Ag sprayers... I need some education

[kthompson]

Richard has made a good suggestion without saying it. If you look around and maybe ask around, there are some very good tractor pull sprayers and three point hitch systems that have been parked due to the purchase of the sprayer system as in his video. Do your studying, try to decide what you need, then what you want and what you budget is. You need the needs but not the wants. Think it would be wise to find a decent used one and if it suits you then great, if not should be able to resell and not take a hit. But there is no single perfect sprayer set up for every and you will find advantages to each style. I have two sprayers and use one as much as the other, one a 500 gallon pull sprayer and the other a 55 gallon 3 pth sprayer. I use the 55 gallon on a compact tractor for small jobs, tight spots and spot spraying.

Find you a lot with a wide selection of sprayers and just walk through them and study them until you realize the differences in them and how that would apply to your needs and your wants. Know the length and how wide your tractor is before you go and take at least 25 foot tape measure with you to get better idea how the sprayer would fit your tractor. I have learned a lot on equipment that way over the years.

 

[redman135]

Dadnatron, Some pumps are liquid only and a few are able to handle solids in suspension(blood and bone liquid fertiliser). Decide what sort of fertiliser you are going to be using FIRST.
Spray nozzles: Some spray types will require a ceramic nozzle, instead of a regular nozzle. List every spray you are planning to use and ask what are the nozzle requirements of these sprays?
Operation: To eliminate stripes(missed) within a boom width, ensure the spray fan has one side leading, ie left side forward /right side back so that the neighbour nozzle has the correct overlap to ensure correct spray coverage. If 2 spray fans intersect/ fight, the coverage is uneven and you get green stripes caused by insufficient chemical being applied in specific locations. Easy to show hard to explain.
Operation: To eliminate stripes BETWEEN passes, I recommend a foam marker. It runs on ordainary dish washing detergent and drops foam every 20 - 50 metres or so to give you a line. It is very easy to wander and leave green stripes. Perhaps farm gps is cheap enough these days. It wasn't when I was spraying.

 

[farmer2009]

Bought this this spring. I'm thinking something along this line would work well for you.

ProTank Pasture Blaster. 300 gallon tank, 8 roller pump, 34 foot boomless setup or 35 foot booms, with hand wand. It's a manual on/off so no cab can be used but for $200-300 I could make it electric boom controls. Has agitation. I'm not running a marker system or GPS currently. GPS is in the future. But I'm not new to sprayers.
It'll cover about 200 acres every year for us.

 

[farmer2009]

Forgot to add. It's setup for 15gal/ac. @ 5 mph. & 40 psi. Which gives you 20 acre loads. Without a multi thousand dollar rate controller you have to run off speed and pressure to adjust gal/ac.
Don't worry about getting something to spray in one load. Refills don't take that long. Are you going to trade it every time your needs change?

 

[Dadnatron]

Thanks for the information. I'm definitely seeing that what I grew up with has little validity in the current world.

Concerning Tire height... I see several sizes... from generic balloon equipment tires on a single axle or walking setup to tall/narrow tires. I understand the need for the taller tires with some crops etc. But What is the 'height' needed for Alfalfa and grass? I know the booms on many sprayers can be raised and lowered to get to an optimal spray, but I don't know whether the 'height' of the actual sprayer is a critical component.

Given minimal 'alfalfa' height at cut is roughly 20" to insure adequate root strength (at least that's what we always did except for final cutting), many of the sprayers I've seen drag along the top of the plants. I understand that 'about anything' can work in some circumstances, but do you all have any thoughts on benefits/disadvantages concerning actual sprayer height requirements (or optimal) for hay/pasture spraying?

Here is one that I have been looking at... it is a Hardi though... and has no spray tips on it. Otherwise, it looks like its in pretty good shape. Straight forward in cab 3 boom operation. Manual boom raise/lower.

Sprayer - farm & garden - by owner - sale

 

[farmer2009]

Looks like that one would work.

That's my only complaint with the. Ion setup I bought. But with the boomless setup I have time to redesign the booms. Basically if I set the booms high enough to get over crop they won't fold correctly into the holders and in the folding position they sag too much for me.

Didn't realize you were here in the state. Give Sanford and Son a call. They're in Bowling Green. That's where mine came from.

