There never seems to be enough time to get everything done, whether on or off of the farm. Whether due to our natural, innate tendencies or simply through survival mechanisms, we often try and find corners we can cut or areas where we can shave a little more time. Unfortunately, in our quest for more time, we often reduce our efficiency or accuracy. One of the areas that often suffers when time gets tight is short-term, regular maintenance of equipment. At a conference that I attended the fall, I had the opportunity to sit in on an interesting session that dealt with, at least for part of the time, sprayer maintenance and its importance.
A typical boom sprayer is comprised of a number of simple (and complex) interconnected parts. These include (but are not limited to) the spray tank, power take off (PTO), pump, pressure gauge, nozzles, filters, pressure regulator and hoses. Failure of any one part can reduce the efficacy of the entire system. Regular maintenance can affect whether your expensive chemical is correctly and effectively applied. The following are some of the parts are sometimes overlooked.
Agitation system
* whether using paddles or recirculation, this needs to be checked regularly to ensure it is working properly
Main line filter (in the system before the pump)
* clean regularly – is often the culprit in pump failure
Pressure regulator gauge
* make sure it works; appropriate pressure is critical to effective pesticide use
Nozzles
* there are many different kinds of nozzles
* it is important to understand how the nozzles that you are using wear out and how often they should be changed
Hoses / Connections
* ensure that all connections are tight and hoses are free from cracks, wear points, and flaws
Sprayer Clean Up
1. Wear Personal Protective Equipment – not just for spraying but for cleanup
2. Drain / Empty Tank (only mix what is needed)
* Fast run over what was just sprayed
* Dump – into a container or in a designated area (away from water source)
3. Triple Rinse with Water
4. Clean the Filters (all of them)
5. Run water through the system / flush out all hoses and nozzles
6. Clean / Wash outside of sprayer
7. If needed, use an appropriate detergent
Source : AAFRD