Method and system for controlling pivot irrigation system based on electrical current draw profile

A center pivot irrigation system comprising:

• a plurality of mobile support towers configured to move across a field about a central pivot point, the plurality of mobile support towers including a radially outmost mobile support tower having an end motor and one or more inner mobile support towers located radially inward from the radially outmost mobile support tower and having one or more inner motor;
• a fluid-carrying conduit supported above the field by the plurality of mobile support towers;
• fluid emitters coupled with the fluid-carrying conduit;
• one or more pump for directing flow of fluids through the fluid emitters;
• and
• one or more processor in communication with the end motor, the one or more inner motor, and the one or more pump, the one or more processor configured to:
• transmit a command signal having a duty cycle with one or more active portion and one or more inactive portion to the end motor;
• receive one or more signals representative of one or more measurements of an electrical characteristic related to a current total electrical power usage of the end motor, the one or more inner motor, and the one or more pump during at least one of the one or more active portions or the one or more inactive portions of the duty cycle of the command signal;
• determine whether the plurality of mobile towers have moved across the field;
• and
• perform one or more predefined action(s) if the plurality of mobile towers have not moved across the field.

A controller for controlling operations of a center pivot irrigation system in a field having mobile support towers configured to move across the field about a central pivot point, the mobile support towers including a radially outmost mobile support tower having an end motor and one or more inner mobile support towers located radially inward from the radially outmost mobile support tower and having one or more inner motor, the controller comprising:

• one or more safety circuit configured to disconnect electric power to the center pivot irrigation system;
• one or more sensor configured to detect a total current amperage of the center pivot irrigation system;
• and
• one or more processor in communication with the one or more safety circuit and the one or more sensor, the one or more processor configured to:
• transmit a command signal having a duty cycle with an active portion and an inactive portion to the end motor of the center pivot irrigation system;
• receive from the one or more sensor a first signal representative of a first measurement of the total current amperage of the center pivot irrigation system;
• receive from the one or more sensor a second signal representative of a second measurement of the total current amperage of the center pivot irrigation system;
• calculate a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement;
• determine whether the difference is below a first predefined threshold;
• send to the one or more safety circuit a signal representative of an instruction to disconnect power to the center pivot irrigation system if the difference is below the first predefined threshold;
• determine whether the second measurement is below a second predefined threshold;
• receive from the one or more sensor an additional signal representative of an additional measurement of the total current amperage of the center pivot irrigation system during one or more additional consecutive duty cycle of the command signal;
• and
• send to the one or more safety circuit a signal representative of an instruction to disconnect power to the center pivot irrigation system if the additional measurement is below the second predefined threshold.