 

[Dadnatron]

Since I was posting on this last summer, I've looked at around 70 sprayers. They are either out of my $$$ range, or basically are worn/weathered to the shape of a rebuild. I spent all winter hoping to find something that would work for this spring and have been unable. So, I think I am going to likely to go the 'Rebuild' route. I've also realized that I will have few 'open' fields and most of my fields will be fenced paddocks, so I think I am going to go with a 3pt setup. After really thinking about my needs, the pull machines of about 500gal in my area would be too unwieldy I believe.

I have some 'replumbing' questions if you have experience and thoughts. Originally, I was just going to 'make due' with whatever I purchased, but if I am basically buying a frame and redoing it, I'd like to make it as good as reasonably possible, for my needs.



This will be for alfalfa, timothy, and Orchard/KBG pastures. There is a possibility of picking up another 80 adjacent acres.



1. Valves - Butterfly and ball valves are available, and while I don't need anything fancy, I do need it functional and 'relatively' maintenance free (as much as possible). I'd rather spend a reasonable amount up front and not have to dicker with it for the next 20yrs.



2. Spray tips - Is it worth it to put a 3-way rotary on it? This is one which could be a hidden need, given I am often on a time crunch. This isn't my 'day job' so I do think about spraying when I might have a little more breeze than I'd like with any given tip. If I went this route, what would you recommend for type and tips to cover my needs? Again, I was just going to 'make due' but...



3. Pump - Hydraulic vs 540? Recommendations on model and manufacturer



4. Hose - I see a lot of machines plumbed with actual tubing, be it PVC or metal. The nozzles are directly attached over a hole drilled in the pipe/tubing rather than with a T-fitting in a rubber hose. What are your experiences and recommendations if I am pulling everything out and starting over?



5. Rinse tank - The machine I am looking at does not have a rinse tank. There is room for one, but I've never personally used one. Can you recommend any website which would explain the plumbing and use? Also, what size tank would you recommend? The main tank is 240gal.



6. GPS/Controller - Recommendations on a controller? I would like to get GPS as well, but I am definitely a novice in this realm. I understand the theory, but I don't know which types of controllers connect or are controlled by which type of GPS device. I know there are also manual controllers, which would likely work just fine for me. But If I am getting GPS anyway, if the premium isn't too great, I'd think about something along these lines. I'd really like to get a better grasp on GPS/Controller basis... but I have NOT been able to find an online source that can really explain what is 'useful' and what is 'tractor specific' and/or bells and whistles vs requirement. I'd like to stay simple but effective, so any thoughts would be appreciated.



- Also, Is there a place/group/site/anything which gives more of a nuts and bolts explanation about GPS and controllers? I've looked at the Manufacturer sites, and they seem to just say 'buy our product' rather than explain the differences in the products. (this could simply be because I lack enough basic knowledge to understand the difference. But I'd like to rectify this issue.)



Are there any other thoughts and/or recommendations on replumbing? I'm trying to decide whether this machine is going to work, and have an idea of what I am getting into before I head that route. The above is a 'worst case' scenario, and it could be that when it is hooked up and pumping water, I just need to clean out screens.

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

Since I was posting on this last summer, I've looked at around 70 sprayers. They are either out of my $$$ range, or basically are worn/weathered to the shape of a rebuild. I spent all winter hoping to find something that would work for this spring and have been unable. So, I think I am going to likely to go the 'Rebuild' route. I've also realized that I will have few 'open' fields and most of my fields will be fenced paddocks, so I think I am going to go with a 3pt setup. After really thinking about my needs, the pull machines of about 500gal in my area would be too unwieldy I believe.

I have some 'replumbing' questions if you have experience and thoughts. Originally, I was just going to 'make due' with whatever I purchased, but if I am basically buying a frame and redoing it, I'd like to make it as good as reasonably possible, for my needs.



This will be for alfalfa, timothy, and Orchard/KBG pastures. There is a possibility of picking up another 80 adjacent acres.



1. Valves - Butterfly and ball valves are available, and while I don't need anything fancy, I do need it functional and 'relatively' maintenance free (as much as possible). I'd rather spend a reasonable amount up front and not have to dicker with it for the next 20yrs.



2. Spray tips - Is it worth it to put a 3-way rotary on it? This is one which could be a hidden need, given I am often on a time crunch. This isn't my 'day job' so I do think about spraying when I might have a little more breeze than I'd like with any given tip. If I went this route, what would you recommend for type and tips to cover my needs? Again, I was just going to 'make due' but...



3. Pump - Hydraulic vs 540? Recommendations on model and manufacturer



4. Hose - I see a lot of machines plumbed with actual tubing, be it PVC or metal. The nozzles are directly attached over a hole drilled in the pipe/tubing rather than with a T-fitting in a rubber hose. What are your experiences and recommendations if I am pulling everything out and starting over?



