Hose End Sprayer Setting

[ZeeOSix]

I picked up a Hudson "Cameleon" model 62104 hose end sprayer to do some major moss killing in the lawn this weekend. http://www.hdhudson.com/consumer-sprayers/consumer-products/product/product-details/?id=176 I'm going to use Lilly Miller liquid moss killer with the hose sprayer. The moss killer bottle says to mix the ratio as 8 oz per 3 gallons of water. Well, I've read all the info in the sprayer's instructions, and even looked at Hudson's website and elsewhere on the 'net, but can't determine if the mixing setting numbers on the sprayer dial mean oz used per gallon of water going through the sprayer, or something else. Seems like the setting values on the sprayer dial would be the mix ratio per 1 gallon of water ... just a guess since I can't find anything that tells me. So do I set the sprayer to "8 oz", assuming hose sprayers are calibrated on the dial for 3 gallons of water? Or do you think the setting should be set based on one gallon of water? I can't believe the manufacture can't give this info someplace so the user at least knows what ratio is really taking place with a particular dial setting.

 

[FL_Rob]

It's probably based on the liter ratio,a bit more universal you know.But don't quote me on it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

The dial is marked with TSP, TBS and OZ ... and goes from 1 TSP up to 8 OZ. All the lawn care products in the US tell you to mix "X TSP per Y gallon" or "X TBS per Y gallon" or "X oz per Y gallon". If the sprayer was based on liters it would be even more confusing than it is now.

 

[ZeeOSix]

The info in the "hose end sprayer" section in link says: "Knowing that a full jar will produce 3 gallons of dilute spray, you can solve for X to calculate how much product to add to the jar." http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1271.pdf So is it a standard that most hose end sprayers are calibrated to mix one "jar" with 3 gallons of water? Why can't they simply put the info on the instruction sheet of the product?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Well, based on this link it sounds like the norm for the adjustable hose end sprayers is to calibrate the dial amount for "per gallon". http://lawncaresimplified.typepad.com/la...nd-sprayer.html "Adjustable hose-end sprayers have a dial on top that allows you to choose from multiple hole sizes, ranging from as low as 1 teaspoon per gallon to 8 oz per gallon." Guess I'll go with that. I might do a little "calibration" test using plain water in the jug to see how accurate the ratio dial is.

 

[doitmyself]

You are correct,ZeeOSix, it is really stupid that they don't tell you what the calibration numbers mean regarding dilution ratio. You are also correct that it is ALWAYS best to do an actual calibration test with any fertilizer or pesticide applicator since the numbers given on the product instructions can be off for various reasons. So, yea, test your sprayer at your average water pressure before you use it. Sounds like you want 2.7 oz. per gallon of water? Does the label say how many sq. ft. to cover with each gallon?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself

You are correct,ZeeOSix, it is really stupid that they don't tell you what the calibration numbers mean regarding dilution ratio. You are also correct that it is ALWAYS best to do an actual calibration test with any fertilizer or pesticide applicator since the numbers given on the product instructions can be off for various reasons. So, yea, test your sprayer at your average water pressure before you use it. Sounds like you want 2.7 oz. per gallon of water? Does the label say how many sq. ft. to cover with each gallon?

So I just did a calibration test and from the results I'd say the dial setting numbers are "per gallon". But the ratios were off pretty good on the higher numbers. For instance, when the dial was set to "8 oz" the sprayer used 12~14 oz of reservoir fluid (I was using water for the test) in one gallon of spaying. At the lower settings, like "1-1/2 oz", it used 2 oz of reservoir fluid in one gallon of spraying. At the setting of "2 oz" it used 4 oz/gal. I'm not impressed with the calibration of this sprayer's dial settings. I did verify my measuring tools accuracy before doing this test, and all were pretty close (ie, the sprayer's reservoir volume marks and the volume marks in the 3 gal bucket I was using to catch the spray). The Lilly Miller liquid moss killer says to use "8 oz per 3 gallons to cover 125 sq-ft of area". So based on what I'm seeing I'll set the (inaccurate) sprayer setting to the "1-1/2 oz" setting (to get close to the required 8 oz per 3 gal ratio) and use one 32 oz sprayer reservoir fill-up per 500 sq-ft of lawn area. Almost need a degree in rocket science to get the right setup.

 

[doitmyself]

Over at the lawn site forum, you would be surprised at the number of allegedly professional lawn care operators that don't seem to grasp the simple calibration procedures that you just figured out. They just ask "what number do I set my equipment on with x brand of this or that". And, like most professional sites, a FEW have professionalitis....homeowners are not competent enough to figure this stuff out. Now, I will "knock on wood" to fend off any "bite me in the arse" consequences that always seem to happen to me when I pass judgement. Good for you on being responsible.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Well, I did a major moss kill today and it seemed to work out OK. The liquid stuff works well, as the moss turns pitch black an hour after it's been treated. Another tricky part about using these hose end spayers (after you figure out the secret formula for the correct mix ratio) is the ability to apply the right amount of spray to the area you're treating - ie, "water" the lawn with the mix to get the right saturation into the lawn. The hose sprayer adds this extra dimension above the drop spreader application method.