spray equipment calibration pest & weed
DESCRIPTION
Calibration of pest & weed control sprayers and equipment is critical to safety and proper results. Detailed procedures for calibrating all types of sprayers and equipment is described in detail.TRANSCRIPT
Equipment Calibration
(Guessing is NOT a Strategy)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Andrew GreessNPMA SW Conference
Albuquerque, NM
January 2011
Before We Start:
- Share experiences
- Ask Questions
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Outline:
- Equipment to be Calibrated
- Why Calibrate?
- Calibration Caveats
- Factors affecting Calibration
- Tools Required
- ExamplesOur Equipment. Your Success.
www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:- Per Minute Application
Power Sprayer Pest Control
B&G/Backpack Pest Control
Fogger/Actisol Pest Control
Dusters Pest Control
Calibration Examples:- Per Minute Application
Power Sprayer Pest Control
B&G/Backpack Pest Control
Fogger/Actisol Pest Control
Dusters Pest Control
- Per Acre Application
Granulators Pest Control
Power Sprayer Weed Control
Boom Sprayer Weed Control
Backpack Weed Control
Why Calibrate?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Why Calibrate?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Control Chemical Costs
Why Calibrate?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Control Chemical Costs
- Proper Results
Why Calibrate?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Control Chemical Costs
- Proper Results
- Safety Risks
Why Calibrate?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Control Chemical Costs
- Proper Results
- Safety Risks
- Liability Risks
Why Calibrate?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Control Chemical Costs
- Proper Results
- Safety Risks
- Liability Risks
- Label/Regulatory Compliance
Calibration Caveats:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Your calibration if valid only for a specific piece of
equipment, settings & conditions.
Calibration Caveats:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Your calibration if valid only for a specific piece of
equipment, settings & conditions.
- If settings or conditions change, RECALIBRATE!
Calibration Caveats:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Your calibration if valid only for a specific piece of
equipment, settings & conditions.
- If settings or conditions change, RECALIBRATE!
- Just because you calibrated 6 months ago, doesn’t
mean you know what is going on today.
Calibration Caveats:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Your calibration if valid only for a specific piece of
equipment, settings & conditions.
- If settings or conditions change, RECALIBRATE!
- Just because you calibrated 6 months ago, doesn’t
mean you know what is going on today.
- If your mix rate or application techniques are off,
calibration doesn’t matter.
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
- Pump Settings/Pressure
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
- Pump Settings/Pressure
- Equipment Age & Wear
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
- Pump Settings/Pressure
- Equipment Age & Wear
- Hoses & Fittings
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
- Pump Settings/Pressure
- Equipment Age & Wear
- Hoses & Fittings
- Spray Tips
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
- Pump Settings/Pressure
- Equipment Age & Wear
- Hoses & Fittings
- Spray Tips
- Equipment Settings, e.g., Agitation
Factors Affecting Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Engine Speed
- Pump Settings/Pressure
- Equipment Age & Wear
- Hoses & Fittings
- Spray Tips
- Equipment Settings, e.g., Agitation
If anything changes,
RECALIBRATE!
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
- Appropriate work place (not in client’s driveway)
X
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
- Appropriate work place (not in client’s driveway)
- Measuring Device – with appropriate calibration
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
- Appropriate work place (not in client’s driveway)
- Measuring Device – with appropriate calibration
- Receptacle (to catch water/material)
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
- Appropriate work place (not in client’s driveway)
- Measuring Device – with appropriate calibration
- Receptacle (to catch water/material)
- Water Source
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
- Appropriate work place (not in client’s driveway)
- Measuring Device – with appropriate calibration
- Receptacle (to catch water/material)
- Water Source
- Stop Watch (second hand)
Tools You Need for Calibration:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- The Equipment being calibrated
- Appropriate work place (not in client’s driveway)
- Measuring Device – with appropriate calibration
- Receptacle (to catch water/material)
- Water Source
- Stop Watch (second hand)
- Paper, Pencil, Calculator
Calibration Examples:
Calibration Examples:- Per Minute Application
Power Sprayer Pest Control
B&G/Backpack Pest Control
Fogger/Actisol Pest Control
Dusters Pest Control
- Per Acre Application
Granulators Pest Control
Power Sprayer Weed Control
Boom Sprayer Weed Control
Backpack Weed Control
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Math
Ahead
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
- Fill spray tank with clean water
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
- Fill spray tank with clean water
- Find the right size catch bucket
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
- Fill spray tank with clean water
- Find the right size catch bucket
- Set the sprayer EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
- Fill spray tank with clean water
- Find the right size catch bucket
- Set the sprayer EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Fill a bucket for exactly 1 minute
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
- Fill spray tank with clean water
- Find the right size catch bucket
- Set the sprayer EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Fill a bucket for exactly 1 minute
- Measure the water
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Minute (GPM)
- Easier with 2 people
- Fill spray tank with clean water
- Find the right size catch bucket
- Set the sprayer EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Fill a bucket for exactly 1 minute
- Measure the water
- Repeat & confirm
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Manual Sprayer (B&G, Backpack) – Determine GPM
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Manual Sprayer (B&G, Backpack) – Determine GPM
- Fill tank with water
- Find the right size catch bucket
- Pump & spray EXACTLY how you will be using the sprayer
- Fill a bucket for exactly 1 minute
- Measure the water
- Repeat & confirm
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Determine GPM
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Determine GPM
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
2 Methods:
- Measure the liquid
- Weigh the liquid
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Determine GPM
2 Methods:
- Measure the liquid
- Weigh the liquid
- Don’t recommend
using water
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Measure the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Measure a precise amount of liquid
- Put the liquid in the tank
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Measure the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Measure a precise amount of liquid
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Set the unit EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Operate sprayer for exactly 1 minute
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Measure the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Measure a precise amount of liquid
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Set the unit EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Operate sprayer for exactly 1 minute
- Pour remaining liquid into measuring device
- Calculate liquid used
- Repeat & confirm
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Weigh the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Weigh the empty unit
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Weigh the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Weigh the empty unit
- Weigh a precise amount of liquid, e.g., 16 oz.
