Predator 6.5 Harbor Freight engine $110
Hypro 4 Roller pump $110
Spider coupler $25
Roller pump mounting bracket $50
8"x18" steel to mount engine and pump to $10
50 Gallon tank from Plasticmart with bands shipped $210
Used electric Hanney hose reel with 300' of 1/2" hose $300
Battery $30
Battery Box $15
TeeJet Gun with swivel and 1.5 tip $100
Miscellaneous fittings, wire, clamps, etc. $100
Metal for skid was free
Nice job! That should get some work done. Is the bypass end of the regulator on top of the tank open or does it terminate with an agitation nozzle? With the exception of centrifugal or turbine pumps, the bypass side of the regulator should be kept open without restrictions.
The bypass regulator screws into a 3/4 bulkhead. On the bottom side of that bulkhead there is a piece of 3/4 pvc pipe that goes about 1/2 way down the depth of the tank. It has a 90 degree elbow at the end of it so that the bypass shoots out horizontally inside the tank. There is no jet nozzle or anything like that to answer your question. It's just an open flow piece of 3/4 pvc pipe.
The 90 degree pvc elbow at the bottom end of the bypass pipe is pointed diagonally so that the bypass fluid hits the sidewall of the tank. I thought this would create a whirlpool type current within the tank, helping the chemical stay agitated.
Thanks :drinkup: I thought about just screwing the regulator into the bulkhead and leaving it at that. The return chemical would just spray in from the top of the tank that way. Totally free flowing as you're saying. I went ahead and added the pvc pipe on the inside of the tank to give me somewhat of an agitation setup. Not sure if it will do much good, but I figured a pipe halfway down and 90ed out towards the sidewall would stir things up better than just spraying down from the top. We will see. I mainly spray Strike 3 and Resolute 65 WG.
What you did would be much better than just letting pour down from the top. If that was done, there would be too much foaming in the tank. If you do use WG chemicals, the normal set up of agitation nozzles fed by the high pressure side of the regulator is suggested. They settle easy and are a pain to re mix on standing.
Question.... What if I take the hose that runs from the pump to the hose reel, cut it, install a "T", run one hose on to the hose reel like it already is, but then run another hose from that "T" back to the tank and install a ball valve? Put another pvc pipe going down with an actual agitation nozzle on it. I could start the engine, open this ball valve and direct all flow to this agitation nozzle. Let it run for 5 or 10 minutes before I start spraying or while mixing, then close this ball valve prior to dragging my gun out and actually spraying?
That would work very well. Actually, by having the ball valve and using the right size orifice on the jet agitator, you can run the agitator constantly. Of course, running it at full open when you are trying to get that tank mixed. WG products need constant agitation while spraying. If I have a tank mix that was sitting, I also spray whatever was in the hose back into the tank for several minutes before putting it on the lawn.
That would work very well. Actually, by having the ball valve and using the right size orifice on the jet agitator, you can run the agitator constantly. Of course, running it at full open when you are trying to get that tank mixed. WG products need constant agitation while spraying. If I have a tank mix that was sitting, I also spray whatever was in the hose back into the tank for several minutes before putting it on the lawn.
Ok. Just let the bypass regulator bleed off any excess pressure that the agitator restricts? When spraying with the ball valve/agitation line partially open, will I have fluid going through the gun, the agitator, as well as the bypass regulator all at once? What about calibration? if I try to close the agitation line ball valve part way when I spray, I will have to get it exact each time in order to maintain calibration. Is this correct?
Ok. Just let the bypass regulator bleed off any excess pressure that the agitator restricts? When spraying with the ball valve/agitation line partially open, will I have fluid going through the gun, the agitator, as well as the bypass regulator all at once? What about calibration? if I try to close the agitation line ball valve part way when I spray, I will have to get it exact each time in order to maintain calibration. Is this correct?
That is what a pressure gauge is for. I figure out what the pressure needs to be and set the bypass/agitation valves accordingly. Then again, I have a much more precise set up where there is a secondary regulator and gauge at my hand piece. What I set at the tank and pump is only to ensure I have agitation, as well as enough liquid at the end of the hose.
Roller Pumps can't build up that much pressure to burst a good hose. Most Roller pumps can't do 200 PSI. The little Hypo is a throw way style pump that won't do much over a 100 PSI. A Diaphragm pump like a D 30 etc is a totally different story. They can brust pipe easy.
