Craftsman Backpack Sprayer Review: V20 4-Gallon Battery Model

In this Craftsman backpack sprayer review, the V20 4-gallon model gets my recommendation for anyone who wants a simple two-speed battery sprayer with the battery and charger already in the box. Skip it if you need a runtime or weight from the manual, or a ten-step pressure dial. My plant protection training taught me to read a sprayer’s flow chart before its brochure, and Craftsman prints a real one for all four nozzles. Below I cover the box, the High/Low switch, daily handling, battery rules and the shutdown steps that come before every hands-on task.

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Craftsman Backpack Sprayer Review: Quick Verdict

The Craftsman 20V backpack sprayer is a 4 gallon battery model with an electric diaphragm pump, a two-position High/Low flow switch and four nozzles in the box. According to Craftsman, the High setting uses the battery’s nominal voltage to power the pump, and the Low setting reduces the voltage supplied to it, which the manual calls more ideal for precision spraying. That plain two-step control is why I recommend it: there is no dial to misread, and the manual’s flow chart says which setting each nozzle needs. Pick it if you already own Craftsman V20 batteries or want a 4 gallon sprayer with a control you can learn in one afternoon.

Skip it if you want a ten-position dial, or a weight in the manual to plan your back around.

• Who it is for: Owners of a yard, a vegetable plot or a small orchard who want a battery backpack with a simple two-speed control, and anyone already on the Craftsman V20 battery family.
• What it does best: It pairs four nozzles with a printed Low and High flow and pressure chart, so choosing the setting is a lookup.
• Main trade-off: Craftsman’s manual gives no runtime and no weight, so you plan around the battery gauge instead of a number.

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Specs and What Is in the Box

Two rows decide how you use this sprayer and what you buy on day one: the flow control and the battery and charger. The table below gives Craftsman’s figures for the CMXCAFG190682 as its manual prints them.

Craftsman Backpack Sprayer Tool Only or Battery Included

Craftsman’s manual lists a battery and a battery charger in its Package Contents, next to the shut-off, wand, harness and four nozzles. Some retail pages call the sprayer tool only, but this model’s manual and the pack that Amazon sells under it show the battery and the AC charger. When your box arrives, check it against the manual’s list before the first fill, and contact Craftsman if the battery or charger is missing.

Safety First: The Label, Protective Gear and the Shutdown Box

A powered sprayer is a pump, a hose and a wand under pressure, and the product in the tank can harm people, pets, bees and water. Every hands-on job in this review, from the first fill to storage, starts with the shutdown box below, so read it before the sections that follow.

The product label is the law. It tells you what protective equipment to wear, how and where you may use the product, what weather it allows, how long to stay out of the treated area, how long to wait before you harvest, how to protect bees and other pollinators, and how to dispose of leftover product and the empty container. Using a registered pesticide in a way its label does not allow is against federal law. Your sprayer’s manual does not replace the label, and the label does not replace the manual: read the label before you open the container, and follow both.

Wear the protective clothing and equipment the product label requires, and put it on before you open the container. Put on the eye protection and gloves the label names every time you mix, load, spray, clean the tank or clear a nozzle. Cornell’s pesticide safety program also advises chemical-resistant gloves, goggles and a respirator when you handle moderately toxic products, even when the label does not call for them.

If you follow Cornell’s advice and wear a respirator the label does not require, or if it is unclear which respirator or filter is right, get qualified guidance on the respirator and filter before you handle the product. Wear every respirator the label requires, of the type the label names, and follow the respirator maker’s instructions for fit, use and care. Protective equipment lowers your exposure; it does not make spraying safe, and a critical review of agricultural pesticide use found that its real-world protection may be over-estimated (1). Among agricultural pesticide handlers in a systematic review of 121 articles, goggles and gloves were worn less often than long sleeves and trousers (2).

