9
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Calibration
a.Hand Spraying
There are two keys to proper calibration of hand
spraying. One is knowing your spraying pace, that is,
the time it consistently takes you to spray an even
application of product on each 1000 sq. ft. area. The
other is always knowing the current flow rate out of
the application device on your sprayer.
The first step is to set up your sprayer to spray two
gallons per minute. This is a common flow rate that
can be used to check your spraying pace. You need
a graduated container. Fill the sprayer tank one third
full with clean water and start it up. Using the gun or
wand that is mounted on your sprayer, spray into the
graduated container for one minute. Check how
much water you collected. Adjust the flow rate by
adjusting the ball valve in the line to the agitator or
the pressure regulator if necessary, until you can
collect two gallons in one minute.
The next step is to determine how long it takes you
to evenly spray 1000 sq. ft. Measure an area 20 ft.
by 50 ft. on a paved surface. Spray the area evenly
with clean water. Use a stop watch to time your
application. After the water evaporates, spray the
area again.
Repeat this several times and average the
application times. Spraying on asphalt or concrete
will permit you to see the pattern you are applying
and will give you a better conception of even
application. Check the spray pattern as the water
evaporates. Spraying technique is just as important
as volume sprayed.
If your sprayer is set at a flow rate of two gallons per
minute and your spraying pace is .75 minutes per
1000 sq. ft., you are applying liquid at a rate of 1.5
gallons per 1000 sq. ft. which is your application
rate. (2 gallons/minute x .75 minutes/1000 sq. ft. =
1.5 gallons/1000 sq. ft.) - the application rate.)
It is essential to check the flow rate from the
application device on your sprayer every working
day. And to check your spraying pace and the
spraying pace of others who will use the sprayer
every month. The amount of liquid you apply
depends on the flow rate of your sprayer and your
spraying pace. You can check your spraying pace
on every lawn you spray if you have measured the
lawn accurately.
Your tank has gallonage markers which may also be
used to approximate the gallons of liquid that you
spray on each lawn. This figure should equal your
application rate times the number of 1000 sq. ft. in the
lawn.
Example: You have sprayed a 10,000 sq. ft. lawn at an
application rate of 1.5 gallons/1000 sq. ft. -- 10 x 1.5 =
15 gallons. A flow meter should read 15 gallons. When
you started there were 180 gallons of liquid in your
tank. Now there should be 165 gallons left in the tank.
Adding products to the tank:
CAUTION: AVOID ACCIDENTS. FOR
SAFETY, READ THE ENTIRE PRODUCT
LABEL INCLUDING PRECAUTIONARY
STATEMENTS. USE ALL PRODUCTS
ONLY AS DIRECTED.
The product label will tell you how much product
should be used per 1000 sq. ft. If the label says you
are to use 1.4 ounces per 1000 sq. ft. you divide the
number of gallons of water in the tank by your
application rate (gallons per 1000 sq. ft.) and multiply
by the number of ounces of product per 1000 sq. ft.
Example: 200 gallons divided by 1.5 gallons / 1000
sq. ft. times 1.4 ounces / 1000 sq. ft. 186.6 ounces =
11.6 pints.
You would fill the sprayer tank one third full with clean
water and then add 11.6 pints of product to the tank
through the strainer basket while the sprayer is
running under full agitation. After the product is
completely mixed, you would fill the tank to the proper
level with clean water.
b.Boom Spraying
There are two keys to proper calibration of boom
spraying. The first is knowing and controlling the
sprayers speed over the ground and the second is
always knowing the flow rate of the spray tips on the
boom. The following is a simplified procedure:
Measure and mark off a distance of 205 feet in an
area that best represents the average topography for
the area to be sprayed. Select a safe tractor (truckster)
speed (usually three to six MPH) which can be
maintained while spraying. Write down the engine's
RPM and the gear selection so that this speed can be
maintained during both calibration and actual spraying.
With the tractor (truckster) traveling at the selected
speed and with the sprayer one half full of water, time
and record the seconds taken to travel the 205 feet.
With the sprayer still half full of water, start the
sprayer's engine and adjust the pump's pressure
regulator to the desired liquid pressure (normally
between 20 and 50 psi). Collect all the water from one
nozzle for the same number of seconds taken to travel
the 205 feet.
Example: If it took 35 seconds to travel the 205 feet,
collect the discharge of one nozzle for 35 seconds.
BO O M W ITH 20" N O ZZLE S PAC IN G : The num ber of fluid
ounces collected equals the gallons per acre (G PA ) output.
