Sprayer decision...please give me your opinion

[boomer1025]

Go to Aggrand.com and do a search for Boom Sprayer A2Z Ranch. The guy built a sprayer you can pull with a truck or tractor.

 

[HCJtractor]

Thanks for all the input. Here's what I am thinking. I think a skid type sprayer may be the best way to go for my needs. I need to get a tote and build a frame or platform for it. I assume the tubular frame it has is not strong enough to attach lift points to so that it can be lifted on/off a truck bed with a hoist or the FEL. So a good framed platform would allow for lifting rings and also serve as a place to mount the pump, plumbing, valves, filter, battery, etc. This way it can be self-contained and can be managed quickly by one person. I can lift it onto my truck bed, fill it, and go.

I think a good 12 V pump like the fat boy, and a battery. And the boomless seems to be better for me. I think booms would be hard to manage in tight spaces from the cab of the truck. And coverage for herbicide on food plots should be good enough. I have a Fimco wireless switch that I just bought and that should work to control it.

I could also integrate 3 point lift attachment points just in case I want to spread with my tractor, and I suppose it would be fairly easy to convert it to a PTO roller pump in the future if that was ever desired.

Does this sound feasible? Any problems with this concept??

 

[Smallplot]

I assume the tubular frame it has is not strong enough to attach lift points to so that it can be lifted on/off a truck bed with a hoist or the FEL. So a good framed platform would allow for lifting rings and also serve as a place to mount the pump, plumbing, valves, filter, battery, etc. This way it can be self-contained and can be managed quickly by one person. I can lift it onto my truck bed, fill it, and go.

You would be correct. The totes are designed to be lifted with pallet forks and stacked for storage. If you have a set of pallet forks for your FEL you are in good shape.

If you usually spray the same thing you will be in good shape. Sounds like you have everything planned out.

 

[Old Red]

Thanks for all the input. Here's what I am thinking. I think a skid type sprayer may be the best way to go for my needs. I need to get a tote and build a frame or platform for it. I assume the tubular frame it has is not strong enough to attach lift points to so that it can be lifted on/off a truck bed with a hoist or the FEL. So a good framed platform would allow for lifting rings and also serve as a place to mount the pump, plumbing, valves, filter, battery, etc. This way it can be self-contained and can be managed quickly by one person. I can lift it onto my truck bed, fill it, and go.

I think a good 12 V pump like the fat boy, and a battery. And the boomless seems to be better for me. I think booms would be hard to manage in tight spaces from the cab of the truck. And coverage for herbicide on food plots should be good enough. I have a Fimco wireless switch that I just bought and that should work to control it.

I could also integrate 3 point lift attachment points just in case I want to spread with my tractor, and I suppose it would be fairly easy to convert it to a PTO roller pump in the future if that was ever desired.

Does this sound feasible? Any problems with this concept??

Please post up pictures to this thread when you have it all complete. Thanks!

 

[Grateful11]

Go to Aggrand.com and do a search for Boom Sprayer A2Z Ranch. The guy built a sprayer you can pull with a truck or tractor.

Here's the only thing I find searching A2Z at Aggrand.com:

It's a pdf so I don't know how some browsers will handle it, Chrome opens it right up:

http://www.aggrand.com/articles/boom_sprayer_a2z_ranch.pdf

 

[Boeing]

HCJ, (op) AND Rockin'G,
Several questions.....I need to do the same but for only 3 cleared acres.

First,
HCJ, when you decide which route to go, I'd be interested in buying your 25 gallon unit.....
Second, I HAVE 3 of those 300 gallon tanks that Rockin' has, I can let one go for you to use if you go that route.

Rockin', when you say boomless.....where is the actual spray head? Are you standing in the back with a wand? I'd like your setup WITH booms.... Could I rig up 1/2 PVC with nozzles or drill small holes?

And lastly, MY land is sloped....about 15-20 degrees....if I go VERY slowly the tractor is OK.... I would be terrified to traverse this with a high 4X4 truck ESPECIALLY with 900# of higher CG tank in the bed. (can you say roll bar?)