Craftsman’s manual asks for at least goggles, gloves and protective clothing, as the chemical maker recommends, and for certified ANSI Z87.1 eye protection, because everyday eyeglasses are not safety glasses. It also says to read the entire manual before use, to treat the sprayer as a tool and never a toy, to take close care around children and to stay off the sprayer when you are tired. The manual forbids flammable or combustible chemicals, caustics, bleach, acids, hot water and pressure-producing chemicals in this sprayer, and it limits you to chemicals indicated for spraying applications.

Craftsman’s manual adds its own steps for this sprayer. It says to turn the sprayer off and squeeze the shut-off lever until liquid stops flowing before maintenance, and I aim the wand away from everyone, at a spot the product label allows. The manual also says to disconnect the battery pack before any adjustment, accessory change, servicing, moving or storing, and never to clear a clog without first removing the battery. Before you insert the battery, make sure the sprayer is off and the shut-off lever is released, because the manual warns of unintended spraying.

The High/Low Flow Switch and the Nozzle Chart

The switch and the chart are the heart of this sprayer, and Craftsman prints both. The manual’s flow chart gives the flow and pressure for each nozzle on Low and on High, measured with water or a similar liquid. The DEWALT swaps this switch for a ten-position dial, which I cover in my DEWALT sprayer review.

Craftsman says to turn the switch to Low whenever you fit a low-flow nozzle, and that ignoring the chart may damage the pump and void the warranty. The full cone nozzle belongs on Low, because the chart marks it on High as a risk to the pump with frequent use. A sprayer’s maximum pressure is the limit of the machine, not a setting to aim for. The product label and the nozzle’s maker decide the pressure and the nozzle for a job.

Higher pressure makes more fine droplets that drift, and the nozzle you choose changes the droplet size. A laboratory test of 32 nozzle and pressure combinations found that nozzle type, size and pressure each changed the droplet spectrum (3). That test used a bench rig and not a backpack sprayer, so I take it as a reason to follow the label and the chart, never as a setting to copy.

The switch is easy to learn.

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your sprayer in the shutdown box above. With the battery out, I fit the low-volume narrow fan nozzle, set the switch to Low as the chart requires, then add clean water and spray a patch of the concrete pad beside my machinery shed. The red light confirmed Low, and the pattern came out as the flat, narrow fan the nozzle name promises. When I move to the poly adjustable nozzle, I complete the full shutdown again first, and the swap takes one more look at the chart, which is the habit Craftsman wants you to build.

First Fill, Harness and Daily Use

The first fill sets your habits, so I treat it as a routine, not a rush. This section follows the manual from the first water test through the harness, wand and trigger.

The First Fill With Clean Water

Before the first water test, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box, then fill the tank with clean water and close the lid as your manual directs. Connect the power (install the battery) only when you are ready to test. Run the sprayer and watch the wand, hose, fittings and tank seams for leaks without touching pressurized parts. Before you open the tank, correct a leak or add product, complete the full shutdown again.

Craftsman wants the cap off, the filter basket out and cleaned, the in-tank filter checked and the shut-off connected, or liquid pours out of the open connection. Then you fill through the basket to the graduation line, clean up spills and put the battery in last.

The opening is wide enough to pour from a watering can, and the basket sits right in it, where grit stops before it reaches the in-tank filter. The graduation marks on the tank made the 4 gallon fill easy to read from above. When I switch the pump on, the manual says a low audible sound means it is building pressure and to allow at least 30 seconds for the pump to prime, and the pump’s hum was a low, steady sound that told me it was working before the water reached the nozzle.

Before every use, check the tank, strainer, hose and nozzle, and fix any leak before product goes in. Fill only to the level your manual allows and, for a carried sprayer, only to a weight you can handle with the straps and hip belt adjusted as the manual describes. Before you lift, put on or take off a backpack unit, or load, unload, transport or leave the sprayer, complete the full shutdown again. During normal spraying, move only as your manual and the product label permit, and never ride while operating a hand-held wand or lance.