- Put the liquid in the tank
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Weigh the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Weigh the empty unit
- Weigh a precise amount of liquid, e.g., 16 oz.
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Set the unit EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Operate sprayer for exactly 1 minute
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Foggers/Actisol Sprayers – Weigh the Liquid
- Start with an empty tank
- Weigh the empty unit
- Weigh a precise amount of liquid, e.g., 16 oz.
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Set the unit EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Operate sprayer for exactly 1 minute
- Weigh the unit
- Calculate liquid used
- Repeat & confirm Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Electric Dusters – Determine Pounds per Minute
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Electric Dusters – Determine Pounds per Minute
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Same as Foggers
- Weigh empty unit
- Weigh dust
- Use unit for exact time period
- Re-weigh unit to determine usage
Calibration Examples:Granulators – Determine Pounds per Acre
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Granulators – Determine Pounds per Acre
1. I do not believe you can get an accurate calibration while
walking around a home applying granules
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Granulators – Determine Pounds per Acre
1. I do not believe you can get an accurate calibration while
walking around a home applying granules
2. Do not recommend relying on unit specs (speed, granule
size, unit wear)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Granulators – Determine Pounds per Acre
1. I do not believe you can get an accurate calibration while
walking around a home applying granules
2. Do not recommend relying on unit specs (speed, granule
size, unit wear)
3. Determine square footage then put down the correct
amount of granules
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Granulators – Determine Pounds per Acre
- Weigh the granulator when empty
- Fill the granulator
- Weigh the full granulator
- Subtract the weight of the granulator to get the weight of
granules the device can hold
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Granulators – Determine Pounds per Acre
- At the Property,
determine the square footage to be treated
- E.G., 50’ x 50’ Home (50+50+50+50=200’ perimeter)
- 200’ perimeter x 10’ wide band = 2000 square feet
- Talstar Granules, 3 lbs/1000 sq ft (read label)
- Need to apply 6 lbs around this houseOur Equipment. Your Success.
www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Acre (GPA)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Acre (GPA)
- Fill tank with water (e.g., exactly 50 gallons)
- Find a suitable test area (asphalt or concrete)
- Measure out a test plot (e.g., 100’ x 40’, 4000 sq ft)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Power Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Acre (GPA)
- Fill tank with water (e.g., exactly 50 gallons)
- Find a suitable test area (asphalt or concrete)
- Measure out a test plot (e.g., 100 x 40, 4000 sq ft)
- Set the sprayer EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Spray the test plot
- Determine how many gallons were used, e.g. 15 gallons
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:- THE MATH
Example: We used 15 gallons on 4000 square feet.
How many gallons do we need per acre?
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:- THE MATH
Example: We used 15 gallons on 4000 square feet.
How many gallons do we need per acre?
15 gallons = X gallons
4000 sq ft 40,000 sq ft (1 acre)
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:- THE MATH
Example: We used 15 gallons on 4000 square feet.
How many gallons do we need per acre?
15 gallons = X gallons
4000 sq ft 40,000 sq ft (1 acre)
X = 150 gallons
Use this to calculate tank mix rate
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Backpack Sprayers – Determine GPA
- Measure a precise amount of liquid
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Layout a test plot, e.g., 50’ x 20’
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Backpack Sprayers – Determine GPA
- Measure a precise amount of liquid
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Layout a test plot, e.g., 50’ x 20’
- Set the sprayer & pump EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Spray the test plot
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Backpack Sprayers – Determine GPA
- Measure a precise amount of liquid
- Put the liquid in the tank
- Layout a test plot, e.g., 50’ x 20’
- Set the sprayer & pump EXACTLY (speed, gun, tip, etc.)
- Spray the test plot
- Pour remaining liquid into measuring device
- Calculate liquid used
- Calculate GPA
- Use GPA to calculate tank mix rate
Calibration Examples:- THE MATH
Example: We used 2 gallons on 1000 square feet.
Label Rate = 4 oz/1000 square feet
Use 4 oz in 2 gallons or 8 oz in a 4 gallon backpack
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration Examples:Boom Sprayer – Determine Gallons per Acre (GPA)
- Herbicide Applications
- Separate Training Class
- Lots of Methods
Ground Speed
Stationery
Volume
1/128 Method
- Links at Qspray.com
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Calibration – The Easy Way
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Digital Flow Meters
Calibration Keys:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
- Calibration can be critical to your success
- Calibration is for specific equipment, settings & conditions
- If anything changes or time passes, recalibrate
- Calibration is one piece of the pie (mix rate, technique, etc.)
- If you don’t know how, ask for help
More Info on Spray Equipment:
Our Equipment. Your Success.www.QSpray.com
Cheat Sheets: www.Qspray.com/termites
Pest Management Magazine articles
www.SprayEquipmentBlog.com
follow on Twitter & FB: Andrew Greess
Contact: info @ qspray.com or (800) 675-7485
Call us when you need sprayers/parts/advice