Really appreciate some suggestions for my application. (don't have an ATV, but do have 3PT hitch tractor (with PTO) Thought if I got an ATV sprayer I could "strap" it on my box scraper?)
Thanks

 

[Boeing]

HCJ,
One other comment concerning Pallet Forks....
My tractor....30 HP Kubota has a front end loader. I bought some really heavy pallet forks to move these water tanks. I first tried to lift a full tank....grunt, no way. Then I drained about 1/3 of the water, (100 gallons)....grunt, no way. I then dumped HALF that water, it lifted the rear of the tractor. I went back and hooked the box scraper on the rear for weight. It SLOWLY lifted the 1/2 filled tank. I looked at the owners manual later :mur: (better late than never) and see that my FEL's MAX is 1,000 pounds. I presume that INCLUDES the bucket (about 300 lb.s) now add those heavy forks (100) the empty tank (80) which leaves me with about 500 lb capacity..(LESS than 80 gallons)....duh.
Another item, if the forks are set with NARROW spacing they WILL BEND your bucket......
Take care

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

Boeing,
I use this boom less nozzle.http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...20driven-_-Recently%20Viewed-_-Product%20Page

I mounted it on 1" square tubing and use a C-bolt so I can adjust the height to get the spray width I need. I will take a picture of it when I get back to the ranch.

 

[Boeing]

Thanks Rockin'
That looks good.....it says it needs 1.5 gallons at 20 PSI. Will a 12V pump do that or will I need a PTO pump? I only have two fields, a 2 acre and a one acre. the rest is forest..... thanks

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

Thanks Rockin'
That looks good.....it says it needs 1.5 gallons at 20 PSI. Will a 12V pump do that or will I need a PTO pump? I only have two fields, a 2 acre and a one acre. the rest is forest..... thanks

There are many 12v pumps that will pump 2.0 GPM @ 45 psi. Shur-Flo or Delavan have them. I would use a 3-4 GPM pump to have more flexibility in the spray width. You will need a return line to the tank with a valve to control rate through the nozzle. This is how you control the width of the spray. The 2.0 GPM will give the width they advertise. Higher rate going through the nozzle will increase the width and a lower rate will decrease the width. Just open or close the return line valve to get the width you want.

 

[newbury]

HCJ,
One other comment concerning Pallet Forks....
my FEL's MAX is 1,000 pounds. I presume that INCLUDES the bucket (about 300 lb.s) now add those heavy forks (100) the empty tank (80) which leaves me with about 500 lb capacity..(LESS than 80 gallons)....duh.

What's your 3pt max?

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

Here is the setup I bought a few years ago. It comes with the boom less tip, 1" square tubing, U-bolt and hoses for hook up. Enlarge the picture and note the tube with the nozzle. It does not come with the tank and pump. It has the same tip that I perviously posted from Northern Tools.
http://atv-toys.com/greatday-atv-superspot-sprayers-spraytip.htm

 

[Boeing]

Rockin'.....I just bought a "25 gal boom-less spot sprayer" from Bass Pro shop. I would have preferred a 50 gallon but they got real expensive and I only have 3 acres to spray. It's made by Moultrie, pump by shurflow (?) The pump puts out 1.8gal, 60 psi and has a pressure gauge. The included boom-less nozzle says 10' spray width. Does anyone know if I can REPLACE that nozzle with the 16' nozzle that you gave us a link to? It said that it needs 1.5 gal at 20 PSI.....
And another question that I can't figure out is.....would the extra spray WIDTH reduce my spraying "endurance"? What I'm trying to ask (very poorly) is that if the pump still puts out 1.8 GPM......and I have a 25 gallon tank.....I have about 14 minutes endurance. Would a wider spray nozzle reduce my spray time? Or maybe I'd have to go alot slower for thorough coverage....:ashamed:
There is a chart with this sprayer and 10' nozzle showing that at 4 MPH (or something) 25 gallons will cover 1 acre. This same chart says that at 7.6 MPH it will cover 1.8 acres etc. IF I can spray a wider pattern it will take less turns to cover my two acre rectangular field...thereby covering more footage in 14 minutes.....or words to that effect Oh yes.....how do I know how fast I am traveling? Maybe the Kubota manual covers that? RPM vs. which gear etc.....duh. I seem to mow in "turtle"
4th gear.....that keeps the RPM up near 2200. "Rabbit" 1st or 2nd is about the same speed but the RPM is too low for the bush hog to cut cleanly. Hmmm. with an electric sprayer the PTO is not a factor....sorry.:laughing:
Oh yes, somebody asked about my 3 pt lift.......I have no idea what it will lift. It lifts a 500lb disk or the 400lb box scraper with ease. It might lift a heavier water tank but then it only goes up about 14" and longer arms would reduce it's capacity....... all this is too complex. I need a nap. :thumbsup:
Full I]

 

[pharmvet]

Last year I purchased a 200 gallon 3 pt. Wylie Defender with fold out booms and a nice hand sprayer. I used it to kill about 25 acres of bermuda / bahia for a native grass restoration project. It worked well, but my Ford 7710 FWA with no weights on front got a little light in the front end on some turns. My tank is parallel the the axis of the tractor, I think a better design would be for it to be perpendicular to keep more weight closer to the tractor.

