Sprayer Tree Sprayers

   / Tree Sprayers
  • Thread Starter
#11  
Well for a first attempt, I ordered the valley spray gun. I'm going to try it on my electric pressure washer first- I'm hoping I can keep the PSI down to 1000, and get a decent spray by feeding it from my 25g sprayer tank. Not sure if the sprayer will even run without the hose pressure feeding it, but am going to try.

If that fails, I buy the PTO pump Rhett found for me. Since they came from different companies, no harm in trying just the gun first, and if it works it saves me time and effort.

I'll get parts Tuesday, so should know more next week.
 
   / Tree Sprayers #12  
I ordered the valley spray gun..

hi Zephrant,

I would not try connecting the "valley spray gun" to a pressure washer for testing, dangerous!

The "valley spray gun" is rated up too 1000 PSI @ 30 GPM (gallons per minute). It will spray 5 gallons of liguid in 10 seconds.
Home pressure washers are rated on a rough scale of 1500 PSI to 3500 PSI @ 2.5 GPM to 6 GPM.

To get the "valley spray gun" to preform and reach near its advertised 85 foot spray hieght, pressure and flow rate of fluid will need to be near its specifications.
The link to pump above is a little shy with specs of 18.49 GPM @ pressure of 365 PSI. It would be better suited to the 250 PSI @ 15 GPM spray gun at northerntool (39.99 one).

If your interested, here is another pump that exceeds the GPM for the 69.99 one.
ROLLER PUMP-MT-300
$243.95
38 GPM @ pressure of 450 PSI

a serious spray system, man it uses fluid though. One of my 30 gallon drums would last for 1 minute. Hope this helps.

Rhett
 
   / Tree Sprayers #13  
I use anti-freeze in my roller pump to keep it from rusting. It's not as messy and what little remains in the pump will mix better with water based chemicals than oil will for the next use.
 
   / Tree Sprayers
  • Thread Starter
#14  
The little electric washer I want to try is spec'd at 1200psi, and I doubt it makes that, but I'll be careful. I figure the gun has a little margin in it and that the pump probably does not put out what it is was spec'd at when new.

And since the pressure depends on the orifice in the gun, I suspect that the pressure will be more like running an open hose on the pressure washer. ;)

I am counting on the gun to have an adjustment on it to cut down the flow (and build pressure). It does say "up to 30 gpm"... If it does not, I may return it untried.

Anti-freeze is a good idea- in fact since I have plenty of it used that I've not taken to the transfer station yet, I could spare some for the pump. It's the low-tox stuff too, so a little safer to have laying around. Do you just fill it up and sit it on the shelf someplace, or do you plug the openings?
 
   / Tree Sprayers #15  
Anti-freeze is a good idea- in fact since I have plenty of it used that I've not taken to the transfer station yet, I could spare some for the pump. It's the low-tox stuff too, so a little safer to have laying around. Do you just fill it up and sit it on the shelf someplace, or do you plug the openings?

Here is a photo of my roller pump, which stays outside year round stored on the sprayer. Picasa Web Albums - Matt - FIMCO Sprayer

I also run an antifreeze mix through the sprayer to protect the hoses, valves and nozzles.
 
   / Tree Sprayers
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Time for an update- It took until today for me to get the time to put it all together. With a couple of fittings from the House of Hose, I got the Valley Ind. gun attached to my electric (1200psi) pressure washer.

The gun works great- the front handle pivots to change from a stream to a very fine mist. Looks like it works very well for spraying trees. In the stream position I could just barely hit the peaks of my roof from the ground, which is at least 30' up.

I did notice that with the pressure washer turned off (but the house water still on) the sprayer could also reach the peak, but with less flow. So in full-stream mode putting the pressure washer in the middle does nothing but add to the GPH put out.

The problem came in the area that was the sketchiest- when I try to feed the pressure washer from a bucket (simulating a water/pesticide mixture) then the washer wants to stall. I'll still need to hook up some kind of booster pump between my spray tank and the pressure washer to get this all working.

So what does the Valley gun buy me that the washer won't do by itself? Just the ability to change the spray pattern- from dense fog to a stream. Well, that and the way-cool motorcycle gripped gun with the bright red end.... :)

Since the control on the gun can be used to turn off the spray completely (stalling the pressure washer) it looks like it work would for most any GPM pump, not just something that throws 30gpm at 1000psi, as my washer is far less than that. I've not yet measured it, but I doubt I was doing more than 2gpm max.

