Sprayer plumbing questions

1945 Views 57 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Catherine07, 5 d ago

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

I have an old 70's vintage Walsh 26' boom sprayer that used to be my grandpa's. It's 200 gallon I think.

On the bottom of the tank there is a 1" barb, presumably for the suction out of the tank, and a 1/2" barb, presumably for the recirculator.

On the manifold, there is a regulator with a 1" barb on it (and filter), next is two valves with red handles (1/2" barbs), and two valves with green screw handles with 1/2" barbs.

Now on the PTO pump, there is a 1/2" barb and a 1" barb fitting.

So I'm really confused about how this is supposed to go together. I would have thought that there should be 2 x 1" barbs on the pump, with one side of it sucking from the tank, and the other side of the pump sending it to the manifold's 1" barb. And one of the 1/2" barbs on the manifold would be the recirculator that sends it back to the 1/2" barb on the bottom of the tank.

I've included a picture of the manifold.

How do I properly set this up? I don't have any experience with big sprayers like this.

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41 - 58 of 58 Posts

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · #41 · 29 d ago

PaulN said:
Could the pressure relief valve be in backwards?

I don't think so. Usually the inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is on the side (and I have it plumbed exactly like it was originally plumbed, just moved to the end of the manifold instead of having it first in series. However, instead of being oriented vertically (so the valve adjustment handle is at the top, the pressure relieve valve is oriented horizontally. I wouldn't think/have thought that mattered. But a new valve is only $33 so it's worth checking what a new one will do.

Ranger518

· #42 · 29 d ago

Hayjosh said:
These are new barbs but they are plastic. One of the barbs is on a quick release connector I installed to the suction hose to be able to quickly disconnect it from the pump.

Thats odd if they fit tight and you have quick release couplings on them you could always use 3m silicone adhesive on the barb before you install the hose it works really well.

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · #43 · 29 d ago

I think I might know what one of my issues is, and that's the tip filters (the way I have them installed) are completely blocking off any fluid from actually getting to the tips. I was reading on AgTalk almost unanimous advice to not even use the tip strainers. So I expect once I take them out I hopefully have flow. I'll replace the bypass valve and hope that resolves that issue, and then it's just a matter of my leaky fittings.

@Ranger518 I might look into that silicone adhesive. I think one of the barbs on the pressure hose after the pump was too difficult to push all the way in the hose, so I probably need to heat that hose up and push the barb in, and use a second clamp. Do you have any tricks for getting an elbow barb to be pointing in the desired direction WHILE remaining tight? When I tighten the elbow barb to the pump it will be tight but not pointing in the direction I need it to be.

Ranger518

· #44 · 29 d ago

Hayjosh said:
I think I might know what one of my issues is, and that's the tip filters (the way I have them installed) are completely blocking off any fluid from actually getting to the tips. I was reading on AgTalk almost unanimous advice to not even use the tip strainers. So I expect once I take them out I hopefully have flow. I'll replace the bypass valve and hope that resolves that issue, and then it's just a matter of my leaky fittings.

@Ranger518 I might look into that silicone adhesive. I think one of the barbs on the pressure hose after the pump was too difficult to push all the way in the hose, so I probably need to heat that hose up and push the barb in, and use a second clamp. Do you have any tricks for getting an elbow barb to be pointing in the desired direction WHILE remaining tight? When I tighten the elbow barb to the pump it will be tight but not pointing in the direction I need it to be.

i like the filters in each nozzle but I also use air injection t-jet nozzles. As far as the 90 goes you can add couple extra wraps of Teflon tape to help it tighten up in the place you want sometimes you can also get a NPT nut and thread it into the barb tighten it as tight as you can to where you need it and then tighten down the nut. I have never had a issue getting one pointed where I need it to be by just tightening it up with Teflon tape and pipe dope.

Reactions: 1

JRehberg

· #45 · 28 d ago

Don't sweat it Hayjosh, sprayers can be very trying at times. For years I lumped by pull behind sprayer in with women and turkey hunting; more trouble than their worth most of the time but when you do get them to cooperate it can be very mentally rewarding. All kidding aside, don't give up, just keep tweaking until you figure it out. Once everything is plumbed correctly and you thoroughly understand the in/outs of the sprayer it will be smooth sailing going forward.

Reactions: 1

danwi

· #46 · 28 d ago

Been a long time since I had a sprayer with a roller pump but if I remember getting it to prime and pump sometimes required taking off a line to let air out. On my centrifugal pump I have an extra bypass line with a valve I can just open up. Other thing is pump is mounted lower and with a couple hundred gallons in the tank it primes also helps to turn on pump when filling with water though the bottom with transfer pump.

Reactions: 1

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · #47 · 18 d ago

My pump doesn’t seem to have any issue priming. It starts pumping quite a bit of material.

I replaced the pressure valve and took the screens out of the nozzles. But I’m still not getting anything out of the nozzles except for maybe small drips. I was only running the pump at low rpm and pressure was pretty low. The pressure bypass valve still doesn’t seem to be bypassing much volume with the pressure adjustment screw all the way out.

When I turned the PTO speed up to a moderate speed it popped one of the lines off the pump output barb.

So I’m getting frustrated with grandpa’s old sprayer. Didn’t know these things were so difficult.

Do I even have my tips set up correctly? Here’s how I’m doing it:

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Ranger518

· #48 · 18 d ago

Hayjosh said:
My pump doesn’t seem to have any issue priming. It starts pumping quite a bit of material.

