Pto sprayer for different vegetable crops

[Reyer Farms]

I'm looking at building a sprayer unit for our farm. I want high psi to open canopy especially fungicide coverage. Two boom configurations an upside down u, straight but adjustable height low to 7' for corn. I'm not sprayer savvy, what is my best option on pump style? Need it to work, easy maintenance, downtime is not desired. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, but I have not found anything else to do this with. Boom will be on right side only, cover one row of tomatoes with upside down u, and straight boom needs to be in two pieces foldable with valve. I only spray 8' on strawberries ( sprinkler system in row)but 14' with both sections down or more would be great for everything else. I could cover 30' with two passes on drive rows. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[DFB]

I cant really help build it but I can offer this catalog of sprayer equipment from the company we all use around here OESCO. At the orchard we use a pull blast trailer mount sprayer and at the old FIL's farm we had the 3pt pak blast sprayer for the vegetable crops including the corn. The have wide choices of boom or blast sprayer options including pto driven, truck bed mount, utv, atv, and even wheelbarrow style.

http://documents.oescoinc.com/catalog/WCAT23_spraying-WEB.pdf

 

[Ted Summey]

PTO driven 8 roller pumps have maximum pressures in the 300 psi range for under $500. They are very common pumps, parts are available and rebuild is SIMPLE. Available at must farm supply operations. Make sure to get the mounting kit to ensure the pump stays in place while in operation. Without proper mounting they torque and can twist with the PTO. The kit simplifies the solution. A plastic barrel in a 3 pt hitch frame and some plumbing will have you operational. If plumbed with the right valves you will have the option to tank mix your chemicals.

Look at Agri supply's website to see various configurations - just for some idea of what is available. You can find other sources as well.

 

[Reyer Farms]

Thanks, dfb and Ted!

 

[BHD]

on my sprayer I used a Delavan Turbo 90 PTO Pump, the big disadvantage of it is that it need 1000 RPM, I found a chain drive seed increaser, and used a PTO shaft I thought it made it easier, but if you have a 1000 RPM shaft you can direct connect and keep it from spinning, 90 gallon a min and it have more than enough for my 18 foot boom sprayer, but had plenty for the tank mixer/agitator, Delavan Turbo 90 PTO Pump, Model# 26566-11 | Sprayer Pumps| Northern Tool + Equipment

the sprayer is 30 years old and was used a lot during it first 15 years, but I have no double that it will go work right now if I needed it to, I did buy a rebuild kit for it, but never needed it, used it on 300 acers of corn when I was farming corn, stopped corn and don't us it any more,

some like the hydraulic power pumps, (I have one of them as well but never used it or even hooked it up) it was on some thing my son salvaged,
one of my friends used one on over 1000 acers of corn for a good many years, (his new sprayer may use one I have not looked at it, but he is into 1000 gallon sprayers, and 50 foot plus booms

 

[Reyer Farms]

Well I only have 540 pto. I wonder if I would have enough flow for a hyd. unit. Thanks for some more options.

 

[DFB]

Really need to know many gal per minute and psi to choose the right pump

Hypro makes belt driven 540 centrifgul pumps but much more expensive than your basic roller pump

The 1700 can do 25 gpm @540

 

[Reyer Farms]

Well a farmer far more experienced than myself suggested spraying at 300 psi. I did not ask gpm. That seems like a lot of pressure, I not sure. I just always got on and took of spraying.

 

[DFB]

I dont know all that much about it but seems that the number of nozzles pretty much determine volume flow and the spray pattern is pressure related plus theres agitation needed to keep the product in suspension. And I do know ground speed is also an important factor for correct per acre rates not to little but more importantly not too much when it comes to pesticide application. Besides saving money in the long run

When in doubt I always look online lol.
Virginia tech has a lot of good info on sprayer setup

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-032/442-032_pdf.pdf

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-452/442-452_pdf.pdf

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-453/442-453_pdf.pdf

 

[Reyer Farms]

I dont know all that much about it but seems that the number of nozzles pretty much determine volume flow and the spray pattern is pressure related plus theres agitation needed to keep the product in suspension. And I do know ground speed is also an important factor for correct per acre rates not to little but more importantly not too much when it comes to pesticide application. Besides saving money in the long run

When in doubt I always look online lol.
Virginia tech has a lot of good info on sprayer setup

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-032/442-032_pdf.pdf

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-452/442-452_pdf.pdf

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-453/442-453_pdf.pdf

Thanks for the links. The reasoning behind high volume and pressure is to not only open canopy of foliage, but especially on the strawberries- to cause the water drops to bounce up underneath the leaves for complete fungicide coverage.