How the heck fast am I going?

[Laminarman]

I bought a new Land Pride fertilizer spreader. Now to figure out how fast 2.5 or 3 MPH is. How do I do that and calculate out the spread? The manual leaves a LOT to be desired. Thanks in advance.

 

[rdbrumfield]

measure out a distance with your car, say half a mile. start your watch when you leave with your tractor in the gear you want to work in. time yourself and calculate how many feet you would go in an hour and divide by 5,280, that will give you mph.

 

[Scrounger]

Or just wing it and set it and spread like mad. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Getting the drop rate correct can be a beast. That's the reason I dropped the idea of a 3 pt spreader and plan to use a large Scotts spreader. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Have somebody pace you with a car. A digital speedometer would be best. Or...just pull tat spreader behind yer car! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[beenthere]

You could go at an 'average walking' speed, which is 2.5 - 3 mph.

At 2.5 mph, that is 100' in 27.3 sec,
or at 3 mph, that is 100' in 22.7 sec.

A stop watch and a tape measure, can give you the numbers you need to pace your tractor.

For me, I would just travel at about a good walking pace.

 

[GerardC]

I use my hand held GPS.

 

[Laminarman]

Use the gear I'm gonna use....hmm...I have hydro. Looks like I can make it complicated or easy. I think I'll go at a "walking pace" and experiment. Thanks!

 

[Freds]

My Agri-Fab spreader that I just got says it is calculated to spread at 3 MPH and that is travelling 100' in 23 seconds.

 

[bdog]

Here is some info from calibrating speed on spray rigs. Pretty simple and more accurate that using a speedo on a car or walking I think.

The best way to measure travel speed is to pull a sprayer with tank half filled with water on the same type of terrain that the sprayer will be operated on.

Set up test course at least 100 feet long, measure the course with a tape measure. Do not pace the distance. The longer the course the smaller the margin of error. Run the course in both directions.

Use an accurate stopwatch to check the time required to travel the course in each direction. Average the two runs and use the following formula to calculate the speed in MPH.



Formula: MPH = (ft. traveled/sec. traveled) X (60/80)



Your figures:

Tractor gear___________ Engine revs.___________

MPH = (ft. traveled/sec. traveled) X (60/80) = ________

 

[normde2001]

50 or so years ago I read/heard that 3 mph is the average "schoolboy" walking pace.