Carrying a full tank is tiring work: rest when you are tired, and stop before you lose your footing. If the pump runs without delivering, the pressure drops, the hose leaks or the sprayer cuts out, stop, complete the full shutdown, inspect it and resume only on the manual’s conditions. The manual also says to carry the sprayer by the handle or harness only, never by the hose, shut-off or wand.

Harness, Wand and Trigger

Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your sprayer in the shutdown box above. Do the same, including the emergency exception, before you lift the pack, put it on, take it off or adjust the straps.

The sprayer rides on padded shoulder straps and a waist belt, and Craftsman builds a horizontal wand holder into the carry handle. With the 4 gallon tank full, I tighten the waist belt first and the straps second, so the belt takes the load. Held against a drip line in my plum rows, the 21 inch poly wand looks right for strip and low-branch work and too short for anything above shoulder height. The shut-off lever has a lock for continuous spraying, and I could rotate the lock with a gloved thumb and release it just as easily.

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Battery, Charger and Storage

The battery sets the working rhythm of this Craftsman battery backpack sprayer, and the manual is strict about it. Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your sprayer in the shutdown box above. The manual says to disconnect the battery pack before moving or storing the unit, and to remove it whenever the sprayer is not in use.

Use only the battery and charger the maker supplies or lists for your exact sprayer, and charge, store and handle the battery only as your manual describes. To change or charge a battery, first complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box, including its emergency exception, which ends with removing the battery; begin the change or the charging only after that.

Lithium-ion batteries can overheat and catch fire (thermal runaway), so do not use a damaged battery or charger, and follow the manual’s directions if a battery or charger gets wet. If a battery becomes unusually hot, swells, hisses, gives off an unusual odor or smokes, stop using it without handling or removing it, keep people away and follow the battery manual’s emergency instructions; if it smokes or burns, move away and call 911 or the fire department.

OSHA’s fact sheet says lithium-ion batteries can undergo thermal runaway, which can cause fire and explosion, and lists following the manufacturer’s instructions for storage, use, charging and maintenance as a control (4). A modelling review likewise calls thermal runaway a recognised safety concern (5). Neither source is about garden tools, so Craftsman’s manual stays the rule for this pack.

For this sprayer, Craftsman’s manual names four batteries, the CMCB202, CMCB204, CMCB206 and CMCB209, and says to use only those in good condition and charge them only in Craftsman chargers. It says not to charge the pack below 40 F or above 104 F, and that 65 F to 75 F gives the longest life. The charger and pack may feel warm while charging, and the manual says not to splash or immerse them in water. Never charge or store the pack in a hot metal shed, because the manual warns against it.

A push-button gauge on the battery shows three white lights from 100 to 75 percent, two from 74 to 51, one from 50 to 25 and one yellow light below 25 percent. The pack slides in on rails behind a metallic latch and a side door, and the swap is as simple as on a cordless drill. For long storage, the manual says to leave a fully charged pack in a cool, dry place, out of the charger, and never to run it completely flat.

Before you store the sprayer, complete the applicable full shutdown in the shutdown box, including its emergency exception. Store the sprayer drained, cleaned and dry, as your manual describes, with the battery stored as the battery manual describes. Craftsman says to keep the sprayer and battery indoors in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight, and never where temperatures fall below 32 F, because frozen water can damage the pump, seals and shut-off and void the warranty.

Store pesticides in their original containers, with the label on, locked up or under the control of a person who can keep others away, and out of the reach of children. Never put a pesticide in a container used for food, drink or household products. Keep pesticides away from food, animal feed and protective equipment, and store pesticides and fertilizers apart, because they can react with each other and start a fire. Never store the sprayer with chemicals in any part of it.

Mixing, Cleaning and Filters

Cleaning is where a sprayer earns its lifespan, and Craftsman gives clear steps. Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your sprayer in the shutdown box above.

Before you load the sprayer, complete the applicable full shutdown in the shutdown box, including its emergency exception, and wear the protective equipment the product label and your manual require. Mix and load outdoors, away from other people (including children), pets and livestock, and where a spill or overflow cannot reach a well, a drain or other water. Read the label before you open the container, stand upwind, and do not eat, drink or smoke while you handle pesticides. Never use your mouth to siphon a pesticide from its container.

Keep the fill hose above the level of the liquid in the tank so the product cannot siphon back into your water supply, and never leave the sprayer unattended while you fill it. Use measuring tools kept only for pesticides, never kitchen utensils or food containers. Mix only as much as the job needs so the tank ends empty; do not store leftover mix in the sprayer for later, because it can damage the sprayer’s parts. The product label, not this page, gives the amount of product, the dilution and the mixing order, so read it before you mix.

Do not combine products unless the mixture complies with every product’s label and its compatibility has been established through the manufacturers or a qualified pesticide specialist; nobody’s advice overrides a label prohibition. Illinois Extension advises a dedicated sprayer for the home orchard, one that has never been used for weed control products. Penn State and Iowa State warn that even small amounts of herbicide left in tanks, hoses, screens and fittings can harm crops, and that water alone is generally not enough to remove pesticide residue. Treat a sprayer that has held weed killer as a weed-killer sprayer, and keep a separate one for fruit trees, vegetables, ornamentals and liquid fertilizer.

Before you clean the sprayer, complete the applicable full shutdown in the shutdown box, including its emergency exception, and wear the protective equipment the label and your manual require. Clean the sprayer as soon as you can after use, because dried product is harder to remove than product still in solution. Empty the tank, rinse the tank, hose, wand and nozzle, and clean the strainers and screens, following the product label and your manual; extension guidance warns that water alone may not remove every product. Clean it away from desirable plants, wells and other water, and wash the outside.

Do not pour leftover product or rinse water down a sink, a toilet or a storm drain, or onto bare ground. Follow the product label’s instructions for rinsing the empty container, handling the rinse water and disposing of the container, and rinse only a container the label directs you to rinse. Add rinse water to a spray mixture only when the label permits it and the mixture can take it without exceeding the permitted fill level or changing the label-directed mixture. Never reuse an empty pesticide container for any purpose. For leftover product, follow the label’s disposal steps, or call your state pesticide agency or a household hazardous waste program.

Follow the cleaning steps in Craftsman’s manual: empty the tank as the chemical maker says, rinse it with clean water, run clean water through the wand and release the pressure at the shut-off. Complete the full shutdown again before you open the tank, remove the cap or basket, or dry the tank upside down.

This sprayer has three filters: a basket in the tank opening, an in-tank filter at the bottom and a filter in the shut-off. The basket lifts out by hand, and the in-tank filter turns off with a one-eighth turn counterclockwise, so cleaning all three was quick work. The manual says never to run the sprayer without the in-tank filter properly installed.

If a nozzle clogs, Craftsman says to remove and disassemble the nozzle assembly and clean the openings. Do not use sharp tools that could scratch the nozzle, and do not hit the nozzle against a surface to free it. Never clear a nozzle with your mouth or by blowing into it.

Using It Around Plants, People and Pets

Where and when you spray matters as much as which sprayer you carry. The label and the weather decide, and Craftsman’s manual adds its own limits for this model. My roundup of battery sprayers for applying pesticides compares nine picks by tank and battery.

Drift is spray carried off target by the air, and wind speed is the factor extension sources stress most. Their figures differ and none fits every situation, and your product label may be stricter than all of them. K-State Extension suggests spraying when the wind is under 10.1 miles per hour and says there is no maximum wind speed that fits every situation (6). Those figures come from field and boom spraying, not from a backpack wand, and they never permit you to spray outside this manual or your product label. LSU AgCenter says to avoid applying when the wind is above about 10 miles per hour.

