The Birchmeier Backpack Comfort Kit

The new Birchmeier Comfort Kit added to sprayers, makes the job a little easier on your back. We know this will help make your back feel better after a long day on the job. Upgrade your sprayers today.

https://goo.gl/AwhFLO

Visit us at http://www.QSpray.com to upgrade your sprayers and get some back relief today.

Pest Control Spray Trailer

Pest Control Sprayer Trailers are usually built on flat bed trailers or open steel frames.  This Pest Control Trailer was kind of unique.  Client brought us an enclosed trailer and said build me a pest control sprayer.
   This pest control spray rig consists of a 50 gallon 12-Volt Shurflo sprayer with Cox electric Hose reel in the trailer.  We cut an opening in the side wall and installed the Cox 4-Way Roller Guides.  Hose pulls through the roller guides so client can easily apply pesticides while trailer is locked.    

 A couple of other neat features:
- Hose rewind button mounted on outside trailer wall for easy access.  A kill switch inside the trailer allows operator to deactive rewind button.                    
-  Hose reel raised so operator can grab hose at comfortable level without bending over.
          
- Hose end secures to quick disconnect mounted on fender.  This prevents the hose from unwinding because electric hose reels do not have reel locks on them. If they did have locks, someone would try to rewind hose while the reel was locked, burning out the motor.

 



- Anti-siphon has hose extension to back door to make tank fill up easy.
 Client was very happy with the final result.  Trailer will be really cool when signage is applied.

Read more: http://www.qspray.com/blog/#ixzz2FnrMoyrp

Pest Control Sprayer - Spray Tips

Pest control sprayers rely of spray tips for proper application of pesticides.  The correct, well-maintained spray tip in your pest control spray rig gun can contribute to excellent results: both pest control and financial.  The wrong tip, or a worn tip, will have the opposite results.
The spray tip is the main determinate of power sprayer output.  For example, it doesn’t matter if you have a 20 gpm pump and 1” spray hose when the tip is just 1 gpm.
Tip selection determines: output volume, output pattern and droplet size. Each of these factors impacts the quality of the application and the control efforts that you achieve. 

1. Output Volume – usually measured in volume per unit of time (e.g., gallons per minute).  General home pest control sprayer uses lower rates, termite pretreats use higher rates.  Higher output generally suggests faster treatments but higher chemical costs.
2. Output Pattern – The most popular pest control patterns are flat fan tip and cone/stream.   The cone/stream tip allows a more specific targeting of the pesticides.  The flat fan tip generally allows the technician to cover a larger area more quickly.
3. Droplet Size – Mosquito fogging uses very small droplet size to create a fog that hangs in the air.  Smaller droplets can drift to unintended targets: neighbor’s yards, kid’s toys, pet dishes, etc.  Termite pretreats are at the other extreme, using large droplet size so that the water goes and stays exactly where you want it to good.

Two important points about tip selection:

1.  Start with the right tip.  This decision is based upon your application protocol and should be made after considering all the above issues.
2. Replace tips regularly.  We estimate that brass tips wear out at a rate of approximately 10% per year.  This means that every year your tip puts out 10% more chemical.  This is an involuntary increase in your chemical costs.  If the pattern wears out, you may not be putting the chemical wear you intend.  Replacing tips is cheaper than using worn tips.  Plastic tips probably wear out faster; stainless steel tips more slowly.

Read more: http://www.qspray.com/blog#ixzz2EVQ3RJ6B

Pest Control Sprayer Filter - Tips to Eliminate Downtime

Pest control sprayers need love too. The best thing you can do to reduce pest sprayer downtime is pay attention to your filter. Would you like to boost productivity, improve service and reduce repair expenses? When it comes to pest industry spray equipment, the single most effective means of achieving these results is proper filtration. Filtration is the removal of suspended foreign material from water. Foreign material can be dirt, sand, rocks, trash or anything else that makes its way into your spray tank, other than the chemical you've added. clean your pest control sprayer filter Filtration is critical to pest management professionals because debris will wreak havoc: damage pumps; clog hoses, guns and tips and starve pumps of water, causing extensive damage. Our service facility estimates that almost 50 percent of sprayer repairs are avoidable if proper filtration design and operation is implemented. While I'm focusing on power sprayers in this column, much of the information also applies to B&G sprayers and Birchmeier backpacks. POWER SPRAYER FILTRATION DESIGN Design includes equipment selection, placement and access. Selection should be based on material being applied, quality of water, technician compliance and the type of pump. Most PMPs can get by with one line strainer between the tank and pump. Note that a line strainer refers to the complete unit, which contains a metal filter. However, the mesh of the filter is important: Too fine, and it will clog quickly; too coarse, and small debris will get through. If your water source is poor, use additional filtration. For example, many termite pretreaters in new home developments rely on water lines filled with debris. For some clients, we've added a line strainer on the hydrant fill line, a filter basket in the tank fillwell and/or two line strainers between the tank and pump. In the last situation, the first filter is coarse and the second is fine — a combination that works well to eliminate most debris. Some pumps require more filtration than others. Roller pumps, for example, are sensitive to debris and require better filtration than diaphragm pumps. It's critical that the filtration device be located for easy technician access. This includes being able to easily reach and check the filter, as well as ensuring the system is plumbed so the filter can be checked without causing a spill. If the tank is bottom-plumbed and the strainer is below the water level in the tank, be sure to install a shut-off valve so the filter can be checked even when the tank is full. Whatever filtration system you and your equipment provider design, try to standardize it across all your vehicles. POWER SPRAYER FILTRATION OPERATION Checking and cleaning the filter is the single most valuable preventative maintenance task you can perform. It's also the easiest. For new equipment, check the filter daily. If there's consistently no debris, consider reducing the frequency. When you determine the appropriate frequency, make it a company policy. Too often is better then too seldom. Reinforce the importance of checking and cleaning the filter. POWER SPRAYER FILTRATION MAINTENANCE Eventually the filter will become too dirty to clean. Replace it. Chemicals will eventually swell the gasket in the line strainer, making it impossible to create an airtight seal and causing the pump to suck air. Replace the gasket. Equip each vehicle with an extra filter and gasket so the technician can perform this repair in the field. If you've standardized your filtration, this is easy. Eventually the line strainer body may crack, causing an air leak. This requires replacement of the entire unit. These steps, if followed, will boost productivity, allow you to provide better service to your customers and reduce repair expenses. Read more: http://www.qspray.com/blog#ixzz2Dv04NwzS

