Manual Backpack Sprayer Converted To Electric

2016 - Volume #40, Issue #2, Page #03

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After he got tired of using the pumping lever on his Stihl SG 20 manual backpack sprayer, Mike Buss decided to convert it to electric-powered.
  “I use it on my parents’ farm to spray fence rows and other areas. It works great, better than I had even hoped,” says Buss. “I can spray all day long with one hand in my pocket until the tank goes empty. In the past it seemed like I was operating the pumping lever all the time. I almost wore my arm off.”
  Buss removed the sprayer’s built-in brass hand pump, check valve and linkage. He bought a new 12-volt, 60 psi, electric pump and the 14.4-volt battery off a cordless drill driver, which he bought used at a local surplus store. The battery was worn out so he replaced it with a new one.
  He cut off part of the drill’s handle in order to provide a receptacle for the battery, then hose clamped the battery to one of the handles on the sprayer. He then drilled 2 holes through the sprayer’s plastic frame and mounted the pump to it. “The plastic frame absorbs the vibration of the motor, instead of my back,” says Buss.
  He also added 4 in. of 3/8-in. dia. plastic high pressure fuel line hose to connect the pump and attached a 90-degree fitting to connect the pump to the sprayer’s existing lines.
   “I can spray all day long with one hand in my pocket and use my other hand to operate the valve. The battery runs all day on a full charge. If the battery on my sprayer ever goes bad, I can quickly disconnect it from the drill driver handle and snap a new battery in.
  “I took the sprayer apart carefully so that I could put it back together again in case it didn’t work out. I also converted another backpack sprayer for someone who operates a lawn care service.”
  According to Buss, the nice thing about the Stihl backpack sprayer is there’s a reservoir on one side of the tank that fills first. “The pump I used has a built-in pressure sensor that tells it when to kick on so the pump runs only when it needs to, which saves on battery life,” he says.
  “I paid $30 for the pump and $12 for the drill driver and spent another $20 for the replacement battery, which I bought on eBay.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mike Buss, 404 Mill St. Ext, Apple Creek, Ohio 44606 (ph 330 749-5240; msbuss@sssnet.com).

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Manual Backpack Sprayer Converted To Electric SPRAYING Miscellaneous After he got tired of using the pumping lever on his Stihl SG 20 manual backpack sprayer Mike Buss decided to convert it to electric-powered “I use it on my parents’ farm to spray fence rows and other areas It works great better than I had even hoped ” says Buss “I can spray all day long with one hand in my pocket until the tank goes empty In the past it seemed like I was operating the pumping lever all the time I almost wore my arm off ” Buss removed the sprayer’s built-in brass hand pump check valve and linkage He bought a new 12-volt 60 psi electric pump and the 14 4-volt battery off a cordless drill driver which he bought used at a local surplus store The battery was worn out so he replaced it with a new one He cut off part of the drill’s handle in order to provide a receptacle for the battery then hose clamped the battery to one of the handles on the sprayer He then drilled 2 holes through the sprayer’s plastic frame and mounted the pump to it “The plastic frame absorbs the vibration of the motor instead of my back ” says Buss He also added 4 in of 3/8-in dia plastic high pressure fuel line hose to connect the pump and attached a 90-degree fitting to connect the pump to the sprayer’s existing lines “I can spray all day long with one hand in my pocket and use my other hand to operate the valve The battery runs all day on a full charge If the battery on my sprayer ever goes bad I can quickly disconnect it from the drill driver handle and snap a new battery in “I took the sprayer apart carefully so that I could put it back together again in case it didn’t work out I also converted another backpack sprayer for someone who operates a lawn care service ” According to Buss the nice thing about the Stihl backpack sprayer is there’s a reservoir on one side of the tank that fills first “The pump I used has a built-in pressure sensor that tells it when to kick on so the pump runs only when it needs to which saves on battery life ” he says “I paid $30 for the pump and $12 for the drill driver and spent another $20 for the replacement battery which I bought on eBay ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mike Buss 404 Mill St Ext Apple Creek Ohio 44606 ph 330 749-5240; msbuss@sssnet com

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