Homemade Sprayer Nozzle question

[woodlandfarms]

I am mulling over building my own 55 gallon weed sprayer, handling fertilizer, roundup and crossbow.

I have a bunch of rainbird sprinkler heads floating around, why could I not use them?

 

[teg]

You can try, I know what you are talking about but my *guess* is that they would put out too much water (chemical/mix). I think they are rate in gallons per minute (really guessing now) vs. Gallons per acre. Maybe if you can drive really fast they could work. The open part of most nozzles I've worked with are about pin size but I have not seen what "Flood" nozzles are like.

You can hook it all up and if it doesn't work, swap out the nozzles.

 

[jjmarotz]

As expensive as fert,and roundup is these days you would go thru 55 gallons in no time flat. Look at the nozzle sizes, rainbirds put out probably 15 times the amount of liquid that a sprayer nozzle will. Also it would only put out at most a small stream vs. a spray pattern. Most liquids only need to be applied as a very fine mist to be most effective. A large stream of fertilizer would burn your crops, yard, flowers, etc. for the entire year if not longer. The missus of the house would let you know all year long, and your neighbors. If you need further details let me know as I just built the same thing for my tractor 3 months ago. I also have more pics if needed.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Uhhhhhhh Ummmmm YEAHHH!!!! Love as much info on from you and others who have made their own sprayers. I have seen the fancy ones, guys with machine shops and serious skills. How about those that don't have accessto that kind of stuff...

And as for the rainbird. The lowest flow heads I have are 1/2 gallon per minute.. X3... Ouch...

 

[jjmarotz]

Check with your local chemical dealer or ag supply store as they should have several different styles and sizes of nozzles. Some spray striaght, some fan out with different degrees of distance. It can be daunting to find all of the parts involved but it depends on how big of sprayer you need. Mine covers 15', but I do have electric selonoids to operate the right, left, and center section of my sprayer. One other option to a big spray rig is an ATV spot sprayer with a 4-6' boom added on. Check Northern Tool or even E-Bay for a 15-25 gallon sprayer.

 

[teg]

I kind of cheated by having two parts and putting them together... but it may help. You need to tell us a few things, like, How many acres do you want to spray? and is it one large field or many small wood plots? A simple design would be use a carry-all as the base and mount the 55 gallon drum on that. If you have a bunch of small plots, I think electric pumps are fine but if you get in to large fields, PTO pumps are better.

My electric pump connects to my battery (just a clamp with 20 amp fuse), I just run the wire to it when it's hooked up. My tank is 15 gallons but only use 12 gallons (roundup mix) to cover my driveway. I only use the four nozzles (Flat fans something like 80-02) that covers 6 feet behind the tractor. I don't use the outside booms (I run into things so I keep them folded up).

This is two units that were trashed and the boom pole is only clamped on to the main unit. Only for small spray jobs. I can change the pressure by diverting water back to the main tank. The pump can do 4.5 gallons per minute and 45psi. It was a little over $100. This is not the same unit but it seems close... ASC # 34928 Diaphragm Pump

 

[jjmarotz]

I agree with teg, the size of acreage, and specific use of a sprayer. If you are only doing your driveway a 15 gallon spot sprayer is perfect, anything over that you will want to think about a larger unit with or without fold up booms. Fill us in on what you plan on using this rig for and I am sure there will be many others who will add to this thread with good (and sometimes questionable) ideas. But you only learn from others experiences.

 

[woodlandfarms]

My tractor is the PT 1850. All implements on the front. I was thinking about getting a 55 gallon drum, using the forklift feature and mounting the barrel upfront. I need a spraywand with at least 50' of lead. I have a bunch of very nice plastic pallets I thought of using and getting a plastic 55 gallon drum for 15 bucks or so.

The land I want to deal with may be upwards of 20 acres, but it will never be sprayed at one time. Maybe 3 to 5 acres at a time. (how long does 55 gallons last, anyway?). My land is slopey and the PT can handle it. I just have to make sure the sprayer will work at 30 to 40 degree slopes.

I have a design in my head, keeping the sprayers pointing down so I do not cover much more than 10 or 15 feet at a time. I hate the thought of having the spray nozzles in front, but I am a lazy person and do not want to run a hose down the side of my tractor to atttach to a rear boom (Cancer? Ease of use? Such a decision).

Anyway. I will take all the ideas and criticism I can get.

Carl

 

[mboulais]

I bought all the parts I needed for two atv boom sprayers here:

Agri Supply® - Where we have Something for Everyone for your Farm Shop & Home - NC, SC, GA, VA, Tifton, Garner, Florence, Statesboro, Petersburg, Greenville, Lumberton

Price was good and shipping fast.

 

[teg]

You'll get soaked is my guess. How hard is it to drive in reverse?? As for how long 55 gallons will last; depends on your speed and nozzles... you'll have to figure out Gallons per Acre. For me, I put out 12 gallons per acre going 3 mph (which is REALLY fast on a hill ). I've posted before how to calculate it out...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/100603-sprayer-calibration.html#post1145249

Edit: After looking over my post... I'm not the easiest person to understand Hopefully, someone can explain it in *real* english!!

.

 

[diyDave]

If you want to make it on the cheap, get a electric on demand pump with a switch on the pump that turns the pump off when it gets to a certain pressure.(Junker RV's are one source for used component, Surpluscenter.com also had them at one point) For a wand, steal one off of an old 2 gallon hand sprayer, or splurge, and buy a new, cheap one from wallyworld for about $10.

