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Products Page
H2O Chip Technology
Q:
What’s different about these nozzles?
 A:
Precision Series Spray Nozzles use a completely different technology
to create a spray pattern much different than conventional spray
nozzles. Instead of directing one or more small, concentrated streams of
water into a multi-angled plastic surface and slamming those streams
directly into that surface to create a spray pattern, the Precision
Series Spray Nozzles use a patented, H2O Chip technology that is
much more efficient. This patented process creates high-frequency
oscillating streams that create patterns of equal distance and
coverage with conventional spray nozzles but with at least 1/3rd
less flow. The streams oscillate at such a high frequency (200
cycles/ second) that they cannot be detected with the naked eye.
They can only be seen under strobe light illumination.
Q:
Is the “H2O Chip” inside the Precision Spray Nozzle like a computer
chip?
A:
NO; even though it is “SMART.” A Precision Spray Nozzle “chip” is
simply a highly engineered chamber (i.e., flow path), that creates
one or more high- frequency oscillating streams without the use of
any moving parts. It is patented.
Q:
How does the H2O chip work?
 A:
The water enters the bottom of the nozzle housing, travels around
the head of the adjusting screw and then proceeds up to a specially
designed chamber. This chamber is the patented H2O Chip. As water
flows through the H2O Chip, micro-vortexes of water continuously
form and collapse inside the chamber, creating one or more
high-frequency oscillating streams outside the chamber – all without
the use of any moving parts. It is these oscillating streams that
give these “spray” nozzles the performance characteristics of a
rotor – lower precipitation rate and higher uniformity as well as
water droplets of consistent size and velocity and better edge
definition. This process is efficient and allows Precision Series
Spray Nozzles to achieve conventional distances of throw (5’, 8’,
10’, 12’, & 15’) with 1/3rd lower flows. They also operate over a
wider pressure range than conventional spray nozzles: 20 – 50 psi
vs. 15 – 30 psi.
Q:
Is H2O technology used in any other industry?
 A:
Actually you’ve seen this technology for years. It’s the way most
windshield wiper fluid gets sprayed on to windshields in
automobiles. Wonder how the windshield wiper fluid was so evenly
spread onto your windshield and how long you could go between having
to refill the fluid reservoir? The answer: low flow, high velocity
discharge and high uniformity. Traveling at 65 MPH, windshield wiper
fluid would normally just mist away. By using this technology, the
water is moved onto the windshield very quickly, very evenly and
with good force behind it so it hits the target --- so it doesn’t
mist.
Precision Series Spray Nozzle Performance
Q:
If Precision Spray Nozzles have flow rates 1/3rd lower than
conventional spray nozzles and keep the turf green without
increasing the station run time, why isn't the uniformity WAY
higher?
A:
The answer is — because there's more to overall irrigation
efficiency than just uniformity. Uniformity is one performance
characteristic; but so is the lower precipitation rate, the better
soil chemistry that results from a lower precipitation rate, less
runoff, less chance for misting, more consistent water droplet size
and velocity. When you add improved uniformity (not way higher
uniformity) to these other factors, we get more water savings than
you would expect if you only considered uniformity measurements.
Toro’s Precision Series Spray Nozzles deliver a multi-dimensional
assault on water waste. In other words, a higher percentage of the
discharged water from a Precision Spray gets to the root zone than a
conventional spray nozzle.
Q:
Why can you reduce the radius of a Precision Series Spray Nozzle and
maintain matched precipitation rate performance when you can’t do
that with a conventional spray nozzle?
A:
The H2O Chip technology is so efficient, that using the radius
reduction screw reduces the water flow in just the right proportion
to maintain the 1”/hr precipitation rate throughout the 20-50 psi
pressure range of the Precision Spray Nozzle. When you see a
conventional spray nozzle mist at 40, 45 or 50 psi, the mist
represents inefficiency. You won’t see that wasteful misting with
the Precision Spray Nozzles because the high-frequency oscillating
streams are more efficient when they exit the nozzle than water
blasting off a hard plastic surface of a conventional spray nozzle.
Q:
Can the spacing between sprinkler heads installed with Precision
Spray Nozzles be stretched?
A:
Toro recommends head-to-head spacing based on nominal radius and
pressure throughout the operating pressure range of 20 - 50 psi.
Given field test results to date and internal testing results in
zero-wind lab testing, Toro recommends head to head spacing of
Precision Series Spray Nozzles.
Q:
Do I install Precision nozzles differently?
A:
No. Precision nozzles are attached to a spray head body just like
any other nozzle. They also have a radius adjustment screw on top
just like any other nozzle. But unlike any other nozzle there’s a
lot of installation information on top of the nozzle contained in
the color codes and graphics.
Q:
"If we need to put down 1.25" of water per week, and this nozzle
puts out a slower precipitation rate... explain why we don't need a
longer runtime to achieve that 1.25" per week…??"
A:
First, the missing variable that will answer this question is the
“efficiency” factor of the nozzle. If one nozzle is more efficient
than another, this efficiency difference provides the answer.
