Home brew AG sprayer

def38 · Mar 11, 2017

I've got a 50 gallon plastic chemical barrel that I want to convert into a homemade sprayer. I'll power the spray pump with 12 VDC from the tractor's electrical system. I'll mount it on a small trailer. I figure I'll need the following;

1- 12VDC pump.
2- Fittings for the barrel (pickup tube, threaded plugs for the two existing holes in the barrel end).
3- Reinforced plastic tubing.
4- Spray wand with handle valve.
5- Various nozzles for the various spray patterns.

I wish to broadcast spray the grass, treat the fruit trees, spray the vegetable garden and spray for bugs around the property. I'll not spray ammonia type liquids.

I have contacted sprayer supply companies but they do not reply.

What pressure and flow do you recommend? What nozzles will I need? Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance...

HCJtractor · Mar 12, 2017

Here's one i built. It has a valve to divert from the rear broadcast to a wand. Works great. It will spray a 40 foot swath. I use it to spray Roundup. Basically the plumbing is just copied from a standard ATV sprayer, just bigger

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sixdogs · Mar 12, 2017

HCJtractor said:
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Here's one i built. It has a valve to divert from the rear broadcast to a wand. Works great. It will spray a 40 foot swath. I use it to spray Roundup. Basically the plumbing is just copied from a standard ATV sprayer, just bigger

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)

That is a beautiful job. Clean, simple and correct.

def38 · Mar 12, 2017

Thanks. Nice looking system. What kind of flow does that pump provide? Is yours powered by the tractor battery?

Initially, I'll be using a wand only but with 5 acres, I may have to add a spray head. What nozzle(s) are you using?

HCJtractor · Mar 12, 2017

The pump was the most powerful i could find, don't remember the specs. It will empty the 250 gallon tote pretty fast, in about an hour or so (I'm guessing). The spray head is from tractor supply and cost around $100, but works great . I occasionally use a regular wand from Northern. I planned to hardwire it to one of my truck remote switches, but never did. So I just use a deep cycle battery in my truck bed and connect it with alligator clips.

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Creamer · Mar 12, 2017

I use a 6 vane roller pump on the PTO to power my sprayer. I run it about 1000 RPM and it does a great job supplying the 7 nozzles with liquid. I run the system at about 25 psi.

TheNerd · Mar 12, 2017

That last picture with nozzles working is spraying 1/2 of the product into the air and concentrating on the overlap due to the angle and losing product to the air at 45 degrees. Round up and most applications needs direct contact with the plant.
You need a boom with nozzle spacing and height for proper overlap/coverage. The triangle sprays need to slightly overlap without converging (slight left to right from center, my nozzle holders have this angle built in) when contacting the surface. My Honda gas home built sprayer needs 18 inch high and 18 inch spacing about 45 psi with Teejet 11008 VS nozzles. TeeJet's website should have a calculator for nozzles. This can be attached to your wand.
I was just given a older boom sprayer that fits in JD Gator it uses 10 inch spacing and 10 or 12 inch height. I have not looked at the motor or started. It has Wilger Combo Jet DR80-06 and Fr80-02 nozzles.
I do not use electric pump motors. Use the width of the trailer and see if the pump can support the nozzles needed for full width pass or more, you really don't want to drive on your spray. The new commercial sprayers even a foam marking system to set up your next pass overlap. I am old school and use my previous tire depressions and gauge the distance to overlap the previous pass. This should work for you. You want the edges of the outside triangle spray to overlap about two inches. Test on a dry surface like a parking area.
I am a golf Superintendent and mainly spray tees and greens (70000 sq feet for greens). Five acres is my last three fairways that I rarely spray them. My boom is 18 feet wide and it takes time and reloading the 110 gallon tank. Even flicking granular fertilizer on the fairways 30 foot spacing it takes a long time for 5 acres and only twice a year.
Depending on your water and what you spray brass nozzles are expensive. I only use TeeJet aluminum nozzles and replace once a year or over 12000 gallons sprayed.

A tip on figuring the amounts to use mix with water. I found this very helpful when I have the odd brain fart or with a new product. You should now your area size. The label gives the rest or recipe. If 3 pies take 90 cherries, how many to make one? or 10 pies?
3/90=1/30 or 10/300
You have three of the four numbers needed. Set the numbers over the dividing mark and cross multiple and divide by the other number you know. Then do the same with water to make the spray up. The pie reference was from grade five math found online but I understand the math again and can carry on. Speed over ground is determined by volume over distance at set speed, same as above you know your speed and the amount used(measuring each nozzle over known/same time) How much do you use over time and known distanst at a given speed? It is only ratios and can be as simple as cherries to pies or chips to cookies. This is confusing to start but think pies or cookies and it might make you giggle how easy it can be. I am in metric and have to covert also. 4-6 mph speed is my normal speeds.
Happy to answer any questions.
Chad.

def38 said:
Thanks. Nice looking system. What kind of flow does that pump provide? Is yours powered by the tractor battery?

Initially, I'll be using a wand only but with 5 acres, I may have to add a spray head. What nozzle(s) are you using?

TheNerd · Mar 12, 2017

I like this. Out side the tires. Speed over ground at 1000 rpm is gear dependent and should be stated.

Creamer said:
I use a 6 vane roller pump on the PTO to power my sprayer. I run it about 1000 RPM and it does a great job supplying the 7 nozzles with liquid. I run the system at about 25 psi.

