OT: recommended garden sprayer (carry around)

[Doug]

Mine went kaput. It was about 2 or 2.5 gal plastic container with a pump type plastic handle on top with a strap for around your shoulder. I think I want another plastic one vs. stainless steel but not larger than 2 gallons. This is for home use and I will only use it for pesticides / fungicides. I think I will use it perhaps less than 6x a year. I saw some battery powered ones and I think I'll stick to the pump handle type. My old one had a pressure release and you could see thru for the water level and I liked that. I guess I don't need the best available but I'd like a decent one at a reasonable price. Advice???

[Jim Elbrecht]

what 'kaputted'? Aside from a broken container, they are pretty simple-- pump has an o-ring, nozzle gets clogged. Often a little air and a 1/2 dollar gasket will revive them.

IME- good decision. I've tried 2 different battery sprayers. [my wife bought a Windex bottle with batteries!- and I grabbed a gallon of ant spray this spring & realized when I got home I needed to put batteries in it.

Not really- I haven't bought one in years. But I *will* say, that I bought a gallon of herbicide a few years ago that had a sprayer on it. That one had a spring in it- You just pulled the handle out, and the spring created a nice even pressure for 60 seconds or so. It seemed like it was 1/2 the effort of pumping-- and it produced a *way* more consistent stream.

Don't know if you can buy just the sprayer like that-- but I'd give one a whirl if I saw it.

Jim

[Stormin Mormon]

I've got one of the 1 1/4 gal sprayers I bought for use at work. Oddly enough, it's reasonably good quality, and works well for me. Too bad they don't make the 1 1/4 gal size. Only 2 gal size sold, now.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus .

[Doug]

Looks pretty decent but thanks to Jim, he got me to thinking differently. See my reply to him. Thanks Chris for the help!!

[Doug]

Jim, you got me to think differently now. I realized I didn't follow the recommended lubrication after reading the manual today... I thought I did but I was wrong. It only took me 12 years to realize this :( so I can't blame the sprayer.

I took the pump assembly apart and realize now I need a new pump assembly. Luckily I saved the old box and it was a RL Flow-Master model PGX 1002 and had all kinds of good info on the box. I called their customer service and they will only charge me $ 8.00 w/ shipping to replace the whole assembly so for that price, it doesn't pay to buy something else. I think they're not charging me for the part, just shipping if I heard correctly... I was pleasantly surprised about that. Mine is a 2 gallon sprayer and prefer smaller now but for $ 8, I'll suffer. The rest of the sprayer is like new.

I owe you a thank you for saving me some money. Maybe it wasn't a costly mistake if I bought another but saving is saving. Thanks Jim.

[Stormin Mormon]

Doug, Jim. Thanks for the update. Didn't know you could buy parts.

I bought a back pack sprayer from some where, came with a tip I didn't like. Instruction book had the directions to get the adjustable tip I wanted.

Glad some companies still offer parts.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Jim, you got me to think differently now. I realized I didn't follow the recommended lubrication after reading the manual today... I thought I did but I was wrong. It only took me 12 years to realize this :( so I can't blame the sprayer.

I took the pump assembly apart and realize now I need a new pump assembly. Luckily I saved the old box and it was a RL Flow-Master model PGX 1002 and had all kinds of good info on the box. I called their customer service and they will only charge me $ 8.00 w/ shipping to replace the whole assembly so for that price, it doesn't pay to buy something else. I think they're not charging me for the part, just shipping if I heard correctly... I was pleasantly surprised about that. Mine is a 2 gallon sprayer and prefer smaller now but for $ 8, I'll suffer. The rest of the sprayer is like new.

I owe you a thank you for saving me some money. Maybe it wasn't a costly mistake if I bought another but saving is saving. Thanks Jim.

[gpsman]

Looks like you already solved your issue but FYI, Birchmeier is the Cadillac of backpack sprayers.

This is my rig. It can be had for less.

As a homeowner you can put a Birchmeier in your will, you'll never need another. If you do manage to wear one out (you do have to lube it) every piece is available as parts. The containers can be had for free from restaurants and they are really convenient if you squirt different materials. -----

- gpsman

[Doug]

Looks too good for my purposes but thanks nonetheless. I really want a 1 to 1.5 gallon if I were to buy another now because I just use it for spot treating around yard and bushes. Thanks tho!!