I used it again this spring as added insurance on a controlled burn. It came in handy a couple of times with some cedar trees on the edge of the perimeter. Only problem was that I bent the legs crossing some creeks. A better design would be legs that were removable or at least that you could pull upright ant out of the way. If I keep this unit, I plan to modify the legs so that they will be out of the way for creek crossings, and I also plan to implement some sort of skid plate that will protect the area at the bottom of the tank where the hose comes out and goes to the PTO pump. All in all, I think the 3 pt unit is a good choice for food plotters and such. I have some plots and woods roads that would prohibit the use of a pull type. Good luck

 

[HCJtractor]

This is what I have come up with after much research and advice here on TBN. I debated about several styles, 3 point vs. trailer vs. skid type. For my needs, hopefully this will work. I wanted it easy to transport, able to fill with water at home rather than on site, quick, and not dependent on having a tractor, and of course, cheap!

I bought a 275 gal. tote, and plumbed it with common hardware store items. The pump is the mac-daddy 12 V. pushing over 6 gallons per minute. It was the most costly thing, about $250. The jet is a tee jet boomless found at Tractor supply. It has 5 nozzles, but I had to plug the outer two as it just sprayed too wide for my usage. Even with them plugged, it sprays about a
35' path. I need to play with the PSI and angulation and height of the jet. I connected it to a deep cycle battery, but will eventually wire it to my upfitter switch on my dash, and have a plug in. THe hoses have quick connects and it also has a spray wand for occasional use. I will try it out soon to spray my plots and road ways with Roundup.

 

[Boeing]

WOW, HC, I'm pretty impressed. Since I only have two little fields, a 2 acre anda 1 acre, I don't need anywhere as much capacity but I'm pretty impressed with your ingenuity and talent.:thumbsup:

 

[HCJtractor]

Thanks! But I don't want to get too cocky until I see how it works in the field! It works great wetting my shop floor. I think the first time I use it will be a learning experience. I probably need to be back in the truck bed monitoring the flow while someone else drives. I think proper speed will be critical as far as coverage. And I expect some overspray, but in my situation, killing some road or plotside plants will not matter, in fact, it is desired to maybe minimize the trimming I have to do. I designed the rear hitch so that I can also attach my boom (from my little 20 gallon ATV sprayer) by only using one bolt, and the hoses will also quick connect, so if I need more accurate coverage, I can always switch from boomless to boom.

I also see the need for a 12V controlled valve. I thought i could control it from the cab by simply turning the motor on/off with a remote switch, but it tends to dribble, and that will waste chemicals. But all in all, I think it will work, and at least it has the capacity to cover some ground without having to return to a water source to refill.

I initially intended to build a frame so I could lift it with my FEL, but after some thought, I decided lighter was better. I can now load it in my truck by myself (empty of course). And I don't see the need to ever lift it with water in it.

 

[Smallplot]

Here are some things to consider. First make sure you have an area away from a public car wash to wash the back of your truck off. Secondly if that pump don't have thermal protection be prepared to shut it down to let it cool.

The dribble you are talking about is the main reason I always recommend diaphragm spray bodies and booms.

 

[HCJtractor]

Tried out my new sprayer today. It actually worked well. I put out about 450 gallons of glyphosate and 2-4D over various food plots and roadways. I had a friend drive the truck while I operated the 12V switch. It covered about a 30 ft. swath. The pump stayed cool to the touch and did great. Some of the areas were grown up in 24" tall grasses so it will interesting to see how it responds. I feel I will need to bush hog before I plant, and maybe even spray again. I probably should have cut it a few weeks ago first, before I sprayed. How does grass this tall usually react? Can't wait to see the result and to try out my new notil planter and drill.

 

[Boeing]

Hey guys,
I bought a 25 gallon sprayer from Bass Pro Shop....fairly cheap, $149. It was meant to strap onto the rear of an ATV.
I need some ideas to make a carrier for my 3 PT. hitch.....
I thought about making some attachment rings and a wood PALLET....
Ideas? PHOTOS?
thanks:licking: