Can the PowerFlex System also be installed on other construction?

It is common knowledge that rainy weather can affect soft fruits and stone fruits. For example, too much moisture can cause cherries to crack. With a foil canopy, an orchard is protected from rainy weather. Canopies over soft fruit and stone fruit often have a foil that allows rain to enter the tree row, instead of on the fruit. An added advantage is that the orchard is then also protected from hail and other (negative) weather conditions.

On average, a foil in a fruit canopy lasts 10 years. After about 10 years, the foil needs to be replaced. 10 years ago, you made the choice for a particular covering. Only after 10 years, of course, a lot can have changed. The supplier at the time may no longer exist, there may be new shelters in the fruit-growing sector, or existing shelters from another supplier may have improved.

Can you then easily make the choice to install a different kind of "top deck" or foil on your existing structure? Because on average, a structure lasts much longer than 10 years! In this blog, you can read about the possibilities.

What kind of anti rain are available?

In another blog on our website, we have described the different rain caps and the suppliers offering these rain caps. With rain shelters, it is important to handle the forces that the rain hood has to endure. A rain canopy is basically a large parachute or balloon. Proper post spacing and anchor spacing and using solid materials is important. You don't want to have to replace all your foil after a short period of time.

Our experience with VOEN and Quickzip

FruitSecurity has experience in converting rain covers from VOEN and Quickzip, for example. In recent years, we have mainly converted VOEN and Quickzip fruit canopies to the PowerFlex Anti-Rain System.

In the Betuwe (NL), but also in Belgium, we have installed the PowerFlex upper deck on existing VOEN and Quickzip structures. You can see an example of this below. 

Why a PowerFlex Anti-Rain System on a competitor's construction?

There are several reasons to leave the existing structure in your orchard and choose a new upper deck. The reasons are briefly explained below. These reasons come from FruitSecurity customers who have chosen to leave the existing structure from the previous supplier and install a PowerFlex upper deck on the structure.

Investment

The total average investment for a PowerFlex rain cover is between €50,000 and €60,000 per hectare. Including installation even averages at €80,000,- per hectare. That is, of course, quite an investment. If you already have an existing construction that can last for years to come and you want the benefits of a Powerflex rain hood, it is not sustainable to install a completely new PowerFlex Anti-Rain System.

Advantages PowerFlex Anti-Rain System

The top deck of a PowerFlex Anti-Rain System has many advantages over other rain hoods. For example, tests have shown that the temperature under a PowerFlex system is better that under other rain covers. The size purpose of a rain canopy is obviously to protect against rain, but you can also use a PowerFlex canopy for protection against frost, hail, sun and insects. So while preserving the existing structure, you can still enjoy the benefits of the Powerflex Anti-Rain System.

Installation

If you only replace the top deck from a rain cover to a PowerFlex top deck, you also save on assembly time. In a shorter period of time, you will then have a properly functioning rain cover over your cherries, blueberries or other soft fruit, stone fruit.

FruitSecurity has already converted many different systems to the Powerflex Anti-Rain System in recent years. In these years, we have gained experience and looked at how our system standards fit other constructions.

What should you pay attention to when converting an existing anti-rain system?

In fruit protection systems, such as hail nets and anti rain systems, system standards for FruitSecurity are very important. A maximum pole distance and a minimum anchor distance. FruitSecurity checks your existing construction at various points and considers whether any adjustments are needed to the structure before the PowerFlex top deck can be installed.

Quickzip and VOEN constructions, often have steel, thin posts. Therefore, when converting Quickzip and VOEN fruit canopies, FruitSecurity often installs an additional row of concrete posts around the orchard. This so that new, stronger screw anchors can be installed, allowing better tensioning of the structure. If necessary, we also replace cables and wires that do not meet the correct system standards.

Even when converting or rebuilding, you want to be able to continue using your anti rain system for years to come. Protection from weather, birds and insects is important. The anti rain systen should not fly up in the air like a parachute after the first storm. Through our years of contact with fruit growers, we know better than anyone what it must be like to see your crop or system lost in a storm.

So:

1. Make an appointment with one of our advisers. He will visit your orchard and check which materials are needed to convert your rain protection system to a Powerflex Anti-Rain System.
2. During installation, our fitters sometimes come across points of attention in the existing construction. In consultation, these points of attention are immediately taken into account. FruitSecurity is not satisfied until the system meets its system standards.
3. Enjoy the peace of mind of a good harvest.

Kan ik ook zelf mijn regenkap ombouwen naar een PowerFlex Anti-Regen Systeem?

Converting a anti rain system from VOEN or Quickzip to the PowerFlex system does require some expertise. However, several of our customers have converted the system themselves. With advice during installation from an experienced installation specialist, you and your people can convert the canopy yourself. An experienced installation specialist visits you from time to time if necessary to explain certain steps or to assist with certain parts. Of course, you will also be given useful tools to make the installation a lot easier. Read more here.

Conclusion rain system conversion

Want to keep your existing anti rain construction and the PowerFlex "top deck"? That's no problem at FruitSecurity! Just keep in mind that sometimes adjustments to the construction are required to meet the right system standards. Would you like to learn more about converting a fruit canopy? Watch our video below. In it, we convert an existing Quickzip canopy to a PowerFlex Anti-Rain System.