Making the Pressure Gauge your Speedometer – Tips with Tom #4

Posted on

About Jason Deveau (Spray_Guy)

Dr. Jason Deveau (@spray_guy) has been the OMAFRA Application Technology Specialist since '08. He researches and teaches methods to improve the safe, effective and efficient application of agricultural sprays in specialty crops, field crops and controlled environments. He is the co-administrator of Sprayers101, co-author of the Airblast101 Textbook, a slow cyclist and an even slower runner.

See all posts by Jason Deveau (Spray_Guy).

Good spray quality is essential in application, but all of the factors involved can make getting there quite a challenge. In reviewing magazines, you may see that publishers will bold a certain pressure (like 40 psi). They do this not because that is the pressure the nozzle must experience, but because that is the pressure at which the nozzle produces its nominal flow rate.

So if you don’t have to spray at that bolded/highlighted number, how do you decide on your ideal pressure?

Tom Wolf talks about the evolution of pressure ranges in nozzles and walks us through an applicator’s decision-making process. After following the tips in the video, calibrating your sprayer and driving out to the field, you should be able to maximize spray quality by simply using your pressure gauge as the speedometer.