Spray Equipment Q & A:  Simple Answers to Your Questions

We receive many questions on our blog from people all around the world seeking answers to their spray equipment questions. Some are about specific product recommendations, yet many others are from people troubleshooting problems. Here, we’ll take a look at a few of the recent Q & As. 

Question submitted on our blog: Troubleshooting the SHURflo Pump 8000 Series:

Q: We have an 8000-643-236 pump that will run through a wand and then it takes longer and longer to pressurize. Eventually, it constantly runs and will not pressure up. Any ideas?

A: There are a few issues that can cause the symptoms you are describing. First, we would check the suction side leading to the pump and ensure there are no loose fittings or air leaks. If air is coming into the suction line it can get trapped inside the pump head or run through the pump to the outlet line.  This can cause the pump to not shut off or pressurize. If all fittings are tight and there is no air trapped in the system we inspect the check valves in the pump head for any swelling or debris. If the valves are in working order it may just be that the pressure switch on the front of the pump head needs to be replaced.

Question submitted on our Facebook page:

Q: We spray a lot of bleach with handheld pump style sprayers. However we go through a lot of them because of corrosion. Do you have something that is of a higher quality?

A: Bleach can be very corrosive and eat away at the seals of most handheld sprayers.  To combat this Solo manufactures a 1 gallon Bleach sprayer.  The Viton seals and poly wand increase the corrosion resistance and should increase the life of the sprayer.  Here is a link to it on our website:  http://www.sprayerdepot.com/Shop-by-Category/Solo-Handheld-Sprayers/405B.

Question submitted on blog post: Choose the Right Roller Pump

Q: We purchased a sprayer from you that has a Honda GX160 motor and a 410xl roller pump. We modified the system to have two spay guns, and with the added gun we are experiencing lower psi than we desire. What would be the best solution? Would the 6500XL-R work for us or would we need more gear reduction? Thank you for your help.

A: The best solution would be modifying the sprayer with a pump that has higher pressure capability like the 6500XL-R.  This pump does require a gas engine with gear reduction so you will have to change the engine and pump to make this work.  The 6500XL-R has a max pressure of 300 compared to the 150 psi of the 4101XL which will allow you to generate good pressure on both lines.  If you want to use the same engine you could change the pump to a diaphragm pump with a gear reduction built in.  Options for this would be the Hypro D252GRGI or D30GRGI.  

Question submitted on blog post :  3 Reasons Why You Need an Economy Sprayer

Q: I’m using a SHURflo 60 psi 3gpm pump with a 250 foot hose. Can I hook up two pumps to get more psi at the end of he hose or would one higher psi pump like a 100psi be better?

A: The higher pressure pump would be your best option.  Combining the two pumps in one system could cause issues such as cycling and cavitation leading to premature failure. 

Got a question about your spray equipment? Leave it in the comment box below.