Predator 6.5 Harbor Freight engine $110
Hypro 4 Roller pump $110
Spider coupler $25
Roller pump mounting bracket $50
8"x18" steel to mount engine and pump to $10
50 Gallon tank from Plasticmart with bands shipped $210
Used electric Hanney hose reel with 300' of 1/2" hose $300
Battery $30
Battery Box $15
TeeJet Gun with swivel and 1.5 tip $100
Miscellaneous fittings, wire, clamps, etc. $100
Metal for skid was free
I bought a battery box at Autozone and installed an isolator switch on the side of it first. Then I used self tapping screws and secured it to the skid. The reel motor and solenoid on the reel have wires that are wrapped in wire loom going down to the battery posts. I also have a power wire coming from my truck batteries with a 40 amp breaker under the hood. It goes inside the battery box and connects to the switch I mounted on it. From the switch it goes to the positive on the battery that's inside the box. When the switch is turned on, the truck battery/alternator charges the battery that's on the skid. When the switch is off, it isolates it. I'll post a close up pic.
My opinion, about the agitation and valves. Yes, you need a T off the pressure hose to send the entire output into an agitation setup. But when spraying you should shut off said agitation valve and let the pressure regulator determine the pressure. When the gun trigger is off, all the pumps output goes through the pressure regulator valve and back to the tank. When you squeeze the trigger the majority of the flow goes to the gun--sometimes all. If the agitation ball valve is cracked open you may not have enough pressure for an adequate spray at the gun.
I suggest drop both agitation nozzles to the bottom of the tank-otherwise there is no agitation when the tank is less than half-full. A short T-shaped pipe and 3 or 4 small drilled output holes will give you better agitation and force the liquid across the bottom of the tank where a powder might otherwise settle.
Most setups route the agitation through the same hole in the tank. The pressure regulator valve will have to be moved up a bit to accomodate another pipe tee.
I bought a battery box at Autozone and installed an isolator switch on the side of it first. Then I used self tapping screws and secured it to the skid. The reel motor and solenoid on the reel have wires that are wrapped in wire loom going down to the battery posts. I also have a power wire coming from my truck batteries with a 40 amp breaker under the hood. It goes inside the battery box and connects to the switch I mounted on it. From the switch it goes to the positive on the battery that's inside the box. When the switch is turned on, the truck battery/alternator charges the battery that's on the skid. When the switch is off, it isolates it. I'll post a close up pic.
If I wanted to hook it up straight to a battery designated to the reel without recharging from truck battery, how would you go about doing so? Posted via Mobile Device
My opinion: the negative (ground) side of the battery is connected directly to the negative wire of the reel motor (hopefully it is marked). The positive (hot) side of the battery is connected to the fat terminal of the relay. (Should be marked "B"). One of the switch wires is also connected the aforementioned fat (hot) terminal. The other switch wire is connected to the thin screw of the relay.
Finally, the remaining fat wire from the motor is connected to the fat terminal of the relay, (should be marked "S"). (Meaning switched).
I agree with Riggle. A side note.... I have a wire from negative battery post going to truck frame also, ensuring I have plenty of ground. Posted via Mobile Device
I got my bypass agitation plumbed in the way you guys suggested. How does this look? I installed the ball valve directly into the bulkhead then ran an elbow hose barb out of the top of it.
I agree with Riggle. A side note.... I have a wire from negative battery post going to truck frame also, ensuring I have plenty of ground. Posted via Mobile Device
Could I have a separate battery attached to the reel without hooking it to the truck battery? If so, what do I hook up to the negative terminal as I know the positive terminal will have the power supply from reel.
Here's my answer: You need to determine which direction you want your reel to turn when winding the hose up. The way you will do this is to set the car battery next to the electric motor on your reel. There will be 2 wires coming from its housing. Hold one to the positive and one to the negative. When you do this, your reel will spin. Watch its direction. If you want it to spin the opposite way, reverse the way you are touching them to the battery posts. Once you have confirmed it's spinning the way you prefer, mark the wires somehow. A piece of black electric tape around the wire that your holding to the negative post is the easiest way.
Now mount your battery where you want it. Self tapping screws that take a 5/16 socket and a cordless impact gun come in really handy for this. Run your positive wire from the electric motor (the wire you did NOT wrap black tape around) to the solenoid the way the above poster described. The negative wire coming out of the reel motor (the one you marked with tape) will go directly to the negative post on your battery. If it were me, once you have everything wired up, I would take a short piece of 10 gauge wire and secure it to the battery's negative terminal. Take the other end and secure it to the bed of your pickup with a self tapping screw. This will ground the battery along with the sprayer reel.
And yes, you can have a separate battery in the bed of your pickup that is not connected to anything except the hose reel. This is how I have mine. The reason you want it connected to the truck's battery though is to keep it charged up. As your truck battery is connected to the vehicle alternator. After so many times of reeling your hose in, your battery will die if you don't have it connected to the truck's system. Your other option is to hook a trickle charger up to it at home.
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