NC State says under 5 miles per hour when you calibrate with the product in the tank. Cornell gives no number and says not to take a chance by spraying in the wind.

Do not spray during a temperature inversion, when cool air near the ground holds small droplets in the air, and do not assume that calm air, early morning or evening is suitable: check the actual conditions and follow every weather restriction on the product label. High temperature and low humidity make spray evaporate faster. Do not spray just before rain. Droplets smaller than about 150 micrometers drift most easily, and higher pressure makes more of them.

Craftsman’s manual says to spray only when the air is calm, with no wind or air movement, so that chemical spray does not drift onto non-targeted surfaces.

Keep children, pets and other people out of the area while you mix, load and spray, and keep them off the treated area for as long as the label says. Before you spray, remove toys and take away or cover pet food and water dishes. Craftsman’s manual says to keep children, bystanders and animals at least 30 feet from the work area while the unit runs, and to keep the sprayer and all chemicals out of reach of children and pets. Never point the wand at anyone, yourself included, and never spray toward open windows, water or a neighbor’s plants.

Calibrate with clean water, not the product, whenever you can. The University of Kentucky’s no-math method sprays a measured area of 340 square feet (a square 18.5 feet on a side) with water while you time it, then collects the water from the nozzle for the same time; the ounces collected equal the gallons per acre that sprayer puts out with that nozzle, that pressure and that walking speed. That figure is the sprayer’s own output. It is not a product rate, which comes from the label. Calibrate again when the nozzle, the pressure or the product changes.

Many pesticide labels warn that the product can kill bees and other insect pollinators, and some tell you not to apply while bees are foraging or to notify a beekeeper first. The label’s pollinator wording decides when you may spray around flowering plants; keep spray from drifting onto beehives and flowering plants. Cornell notes that spraying in the early morning or evening can lower the chance that bees are in the area, but do not spray during a temperature inversion and do not assume those times are suitable: check the actual conditions and follow the label’s weather and pollinator restrictions.

If someone is exposed to a pesticide, follow the first-aid section of the product label and call Poison Control (America’s Poison Centers) at 1-800-222-1222, and keep the product label with you. Call 911 in an emergency.

If product spills, keep people and animals away and follow the emergency directions on the product label and its safety data sheet. Try to contain a small spill only if the label says that is safe and you have the protective equipment it requires; when it is safe to do so, complete the shutdown before hands-on work on the sprayer.

For a spill you can safely manage, use only absorbents and waste containers that are compatible with the spilled product, as its label, its safety data sheet or qualified emergency guidance specifies, and dispose of the collected waste as directed. If the spill is more than you can manage safely, call the emergency number on the label; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 if anyone is exposed, and call 911 for a fire, immediate danger or a large spill.

Who the Craftsman V20 Suits and Who Should Skip It

The Craftsman 20V backpack sprayer fits a narrow, practical group of buyers, and it is worth being plain about both sides. My roundup of the 4 gallon battery backpack sprayers lists seven picks and what a full tank asks of you.

• Craftsman V20 owners: The pack comes in the box, and the manual lists four compatible battery models, so a spare pack is easy to match.
• Small-property users: A 4 gallon tank and a 21 inch wand suit a yard, a garden and a small orchard.
• Buyers who want a simple control: The High/Low switch and the flow chart are all there is to learn.
• Anyone who wants a long warranty: Craftsman offers a three-year limited warranty on the sprayer.

Skip it in these cases.

• You need a runtime or weight from the manual: It gives neither, so plan around the battery gauge.
• You want fine pressure steps: The DEWALT DXSP190681 has a ten-position flow dial, which this sprayer does not.
• You need one sprayer for weed killer and another for fruit trees: This one can only serve one of those jobs, so plan a second sprayer. My roundup of sprayers for fruit trees lists seven backpack picks for home orchards.

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Drawbacks to Know Before You Buy

This sprayer trades away a few things, and each one shows up in use.