Pest Control Spray Rigs - See Problems Before You Buy

Pest control spray rig brought in for service.  We noticed some obvious problems:

1.  Hose into pest control sprayer filter is kinked.  This restricts flow to the pump, which will eventually cause problems.

2.  Fittings are plastic.  Plastic fittings don't hold up to heat, cold or time.  This is particularly a problem on the input and output of the filter.  The technician will (or should be) checking the filter frequently.  Opening and closing the filter will torque the plastic fittings which will eventually break, causing downtime and possible chemical spills.

3.  There is no shut off valve before the filter (you can't see it in this photo, but take my word for it). 
Because this tank is plumbed from the bottom, this means you can't check the filter when there is water in the tank.  Filters should be checked frequently, not just if the tank happens to be empty.  This is a problem waiting to happen.

Be sure to check your power spray equipment for design problems such as these.  These problems are very inexpensive to fix.  A few dollars spent on improvements will prevent much more expensive downtime, repairs, and chemical spills.

Weed Control Sprayers - Problems to Avoid

This weed control sprayer was brought in by a new client who complained the spray never worked the way she needed it to work.  She bought a low cost power sprayer to save money and it shows.

When buying a pest control sprayer or weed control rig it is critical that you know what you are getting.  When looking at this sprayer from a distance it may look ok. But close up or in the field, here are some problems to avoid:
1.  Cheap plastic fittings won't hold up to temperature extremes and variations.  A cheap fitting can cause downtime or worse, chemical spills.  (See the black plastic fittings on the right side of the photo).










2.  The ball valve in the following photo is supposed to be used to shut off flow to filter so the filter can be checked and cleaned.  The valve is so difficult to reach, the owner rarely checks it.  This will lead to downtime and probably pump problems.  Note also the cheap plastic fittings at the bottom of the tank.  One turn on the ball valve can break a fitting and cause the tank to empty.




3.  In the following photo the line from the tank to the filter is way too tight against the tank.  The hose will vibrate.  Which will leak first: the hose or the tank?  Only time will tell.  It is also more difficult for a technician to service without adequate slack or room to work.  





4.  Engine.  This is a consumer grade engine, not a commercial grade engine.  For professionals, use the Honda GX commercial series of engines to stand up to the hard use.  Also, engine is mounted too close to the side of the vehicle.  Operator skins her knuckles every time she starts the engine.  On a GX series engine, the recoil could have been rotated 90 degrees to mitigate this problem somewhat.   



5.  Client complained that she couldn't agitate and spray the trees she needed to spray at the same time.  The pump is too small to do both operations.   When buying a power sprayer, be sure to take the time to explain to your equipment vendor how you will be using the sprayer so the correct spray pump can be installed.

Pest Control Sprayers - Key Issues

A new customer brought his Pest Control Sprayer in and told us his Shurflo pump needed service.   He had bought his rig sight unseen and wasn’t familiar with it.  The pump was fine; there were lots of other problems. 

1.  His friend had done the wiring.  There was no fuse in the line.  Customer was lucky the pump was not fried.  A section of wiring was bad and this caused the pump issue.                    


2.  This photo shows the filter.  The manufacturer used a plastic fitting in front of the ball valve.  A little exposure to the AZ sun and this fitting would have cracked when the valve was turned.  Possible outcome – 50 gallon chemical spill.
3. The reel was not properly plumbed.  Cox hose reels require some slack in the line feeding the reel so the hose reel swivel can properly  swivel.  Without slack, the o-rings in the swivel will wear out much more quickly, causing a leak and downtime.
4. The lack of slack in the input to the reel will put torque on the elbow fitting coming out of the pump.  This fitting could crack, creating a spill and downtime.
5.  Whoever built this sprayer, hard plumbed the fittings into the pump.  We use special Shurflo wingnut fittings going into and out of the pump.  They cost a little more but because they can be hand turned on and off they make maintenance much easier and quicker compared to this example.