TheNerd · Mar 12, 2017

This shows heavy product in the overlap and casting to the distance, heavy in the middle. Those nozzles look great! separate on a boom and you are good to go. You look to need one truck width for overlap currently for proper spray pattern and not efficient.

HCJtractor said:
The pump was the most powerful i could find, don't remember the specs. It will empty the 250 gallon tote pretty fast, in about an hour or so (I'm guessing). The spray head is from tractor supply and cost around $100, but works great . I occasionally use a regular wand from Northern. I planned to hardwire it to one of my truck remote switches, but never did. So I just use a deep cycle battery in my truck bed and connect it with alligator clips.

View attachment 501933

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

Creamer · Mar 13, 2017

TheNerd said:
I like this. Out side the tires. Speed over ground at 1000 rpm is gear dependent and should be stated.

Speed over ground is desired application rate dependent and varies depending on what I am doing and how it is mixed although typically I travel somewhere between 4 and 7 mph.

Briar Hill Brittanys · Mar 13, 2017

"What pressure and flow do you recommend? What nozzles will I need? Any other suggestions?".

IMHO, tips used will dictate the pressure, products applied will dictate the tips needed, and recommended application rate will dictate flow (gals/acre). It might be a booger getting the barrel rinsed adequately before the next use. I don't know the longevity of 12V pumps, but a PTO roller pump can be rebuilt. If going the boom route over the boomless, I'd recommend getting diaphragm tips, they eliminate dripping when the flow is shut off.

Here's my version, 35 gal tank, 12' collapsible boom, 8 tips on 20" spacing, 12V solenoid valves for the boom and spray gun, and a 6 roller PTO pump.

Manifold, showing static pressure of 44# that drops to the recommended 40# when solenoid valve is opened. At that pressure, the gun will shoot a narrow stream about 30'.

Creamer · Mar 13, 2017

Nice set-up!

I have to ask - what do you want a gun that will shoot a narrow stream 30' for? The only thing I can think of is wasp nests and I usually do not mix up a 50 gallon tank of wasp spray.

Briar Hill Brittanys · Mar 13, 2017

Creamer said:
Nice set-up!

I have to ask - what do you want a gun that will shoot a narrow stream 30' for? The only thing I can think of is wasp nests and I usually do not mix up a 50 gallon tank of wasp spray.

Appreciate the flowers.

Don't know about anyone else, I find the reach pretty handy getting to the tops of 20'-30' peach and apple trees. Even if you have a 50 gallon tank, you don't have to fill it plumb full. The spray gun will also adjust like the picture below. Your mileage may vary, not legal for sale in CA, taxes title and dealer prep not included, etc.

sixdogs · Mar 14, 2017

That is a beautiful boom at the fold area. Are you able to post a couple closeups of the way it was done?

jenkinsph · Mar 16, 2017

It has been about 30 years since I built up a sprayer with tank and boom. I used a 6 roller pump and as I recall the adjustable pressure was controlled by a relief valve which would divert the circulation back to the tank. This also helped keep the contents mixed up. Is this still the way the pressure is controlled?

I would think that you adjust the pressure to the specs for the nozzle or wand and that these nozzles will determine the total flow rate.

I would also caution using a thin disposable drum for a long term chemical tank. A proper tank with a large lid is not expensive to buy and is much better suited for this purpose.

Creamer · Mar 16, 2017

That is how my sprayer works.

I have to agree with you on the tanks. that is why i bought mine about 10 years ago and paid $280 for it at Rural King on an end of year closeout (no pump). I figured that I could reconfigure it how I wanted it but it had the frame, tank, valving, boom, and all the plumbing included so i had a good start. I haven't changed much except adding another valve and a wand so I could spot spray as well as broadcast.

def38 · Mar 16, 2017

Fortunately, my plastic barrel is made for chemical transport and will more than do the trick. As for roller pumps, the tubing and rollers will likely need more frequent service than the multi cavity diaphragm pump. And the diaphragm assembly is replaceable if necessary As for mixing, with the barrel on my two wheeled trailer, I believe the rock and roll of the trailer will keep things homogeneous. Thanks for all the replies...I now know what I need.

73

Creamer · Mar 16, 2017

I wasn't talking about a roller pump that compresses the tubing - i was talking about a roller vane pump. Cheap, durable, and very tolerant of abuse.

You are right having it on a trailer will keep it mixed unless you are on super smooth ground.

jenkinsph · Mar 16, 2017

def38 said:
Fortunately, my plastic barrel is made for chemical transport and will more than do the trick. As for roller pumps, the tubing and rollers will likely need more frequent service than the multi cavity diaphragm pump. And the diaphragm assembly is replaceable if necessary As for mixing, with the barrel on my two wheeled trailer, I believe the rock and roll of the trailer will keep things homogeneous. Thanks for all the replies...I now know what I need.

73

A simple spray rig without the need for fine misting can get by with a cheaper simple pump. Fine misting requires much higher pressures to atomize the spray. That would require higher pressures up to 250 psi.

Nozzles for spraying a lawn, can be utilized at low pressures of 30 to 60 psi. If you want to spray tall trees higher pressures and good quality nozzles are needed. At this point you will also need good filtration to keep from plugging the nozzles too.