Pest Control Sprayers - Quick Disconnects

Pest Control Sprayer requested by customer was not a good idea in my mind.
Customer requested VALVED QUICK DISCONNECTS on hose end.  Quick disconnects are a great idea.  They allow technician to quickly change tools for different jobs and to remove tools for repair, maintenance and storage, and allow the gun to spin preventing hose twisting.  In this photo, customer requested the valved style of QD.  

Valved QDs allow you to remove the tool without any spillage or leaks, even if the pump is still pumping.  This sounds good but in reality there are 3 problems:
1.  They are heavy
2.  They are expensive
3.  Because they keep the line under pressure, it can be very difficult to remove the gun.

For these reasons, we prefer the unvalved QD with a ball valve shut off.  It is less weight, less cost and easier to remove the gun.   Here is a photo of how we prefer to do it:    
What are your thoughts on QD's?

Power Sprayer Emergency Repair Kits

Customer was in to refill his Weed Control Sprayer Emergency Repair kit. This is one of the best kits I have seen.       


Keeping critical pest control sprayer parts in the vehicle, reduces downtime & missed appointments and saves trips to the repair shop.

Emergency repair kits are great for power sprayers and manual sprayers such as B&G 1 Gallon Sprayers. The kit in this photo is the bosses. His employees all have smaller, more limited kits.

Stop Wasting Money on Power Spray Equipment

Running a pest control or weed control business is hard enough without shooting yourself in the foot.  That is exactly what happened here.  The operations supervisor asked a spray technician to remove a Shurflo 12 Volt pump for service.  It appears that the only tool available to the tech was a sledge hammer.  This is the pile of junk we got: 

We don't know what the tech was thinking, but we are reminded of the saying,
"if you have a toothache, you can go to dental school or you can go to the dentist!".
In this case, not only did the tech go to dental school, he flunked out.  You spend good money on spray equipment, make sure anyone touching it knows what they are doing.  Said another way, "Don't send your ducks to eagle school!"  I am not opposed to technicians servicing pest control rigs or weed control sprayers, but make sure they know what they are doing first.

Pest Control Sprayer Safety

Technicians MUST check Pest Control spray equipment & Weed Control sprayers before getting into their vehicle and driving off. This photo shows what can happen if this check is not performed.                            


This Green Garde Spray Gun was dragged behind the vehicle because the technician did NOT set the hose reel lock on the Cox Hose Reel.

This simple step, which takes 10 seconds, would have prevented the damage to this spray gun, which was totalled.  Fortunately no one was hurt.          
You spent good money on your power spray equipment.  Make sure you and  your technicians are protecting it by doing a quick safety check before driving off.




Please share your spray equipment ideas and concerns.

Pest Control Sprayer - Prevent Problems

When it comes to pest control sprayers and weed control sprayers some problems are so easy to prevent that they should never occur.                         


For gas powered sprayers, a worn engine belt is just such an issue.  Worn belts slip, preventing the engine from driving the pump, or simply break.  In either case:  downtime, missed appointments, repair expense, lost revenue.

This problem should never happen.  A worn belt is totally obvious.  It is easy to change and it doesn't cost a lot.  Periodically inspect, or train your technicians to inspect, the belt.  When it begins to show wear, replace it.    Hopefully all your spryayers use the same belt so it is not a problem to keep an extra belt or two in the shop.

Spray Equipment - Small Problems Are Expensive

Many of the pest control spray rigs and weed sprayers problems we see in our repair shop are minor issues that only take a few minutes to resolve. In fact, quite a few of these power sprayer problems could have been fixed in the field if the proper part had been available.  I am struck by the amount of time spent driving from the job site to the repair site and back, just to make a small repair.  The downtime, gas, cancelled appointments, etc. are significant costs.

We encourage our clients to keep spray equipment emergency repair kits on their trucks.  There are quite a fe minor repairs that can be effected easily  in the field with a minimum of parts and tools.   Some easy fixes:

- Filter screens & gaskets
- B&G and backpack o-rings, gaskets, tips
- Spray tips
- hose clamps/hose repair kits (see photo on right)
- belts
- spray gun o-rings
Some caveats:
You should assess your equipment to determine what parts are easy to fix and what parts are worth carrying on the truck?
You should assess your (or your tech's) skill.  What repairs can you (or tech) effectively complete?

Comments? 

Pest Control Sprayers - Prevent Problems

Pest control sprayers  require care and attention to run productivity day after day.  Spray technicians must identify and report spray equipment problems rather than living with them.  This photo shows how technicians have ignored an obvious problem.   The spray hose was allowed to rub against the side rail (in this case a camper shell).   In addition to damaging the vehicle, the hose is significantly worn.  Eventually this hose will leak causing a chemical spill, downtime and unnecessary expenses. 

Technicians need to identify and report spray equipment problems such as this. Supervisors and managers should perform truck equipment inspections and provide regular, continuing education to ensure technicians understand, identify and report problems before the problems hurt the business.

ATV Sprayers - Little Things Cause Big Problems

Client brought her ATV Sprayer in for service, stating that the pump was not working well.  Our staff immediately found the problem.  The hose from the pump feeding the hose reel was badly kinked, severely restricting the flow of water to the spray hose. 

The company that built the sprayer used a cheap reel, then compounded the problem by not plumbing the power sprayer correctly.  Installing an elbow fitting quickly solved the problem by taking the kink out of the hose.  
When purchasing a power sprayer, be sure to pay attention to the smallest details.  They matter!
Watch this space.  Will share more problems with this sprayer in future posts.

Arizona Spray Equipment – Don’t Create Problems for Yourself

Keeping your power spray equipment in great running condition is tough enough without creating your own problems.
A technician came in recently for some service. When we went out to service his truck mount sprayer, we saw the following condition (photo).
The technician had carelessly leaned his inspection ladder on top of his spray pump. While we didn’t notice any damage, we pointed out that a good jolt could result in an expensive repair bill if the ladder were to hit the pump.
We recommend that spray technicians do a quick check of their equipment to be sure everything is secure. We recommend owners and managers perform periodic truck inspections to identify hazardous and potentially expensive conditions like this one.
Please share your comments.