Question? Why should lawn care operators (LCOs) ensure they are providing accurate applications with their spreader-sprayers?
Doing the job right the first time and every time is absolutely the number one priority in this business. When used properly, a PermaGreenⓇ Triumph Riding Spreader Sprayer can apply products both better and faster than someone walking and pulling a hose or pushing a spreader. An accurate application of products results in good results and happy customers. Improperly applied products produce irate customers who can make your life miserable and damage your reputation. Profit robbing service calls cost you extra labor, lost production, and extra product.
Tell me about tools/features your company offers that help LCOs achieve an accurate application—and why those tools/features are important for accuracy and/or overall efficiency.
The PermaGreenⓇ Triumph Stand-on Spreader Sprayer was designed by LCOs for LCOs to do all lawns, better, faster, and easier. Simple, small, and nimble, Triumph is totally unique and protected by 4 Patents that improve accuracy, efficiency and safety. It is powered by the smallest fuel efficient, lowest polluting Vanguard 205 cc engine.The 4-keys to an accurate application are Constant speed, Constant width, Constant output, and Constant overlap. Triumph comes factory-set to deliver ALL those Constants.
It runs at a constant 3450 rpm to turn the spreader impeller, pump, and 2–speed transaxle. Out of the box, Triumph maintains a constant speed of either 5 mph (3,000 Sq. Ft./Min) or 3.5 mph (2,100 Sq. Ft./Min.). Simply monitoring the tachometer assures accuracy of the entire system. Spray width and spread width are factory set and outputs synchronized to those 2 speeds. No adjustable pressure regulator to fiddle with on a PermaGreen: Switch gears and switch to a different nozzle that is pre-set to that speed to either broadcast or trim. The spray system is easy, reliable, accurate, and is difficult for an operator to make unauthorized changes that negatively impact accuracy and performance. The spreader system is the same: Calibrate once and lock-in the broadcast and trim settings for both speeds. All the controls are at your fingertips. To trim and edge, drop the deflector and reduce the spreader output to match the narrower width. Our Patented agitator assures instant and constant fertilizer output. Triumph is factory set to make 7 foot parallel passes by dropping the end of the fertilizer pattern between your last pass wheel marks.Fast. Triumph simultaneously spreads and sprays up to an acre in 15 minutes! Beyond that, these unique features deliver easy handling and safety: Front wheel drive with articulated steering and patented steering assist systems; excellent traction, hillside performance, and stability with wheel weights, patented weight transfer system, low center of gravity, and Industry excusive ALL-Wheel antilock braking. Best of all Triumph is so simple and straight forward it doesn’t take a mechanic or engineer to understand or work on it. Fact is there is nothing like it on the market today.
What are general application tips or best practices LCOs should follow to help them improve their accuracy with spreader-sprayers?
When used properly, a Riding Spreader Sprayer can apply products both better and faster than someone walking and pulling a hose and/or pushing a spreader. When used improperly, lots of bad things can happen. The key to quality is to eliminate variables most of which are caused by Human Error and Human Nature. Newton’s Fourth Law of Motion states: “A knob at rest will be turned.” When a calibration setting is changed either accidentally or intentionally, accuracy and quality disappear, and you may not know what went wrong until you get the irate phone call days or weeks later. Don’t let anyone turn that knob! Proper technician training and supervision are essential. Set and enforce operating standards including speed, spray pressure, spreader settings, using the deflector, trimming, and edging. Lock those settings in if possible. Every morning, inspect all machines before they leave to verify the settings are correct. If possible, limit the adjustments that operators can make in the field. Visit them unexpectedly and observe from a distance. Recheck the settings and correct any variations found. Monitor their product usage and compare them to square feet produced. Proper maintenance standards should also be set and enforced. Oh. By the way, follow the same procedures yourself!