building a sprayer trailer, looking for some ideas

[bentwrench54]

hey everyone, i'm trying to build a sprayer trailer for the garden, and i have a basic idea of how i want to build it. looking for some constructive criticism.

i'm starting with an old lawn trailer with a rotten metal floor. i have since cut the box off leaving the tongue and axle and the center support.

i am using an old 2 wheel dolly for the frame. the sprayer tank fits right on top of the frame, and i would be able to strap it down to the frame. it will probably be bolted together where i can, since i do not have a welder.

the tires are from the dolly, rated for 300 lbs each.

i plan on using a regular 12 volt car battery to power the sprayer, and i intend to relocate the pump to underneath of the frame so that it will self prime.

the one photo attached is a rough sketch of what i'm thinking, hoses aren't in final position, etc.

any ideas or suggestions? this is my first fab project, my apologies for the crappy phone pictures.

 

[Steroblan]

I built one this winter from parts. I pull it behind the garden tractor to spray pre-emergent. I built a folding spray bar w/ 5 nozzles and it has a spray wand also. It has a 2.3 gpm pump that drained the car battery in about 20 mins of spraying. I have since wired it into the pto switch on the tractor and eliminated the battery. If you are going to use a separate battery I would recommend a deep cycle battery that is made to discharge because you will ruin a car battery quick. The pump flows to a manifold that has a pressure relief valve that recirculates the mix through a siphon eductor since I use a suspended solution. Then added a pressure gauge to keep an eye on things. I love it.

 

[bentwrench54]

i would love to power this sprayer through the tractor, but i don't know for sure that the tractor supplies enough current to run the pump.

we use it for watering the garden as needed.

it has about 75 feet of hose onto a spray wand. however, i might add a sprayer bar later on.

 

[LEVE]

Over the winter I attempted to make tow-behind trailer using a 25gal surplus sprayer. The cost for the trailer frame made me rethink the project. Then I picked one up off Craigs List for $75. The listing came down from $250 that had run about a month. I thought it would be a good buy as a base sprayer. It needed a little work The picture was taken when I purchased it.

• I've replaced all the tubing,
  • the tires/wheels and
  • some of the spray heads.
  • It's got two wings that fold down
  • I can spray about a 8' spray path.
• It also sprays with a wand.
• I've run a electrical trailer lighting connector to the Lawn Tractor battery to power the system.
• All I have to do is throw a toggle switch under the seat to power it up.
• Installed a ball hitch on the Lawn Tractor.

I'll let you know more when I've used it as soon as my clay-soil firms up.

 

[bentwrench54]

Leve, looks good! What kind of tractor do you use to pull this sprayer? For now we have an old mower that we use for cutting wood and such. It's our garden tractor so to speak.

That's why i wonder if the tractor would supply enough electrical power to run the sprayer. We haven't gotten a full size tractor yet.

The old dolly was given to me, we had everything else already on hand. I have maybe $25 in this as it sits right now.

Thanks!

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[alan camby]

I live down the road from the ET Apache sprayer manufacture.
They have a website http://www.spraysmarter.com/
The show room here has everything you can think of that has to do with spraying.

BTW Here is what they build in the factory.
http://www.etsprayers.com/

 

[LEVE]

Leve, looks good! What kind of tractor do you use to pull this sprayer? For now we have an old mower that we use for cutting wood and such. It's our garden tractor so to speak.

That's why i wonder if the tractor would supply enough electrical power to run the sprayer. We haven't gotten a full size tractor yet.

I will tow with my 10 year old Craftsman LT1000. It's got a 18.5 hp B/S engine and should easily supply the amperage. I've tied the trailer wiring directly to the battery; I figure the batter will be charged back up when no spraying.

Failing that... I'll tow it with my 4WD Ranger pickup. That's Plan B.

 

[bentwrench54]

sounds like we've got similar plans!

i also will be running a harness from the tractor, however i may put a switch on it so i can turn it on or off as needed.

as soon as i kick this cold that is going around, i'll get this updated.

 

[LEVE]

I've just installed the switch in a med bottle with the wires running in. That keeps it weather tight. But, on rethinking this whole thing I may rerun the wiring to use a relay to pull apply the voltage. That way I'll run smaller current through the switch and let it control the relay which controls the pump. Yep, that's the new rewire plan!

 

[bentwrench54]

update....started mocking this up at work about a week ago, and have been tweaking it little by little.

i'm probably going to put the pump underneath the tank, on the green trailer base.

 

[dwp99]

update....started mocking this up at work about a week ago, and have been tweaking it little by little.

I'm probably going to put the pump underneath the tank, on the green trailer base.

There is really no need to relocate the pump. It will pick up it's prime with no problem. I've been using one of these pumps for years in the back of an electric golf cart. We just tapped into 12 of the 36 volts. I can run 2 - 3 tanks through before the batteries drain down low enough to effect the golf cart. I use it to spray Round Up weed killer.

The only suggestion I would make is to relocate the power switch so you can reach it from the drivers seat of your tractor. That way if you are using spray arms you can turn off the pump when you get to the end of the row.

 

[bentwrench54]

There is really no need to relocate the pump. It will pick up it's prime with no problem.

Dwp99: The only reason I was going to relocate the pump is because the pump doesn't prime very well right now on the top of the tank. It is easily a 15 minute ordeal in trying to prime the pump. I figure a little bit of a gravity feed will help out immensely. It looks good! Now to just fit it together and weld and paint it!


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