 

[jjmarotz]

If you want to make it on the cheap, get a electric on demand pump with a switch on the pump that turns the pump off when it gets to a certain pressure.(Junker RV's are one source for used component, Surpluscenter.com also had them at one point) For a wand, steal one off of an old 2 gallon hand sprayer, or splurge, and buy a new, cheap one from wallyworld for about $10.

That will work for spot spraying and slow mometary work. The problem with 12volt pumps is they tend to surge. The other issue is they do not build the pressure and keep that same pressure that a roller pump will do. I have built both types of spray rigs, (ie. 15 gallon spot sprayer with 10' booms, and I did experience spotty spray patterns. The electric pumps are good for certain applications but for supperior performance you want consistant pressure to deliver your chem's at a consistant rate.
This info is not based on just my experience, but rather my own, and an old retired farmer, (my Dad), and if anyone knows chem' application HE DOES!!!.

 

[woodlandfarms]

That will work for spot spraying and slow mometary work. The problem with 12volt pumps is they tend to surge. The other issue is they do not build the pressure and keep that same pressure that a roller pump will do. I have built both types of spray rigs, (ie. 15 gallon spot sprayer with 10' booms, and I did experience spotty spray patterns. The electric pumps are good for certain applications but for supperior performance you want consistant pressure to deliver your chem's at a consistant rate.
This info is not based on just my experience, but rather my own, and an old retired farmer, (my Dad), and if anyone knows chem' application HE DOES!!!.

i don't have the luxury of PTO so I am going to have to go electric. Welcome to the land of PT...

 

[Harry c]

I got the spray nozzles for my system at TSC. They are plastic so they don't corrode, were cheap, were easy to assemble. I use an electric pump with good results. Made my boom of PVC pipe. Use 2 fan nozzles and spray 80 inches wide. Works well on my BX24. I can spray a 1/2 acre section in about 5 minutes. I'm not doing acreage though...

 

[farm23]

For what it is worth, I have a PT1430 and use a 25 gallon sprayer on forks. It does a good job but I am thinking of converting a used 250 gallon water tank because I have to refill the 25 gallon spraye too often, it will have to be towed. The 55 gallon drum is a good idea, that way I can still cary on my forks.

 

[diyDave]

That will work for spot spraying and slow mometary work. The problem with 12volt pumps is they tend to surge. The other issue is they do not build the pressure and keep that same pressure that a roller pump will do. I have built both types of spray rigs, (ie. 15 gallon spot sprayer with 10' booms, and I did experience spotty spray patterns. The electric pumps are good for certain applications but for supperior performance you want consistant pressure to deliver your chem's at a consistant rate.
This info is not based on just my experience, but rather my own, and an old retired farmer, (my Dad), and if anyone knows chem' application HE DOES!!!.

JJ - I thought his whole point was to do the job on the cheap! If he wants to he can buy a complete electric sprayer for somewhere around $100.00, that uses a constant running pump which is no doubt more accurate. And that's coming from someone who makes his living spraying lawns and industrial areas-me.

 

[teg]

Going cheap... eh?? I wonder if this might work, use the 55 gallon drum on it's side and plumb it with the rainbird sprinklers with NO pump. Would a gravity feed system work?? Price would be right and you can get a cutoff valve to be able to slow down the flow, so you might be able to calibrate to a "within reasonable" results. That would also fix the problem of getting soaked with the sprayer sitting out front (larger droplets not prone to drift??)

woodlandfarms, what are your plans?

 

[woodlandfarms]

55 Gallon upright. Pump from Fimco or such. Booms made of PVC. Do not want to exceed 10 feet spray distance so only 3 nozzles. Need a wand with 50' of hose at least.

Carry the whole thing around with forklift attachment.

The trailer thing is quite interesting, but my skills with a Trailer on the PT could be quite disasterous. Also, need to figure out what kind of cart I would tow it all with.

Big thing is that I am going across steep slopes so I have to figure out how I am going to make that all work.

 

[teg]

Before buying anything, take the 55 gallon drum and strap it good to your carryall (I assume you have both) Fill it with water and take the drum for a spin around your property. This will test out your slopes (good time for seat belts!!!). Go ahead and duck tape a 10 foot piece of PVC on the front, too. Let us know how it does.

Personally, still wondering about gravity feed nozzles to (I just don't know).

 

[woodlandfarms]

Before buying anything, take the 55 gallon drum and strap it good to your carryall (I assume you have both) Fill it with water and take the drum for a spin around your property. This will test out your slopes (good time for seat belts!!!). Go ahead and duck tape a 10 foot piece of PVC on the front, too. Let us know how it does.

Personally, still wondering about gravity feed nozzles to (I just don't know).

Pulling a trailer (and pushing) is really a skill on a PT. The center articulation makes the whole process much, much more confusing.

As for Gravity, I have been learning a lot about fluid dynamics at our house as we are going on to a LUD (local utility district or in laymans terms, the whole road pitched in for a water system). They have 4 10,000 (I think) gallon tanks in and a 40X40 building going up on our property. To say I am learning a lot means Going from nothing to enough to be dangerous. What I am learning is you need some serious height between the tank and the nozzle. We are 30' below the tanks in elevation, and that is not near enough to create the 60 PSI for the house so we now have a booster pump going in.

I think the same would apply for the sprayer. The nozzles are rated at 40PSI to operate. I think if you gravity fed it it would just dribble out. Not to say you could not make custom nozzles that work with such reduced pressure...

Carl