I replaced the pressure valve and took the screens out of the nozzles. But I’m still not getting anything out of the nozzles except for maybe small drips. I was only running the pump at low rpm and pressure was pretty low. The pressure bypass valve still doesn’t seem to be bypassing much volume with the pressure adjustment screw all the way out.

When I turned the PTO speed up to a moderate speed it popped one of the lines off the pump output barb.

So I’m getting frustrated with grandpa’s old sprayer. Didn’t know these things were so difficult.

Do I even have my tips set up correctly? Here’s how I’m doing it:

View attachment 93093

try it without the nozzle tip installed and see if it pumps if it blew off the hoses sounds like it is and you might have plugged nozzles. I have seen the brass nozzles stop up with corrosion soaking in CLR and a air compressor usually will help clean them up.

Reactions: 1

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · #49 · 18 d ago

Ranger518 said:
try it without the nozzle tip installed and see if it pumps if it blew off the hoses sounds like it is and you might have plugged nozzles. I have seen the brass nozzles stop up with corrosion soaking in CLR and a air compressor usually will help clean them up.

But that type of install is correct for the nozzles themselves? That is a nozzle from a bag of parts that came with the sprayer pictured, the nozzles on the sprayer are all shiny brass and look new. I checked them by holding them up to the light to see if they were plugged.

PaulN

· #50 · 18 d ago

There has to be an obstruction somewhere. I would start disconnecting fittings, one by one, starting at the nozzle, and working back toward the pump. Eventually you will find water flow.

Reactions: 1

Ranger518

· #51 · 17 d ago

Hayjosh said:
But that type of install is correct for the nozzles themselves? That is a nozzle from a bag of parts that came with the sprayer pictured, the nozzles on the sprayer are all shiny brass and look new. I checked them by holding them up to the light to see if they were plugged.

Yes the way you have them is correct.

Reactions: 1

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · #52 · 17 d ago

Is there a minimum pressure required to make them spray in a fan instead of a drip? I may not have enough pressure going to them, but then it feels like the line pressure is getting so high if I turn up the engine rpms anymore something is going to pop.

Ranger, I think I'm going to go back to the original diagram you posted and use the extra green valve on my manifold and run that to the recirc jet, and then run another line from the pressure relief valve directly into the top of the tank underneath the lid. That would be a 60 second plumbing job. I wonder if the pressure relief valve gets too much back pressure trying to recirc the liquid back into the bottom of the tank and cannot function properly.

Ranger518

· #53 · 17 d ago

Hayjosh said:
Is there a minimum pressure required to make them spray in a fan instead of a drip? I may not have enough pressure going to them, but then it feels like the line pressure is getting so high if I turn up the engine rpms anymore something is going to pop.

Ranger, I think I'm going to go back to the original diagram you posted and use the extra green valve on my manifold and run that to the recirc jet, and then run another line from the pressure relief valve directly into the top of the tank underneath the lid. That would be a 60 second plumbing job. I wonder if the pressure relief valve gets too much back pressure trying to recirc the liquid back into the bottom of the tank and cannot function properly.

yea their will be a min pressure for them to spray correct but from what I remember with that nozzle type it should spray pretty well with anything over 30psi. You run that other to top of tank for a bypass or agitation depending what your spraying just might deal with a little foaming if you let it run for long periods.

Hayjosh

Discussion Starter · #54 · 17 d ago

I got it figured out. The red handled boom valves are 3 position. They can be straight up or pushed back, but in either place they're still shut. I realized they have to be pulled forward and that will open the valve. Once I had that duh moment I was getting spray out the nozzles. There are a few clogged nozzles I'll need to replace, and a few drips here and there I need to tighten up fittings on, but hopefully it should be good to go now. I appreciate the help and sticking with me through this.

danwi

· #55 · 17 d ago

Take the spray tip off each end of the section and flush line with water for a minute. Then take all tips off and clean them. put them on and go to a gravel or concrete surface and check your spray pattern. I have screens on all my spray tips and don't have a problem with them.

Reactions: 1

Ranger518

· #56 · 16 d ago

Hayjosh said:
I got it figured out. The red handled boom valves are 3 position. They can be straight up or pushed back, but in either place they're still shut. I realized they have to be pulled forward and that will open the valve. Once I had that duh moment I was getting spray out the nozzles. There are a few clogged nozzles I'll need to replace, and a few drips here and there I need to tighten up fittings on, but hopefully it should be good to go now. I appreciate the help and sticking with me through this.

Good deal glad you got it going your way now.

Stolenngncess

· #57 · 16 d ago

So I'm really confused about how this is supposed to go together. I would have thought that there should be 2 x 1" barbs on the pump, with one side of it sucking from the tank, and the other side of the pump sending it to the manifold's 1" barb. And one of the 1/2" barbs on the manifold would be the recirculator that sends it back to the 1/2" barb on the bottom of the tank.

Catherine07

· #58 · 5 d ago

Hello, Being unfamiliar with this equipment makes it difficult to determine the right setup. You only have two boom control valves which makes me want to divide your boom into two portions right and left. And then set it up similarly to the image above, but with just the bypass returning to the tank to stir the bottom. And remove the two gate valves plumbed into it. It isn't easy to answer without a comprehensive grasp of the arrangement and all the components. Consider consulting a plumber or someone with experience installing sprayer systems.

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