from the water turbine makes the ST3 appropriate for turf irrigation near residential areas, clubhouses, or during early morning watering cycles without disturbing neighbours or facility users with engine noise.
- Organic and Sustainable Farming Operations: Zero fossil fuel consumption and absence of engine emissions align with organic certification requirements and sustainability goals, reducing the carbon footprint of irrigation operations while maintaining high-efficiency water application.
- Contract Irrigation Services: Energy independence and minimal maintenance requirements make the ST3 attractive for irrigation contractors serving multiple properties, eliminating fuel logistics coordination and reducing downtime from engine-related mechanical issues across diverse service locations.
- Horticultural Production and Nurseries: Precise flow-controlled speed adjustment enables careful irrigation management for high-value horticultural crops, berry production, and nursery stock where water application uniformity and timing control directly influence crop quality and market value.
