A man using an EGO BSP3500 battery backpack sprayer with a DEWALT model resting in the background

EGO vs DEWALT Backpack Sprayer: BSP3500 vs DXSP190681 Compared

Garden Power Scout Amazon Black Friday Banner

In the ego vs dewalt backpack sprayer match, I pick the DEWALT DXSP190681 for most buyers, because its box holds a battery, a charger and six nozzles. The EGO Power+ BSP3500 wins for anyone who already owns EGO 56V batteries, since it ships as a tool only. My plant protection training taught me to read the product label before the machine, and I judge a sprayer the same way: by its controls, its fill opening and how it comes apart for cleaning. Below I compare both units on kit, nozzles, battery, carrying and cleaning.

Affiliate Disclosure: Garden Power Scout is a proud participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Affiliate Disclosure: Garden Power Scout is a proud participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.

EGO vs DEWALT Backpack Sprayer: The Short Answer

Both machines are one kind of tool, a 4 gallon battery powered backpack sprayer with a trigger wand, so the table sets them side by side on the same rows. Where a maker prints no figure, the cell says Not listed. Voltage labels, pressure figures and flow figures are each maker’s own, and I do not rank one maker’s figure against the other’s.

EGO BSP3500 and DEWALT DXSP190681, row by row
Row EGO Power+ BSP3500 DEWALT DXSP190681
Power source 56V EGO ARC Lithium pack, sold separately DEWALT lithium-ion pack, labeled 20V by the maker, in the box
Tank capacity 4 gal (15 L) 4 gal, with volume marks on the side
Pressure, maker’s figure Up to 350 PSI, as the maker prints it (max working pressure) No single ceiling; the maker’s chart, for water or a similar liquid, runs from 3 to 77 PSI by nozzle and dial position
Flow, maker’s figure Up to 0.6 gal/min (adjustable nozzle, spray mode) 0.14 to 0.58 gal/min by nozzle and dial position, for water or a similar liquid, may vary about 10% (maker’s chart)
Flow control Speed dial on the sprayer body, with an off position 10-position variable flow dial
Battery and charger in the box Not included Battery and charger included (maker’s page)
Runtime, maker’s figure Not listed Not listed
Nozzles in the box 4: adjustable, fan, shower, foaming 6: adjustable brass, high-volume wide fan, low-volume wide fan, low-volume narrow fan, foaming, jet stream
Wand Length not listed 21 inch stainless steel wand
Weight 16.8 lb dry, without the battery pack Not listed
Warranty Not listed Three-year limited warranty (2021 manual)

Two rows decide it: what is in the box and which battery platform you already own. The rest comes down to how you carry, fill and clean the tank, and the sections below take those in turn.

Before You Fill Either Tank: Label, Gear and Shutdown

Both sprayers hold a liquid that can be a pesticide, so the product comes before the machine. Read this section before you open a container, because every later step leans on it. My roundup of battery sprayers for pesticides compares nine models by tank and battery.

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. Wear 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. Wear every respirator the label requires, of the type the label names, and follow the respirator maker’s instructions for fit, use and care.

If you follow Cornell’s advice and wear one 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. Protective equipment lowers your exposure; it does not make spraying safe. A critical review of the research found that its protection in real working conditions may be over-estimated (1), and a systematic review of pesticide handlers found goggles and gloves were worn less often than long sleeves and trousers (2).

Both manuals add their own line. EGO’s manual says to wear eye protection with side shields or goggles marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1, plus face protection, gloves and heavy long pants and boots. DEWALT’s manual says to wear at least goggles, gloves and protective clothing as the chemical’s maker recommends, and to use ANSI Z87.1 safety glasses, since everyday eyeglasses are not safety glasses.

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.

A sprayer manual’s prohibition stands above both. EGO’s manual says flatly not to combine chemicals, so no label allowance and no compatibility advice lets you mix products in the BSP3500.

Full Shutdown Box

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. Shutdown before you open the tank, fill or refill it, change or clean a nozzle, clear a clogged nozzle, clean or rinse the sprayer, adjust or repair anything, charge or change the battery, move, store or leave the sprayer. Never point the wand at yourself, another person or a pet. During normal spraying, move only as the equipment manuals and the product label permit; walking while spraying with a backpack unit is operation, not transport. Battery sprayer (handheld or backpack): 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 and keep it away from the sprayer. Wear the protective equipment the product label requires while you clean the tank, the strainer or a nozzle. Clear a clogged nozzle only with the method in your exact manual; never clear a nozzle with your mouth and never by blowing into it. Add every step your manual gives, in its order. Refit every part, close the lid and check for leaks with clean water before product goes back in.

DEWALT’s manual prints its pressure-relief method: turn the sprayer off, then squeeze the shut-off lever to spray until liquid flow stops, aimed only at a place the product label allows. EGO’s manual prints no method for relieving pressure, so get EGO’s guidance before you open or loosen anything on the BSP3500.

Before you load either 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.

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.

EGO vs DEWALT Backpack Sprayer Battery and Charger

This is the row where the two units part ways, and it shapes the first purchase more than any spec on the table. Before you change or charge either battery, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above, which ends with the battery removed.

The EGO BSP3500 is sold tool only: the sprayer, the wand with its adjustable nozzle, a fan nozzle, a shower nozzle and a foaming nozzle, and the manual. No battery and no charger are included. EGO’s manual lists the ARC Lithium packs and chargers that fit, so the real cost of the sprayer is the sprayer plus a pack and a charger if your shed holds none. If you already own a compatible pack and a listed charger, an ego backpack sprayer tool only purchase avoids buying those accessories again. I rank seven models by fit and battery in my roundup of battery powered backpack sprayers.

