sprayer recommendations?

[smstonypoint]

I will soon be in the market for a 15-25 gallon sprayer that I will be mounting on my UTV. I will be doing spot spraying for brush control and thus will not need a boom.

I would appreciate any recommendations as to what I should be looking for; e.g., diaphragm versus piston pump, particular brands, etc.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Steve

 

[forester2]

Depends on how much height you need and your budget. You may be able to get away with a roller pump or even the small 12 volt units.

 

[2fast2]

I have a 25 gal. model that I picked up at Tractor Supply. It worked well for the first year or two until we tried to use it for some pre-emergent work and we clogged it up and did in the valves. Got replacement parts but then my wife rolled the trailer it was on and broke it again. Got it working again, but it never has been as good as when it was new.
Properly taken care of, I think this would do exactly what you want. Don't run stuff through it that has hard to dissolve solids, don't tip it over and drop it onto the road and clean it after every use and you should be fine.
Ours is by FIMCO, I think. I'm sure there are better, but I recall paying just over $100 on a closeout.
It runs off 12 Volt and has alligator clips which we used with our golf cart and ATV. Now that we have a Gator, I'd feel better about using it without being too much for the ATV or inconvenient in a trailer behind the golf cart.

 

[1bush2hog]

I have a 25 gal. model that I picked up at Tractor Supply. It worked well for the first year or two until we tried to use it for some pre-emergent work and we clogged it up and did in the valves. Got replacement parts but then my wife rolled the trailer it was on and broke it again. Got it working again, but it never has been as good as when it was new.
Properly taken care of, I think this would do exactly what you want. Don't run stuff through it that has hard to dissolve solids, don't tip it over and drop it onto the road and clean it after every use and you should be fine.
Ours is by FIMCO, I think. I'm sure there are better, but I recall paying just over $100 on a closeout.
It runs off 12 Volt and has alligator clips which we used with our golf cart and ATV. Now that we have a Gator, I'd feel better about using it without being too much for the ATV or inconvenient in a trailer behind the golf cart.

Sounds like we both have the same model. I bought a Fimco at TS also, and have been using it for several years. The pump on mine went out in the second year, so I replaced it with a higher flow pump and it has been working great ever since. Definitely clean it out good after each use, and after the final rinse, pour a little cooking oil in the tank and spray it out.

Depending on what type of ATV you have, the weight of a full 25 gallon tank will exceed most rear rack capacities. The rear rack on my Grizzly 660 has a couple of bends and dings, but so far it has held up well, but I am usually going very slow and crawling when on steep terrain.

I usually put out 2-300 gallons of herbicide a year with mine -

 

[2fast2]

I'd like to know about your pump upgrade because I might do exactly the same.
Good recommendation about the cooking oil, thanks!

 

[lefty squeeker]

look around for a good deal, many of smaller units are not very rebuildable the higher the gpm the better. be sure to give it a good rinse and flush the line after every use. check the dusty corners of tsc or any other farm/home store, the dustyer the better, and see if you can cut a deal with the store manager. usually get that size sprayer for around $125 around here.

 

[1bush2hog]

I'd like to know about your pump upgrade because I might do exactly the same.
Good recommendation about the cooking oil, thanks!

I think my sprayer originally came with a 1gpm/60psi pump and when it failed I replaced it with a 1.8 gpm/60psi shurflow from Northern Tool. Got it on sale at the sale they have every year around labor day and saved 20%. My stock pump had been acting up so I actually bought this pump before I needed it and just carried it with me. It is an easy swap out even in the field

I have a ton of invasives I have been battling to reclaim my property. They are so thick I can't even see the ground - spray them with Remedy and then go back in a month or two and I can see what I'm dealing with. I've got about 40ft of reach with this setup when I need it

Remember, Cheap sprayers are cheap for a reason

 

[lefty squeeker]

good idea on the gpm increase. if you're treating that often you might want to look a a comercial grade tank sprayer. when i was in the business they could be had for 5-700. ss tank, alum frame, about a 5hp gas engine. not exactly what most homeowners or even small landowners need. a local pco might tell you who has good prices on equipment.
i'm not familiar enough with that label to make any recomendations. in general a good application at the highest legal rate, followed by lesser rates to trouble areas should help you get ahead of it.

 

[ray66v]

The 12 volt models are all toys.

If you get one with a gas engine, rather than those wimpy electric models, there is a night and day difference.

When you want to spray a big area you can't go in, (like for poison ivy), spray big trees, spray using the boom in more than a little wind, or just get done in a reasonable amount of time, you need power.

I split the cost with my dad, and got a 25 gal 3.5 hp Fimco. 6gpm at about 80 psi max, you can use it for a frick'in pressure washer if you want.

The only way to go.

 

[lefty squeeker]

The 12 volt models are all toys.

If you get one with a gas engine, rather than those wimpy electric models, there is a night and day difference.

When you want to spray a big area you can't go in, (like for poison ivy), spray big trees, spray using the boom in more than a little wind, or just get done in a reasonable amount of time, you need power.

I split the cost with my dad, and got a 25 gal 3.5 hp Fimco. 6gpm at about 80 psi max, you can use it for a frick'in pressure washer if you want.

The only way to go.

that sounds like a sweet unit. we keep 2 of the electrics to spot spray around the house with atv's, and have a bigger pto driven unit for pasture work behind the 1528.