• No runtime in the manual: It gives no figure for spray time per charge, so read the battery gauge before each long job and have a second compatible pack charged for a big one. My picks of sprayers for a large yard are grouped by tank size and battery supply.
• No weight in the manual: It gives neither an empty weight nor a loaded one, so the harness is the only guide to how it will feel on your back.
• A two-position control: The High/Low switch gives two steps where the DEWALT DXSP190681 gives ten, so fine adjustment comes from the nozzle, not the dial.
• A pump that dislikes the wrong pairing: The full cone nozzle on High is marked as a risk to the pump, and ignoring the chart can void the warranty.
• Cold storage is off limits: Craftsman says not to store the sprayer where it can freeze, so an unheated shed is out in winter.

How It Compares With Other 4-Gallon Battery Backpacks

Two other 4 gallon battery backpacks share this sprayer’s maker family, and each differs in the control you hold.

DEWALT DXSP190681

The DEWALT DXSP190681 20V 4-Gallon Backpack Sprayer Kit swaps the two-step switch for a ten-position dial and prints a flow and pressure table for six nozzles. Choose the DEWALT for finer control over flow and a stainless steel wand. The Craftsman suits a buyer who prefers a switch with two settings and already owns Craftsman batteries. I put the two controls side by side in my DEWALT vs Craftsman backpack sprayer comparison.

Field King 190515

The Field King 190515 ProMax 18V 4-Gallon Backpack Sprayer runs on an 18V 2.1 Ah pack and uses a pre-set design with no dial or switch for flow. Choose the Field King for one fixed setting and no controls to think about. The Craftsman suits a buyer who wants to choose Low or High for each nozzle. I compare the Craftsman V20 CMXCAFG190682 with the 190515 ProMax in my Craftsman and Field King sprayers article.

Common Problems and How to Prevent Them

Most trouble with a battery backpack sprayer is preventable with the manual’s own routine. Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your sprayer in the shutdown box above.

• The pump does not start: Craftsman says that when pressure remains in the line, the pump may not turn on until you squeeze the shut-off lever, and that the pump needs at least 30 seconds to prime.
• The pump runs but nothing sprays, or the sprayer leaks or cuts out: Stop, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box, inspect it and resume only on the manual’s conditions.
• A clogged nozzle: Complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box first, then take the nozzle apart as the manual directs, clean the openings without sharp tools and refit every part.
• Residue in the pump: Craftsman gives a troubleshooting step for it, so follow the manual and the product label.
• Frozen water in the pump or shut-off: Keep the sprayer indoors, since Craftsman says freezing can damage it and void the warranty.

My Final Verdict on the Craftsman V20 Sprayer

I recommend this sprayer to anyone who wants a 4 gallon battery backpack that works from the box, with a switch you set once per nozzle and a flow chart that tells you what to expect. It stays my pick for Craftsman V20 owners and for small-property users, and I skip it for anyone who needs a runtime, a weight or ten control steps. The shutdown box and the label come before every fill, and the battery rules decide when and where you charge. Run it only as the manual and the label allow, and my Craftsman backpack sprayer review ends on a clear yes for a yard, a garden or a small orchard. My roundup of the best battery powered backpack sprayer compares seven picks by fit and battery.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Craftsman backpack sprayer tool only?

The Craftsman V20 backpack sprayer is not tool only, because Craftsman’s manual for the CMXCAFG190682 lists a battery and a battery charger in its Package Contents. Open the box and check for the pack, the AC charger, the harness, the wand and all four nozzles before the first water test, and contact Craftsman if anything is missing.

What does the High/Low switch do on the Craftsman backpack sprayer?

The High/Low switch on the Craftsman backpack sprayer sets how much voltage reaches the electric diaphragm pump: High uses the battery’s nominal voltage, and Low reduces it and holds it steady. Craftsman says to turn the switch to Low whenever you fit a low-flow nozzle, because ignoring its nozzle chart may damage the pump and void the warranty.

