ISO 15886-3:2012 specifies the conditions and methods used for testing and characterizing the water distribution patterns of irrigation sprinklers. The term sprinkler is used in a broad generic sense and is meant to cover a wide variety of products as classified by ISO 15886-1. The specific performance measurements addressed include distribution uniformity, wetted radius, and water jet trajectory height. This standard applies to all irrigation sprinkler classifications for which these three performance measurements are required to verify the design objectives as defined by the manufacturer.

ISO 15886-3:2012 deals both with indoor and outdoor tests and with radial and full grid tests. It is organized so as to deal with conditions common to all tests first and then with conditions unique to indoor testing only and finally with conditions unique to outdoor testing only.

For any given sprinkler, a wide range of nozzle configurations, operating conditions, and adjustments generate at least a theoretical need for a correspondingly large number of tests. Testing agencies and manufacturers may use interpolation techniques to reduce the number of actual test runs provided accuracy standards are still being met.

ISO 15886-3:2012 does not address the specific performance testing required for sprinklers intended for use in frost protection. It also does not address the topic of drop spectrum measurement and characterization and the related questions of soil compaction, spray drift, evaporative losses, etc., all of which can be considerations in the design of sprinkler irrigation systems.

To apply ISO 15886-3:2012 for evaluating irrigation coverage, all sprinklers must be identical and arranged in a fixed repeating geometric pattern. ISO 15886-3:2012 does not apply to moving systems.

ISO 15886-3:2012 applies to part-circle sprinklers provided that the testing agency can satisfy questions of potential anomalies in performance parameters.

One annex addresses the procedures for the characterization of sprinkler pattern uniformity; another addresses testing part-circle sprinklers.