Shuboxlover 475 #1 Posted June 25, 2011 My dad gave me his old 25 gallon pull behind electric sprayer, said it didn't work very good. I tried it out, and it doesn't seem to spray out of the nozzles very much compared to his new one. I know he put a new pump on it three or four years ago. Could the pump be bad again? How can I make sure it's the pump before i go out and by a new $65 pump? Is there anyway I can test it? All the valves are in the right position. There's not much to it.. :hide: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redbirdman 7 #2 Posted June 25, 2011 Well, as one who sprays about 40 acres of desert weeds 6 times a year I would suggest checking the nozzles first! Take em off and see what comes out. If the chemicals have eaten the brass away the liquid will pour out without spraying. Or the chemicals may have clogged the nozzles and the spray is hindered giving the impression that the pump is not working right. One way or the other that is the first step! Our weed killers and preventer's cost about $100 bucks a quart; a bad nozzle can dump 10 times the amount out or make it look like the pumps not working... Ed :hide: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh79d160 52 #3 Posted June 25, 2011 Tyson, I built one about 3 years ago w/a fold down 8ft boom. I put a golds series 2.1gpm pump on it. worked great for three years. Last year it was a little down on pressure so I took the pump diaphram off the bottom & it had a bunch of misc white specs in it, I guess it was just sediment from hard water. It worked great for the rest of the year. I drained it for the winter. This year it wouldn't pump. So I took it apart & found nothing wrong. Put it back together & it still wouldn't work. The only way I can get it to work is if I put the hose inside the tank & hold it against the pump intake w/full water pressure to prime it & then it works fine untill the tank runs down & it sucks alittle air & then same problem. I can buy just the lower diaphram pump for $35.00 but I'm not sure if that will fix it. That's 1/2 the price of a new pump. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do. I have the nozzles w/the screens & every now and then one of the spray patterns will get off & it's usally because some of that same white sediment specs will clog the screen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shuboxlover 475 #4 Posted June 25, 2011 Thanks guys....I'll check the nozzles first, if I don't find anything there I'll tear into the pump. What's the worst that can happen...It already doesn't work very well, I guess I can't break it anymore than it already is. Thanks Guys :WRS: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh79d160 52 #5 Posted June 25, 2011 Easy fix, Use your dad's new one. If he needs it, he knows where it is. That's what dad's are for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
312Hydro 474 #6 Posted June 25, 2011 What's the worst that can happen...It already doesn't work very well, I guess I can't break it anymore than it already is. The perfect mantra for repair work and so very true! Words to live by! Good luck on your sprayer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shuboxlover 475 #7 Posted June 25, 2011 O.K....I checked the nozzles, they are fine. I then moved to the pump...I took off all the hose connections and VIOLA!!!!!!! There is my problem...the screen on the inlet side was almost completely clogged. Blew out the screen with the compressor, reassembled, and it works like I had remembered. Thanks for your help guys, now if it would just stop raining I could spray the weeds/volunteer grass so I can get my dirt work done around the shed and plant grass this fall. :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redbirdman 7 #8 Posted June 26, 2011 well, there you go!.....and be careful because there are some chemicals that induce alge to grow in the tank and some that form crystals that grow on the screens.............all a PITA for the next trip out to the fields... ed :hide: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtmoyer 1 #9 Posted June 26, 2011 .and be careful because there are some chemicals that induce alge to grow in the tank found that out yesterday. had to keep stopping to unplug the hose. and then i had to scrub out the tank. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites