# How to read a sprayer nozzle chart

URL: https://leafwrit.com/us/sprayer-nozzle-chart/
Reviewed: 2026-10-26

A sprayer nozzle chart links a particular nozzle to its flow at stated pressures and, where supplied by the manufacturer, its droplet classification and operating range. University of Georgia Extension explains why tip design, pressure and application target belong in the selection. Use the exact manufacturer's chart for your installed model; use field calibration to establish what the sprayer actually delivers.

## Identify the nozzle before choosing a chart row

Record the manufacturer, nozzle family, size marking, spray angle and material from the installed part and its documentation. The chart must describe that combination. Georgia Extension discusses different designs, including flat-fan, cone and flooding nozzles, and relates them to application patterns and droplet characteristics. A familiar capacity marking alone does not describe every design feature.

Photograph or transcribe the markings into your equipment notes if they are difficult to read on the boom. Keep a separate reference for each nozzle setup used by the sprayer. When an operator changes tips for another job, retain the previous setup rather than treating a pressure note as a complete description of the new arrangement.

Obtain the table from the nozzle manufacturer's current product information. Preserve the chart title and units with the working sheet. If a dealer has supplied a screenshot without headings, retrieve the full table before using a number from it. This is an editorial document-control practice: the pressure and flow headings are necessary to interpret the quantity correctly.

## Start with the application's required flow

Colorado State gives the nozzle-selection formula for a broadcast boom:

**Required GPM = GPA × MPH × nozzle spacing in inches ÷ 5940.**

GPA is spray liquid per acre, MPH is actual travel speed and spacing is the distance between broadcast nozzles. The result is flow from one nozzle in US gallons per minute. Use the selected label-based application volume and measured equipment spacing rather than guessing a nozzle solely from tank capacity.

Montana State uses the same equation as a pre-calibration tool and then requires checking actual output in the field. The calculation identifies a flow to look for in a chart; it does not prove uniformity or confirm that the chosen tip meets every application constraint.

For a banded or more complicated arrangement, identify the effective width corresponding to the nozzle before using a broadcast-spacing formula. Georgia Extension distinguishes broadcast and banding patterns. A row-spacing number copied into the wrong arrangement can produce a misleading output calculation. Use the applicable equipment method and keep its width definition with your worksheet.

## Read pressure and flow together

Find the row or column for the exact nozzle size, then read the flow at the proposed operating pressure. Check the headings before copying the figure: PSI and bar are different pressure units, just as US gallons per minute and liters per minute are different flow units. The table's own unit declaration governs the value being read.

UNH Extension explains that four times the pressure is needed to double nozzle flow. Pressure therefore is a limited way to change output, and it also changes spray characteristics. Select the appropriate nozzle and operating range rather than assuming that any required rate can be obtained by turning the pressure upward.

For your working notes, write the pressure next to the chart flow instead of saving either number alone. If the pressure is changed during a trial, mark the new condition and collect another measurement. That preserves a meaningful comparison between the table and the installed sprayer.

## Droplet class, angle and coverage answer different questions

Georgia Extension describes how nozzle design affects droplet production and spray distribution. It explains spray-fan angles and the overlap needed for uniform broadcast application. Colorado State likewise directs users to the manufacturer's recommendations for nozzle spacing, position and height. These features belong in the selection alongside flow.

EPA says label directions govern how a pesticide may be used. When the actual product label specifies spray quality, equipment or other application conditions, carry those directions into the selection worksheet. A nozzle meeting a flow target still needs to fit the application described by that product's labeling.

Keep these questions separate while reviewing a chart: does the tip produce the required flow at an appropriate pressure; does its pattern suit the arrangement; and does its listed spray quality fit the applicable directions? Copy the manufacturer's wording for the model rather than converting a droplet category into an unsourced numerical diameter.

## Worked example: invented chart-selection inputs

Suppose an invented broadcast job uses 15 GPA, a measured speed of 6 MPH and 20-inch spacing. The calculated target is 15 × 6 × 20 ÷ 5940 = approximately **0.303 GPM per nozzle**. The inputs are hypothetical and do not recommend a pesticide application volume. The equation is the extension formula.

With that target, inspect the actual manufacturer's chart for a suitable model and pressure combination, then assess the other relevant specifications. This guide supplies no fabricated manufacturer row. A real selection requires the actual product chart, its operating range and the application's labeling. Measure the installed tips after choosing the setup.