Which batteries fit the Craftsman 4 gallon backpack sprayer?

Craftsman’s manual lists four batteries for the Craftsman 4 gallon backpack sprayer: the CMCB202, CMCB204, CMCB206 and CMCB209. It says to use only those packs, in good condition, to reduce the risk of battery fire or bursts, and to charge them only in Craftsman chargers, never below 40 F or above 104 F.

How many nozzles come with the Craftsman 4 gallon backpack sprayer?

Four nozzles come with the Craftsman 4 gallon backpack sprayer: a foaming nozzle, a poly adjustable cone nozzle, a low-volume wide fan nozzle and a low-volume narrow fan nozzle. Craftsman’s flow chart gives Low and High figures for each, so check the chart before you fit one and set the switch to match.

Who makes the Craftsman battery powered backpack sprayer?

The Craftsman battery powered backpack sprayer is manufactured under license and distributed by The Fountainhead Group, Inc., according to its manual. That company also carries the warranty on the DEWALT DXSP190681 sprayer, and much of the safety text in the two manuals reads the same, so owners of one will find the other familiar.

References

1. Garrigou A, Laurent C, Berthet A, et al. Critical review of the role of PPE in the prevention of risks related to agricultural pesticide use. Saf Sci. 2020;123:104527.
2. Sapbamrer R, Thammachai A. Factors affecting use of personal protective equipment and pesticide safety practices: a systematic review. Environ Res. 2020;185:109444.
3. Nuyttens D, Baetens K, De Schampheleire M, Sonck B. Effect of nozzle type, size and pressure on spray droplet characteristics. Biosyst Eng. 2007;97(3):333-345.
4. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Lithium-ion Battery Safety. Fact Sheet DTSEM FS-4480. US Department of Labor; January 2025.
5. Wang G, Ping P, Kong D, et al. Advances and challenges in thermal runaway modeling of lithium-ion batteries. Innovation (Camb). 2024;5(4):100624.
6. Wolf RE. Strategies to Reduce Spray Drift. MF-2444. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service; March 2000.