Next up- rig it up with my 25g spray tank as the source. I might yet buy the PTO pump, as that solves the issue, but to save cash maybe I'll try a pump or two I have laying around here first. I really only need to use this twice a year, so don't want to sink too much in to it.


But I like the gun.
 
   / Tree Sprayers
  • Thread Starter
#17  
Matt- From your Picasa page- "The blue color is from the tracer dye in the chemical cocktail."

How do you use dye? I'm having problems telling exactly here I've gone in some places- Last time I was out I grabbed a stick and drug it in the dirt once in a while to give me something to look for the next loop around.
 
   / Tree Sprayers #18  
Matt- From your Picasa page- "The blue color is from the tracer dye in the chemical cocktail."

How do you use dye? I'm having problems telling exactly here I've gone in some places- Last time I was out I grabbed a stick and drug it in the dirt once in a while to give me something to look for the next loop around.

As I recall I use 10oz of dye for a 50-gallon herbicide and water mix. It will fade in a day or two depending on strength and available sunlight. Gemplers www.gemplers.com has it; but I bought my gallon jug at the co-op where I buy my chemicals. Undiluted, it is about the same color as Dykem's blue machinist's dye.
 
   / Tree Sprayers
  • Thread Starter
#19  
I wanted to try the above spray gun on my little sprayer- It is a 25g tow-behind model, for small lawns and such. The pump on it is rated at 1.8gpm (Shurflow 8000-248-250)

With $40 worth of brass fittings, I was set. I hooked it up and tested with some water. I was able to just barely reach the peaks of my roof- holding the gun over my head with one hand. Sorter than the pressure washer by at least 6', maybe 10'.

But it was easier to mix the bug spray and use it that way, then to come up with a way to feed a mixture in to the pressure washer. (I had been planning on a venturi/siphon on the input, or a header tank with pump.)

So I dressed up in a poncho, hat, respirator, gloves, and a coat and sprayed about 15g of water with 15 ounces of Viper (which contains cypermethrin at 25.4%) over about 4000 square feet of metal siding and about 500 square feet of metal eves. I put extra spray at the points in the facia where bees have gotten behind it via loose fittings.

I really liked the thought of metal sideing / eves / fascia for the fire resistance (and no painting), but I don't like the gaps and drain-holes that let bugs bug nests behind it.


I sprayed about two weeks ago, and I've really noticed a drop in wasp activity. Before I could not be outside without being harassed- buzzed around the head, in the face, etc. Pretty tough on my 2 year old girl... Went outside with the kids today for an hour, and didn't have any issues at all.


Coming up next- I want to use the spray tank / pump as a head-end tank for the pressure washer, and see how that goes. It means I'd need 110v power to spray, but I could always use an inverter if the cords become too much of a hassle.

Sorry no pictures, I'll take some next time I have it out and post them.
 
   / Tree Sprayers #20  
I have an electric Stihl pressure washer that is used to spray trees, grass, flowers, etc. Never had a problem with the system or pump. Since its electric, I take it out on the road or fields by hooking on my tractor powered PTO alternator and put a 150 gallon solution tank in the front end loader bucket. Plug it in, feed it with a hose from the tank, raise the bucket to get some head pressure and bingo, a tree sprayer, a weed sprayer, a mosquito sprayer and a remote car washer. I even used it a few times to spray a mist on the horses. They loved it during hot August days. Set the spray wand to wide pattern and that's all I ever need. Wash out with clear water.
 
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

2025 66in Dual Cylinder Grapple Skid Steer Attachment (A49346)
2025 66in Dual...
2007 Ford Econoline Van, VIN # 1FDWE35SX7DB47562 (A48836)
2007 Ford...
80in HD Tooth Bucket with Side Cutters ONE PER LOT (A50397)
80in HD Tooth...
UNUSED RAYTREE QUICK ATTACH GRADER BLADE (A50460)
UNUSED RAYTREE...
2018 Nissan Versa SV Sedan (A48082)
2018 Nissan Versa...
2014 INTERNATIONAL DURASTAR 4400 SERVICE TRK (A50459)
2014 INTERNATIONAL...
 
Top