If the same invented setup is slowed to 5 MPH while flow remains unchanged, the calculated spray volume per acre rises. Conversely, increasing speed at constant flow reduces the volume per acre. Those relationships follow directly from the GPA equation. They explain why a chart comparison loses meaning when the speed written in the worksheet differs from the speed used in the field.

## Measure the installed boom before relying on the table

Montana State's calibration procedure assesses individual nozzle uniformity and sprayer output. It identifies worn or damaged tips as causes of inconsistent coverage and calls for cleaning or replacement followed by another test. Colorado State also discusses wear as a cause of increased flow. A new-nozzle chart cannot show the condition of an older installed tip.

Mark nozzle positions, collect output for a known interval at a stable pressure, and preserve the figures. Compare the individual outlets as well as the average. If a tip is blocked or mismatched, resolve it before using the average in a whole-boom output estimate. Follow the extension procedure and the manufacturer's maintenance instructions for the actual equipment.

A useful fault note names the position, observed symptom, inspection, correction and retest. “Boom calibrated” alone is less informative than a sheet showing which outlet changed and what was measured afterwards. That is an editorial recording suggestion intended to keep a future operator from repeating an unexplained setting.

## A nozzle-chart review worksheet

| Item | Information to retain | Mistake it helps expose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Source chart | Manufacturer, model, edition or retrieval date | A table for a different tip family |
| Installed tip | Full markings and material | A mixed or unidentified nozzle set |
| Required flow | GPA, speed, width and calculated GPM | Wrong width or travel-speed assumption |
| Chart point | Pressure and flow with both units | Reading the adjacent pressure column |
| Pattern setup | Spray angle, spacing and height reference | Insufficient or inappropriate overlap |
| Spray quality | Manufacturer's classification at that point | Assuming all pressures behave alike |
| Actual catch | Nozzle position, volume and collection time | Wear, obstruction or nonuniform output |
| Final setting | Accepted configuration and retest evidence | Using an unverified changed setup |

The worksheet organizes the selection and measurement concepts described by UGA, Colorado State and Montana State Extension. It is not a replacement manufacturer performance chart. Retain the actual chart with the worksheet so another person can retrace the selected row.

## Common interpretation problems

A chart flow is per nozzle unless the chart explicitly states another basis. The extension equation used here also calculates individual-nozzle flow. Do not multiply a whole-boom total by the number of outlets again. Likewise, keep collected volume and collection duration together: a measured cup quantity is not a per-minute flow until the time basis has been accounted for.

If the pressure reading is unstable, first establish a reliable measurement rather than interpolating between chart rows to explain the fluctuation. Check the physical equipment using its manual and the calibration preparation described by extension. Keep the symptom and correction in the equipment history. A pressure adjustment without a repeat catch does not establish the new actual output.

After selecting and measuring the nozzle setup, use the [boom calibration guide](/us/crop-sprayer-calibration/) to document output per area. Use the [tank mix calculator](/us/tank-mix-calculator/) for subsequent liquid and product quantities.

## Keep capacity, design and pattern separate

Georgia Extension distinguishes regular flat-fan, even flat-fan, flooding, full-cone and other nozzle designs. It describes different distributions and application situations. A capacity marking can help identify flow, but it does not describe the complete distribution pattern. Read the model's design information together with the performance table before substituting another tip with a familiar number.

For a broadcast pattern, the manufacturer's overlap and height recommendations help establish the intended distribution across the boom. For a banded pattern, identify the treated band and the applicable nozzle arrangement. Keep a drawing or photograph with the configuration note when the physical arrangement is difficult to describe in a short label.

An equipment directory can distinguish tip family, orifice size, material, angle and installation position. Use those fields to identify spare parts and replacements. Record an actual substitution rather than silently changing a part description because the replacement looks similar. This is an editorial maintenance practice: the next operator should know which installed component the chart and calibration sheet describe.

## Inspect the chart's conventions before interpolating

Look for the pressure unit, flow unit, spray-quality legend, reference liquid and any qualification attached to the table. Keep that explanatory material with the copied row. If the manufacturer uses separate tables for a nozzle family or operating mode, preserve which one you used. A cropped table cell without its legend can lose the information needed to interpret it.

UGA discusses liquids other than water and the effect of specific gravity on flow conversion. Use the manufacturer's appropriate instructions when the liquid differs from the chart's basis. A water calibration and a different-density liquid should not be treated as identical solely because both fill the same tank. Keep the liquid identity with any conversion or test.

