One size fits all sprayer testing !,,

[olfarmergiles]

Any kind of inspections or testing is never going to go down well with farmers who believe that they are doing a good job. As Campbell rightly posted, the VI was designed to show, in measurable outcomes i.e. statistics, how pesticide application was cleaning up its act in order to ward off a pesticide tax and the accelerated loss of pesticdes due to pollution incidents.

£250? Try getting any other tradesman in for 2-3 hours plus travelling for less than that.

Is the VI value for money? Well, we certainly have more professional sprayer operators IMO. There are less and less dodgy looking leaky sprayers around unless that farm is non assured or it has a suitably tall patch of nettles and creative paperwork!

But if less pollution is the object, if there is no monitoring of the result how can you tell which method of control works. Either 'V I' or taxation? Operator training does more good than bureaucratic nit picking inspections. With the cost of pesticides nobody wants to waste it from leaky equipment. Vehicle MOTs require the installation of £30k of equipment and cost £50

 

[Brisel]

You'd have to compare Denmark to Germany to tell that difference in a macro scale.

You'd be surprised at what NSTS examiners find on farms even where the sprayers are annually tested. Different sized nozzles on the same boom is just one of them...

Car MOTs? Hardly a fair comparison - for those they are doing dozens of cars each day plus you take your vehicle to their testing station. I doubt an NSTS inspector does more than 2-3 sprayers each day and has to drive 100 miles just to get around.

 

[olfarmergiles]

Your second point supports what I said. It's operator training that's important not equipment testing. Even with a perfect sprayer it's down to the operator to do a proper job. How often did this operator check the output of all the nozzles as he is supposed to do?

 

[Brisel]

Every couple of weeks during peak spray season in my case... but that's not a requirement of any kind. That's just because I'm putting tens of thousands of £ through my sprayer in some months and I want it right.

 

[Skimmer]

Any kind of inspections or testing is never going to go down well with farmers who believe that they are doing a good job. As Campbell rightly posted, the VI was designed to show, in measurable outcomes i.e. statistics, how pesticide application was cleaning up its act in order to ward off a pesticide tax and the accelerated loss of pesticdes due to pollution incidents.

£250? Try getting any other tradesman in for 2-3 hours plus travelling for less than that.

Is the VI value for money? Well, we certainly have more professional sprayer operators IMO. There are less and less dodgy looking leaky sprayers around unless that farm is non assured or it has a suitably tall patch of nettles and creative paperwork!

Your second point supports what I said. It's operator training that's important not equipment testing. Even with a perfect sprayer it's down to the operator to do a proper job. How often did this operator check the output of all the nozzles as he is supposed to do?

That's why the operator has to be present when the sprayer is tested.

 

[New Design]

Had a Hardi sprayer looked at for Mot and it failed on nozzle connectors worn/cracked. Had a look around for some parts as I could only find the complete nozzle saddle jet assembly and it was pricey, around 25-26 pounds. As I only required the bracket which bolts up to the boom and then screws to the nozzle body I went on the hunt for spares.


I found the following through a lad at one of the dealerships in Cheshire


He said his uncle had had various universal parts made for a couple of implements including some universal nozzle parts for his sprayer.


Cut a long story short, I got in touch and tracked down the sprayer parts. As the nozzle bracket is a universal fitting it does fit on a Hardi sprayer nozzle assembly which for me was great. I got some ordered and fitted them on the machine and they worked a treat. The part even came with new stainless steel bolt and screws.


The actual bracket is a lot stronger so hopefully it will last longer this time The price was also good saving me a fortune in multiple spares I didn't require.


I told the lad to get this part and the other designs he had, advertised and on the forums as I am sure it would be of some interest to other people like my self. The guy is sound and is actually an ex Agricultural engineer so he knows his trade which is great.


Here is the new link he gave me,


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262794367527



Here is a picture of what the universal bracket is.