Goldacres has released the best value locally manufactured trailed spraying models with the Prairie Special Series 2 with product capacities of up to 10,000 litres
Following our exclusive story on the release of Goldacres Prairie Special Series 2 trailed sprayers the range has simply taken off as the ideal cost solution for many farm operations. See feature story release details on this link.
The Prairie Special Series 2 trailed models have been popular across all states and even prompted local manufacturer Goldacres to set up an additional dealer network for Esperance and Great Southern in Western Australia.
Expanding their operation in WA has prompted Goldacres General Manager Roger Richards to relay information about the exciting times ahead for the Australian-made sprayer range, with ongoing product enhancement that will give farmers access to the added functions and benefits of running a locally made sprayer.
Goldacres has appointed Andrew Hill as Product Specialist for southern WA, along with Mike Hutton as WA Operations manager to further strengthen their commitment to the region.
There is a strong affinity with the Prairie Special name from within the Goldacres camp as the first sprayer was introduced in the mid-1990s, and at that time was made as a model very simple to operate as specialist sprayers were being introduced to farmers.
From the time of its first release, the 2500L Special sprayer quickly established itself as a great time saver for many medium-sized cropping and pasture spraying operations.
With continued requests from farmers, the Prairie Special range was extended to cater for more operations. And this is the point Goldacres engineers decided to offer two model designations.
There were the small-frame models with tank sizes of 2500 and 3000-litres to cater for smaller operations, while large-frame models with capacities of 4000, 5000 and 6500-litres were made available for larger-scale operations, but still in a simplistic cost-effective design.
With the release of higher capacity large-frame models at the end of 2022, this is where the cross-over from a self-propelled model versus trailed has become less certain because operators now have the choice of 10,000-litre with tow connection.
The large-frame Prairie Special Series 2 models now offer product in 4000, 5000, 6500, 8500 and 10,000-litre tank capacities, backed up with highly functional boom widths from 24 to 36m.
And while large-frame Prairie Special Series 2 models have still maintained their budget price category, their spray functions have been developed more in line with their costlier counterparts, the Goldacres Prairie Pro Series 2 range of sprayers. See this link for Prairie Pro Series 2 model information.
Prairie Special Series 2 fast fill
But getting back to the Goldacres Prairie Special Series 2 large-frame models, they have still maintained their good value while offering one of the quickest filling systems available.
Now called fast-fill, the left-hand side workstation incorporates all external sprayer functions in one location. It gives the operator control of two separate plumbing circuits, fresh water going into the sprayer and directing flow from the pressure side to each internal system.
The fill point connection is 75mm (3-inches) and for those in a hurry there is the option for a 75mm (3-inches) high flow hydraulic centrifugal pump with flow rates up to 1150-litres/min.
Adding chemicals is very simple and quick with the 60-litre induction hopper with a chemical probe connection point in the base, it has a transfer rate of 150-litres/min. With the option to hand tip granular or liquid chemicals into the hopper tank.
Plumbing for the Goldacres Prairie Special Series 2 large-frame models is designed to allow for higher fill and application rates. Fitted with an ISOBus controller and boom plumbing in 5 sections as standard or the option of 10 sections with the Goldacres RapidFire nozzle switching and RapidFlow boom recirculation and 3TS nozzle technology.
Prairie Special Series 2 booms
The boom chosen by Goldacres engineers to be fitted to large-frame Prairie Special Series 2 is the proven TriTech in widths of 24, 28, 30 and 36m.
This choice has been based on Tritech booms continually raising the standard in terms of stability delivering outstanding spray application. With its unique suspension to dampen the forces of Yaw, Roll and Pitch.
Hydraulic Yaw cylinders have been added to stiffen up the forward and backward movement of the boom while dampeners are fitted to control any boom roll.
The pitch, as in up and down movement, is controlled with hydraulic accumulators in the lift cylinders circuit. And to top it off for even greater control, there is an optional 5-sensor radar boom height control system that can be fitted.
Operators can choose from Standard plumbing configuration of 500mm single line boom valves with 5 boom sections, 3TS offset with rapid fire and rapid flow boom recirculation or 10 section single line rapid fire, rapid flow.
Goldacres engineers have advanced nozzle technology to the world’s best standard with a strong emphasis on drift control by including air induction (AI) technology.
Goldacres has developed a 3-tier system (3TS) that effectively enables the operator to maintain a specific rate across a wider speed range while delivering a consistent droplet size within the nozzle pressure range.
Goldacres 3TS effectively works across three steps where each nozzle type has an operating pressure band for a given droplet size.
As the first nozzle reaches the top of the pressure band it switches off and the next larger-size nozzle switches on. When that nozzle reaches the top of that pressure band the first nozzle will switch on again, effectively giving three operating bands.
Goldacres Prairie Special Series 2 trailed sprayers can be seen in a dealership near you on this link. Or check for more model specifications on this link.
