We all have the sprayers we have ... and I really like my stainless steel Pak Tank! What follows are some questions regarding keeping this dependable for years to come.
Winterizing is first on my mind. I finally completed my fatty acid sprays aimed at leaf decomposition today. (I know, I know!) How good to drain the tank and then run RV antifreeze through the system just to the point where "pink" from the antifreeze shows in the gun spray. I have the same two gallons of antifreeze on hand that I started with four years ago when I got this sprayer. Alan Surprenant in Massachusetts has gotten away with skipping this step the occasional winter, but for me, it feels so much better to be safe.
I am frustrated by the Tee-Jet filters. No matter how careful I try to be about alignment the thing gets torqued rather quickly in the final hand tightening. What's needed is fairer pricing on replacement parts! It's pretty basic yet somehow the thing gets caught to the side and ends up cracked, bent, and essentially kaput.
I do keep an eye on the oil fill. This year I had to replace the exterior rubber diaphragm that pulsates with air pressure. I'm not so inclined to go deeper inside the actual diaphragm pump. I figure when things fail, that's the right time. More experienced insights on this point are welcome.
Finally, replacement parts. I go through Orchard Equipment & Supply in Conway, Massachusetts, from whom I originally bought this Pak Tank 100-gallon three-point-hitch sprayer for $2900.
Say amen, brother. The price of parts defies imagination even more. Maybe this is necessary given that the orchardist market is far more limited today. I am wondering if there's a better clearinghouse for such things as Tee-Jet filters.
Lost Nation OrchardZone 4b in New Hampshire
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2012 03:39AM by Michael Phillips.