Do not invent an intermediate manufacturer's rating when a target falls between chart values. Identify the actual model and consult its instructions for selection or adjustment. The 5940 equation provides the required flow for the stated inputs; the chart provides performance information for the product it describes. The two tools have different roles.

## Compare a catch result with the right reference point

First confirm that the chart and test use the same nozzle identity, pressure and flow basis. Then check the collection interval and unit conversion. An output discrepancy may begin with a documentation mismatch rather than a damaged nozzle. Colorado State's preparation and Montana State's field-verification procedure supply the measurement framework.

If the reference is a new tip's discharge test, identify that reference tip and test conditions. If it is a manufacturer table, save the table and selected pressure point. Keep the individual catch readings rather than retaining only the mean. This suggested traceability method lets a later reviewer determine which comparison was actually made.

After cleaning, replacing or reconfiguring an outlet, collect again and retain the result. Avoid applying a correction factor to every historical measurement simply because one tip was replaced. The new measurement belongs to the new setup. UNH's one-minute method describes inspection, cleaning or replacement and repeat collection when an individual tip differs from the average.

## Troubleshoot a mismatch in a deliberate order

| Observation | First investigation | Evidence to retain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All catches differ from expectation | Units, selected table and actual pressure | Full chart headings and gauge reading |
| One outlet differs from its neighbors | Identity, obstruction, wear or damage | Position reference and inspection note |
| Output changes after maintenance | Replaced component and operating settings | Repair reference and repeat test |
| Acreage calculation differs from expectation | Travel speed and effective treated width | Course measurements and setup sketch |
| A replacement seems equivalent | Full model and pattern specification | Product documentation for both tips |

The table is an editorial diagnostic sequence based on the selection and calibration concepts in the cited extension sources. It sets no universal acceptance tolerance. Follow the comparison in the applicable calibration method and the manufacturer's specifications rather than applying an invented percentage to every nozzle design.

## Use a complete equipment handover

Give the next operator a configuration sheet containing the installed nozzle identity, chart reference, verified pressure, ground-speed basis, spacing and calibration result. Add a maintenance note for any changed component. Identify which instructions relate to the nozzle and which come from the actual pesticide labeling. That prevents a chart value from being treated as the entire application specification.

Have the recipient locate a physical tip and match it to the sheet, then reproduce one flow calculation and find the supporting catch result. Record any difficulty: unreadable markings, missing pressure headings, mismatched spare parts or an unexplained abbreviation. These are proposed internal checks rather than regulatory inspection findings.

Keep the final sheet accessible with the equipment history. If the boom is reconfigured for another crop or service, create a clearly identified setup record. A previous arrangement can remain useful evidence without becoming the assumed configuration for every future application. Connect the appropriate setup reference with the actual spray record after the work is completed.

## Make the chart legend understandable to the crew

Spell out unfamiliar abbreviations in the local equipment instruction and keep the manufacturer's terminology beside your explanation. Distinguish nominal capacity, measured discharge, spray angle, overlap and operating pressure. A diagram showing outlet positions and direction can communicate the physical arrangement more clearly than a shorthand part number. The manufacturer's spacing and height recommendations remain the reference for the model.

For a spare-parts handover, identify the compatible replacement from the actual documentation and record the installed substitution. Preserve packaging or a supplier reference where it resolves unreadable markings. This suggested stock-control practice helps prevent a visually similar component from silently changing the configuration described by the calibration sheet.

### How do I read a sprayer nozzle chart?

Match the exact nozzle model and size, find the pressure row and read the flow and droplet information using the units stated by that manufacturer. Extension explains how pressure and nozzle design affect output.

### What nozzle flow do I need for my boom sprayer?

For broadcast spacing, required GPM = GPA × MPH × spacing in inches ÷ 5940. Use the resulting flow to examine the manufacturer’s chart.

### Will doubling pressure double nozzle output?

No. UNH Extension explains that increasing pressure fourfold doubles flow; nozzle design and pressure also affect spray characteristics.

### Does the same nozzle color mean the same droplet size?

Use the exact model’s chart for droplet characteristics and pressure. Nozzle design and operating conditions matter in addition to the capacity identification.

### Why is measured nozzle output different from the chart?

Wear, damage, blockage and equipment inconsistencies can alter installed output. Verify the setup with measured calibration.