Remember, a better DU is only one of the performance characteristics
that increases overall irrigation efficiency of a spray zone. Other
factors include: lower precipitation rate; more consistent water
droplet size and velocity; better defined edges; and less soil
saturation.
In beta testing, customers told Toro that when they’ve installed 15’
Precision Sprays next to conventional 15’ sprays, they’ve
successfully used the same watering schedule for both zones. Let’s
see what this means for the “efficiency” factor of each nozzle type.
If a 15’ conventional zone is 43.8% “efficient” and the 15’
Precision Series Spray Nozzle zone is 70% efficient, how long must
each zone run per week so that every part of the zone gets at least
the 1.25” desired?
Conventional Spray Nozzle:
1.25”/43.8% = 2.85” (So 2.85” must be applied to deliver 1.25”
Precision Spray Nozzle:
1.25”/70% = 1.79” (1.79” must be applied to deliver 1.25”)
A conventional 15’ spray zone delivers water at the rate of 1.6”/HR.
(2.85” of applied water/1.6”/hr application rate = 1.8 hours). The
zone must run 1.8 hours (108 minutes) total during the week to
deliver the desired 1.25” of water to every part of the zone.
The Precision Spray Nozzle zone, on the other hand, applies water at
1”/HR. (1.79” of applied water/1.0”/hr application rate = 1.8
hours). Therefore this zone must also run 1.8 hours (108 minutes)
during the week to deliver the desired 1.25” of water to every part
of the zone.
This example assumes that the current watering schedule of the
conventional zone has been previously set so that no brown spots are
evident in the turfgrass. By delivering water at a higher overall
efficiency, lower flow Precision Spray zones can deliver the desired
amount of water, e.g. 1.25”/week, in the same amount of time as
higher flow conventional spray zones.
1.8 hours of watering @ 1.6”/hour = 2.9” of water applied for the
conventional zone.
1.8 hours of watering @ 1.0”/hour = 1.8” of total water applied for
the Precision Zone.
The water savings = 37.9%. Same weekly watering time.
Physical Characteristics
Q:
What are these color codes?
 A:
The nozzles are color-coded on top to the standard color scheme for
Radius used on the MPR nozzle sets – red is for 5’, green is for 8’,
blue is for 10’, brown is for 12’ and black is for 15’. In addition,
a series of white hash marks around the top circumference of the
nozzle indicate the exact arc pattern.
Q:
The screens for the 15’ Series look different than the screens for
the other models. Why is that?
 A:
There is one screen (26 mesh, 560 microns) for the 15’ Precision
Spray Nozzles and a finer mesh screen (45 mesh, 306 microns) for the
other models: 5’, 8’, 10’ and 12’ nozzles. The screen with the
little tip extension at the end is the finer mesh screen.
Reliability Questions
Q:
How will Precision Series Spray Nozzles stand up to water with high
mineral content? Will they clog up with calcium deposits?
A:
The H2O Chips have been tested for performance in hard water and
found to be reliable. This is primarily because the critical
surfaces are only exposed to sunlight when the nozzles are spraying
water; otherwise, they are protected below the surface of the wiper
seal. No sun means no evaporation, and no evaporation means no hard
water mineral deposits. In addition, the physical properties of PBT
make the chip’s flow path highly resistant to mineral deposits.
Q:
What about debris?
 A:
You’ll notice the filter screen is attached to the nozzle body
"at
the factory" to ensure it is properly positioned and attached to
the nozzle housing. This assures that each Precision Spray Nozzle is
installed and operated with the correct screen; preventing harmful
contamination from entering the H2O Chip. The screen is designed so
that anything passing through the screen will pass through the
nozzle and the H2O Chips. While the screen can be removed and
cleaned if it becomes clogged, it is critically important to
re-attach the screen before re-installing the nozzle.
Q:
What kind of material are most spray nozzles made out of?
A:
ABS Plastic.
Q:
What kind of material are Precision Spray Nozzles made out of?
A:
PBT Plastic (Polybutylene Terephthalate).
Q:
Is PBT a better plastic?
A:
PBT is a highly engineered plastic that is harder than ABS. It has
been chosen for the Precision Spray Nozzles and H2O chips because of
its physical properties. It also has a much lower coefficient of
friction so there is less energy loss as water travels across the
surface of the H2O Chip molded out of PBT Plastic.
Q:
Won’t the micro-vortexes of water that continuously form and
collapse rapidly inside the H2O chip wear out the plastic?
A:
NO. PBT Plastic has chemical and physical properties that are
uniquely designed to handle the turbulent water flow inside the
chip. PBT is a highly engineered plastic that is harder and smoother
than ABS, so less friction and abrasion occurs with PBT than ABS.
Think of it as a “Super Teflon” surface. Also, the amount of water
flowing through any Precision Spray Nozzle is at least 35% lower
than conventional, competitive spray nozzles so there is less water
to wear out a harder plastic.
Contact us if you need assistance --- 214-837-1553
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