We've worked with ICL to develop an Online quiz (link here) to help support you guys and girls out there spraying - in this blog series I intend to go through each question, give you an in depth answer and a few useful links.
Which is the most effective way to significantly adjust your water volume whilst achieving a high quality application?
- Adjust Forward speed
- Change nozzle
- Increase or lower pressure
- Change boom height
Significant changes in water volume will need nozzle adjustment to ensure a good application, fine tuning of water volume can be made by adjusting forward speed and pressure but will quickly lead to a poor application if pushed too far.
The steps for accurate application:
- Decide the safe spraying speed for the surfaces being treated
- Know the water volume you want to use for the products being applied
- Use nozzle output charts to select a nozzle size designed to apply the desired volume at the operating speed and at an optimum pressure of two to three bar
- Calibrate to check and fine tune pressure within the optimum range
- If you cannot achieve required output within the two to three bar pressure, adapt the water volume (within any product label stipulations) or change the nozzle
Small pressure changes can move the nozzle outside of its optimum pressure range, quickly leading to poor coverage and missed target when pressure is too low. Fine droplets that are highly prone to drift can be created when pressure is too high.
Auto rate controllers can be effective in maintaining consistent water volume application with small adjustments in forward speed. However, care must be taken when using these, as pressure ranges can quickly move away from optimum with small adjustments to forward speed.
Try your luck with the other Application Quiz questions here.
