Understanding the K-Factor of Your Nozzle
As familiar as the subject of water flow may be to some, there are still those that do not have the opportunity to apply it daily. As a result, they may not be as familiar with water flow as those of us who do. One comment that I often hear is that fixed and selectable gallonage nozzles are limited to the rating or setting. This is far from true. Any fixed or selectable gallonage nozzle can be under or over-pumped depending on what the desired outcome is. Now, obviously you would not want to go to extremes and generate too much nozzle reaction or have too low of a pressure, but there is some wiggle room for deviation from actual flow and pressure ratings. Let’s explore this concept a little further. What is a Nozzle’s K-Factor or K-Value? The flow rating on a fixed or selectable gallonage nozzle is simply how much flow it will deliver at that base nozzle pressure. This flow rating is a minimum, but not to exceed 10% above the flow rating at the rated base nozzle pressure.. F