3pt Sprayer Question

[ccoon520]

I searched the forum and didn't really find an answer to this question. Should I get a Stainless Roller Pump on my sprayer.

I am currently researching/window shopping sprayers for my L2501 and would be getting a 60 or 100 gallon (I haven't made my mind up yet on which size yet since the tractor can definitely lift both) sprayer boomed sprayer for it.

I have 7-10 acres that I would be spraying but for different purposes. 2 acres would be lawn care stuff and pesticides to keep the insects and spiders at bay. The rest is in the back of the property and I would be spraying to kill thistles as volunteer trees that keep trying to turn the pasture into woods (I am currently keeping that at bay with a rotary cutter but looking for some extra firepower). The pasture makes it's own wind tunnel and wind speed varies drastically between the house and the pasture so I want to stay away from a boomless sprayer so I have at least a little flexibility with the wind.

So with those decisions I have made it is really coming down to the pump. I work in a Chemical Plant and I do know that Stainless is the best choice for corrosion resistance against chemicals and oxidation for the roller pumps. However, what I don't know is how much of a factor it is with my use case. I'm thinking I would be spraying the pasture once or twice a year and the lawn about 3 times a year. In the future when I put in food plots for pheasant the use may increase.

Does anyone have insight on how a cast pump would perform vs a stainless one in this application, assuming winter storage and maintenance between the two are both done correctly?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Maintenance has nothing to do with the difference. They all have to have RV antifreeze in them when overwintering below freezing temps or they crack their housings.

Pump material is entirely predicated on what you spray so do due diligence and read up on pump materials and compatibility with various pump materials.

I do know if you spray Glyphosate (Roundup or a knockoff) you must use a chemical resistant pump but it all depends on what chemicals you spray.

I just went with a stainless 8 roller pump and called it good. I'm covered for every chemical.

 

[BigG]

I would look at what you are going to spray. The idea of a big sprayer is nice but then you have to pay for it and store it. Most of the spraying I have done was early in the morning to avoid the breeze. So a big sprayer will still be full of chemicals when the wind picks up. The extra few minutes it takes to refill are not that big of a deal. I would think one of the 25 gallon sprayers would do you fine. The smaller sprayer is less to clean up. But this depends on the materials that you are spraying.

 

[Palmettokat]

I have never bought a stainless roller pump. Farmed from 25 to 35 acres of corn or soybeans, then went to hay which were sprayed with at least one application of roundup. With the corn and hay used same pump and sprayer to spray liquid nitrogen. Also used a smaller pump (55 gallon) with hand wand to spray hedges and such. As I was using two sprayers and wanted to only need one pump installed quick connects on the pump making it easy to remove and would drop it in bucket of oil. I was using the cast iron roller pump for easy five years, think my current one must be near ten. Will admit before I installed the quick connect fittings my pumps did not last more than three years. Did buy a really nice centrifugal for my 500 gallon tow sprayer to get the desired pump capacity. It may have been stainless. While you are checking out what materials you pump needs to be also check out what type of seals your chemicals will need.

As to the size of the sprayer, right now have two sprayers parked with chemicals left in them. The 25 gallon sprayer went down due to repeated clogs in the filter. The 55 gallon 3 pth was parked as grandson had to leave, leaving one machine short an operator. So even the small tanks can get parked with chemicals in them. I mostly use 20 gpa in my ratios. My sprayers were always set up for that with nozzles and pressure. It would wear me out to spray an acre and have to run back to refill for even seven acres if I wanted to spray them at the same time. Now if you want to spray an acre max at the time would recommend the 25 gallon tank...maybe. What kind of boom system would it have?

If you are trying to decide on sprayer, begin with the area you will be spraying. What fits it? Boomless is out so what size boom works? Also take into consideration of how long it will take to spray the area. Your ground speed and boom width. I have done it but spraying even 7 acres with 10 foot boom is slowww.

 

[ccoon520]

I considered a smaller sprayer for a while due to the cost. However, I do not have a water source in the back of the property and it would take me 5 minutes to get back to the nearest source if I was at the closest point. So it being a 1 or 2 trip system would be what makes most sense. I am more concerned about corroding the pump than anything and the only experience I have with sprayers are with electric diaphragm pumps not roller pumps.

As far as boom length goes it would be a 20 foot boom. I could get a 30 but that additional width would probably put me into some low hanging trees when the boom is folded up and would make use around the house and structures more difficult. My wife might kill me if I kill her flowers.

What kind of quick disconnects did you put on your pump and what kind of oil do you store it in?

 

[SDT]

I searched the forum and didn't really find an answer to this question. Should I get a Stainless Roller Pump on my sprayer.

I am currently researching/window shopping sprayers for my L2501 and would be getting a 60 or 100 gallon (I haven't made my mind up yet on which size yet since the tractor can definitely lift both) sprayer boomed sprayer for it.

I have 7-10 acres that I would be spraying but for different purposes. 2 acres would be lawn care stuff and pesticides to keep the insects and spiders at bay. The rest is in the back of the property and I would be spraying to kill thistles as volunteer trees that keep trying to turn the pasture into woods (I am currently keeping that at bay with a rotary cutter but looking for some extra firepower). The pasture makes it's own wind tunnel and wind speed varies drastically between the house and the pasture so I want to stay away from a boomless sprayer so I have at least a little flexibility with the wind.

So with those decisions I have made it is really coming down to the pump. I work in a Chemical Plant and I do know that Stainless is the best choice for corrosion resistance against chemicals and oxidation for the roller pumps. However, what I don't know is how much of a factor it is with my use case. I'm thinking I would be spraying the pasture once or twice a year and the lawn about 3 times a year. In the future when I put in food plots for pheasant the use may increase.

Does anyone have insight on how a cast pump would perform vs a stainless one in this application, assuming winter storage and maintenance between the two are both done correctly?

I just walked back in from using my 55 Gallon three point mounted, PTO powered 12' boom sprayer for the first time. Bought it new last (2019) spring intending to use it last fall but drought set in and there was little to spray.

Using sprayer on my B3350 and bought 12' boom rather than 16' to facilitate use around obstacles in lawn. Used with Crossbow today in hay field and once pastured areas hoping to kill dogbane. Will also use on lawn with Trimec later this fall. Another experiment, hoping to kill Creeping Charlie. Both dogbane and Creeping Charlie (ground ivy) are difficult to kill.

Mounted it up and tested it out with water over the weekend finding that I had no control over pressure due to non functional regulator. New regulator arrived today and now all is fine.

I bought a 6 roller cast iron pump as I do not expect to spray roundup often, if ever. Sprayer experts around here tell me that cast iron is fine for Round Up on infrequent basis if system is flushed out after use as one should do in any event. Cast iron pumps will corrode and sieze if Round Up used often and not flushed thoroughly after each use.

Local farm store had RV antifreeze on sale recently so stocked up for end of season flush and winter freeze protection.

SDT