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Sprayer Performance That Pays Back
April 20, 2012 - One day of spring sprayer preparation increases your in-field time and pays back in bushels. Below is a sprayer performance checklist to ensure your machine maximizes productivity and return on your investment.
Sprayer Performance Checklist:
- Look over the critical mechanical maintenance areas on your sprayer including:
- Steering linkage
- Tread adjust plates
- Wheel lug nuts
- Hydraulic system maintenance is critical. Follow the owner’s manual guidelines for the recommended type of oil, cleanliness standards, and maintenance intervals.
- Routine maintenance includes greasing of bearings and bushings, as well as paying particular attention to leg bushings and boom pivot points.
- Check flow meters for contamination. Residue can affect performance of flow meter. Contamination in screens and flow meters is a prime suspect if sprayers have trouble reaching target rates.
- Ensure the flow meter is calculating gallons accurately. Perform a catch test on the nozzles to confirm they are in the specified range.
- Check strainers to ensure residue is not caked up, resulting in restricted flow when in use. Flushing the entire spray system with water will remove the residue.
- Remove all spray tips and use the sprayer’s pump to flush the entire system with clean water. Jostle loose residue than may have collected in low points in hoses and components by opening and closing valves, jiggling boom hoses, raising and lowering booms. Following applications, clean out spray as soon as possible to prevent deposits of residue. Never let a sprayer sit overnight without rinsing.
- Speed calibration is one of the most important factors for accurate target rates. Check calibration of wheel or radar speed sensors, particularly if changing tires between pre and post emerge application.
- Nozzle performance is equally important for both the amount of product, as well as how the chemical is placed on the target. Understand your sprayer nozzle type and if spray patterns need to be overlapped for complete coverage. Check for partially clogged nozzles, which can affect not only the flow rate, but the spray pattern as well. Replace rubber diaphragms on top of the nozzle annually.
- Avoid streaking for maximum pest control. The most common causes of non-uniform spray patterns are nozzle tips with different fan angles on the boom, uneven boom heights and clogging. Spray tips are a wear item and should be replaced as spray pattern and flow rate vary from original.
- Proper boom height allows proper overlap for a given nozzle spacing. Conventional flat-fan nozzles require 30%-50% overlapping of adjacent spray patterns. Check catalogs for specific recommendations for different nozzles.
- Match speed with application rate and field conditions. Select nozzle and droplet size for soil, plant and wind conditions to provide the optimal coverage for various applications.
- Consistent spray pressure generates uniformity in application rate, droplet size and spray pattern. Low pressures can narrow spray angles, causing insufficient overlap between nozzle patterns and streaks of untreated areas. High pressure will increase the number of drift-prone droplets.
- Minimize drift with accurate boom height and performing applications in key timeframes when opportunities for drift are less prevalent, such as early morning or late afternoon. Other solutions to minimize drifts include drift retardant products that are put into the chemical mix, as well as nozzle tips that adjust droplet disposition.
- Maximize infield time by stocking parts, like spray tips and nozzle bodies, as well as carrying tools for simple repairs. For further assistance, Email Customer Support or reach a customer support representative directly at 800-247-4885.
- Read and understand your sprayer’s owners and operators manual and take advantage of manufacturer provided training programs. For reference, find Hagie Owner and Operator Manuals online the Hagie Help website. For additional info, access www.hagiehelp.com or www.hagie.com.
Article Sources:
Customer Support, Hagie Mfg.
Successful Farming Sprayer Smarts, Mid-February 2012
Farm Journal Sprayer Prep, April 2011
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