New chemical hoppers have twice the cleaning power
Bigger chemical induction hoppers with two can rinsing nozzles built in have been developed by sprayer equipment specialist Watson & Brookman to speed up the filling process.
In addition to the regular 15- and 25-litre stainless steel hoppers that a number of crop sprayer manufacturers install, the Bedford business is now making a wider version with 30-litres capacity and a jumbo 50-litre version.
They will come with Hypro’s two pesticide container rinsing nozzles installed – the ProClean rotating spray design and the ProClean Plus “blade jet” version, which is designed speed up cleaning of large containers and to remove the persistent residues that some formulations leave in the bottom of a container.
“We produce a conversion kit to add the ProClean Plus nozzle to a 25-litre Mk2 hopper on a new or existing sprayer,” says the firm’s Tim Watson. “But it is a bit cramped for rinsing larger containers; the 30-litre version is more convenient to use with the twin nozzle system and the 50-litre suits operators using a lot of 20-litre pesticide containers because there’s plenty of room to move them about over the fixed blade nozzle.”
Pylons on the rear-hinged or sideways opening lid support up to three containers while they drain; water accumulating on the lid goes back into the hopper. Pressing the lid down when it is closed activates the ProClean nozzle to rinse it clean.
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| The ProClean Plus rinsing nozzle produces a jet of water to rinse large containers and tackle persistent residues. |
“When cleaning a container, this nozzle produces rotating jets that project upwards but also downwards to clean the neck area and handle,” notes Roger James of Hypro-EU.
“The ProClean Plus is a static nozzle producing a blade-shaped jet of water that strips residues away from the base of the container; we recommend using them in sequence to ensure containers are cleaned thoroughly.”
Sprayer manufacturers are expected to show examples of the new hoppers at the LAMMA show, although some we need modifications to accommodate the larger sizes.