Safety Note: Read your sprayer’s manual and the product label before you open any container. The label is the law: it tells you what protective equipment to wear, how and where you may use the product, what weather it allows, how long to stay out of the treated area, how long to wait before you harvest, how to protect bees and other pollinators, and how to dispose of leftovers and the empty container. Using a registered pesticide in a way its label does not allow is against federal law. This page never gives an amount of product, a dilution or a mixing order: the label does. Wear the protective clothing and equipment the label requires, put it on before you open the container, and wear the eye protection and gloves it names whenever you mix, load, spray, clean the tank or clear a nozzle. Protective equipment lowers your exposure; it does not make spraying safe. Wear every respirator the label requires, of the type it names, and follow the respirator maker’s fit, use and care instructions. Before you clean or store the sprayer, or wire a 12V pump, complete the shutdown below first. Before you mix or load, complete the shutdown below, including its emergency exception. Mix and load outdoors, away from other people (including children), pets and livestock, and where a spill cannot reach a well, a drain or other water. Stand upwind, never use your mouth to siphon a product, keep the fill hose above the liquid so it cannot siphon back into your water supply, and never leave the sprayer unattended while you fill it. Mix only what the job needs, and do not store leftover mix in the sprayer. Never point the wand at yourself, another person or a pet, and never test a spray against your hand. Emergency first: if a battery becomes unusually hot, swells, hisses, gives off an unusual odor or smokes, stop using the sprayer without handling or removing the battery, keep people away and follow the battery manual’s emergency instructions; if it smokes, burns or presents immediate danger, move away and call 911 or the fire department without finishing the routine shutdown. Otherwise, before you open the tank, fill it, change or clean a nozzle, clear a clogged nozzle, clean or rinse the sprayer, adjust or repair anything, charge or change the battery, load, unload, transport, store or leave the sprayer, or lift, put on or take off a backpack unit, complete the shutdown. During normal spraying, move only as your manual and the product label permit, and never ride while operating a hand-held wand or lance. Battery sprayer: release the trigger or close the wand valve, then switch the pump off. Relieve all trapped pressure using only your exact manual’s procedure and a discharge destination consistent with the product label, without opening the tank or loosening any part beforehand unless that procedure expressly requires it, and never toward yourself, another person or an animal. Then remove the battery. 12V vehicle sprayer: first stop and secure the vehicle as its manual directs, then release the trigger, close the wand or boom valve and switch the pump off. Relieve all trapped pressure using only your exact manual’s procedure and a discharge destination consistent with the product label, without opening the tank or loosening any part beforehand unless that procedure expressly requires it, and never toward yourself, another person or an animal. Then disconnect the pump’s 12V supply at the connection your manual specifies, and reconnect it only after the work is complete, every part is secured and the pump switch is off. Wear the label’s protective equipment while you clean the tank, the strainer or a nozzle. Clear a clogged nozzle only with the method in your exact manual, never with your mouth and never by blowing into it. Refit every part and check for leaks with clean water before product goes back in. For the first water test, complete the shutdown first, fill the tank with clean water and close it as your manual directs, connect the power only when you are ready, and watch the wand, hose, fittings and tank seams for leaks without touching pressurized parts; complete the shutdown again before you open the tank, fix a leak or add product. Wind, heat and fine droplets carry spray off target: the label may be stricter than any extension guideline, and extension sources give different wind figures, so no single number fits every situation. Do not spray during a temperature inversion, and do not assume that calm air, early morning or evening is suitable. Do not spray just before rain. Keep children, pets and other people out of the area while you spray and off the treated area for as long as the label says, and remove toys and cover pet food and water dishes first. The label’s pollinator wording decides when you may spray around flowering plants, and early morning or evening is not automatically suitable. A sprayer that has held weed killer should stay a weed-killer sprayer: extension services advise a dedicated sprayer, and rinsing may not remove every residue. Follow the product label’s instructions for rinsing empty containers, handling rinse water and disposing of them, and never reuse an empty pesticide container; for leftover product, call your state pesticide agency or a household hazardous waste program, and never pour it down a sink, a toilet or a storm drain. Store pesticides in their original containers, locked up and out of the reach of children, away from food and animal feed, and keep pesticides and fertilizers apart. If someone is exposed, follow the first-aid section of the label, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and keep the label with you; call 911 in an emergency. If product spills, keep people and animals away and follow the label’s emergency directions; try to contain a small spill only if the label says that is safe and you have the protective equipment it requires, and otherwise get help (the emergency number on the label, Poison Control if anyone is exposed, 911 for a fire, immediate danger or a large spill). Use only the battery and charger the maker supplies or lists for your exact sprayer, charge and store the battery as your manual describes, and do not use a damaged battery or charger: lithium-ion batteries can overheat and catch fire. Wire a 12V pump the way your manual says and use the fuse it lists. On an ATV or UTV, wear the helmet and protective gear the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends, get hands-on training, sit only in the positions the manufacturer designed, never ride with more passengers than there are seats, and in a UTV fasten the seat belts and keep every part of your body inside the vehicle; stay within the rack and tow capacity in your vehicle’s owner’s manual, and remember that sloshing liquid shifts weight and changes how the vehicle handles; Montana State University Extension advises against riding and spraying if you have to hold a wand or lance. Stop at once, complete the full shutdown and inspect if the sprayer leaks, loses pressure or runs without spraying, and restart only as the manual allows. If a battery becomes unusually hot, swells, hisses, gives off an unusual odor or smokes, do not handle or remove it: keep people away, follow the battery manual’s emergency instructions, and if it smokes or burns, move away and call 911 or the fire department. Before you fill the tank, complete the shutdown, and fill it only to the level your manual allows. Carrying a full tank is tiring: rest when you are tired.