5. Rinse tank - The machine I am looking at does not have a rinse tank. There is room for one, but I've never personally used one. Can you recommend any website which would explain the plumbing and use? Also, what size tank would you recommend? The main tank is 240gal.



6. GPS/Controller - Recommendations on a controller? I would like to get GPS as well, but I am definitely a novice in this realm. I understand the theory, but I don't know which types of controllers connect or are controlled by which type of GPS device. I know there are also manual controllers, which would likely work just fine for me. But If I am getting GPS anyway, if the premium isn't too great, I'd think about something along these lines. I'd really like to get a better grasp on GPS/Controller basis... but I have NOT been able to find an online source that can really explain what is 'useful' and what is 'tractor specific' and/or bells and whistles vs requirement. I'd like to stay simple but effective, so any thoughts would be appreciated.



- Also, Is there a place/group/site/anything which gives more of a nuts and bolts explanation about GPS and controllers? I've looked at the Manufacturer sites, and they seem to just say 'buy our product' rather than explain the differences in the products. (this could simply be because I lack enough basic knowledge to understand the difference. But I'd like to rectify this issue.)



Are there any other thoughts and/or recommendations on replumbing? I'm trying to decide whether this machine is going to work, and have an idea of what I am getting into before I head that route. The above is a 'worst case' scenario, and it could be that when it is hooked up and pumping water, I just need to clean out screens.

#1, you are going to work on it again over the next 20 years no matter what you do.
#2, time vs investment
#3, $
#4, wet boom vs dry boom = $ (less hose to rot on a wet boom)
#5, dont know
#6, for low investment look @ light bars. Getting more difficult to find decent priced one's as more cell apps come into play (raven, teejet, outback, etc)
#7/8, download a teejet (spraying systems) catalog. There is some real good info in it about sprayer plumbing and tee jet products are recognized just about everywhere.
imao

 

[rustyshakelford]

I do pasture spraying. Try to keep it less than 20acres. I have a 100gallon tank in my utv with gps. I went with a raven cr7. Works great and I can swap it in the 5100e when running a batwing. I change change my tips on the boom to accommodate most pastures smoothness. At 20gpa I can go 5 ac at a time and have my tender Trailer set up so I can refill and be back spraying in under 10 mins. Gps let痴 me pick right up where I was at.

Also considering getting your private applicators license. It痴 much easier buying in bulk.

My stuff is from enduraplas and they put out a great product. I considered a tractor mounted one but didn稚 want to mess with hauling my tractor and it痴 to big for lots of places. Buggy mounted goes where ever I want and with the electric valves I can stay cool and clean in the cab of the rtv.

Brett

 

[Dadnatron]

I do pasture spraying. Try to keep it less than 20acres. I have a 100gallon tank in my utv with gps. I went with a raven cr7. Works great and I can swap it in the 5100e when running a batwing. I change change my tips on the boom to accommodate most pastures smoothness. At 20gpa I can go 5 ac at a time and have my tender Trailer set up so I can refill and be back spraying in under 10 mins. Gps letç—´ me pick right up where I was at.

Also considering getting your private applicators license. Itç—´ much easier buying in bulk.

My stuff is from enduraplas and they put out a great product. I considered a tractor mounted one but didn稚 want to mess with hauling my tractor and it痴 to big for lots of places. Buggy mounted goes where ever I want and with the electric valves I can stay cool and clean in the cab of the rtv.

Brett

There is certainly a new thought rolling around in my mind. I had never considered UTV spraying, given I have a tractor and no UTV. However, I'd like to purchase one for the farm, and the thought of being able to get in the field sooner/when needed, rather than when everything dries out enough to get the tractor in, is alluring.

How would your UTV work with an Enduraplas, spraying 20" alfalfa? I'm guessing that is about the tallest thing I'd be spraying.

A smaller tank for my property certainly has its appeal in some instances. A larger tank in others. But, if I can spray alfalfa/orchard mix with a pesticide when it is needed, I might have to rethink everything. I'm always ready for a purchase which makes sense... unfortunately, the bankers are always asking for their part every month.

Also, does your UTV have an enclosed cab? Sitting 6ft in front of my booms AT BOOM LEVEL, with a little tail breeze does not make me feel warm and fuzzy.. or perhaps it would begin to, which would be the problem.

And finally, how easy/difficult is it to change boom height? The videos seem to have a solid mount.