Tractor Sprayer Calibration Demonstration and Calculations

Part 1

You have been asked to calibrate a spider sprayer. In many cases, problems that cause a sprayer’s output to be incorrect can be detected visually prior to the actual calibration.

What items should be inspected before the boom is turned on?

Once the boom is turned on, do you see any problems that may affect the output of the sprayer?

Part 2 The sprayer is set up to make broadcast herbicide applications. The nozzle spacing is 18 inches. Capture the output from the nozzle for _____ seconds and record below. Repeat at least 2 times.

Nozzle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 # Output 1 Output 2 Output 3 Average

Return to conference center for presentation on calibration procedure.

Do any of the nozzles on the spider need to be replaced? If so which ones?

If the output information you recorded is in ounces, continue. If it is in another form (ml), convert it to ounces.

How many gallons per acre is the spider applying? Part 3 Situation: You have just calibrated your broadcast sprayer and have it accurately set to apply 15 gallons per acre. The sprayer tank will hold 450 gallons of water.

How many acres can you treat with one sprayer load?

You need to make a broadcast application of 4qts of Aatrex and 0.75lbs of Evik per acre. How much of each should you add to the tank?

If you wanted to add a surfactant to the tank at a rate of 1qt per 100 gallons of spray solution, how much would you add to the tank?

Part 4

Situation: You have a sugarcane field that is planted on 6 ft rows and you set your sprayer up with 3 nozzles that spray a 36 inch band over the top of each row. You calibrate the sprayer to deliver 20 GPA. Your spray tank holds 500 gallons. With a full spray load how many acres can you treat?

When treating the above acres how many acres will the tractor and sprayer have traveled over?

If you are applying 2 qt of Asulox per acre, 0.3 oz of Envoke per acre, and surfactant at 0.25% v/v how much of each should add to the spray solution?