Sprayer Depot Blog

Recently Corn and Soybean Digest reported on a newly released smartphone app called Sprayer Calibration Calculator that is designed to assist spray applicators with calibrating a pesticide sprayer. The app was developed by the University of Illinois Extension and is available free to those with Apple and Android phones. As we’ve shared in previous posts, the cost of wasted chemicals can be high when your best tool isn’t set up right.

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Topics: Sprayer Depot, sprayers, pest control, Apps on the Sprayer Depot blog, Pesticide Applicators, calibrating a sprayer, pesticides, Pesticide Application Technology, Pesticide Application, Pesticide spraying, Pesticide applicator, Spray apps, apps for spraying agriculture, pest control app, Sprayer Calibration, sprayer checklist, Sprayer Set Up, Calibrating a Boom Sprayer, Boom Sprayer Calibration, sprayer tips and tricks, University of Illinois, Scott Bretthauer

Imagine you’re applying pesticides using a backpack sprayer. Or, just the same, you’re spraying from a truck using a tank, pump and hose to apply chemicals. Maybe you’re using a boom setup. For that matter, you could even be piloting an airplane and in each situation the definition of spray drift is the same.

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Topics: Spray Equipment Maintenance, Hypro, Boom Sprayer, fertilizer sprayer, Sprayer Depot, sprayers, spray equipment checklist, sprayer, spray tips, calibrating a sprayer, spray tip, spray tip selection, Shurflo, Sprayer Calibration, sprayer checklist, sprayer equipment, sprayer nozzle, spray drift, spray tip calculator, spray tip selector, drift control spray tip, drift control, Sprayer Set Up, Calibrating a Boom Sprayer, Boom Sprayer Calibration, sprayer tips and tricks

Contributed by Guest Blogger: Mark Techler, Factory Representative - Hypro & SHURflo Ag and Industrial Pumps and Accessories

Spray tips are the smallest and most overlooked components of a sprayer. Drift control spray tips use air induction to produce air filled droplets, which dramatically reduce drift compared to conventional tips. Here are the benefits: 

1. Reduce off target spray. Your neighbors don’t want your ag chemicals on their property.
2. Improve efficacy. It is estimated that 30% of conventionally sprayed droplets drift off target, land on the ground, or evaporate (leaving the active ingredient inert). Reduce that drift to 2% and achieve better results.
3. Improve coverage. Air filled droplets stick to their target while conventional droplets may bounce off. When the air bubbles break the surface tension of the droplet, the spray material becomes more dispersed on the target.  
4. Improve spray quality. The chemical label shows a droplet size category, which can vary from extremely fine to ultra coarse, at which the product must be applied for optimum results. Air induction tips produce more consistent droplet diameters than conventional tips.
5. Save money. With improved efficacy and coverage you may require less chemical and less water to finish the job. With improved efficacy and coverage likely you will only need to spray once, saving money and time.
6. Be environmentally responsible. Keep herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers confined to their targets and out of drinking water supplies and the aquifer.

Before you buy any spray tips, it is also important to know:

1. Your spray technique: broadcast or banding
2. Sprayer speed (in mph)
3. Tip spacing (20 inches, etc.)
4. Application rate (from chemical label)
5. Spray tip flow rate (GPA or GPM)
6. Spray pattern: flat fan or cone
7. Spray quality (fine, medium, coarse, etc. from chemical label)

Armed with this information, use the Hypro SprayIT Calculator to select drift reduction tips. Hypro has designed this online calculator to make it easy to select the proper spray tip for your application. Given the information we just covered, all you need to do is select the type of application and input your specific application data and the calculator with do the rest.

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Topics: Sprayer Depot, Sprayer Parts, spray equipment checklist, sprayer, spray tips, spray tip, spray tip selection, Sprayer Parts Guide, sprayer checklist, sprayer nozzle, spray drift, spray tip calculator, tip selector, tip selection, spray tip selector, drift control spray tip, drift control