An expert shared advice on how to inspect and prepare a sprayer for winter storage.
In this piece, Oleksandr Lobov, an expert at ABA “Astra”, the official dealer for Berthoud and Horsch (and many other well-known agricultural machinery brands) in Ukraine, talks about the finer points of winterizing sprayers.
1. Flushing the spraying system.
First, and as early as possible, you need to flush the spraying system using surfactants (adjuvants).
Start by filling the rinse tank with clean water equal to 10% of the main tank’s rated volume. Add the adjuvant (for example, All Clean Extra) in the amount recommended by the manufacturer.
Now, from the rinse tank, flush the main tank.
Next, flush the chemical mixer. Add water and adjuvant, and while flushing, use every function: rinsing the mixer’s walls, rinsing chemical containers, and so on.
The next step is flushing the boom sections. First, it makes sense to remove the whole set of nozzles, and to first push the working solution directly out of the holders, so that large particles don’t clog the nozzles. After that, flush the nozzles themselves with the adjuvant solution.
After flushing with the adjuvant, be sure to flush the spraying system with clean water.
2. Winterizing the spraying system with antifreeze.
After cleaning, it makes sense to immediately winterize the spraying system using antifreeze or another non-freezing fluid.
At this stage, pour 60-70% antifreeze (by the volume used for winter storage) into the rinse tank. For a 36 m boom that’s roughly 120-150 l; for a 30-32 m boom, roughly 100 l; for a 20 m boom, roughly 80 l.
Along with filling the rinse tank with antifreeze, also flush the handwashing tank.
Then, start flushing the main tank from the rinse tank.
At the next stage, flush the chemical mixer. During flushing, again use every function: rinsing the mixer’s walls, rinsing chemical containers, and so on.
Pump the antifreeze into the main tank.
Now flush the boom sections. First flush the end nozzles, then flush the boom section by section. Note that all sets of nozzles must be flushed.
At the final stage, fill all cavities and lines of the system with antifreeze. Use every available function for this.
3. Maintenance.
A sprayer being prepared for winter storage needs to be cleared of all mechanical debris and washed, while also checking the boom and body for damage to the paintwork.
Using a protective spray or grease, treat the boom’s hydraulic cylinders. Fold the boom and treat the rods of the wing cylinders and the central frame’s lift/lower cylinders. For long-term storage, it’s recommended to lock the central frame with stops.
Inspect all lines and hoses for cracks, kinks, and so on. Check filters, valves, and seals.
Check the quality and level of oil in the pump and engine. Use a universal refractometer to check the freezing point of the fluids. Replace as needed.
For a self-propelled sprayer, carry out the scheduled maintenance for the engine, chassis, and so on.
Remove the battery and the pressure gauge and put them into storage.
Properly winterizing a sprayer is what guarantees the machine will be ready for work again as quickly as possible come spring.
You can buy modern sprayers from ABA “Astra”, the official dealer for Berthoud and Horsch.
ABA “Astra” Agro-Building Alliance is one of the largest suppliers and service operators of agricultural machinery in Ukraine. The company’s core activities are the sale of new and used agricultural machinery, warranty service, and the sale of spare parts.
“Astra” offers its clients a wide range of machinery for practically every type of agricultural work: Fendt, Valtra, Manitou, Berthoud and Horsch, Framest, Bogballe, Valley, Trimble, Oros. The company supplies customers with the widest range of genuine spare parts to support all models of agricultural machinery from world-renowned manufacturers. Servicing agricultural machinery holds a key place in the company’s operations, covering nearly the entire territory of Ukraine and ensuring a fast response to farmers’ requests.
“Astra” has been operating on Ukraine’s agricultural market for 25 years, providing agricultural producers with quality machinery, innovative agricultural technologies, and a consistently high level of service