Bottom line:  when purchasing pest control spray equipment, know what you are getting or at least who you are dealing with.  Only let friends do work if they are qualified to do it properly and safely.

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?

Pest Control Sprayer

Pest control sprayers take up a lot of space in a service vehicle. We cant afford to waste any. Pest Control operator brought us a truck and asked us to install a 100 gallon spray rig.  We were surprised at how the toolbox was installed (photo). 

The toolbox was installed by the truck dealer 4" from the front of the bed.   Space is at a premium in pest control truck beds, especially in short beds or when trying to install a large tank and a toolbox.

The equipment the client wanted and the rack system (installed by the dealer) required an expensive custom skid that would not have fit any other truck.  Since the client was planning on trading in the truck shortly, it would not have been money well spent.  We advised, and client agreed, it was better to put the equipment in a small trailer.  When a new truck is purchased. the equipment will be moved from the trailer to the new vehicle.
Do you have any photos of inefficient spray vehicles you can share?

Pest Control Sprayer - Damaged By Fire

Pest control sprayer and vehicle were a total loss due to fire damage.Check out the extensive fire damage to the pest control rig in this vehicle.  Fortunately no one was injured. 

The center of the vehicle once held two 100 gallon plastic tanks filled with termiticide.  The tanks just melted, spilling chemical.  The pump, motor and all the hoses were a total loss.  The 2 hose reels appear salvageable since they are on the opposite side of the truck from where the fire was.


The best guess is that the technician flipped a cigarette butt into the back of the truck, though the tech denies this.

Some thoughts to prevent this from happening:
1.  Keep your truck neat and clean.
2. Remove any trash, litter, debris from the vehicle.
3.  Clean up any spills, especially flammable liquids, immediately.
4.  Check the gas can to ensure it is clean, lid on and in good condition
5.  Supervisors, managers, owners should perform truck inspections
6.  Don't hire dumb asses.

Your comments are appreciated.

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 Gear Pumps

Brass Gear pumps are commonly used for pest control applications and weed control spraying. Our favorite brands are Continental Belton & Oberdorfer Pumps. Properly used and maintained, these pumps can provide long-term, effective service. They can be rebuilt to extend pump life.
The photo on the right shows a Continental Belton Gear Pump (brass) that has reached the end of it's life.                                                           



You can see the gears are worn down on the ends. If this was the only problem, we could replace the gears to rebuild the pump. The pen is pointing to a portion of the casing that shows uneven wear from the lower gear. This occurred because the bearing that holds the shaft failed.

In our experience, once the bearings in these gear pumps go, it is time for a new pump. When you grasp the pump shaft, if you can shake the shaft then chances are the bearings are shot. It is normally not worth rebuilding the pump.

Power Sprayers - Problems are expensive

For weed spraying equipment & pest control sprayers, you have to pay attention to everything, not just the big stuff.  When buying a sprayer, the little things matter too.    Take a look at this photo:

This is at the bottom of a 50 gallon poly tank.  The tank fitting, elbow fitting, hose and clamp are all JUNK!  These fittings are low quality and will not stand up to heat, cold, bumps, chemicals, hard use, etc.  The way this power spray rig is plumbed means that if any problem occurs in any of these parts, the tank will drain.  There is no way to shut off the flow and you now have a 50 gallon chemical spill on your hands.

Interestingly, I was giving a presentation on spray equipment safety and showed this photo.  A spray technician raised his hand and said that exact thing happened to him.  He had a brand new weed sprayer.  As he was leaving the lot, he hit a bump and an elbow fitting (like the one in the photo) broke and he spilled 100 gallons of herbicide.  Fortunately, he was still on his lot and was able to hit it with lots of soak up.

Examine your power sprayers for weak links like this.  When buying a new sprayer, make sure you know who you are dealing with and what you are getting.  Don't create problems for yourself.

Comments?  If you think we know what we're talking about, Please:

Spray Equipment - Purchase Price is just the Tip of the Iceberg

When buying weed control sprayer or pest control sprayer it is important to know who you are dealing with and what you are getting.   Customer solicited several bids and appears to have selected the low bid for 4 gator spray rigs  (we were not the low bidder).  All 4 sprayers were different & all 4 had problems that the client brought us to address.


In the first photo, the power supply wires for the 12 volt pump were run through the tailgate, crushing the wire (see insert, click on photo to enlarge).  This damaged the wire and will eventually result in downtime.  We replaced the wire, drilled a hole in the bed and ran the wire through a grommet in the hole.


On this sprayer, the power supply wire was run over the side of the vehicle bed.  This is a bad idea - the wire will snag on trees, techs, equipment, etc.  Again, this creates a risk of downtime and lost productivity.  Solution was the same, reroute the wire through the gator bed.

Puchase price is just the tip of the iceberg.  Client did not save money buying on purchase price alone.
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.