I'm new to using chemicals on large areas, so here are some dumb questions. I need to apply 6 pints to the acre. How much water do I use to with it, and how do I judge the rate without just trial and error. Also what is banding rate?
Questions on spraying
- Thread starter COMAIR
- Start date
COMAIR":11ldxc3m said:
First you need to calibrate your sprayer to see how much water it puts out per acre.
Then all you have to do is add 6 pints of chemicals for every acre of water the tank holds.
The bottle will have the recommended rate of water per acre.
You can put out more water per acre by dropping down a gear on the tractor. Or you can put out less water by going up a tractor gear.
With most of the non-ATV or hand sprayers there will be a chart available that gives the amount of fluid pumped based on the ground speed, pump pressure and nozzle size. Ours, at 5 mph and 50 psi does 20 gallons per acre.
dun
dun
Bama
Well-known member
SPRAYER CALIBRATION
Improperly calibrated sprayers threaten the wallet and the
environment. A few minutes spent calibrating a sprayer can
ensure expensive inputs go where they are supposed to and
at their recommended rate. Proper calibration exposes
under-pressured systems and worn tips that can sabotage a
spray program and its budget. Follow these steps to
calibrate your sprayer safely and effectively.
1. The first step in any calibration effort is to check tractor
speed. Mark off lengths of 100 and 200 ft. for measuring
tractor speeds of 5 mph and 10 mph, respectively. Fill the
sprayer tank half full of water, select the engine throttle
setting and gear that you expect to use when spraying,
then record the seconds required to drive the length of
each course twice at their respective settings. Average the
results of each set, and use the following equation to
determine ground speed.
Repeat the test as needed until the correct speed is identified.
Mark that setting on the tachometer or speedometer for in
field reference.
2. Record the nozzle spacing, nozzle type, ground speed
and product label application rate. Check to ensure all
nozzles are of a uniform type.
Speed = Distance (ft.) x 60
Time (sec.) x 88
3. Multiply the application rate (gpa) by the speed (mph)
and the width of the spray pattern (w)*. Divide this
amount by 5940 (a constant), to determine the gallons
per minute (gpm) produced by each nozzle.
4. To set correct pressure, operate the water filled sprayer in
place to check for leaks and stoppages. Stop the sprayer,
and replace one tip on the boom with an identical new tip
and strainer. Check the tip product information sheet for
recommended delivery rate and pressure that matches the
gpm level calculated in Step 3.
Engage the sprayer and adjust for recommended pressure.
Collect the volume of spray produced from the new nozzle
tip over a one minute period. Measure the water, and fine
tune the pressure setting until the calculated delivery rate is
reached.
5. Repeat the collection procedure with several tips on each
boom section. If variations in flow in excess of 10% are
produced from more than one tip, replace all old tips and
screens.
*If calibrating a sprayer for broadcast application, use boom
length for spray pattern width. If calibrating for banding, use
only actual spray pattern in inches (12 bands of 10" each
on 30" rows equals spray pattern width of 120" on a 30'
boom).
Directed applications with multiple nozzles require that the
row or band in inches be divided by the number of nozzles
directed at the row to calculate w
(30"/3 nozzles X# of rows = w).
Improperly calibrated sprayers threaten the wallet and the
environment. A few minutes spent calibrating a sprayer can
ensure expensive inputs go where they are supposed to and
at their recommended rate. Proper calibration exposes
under-pressured systems and worn tips that can sabotage a
spray program and its budget. Follow these steps to
calibrate your sprayer safely and effectively.
1. The first step in any calibration effort is to check tractor
speed. Mark off lengths of 100 and 200 ft. for measuring
tractor speeds of 5 mph and 10 mph, respectively. Fill the
sprayer tank half full of water, select the engine throttle
setting and gear that you expect to use when spraying,
then record the seconds required to drive the length of
each course twice at their respective settings. Average the
results of each set, and use the following equation to
determine ground speed.
Repeat the test as needed until the correct speed is identified.
Mark that setting on the tachometer or speedometer for in
field reference.
2. Record the nozzle spacing, nozzle type, ground speed
and product label application rate. Check to ensure all
nozzles are of a uniform type.
Speed = Distance (ft.) x 60
Time (sec.) x 88
3. Multiply the application rate (gpa) by the speed (mph)
and the width of the spray pattern (w)*. Divide this
amount by 5940 (a constant), to determine the gallons
per minute (gpm) produced by each nozzle.
4. To set correct pressure, operate the water filled sprayer in
place to check for leaks and stoppages. Stop the sprayer,
and replace one tip on the boom with an identical new tip
and strainer. Check the tip product information sheet for
recommended delivery rate and pressure that matches the
gpm level calculated in Step 3.
Engage the sprayer and adjust for recommended pressure.
Collect the volume of spray produced from the new nozzle
tip over a one minute period. Measure the water, and fine
tune the pressure setting until the calculated delivery rate is
reached.
5. Repeat the collection procedure with several tips on each
boom section. If variations in flow in excess of 10% are
produced from more than one tip, replace all old tips and
screens.
*If calibrating a sprayer for broadcast application, use boom
length for spray pattern width. If calibrating for banding, use
only actual spray pattern in inches (12 bands of 10" each
on 30" rows equals spray pattern width of 120" on a 30'
boom).
Directed applications with multiple nozzles require that the
row or band in inches be divided by the number of nozzles
directed at the row to calculate w
(30"/3 nozzles X# of rows = w).