The DEWALT arrives as a kit. According to DEWALT’s page, a battery and a charger come in the box, and the manual’s package list shows both. DEWALT labels the platform 20V, and the base of the dewalt 20v backpack sprayer carries that mark. One loose end: the manual’s list of compatible packs does not name the battery that the page says is in the box, so I call it the battery in the box and use only the charger DEWALT supplies.

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. OSHA’s fact sheet lists thermal runaway as a lithium-ion hazard and lists following the manufacturer’s instructions for storage, use, charging and maintenance as a control (3), and a 2024 modelling review calls thermal runaway a recognised safety concern (4).

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. Operate, charge and store each battery only within the temperature restrictions in its exact manual; both makers print them, and DEWALT specifically warns against leaving the sprayer and battery in a hot outside shed or metal building in summer.

Neither maker prints a runtime, so I make no claim about tanks per charge for either sprayer. At the door of the shed I did notice a difference in the battery check: the DEWALT has a button that lights three green lights from 100 to 75 percent down to one yellow light under 25 percent, while the EGO manual describes no gauge on the sprayer. My picks of battery sprayers for large yards are sorted by tank size and battery supply.

Winner: DEWALT for a first purchase, because the box holds everything the sprayer needs to run, and EGO if you already own a compatible pack and charger, because those are then the only accessories it needs.

Harness, Tank Opening and Carrying

Every step in this section starts with the full shutdown in the shutdown box above, because opening the tank, filling it and lifting a loaded backpack all fall under it. Both manuals also tell you to take the battery out before you fill, and to put it back last.

Before you open or fill the tank, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box. Then 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.

On the EGO, the manual says the backpack should sit closer to your hips than to your shoulders, with the waist buckle snapped so the hips carry it. With the belt closed I could feel the 16.8 lb dry weight, which EGO prints without the battery pack, ride on my hips and not on my shoulder straps. The tank has litre marks and a green screw cap, and EGO’s manual says to wipe up any spill before you insert the battery. My roundup of 4-gallon backpack sprayers covers what a full tank asks of the person wearing it.

On the DEWALT, the fill goes through a filter basket in the tank opening, and a second filter sits at the bottom of the tank, with a third on the hose at the shut-off. Debris meets a basket at the opening, a filter at the bottom of the tank and a third filter on the hose at the shut-off, and the volume marks on the side of the tank let me stop the fill at a line instead of guessing. DEWALT prints no weight for the unit, so I make no weight comparison with the EGO’s dry figure.

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. Before every use, check the tank, strainer, hose and nozzle, and fix any leak before product goes in. Follow your manual’s first-use steps.

Man wearing the EGO Power+ 4 gallon backpack sprayer on a lawn with padded straps and a waist belt
EGO Power+ BSP3500 4-Gallon 56V Backpack Sprayer

SHOP ON AMAZON

Man in a safety vest spraying a mulch bed beside a brick house with the DEWALT 20V backpack sprayer
DEWALT DXSP190681 4 Gallon 20V Backpack Sprayer Kit

SHOP ON AMAZON

Winner: EGO for carrying, because its manual says where the pack should ride and prints its dry weight, and DEWALT for filling, because it puts three filters in the path and marks the tank.

Trigger, Dial and Nozzles in Use

Before you change or clear a nozzle on either sprayer, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above. Nozzle work is where both manuals differ most, and it is where a wrong pairing costs you the most.

The EGO’s speed dial sets the flow and doubles as the off position, and a lock-on lever holds the trigger down for long passes. I made a habit of checking that the lock was released before the battery went in, because EGO’s manual says to make sure the trigger is not locked on before inserting the battery pack. With clean water against a wall, the fan nozzle laid down a flat sheet and the shower nozzle a soft rain, and the foaming nozzle is the one EGO says marks treated weeds.

The DEWALT has a shut-off lever with a lock that you rotate clockwise to hold it down and counterclockwise to release it. Its 21 inch stainless wand reaches a drip line or a low plum branch without a stoop, and the nozzle storage clip keeps the spare nozzles on the wand. The nozzle detail that matters is in the maker’s flow chart, which says to turn the flow dial to the 1 to 3 range when you switch to a low flow nozzle, and it warns that a wrong pairing can damage the pump and void the warranty. For home orchard work, my picks of battery sprayers for fruit trees cover seven backpack models.

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. EGO prints up to 350 PSI, as the maker prints it, and DEWALT prints a chart by nozzle and dial position; those are different kinds of figure, and I do not rank them.

In one bench test of a knapsack sprayer at two pressures, the nozzle type changed the droplet size and the coverage on the cards (5). It is a single experiment and no verdict for your yard, so I name no nozzle as better for fruit trees, weed killer or liquid fertilizer. My battery sprayers for liquid fertilizer roundup lists nine picks for lawns and gardens.

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). 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. These wind figures come from field and boom sprayers, so treat them as extension guidance and not as a rule for a backpack wand.

Winner: DEWALT, because its printed nozzle and dial chart tells you which pairing to avoid, while the EGO gives you a simpler dial and four nozzles with no chart.

Cleaning, Clogs and Storage

Before you clean either sprayer or clear a nozzle, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above and wear the protective equipment the label requires. Both manuals require cleaning after use, so plan it as part of every job.

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.

EGO’s method is plain: drain the tank, part-fill it with clean water, spray until it empties, and repeat as often as needed, handling and discharging the rinse water only as the product label directs. The outside gets a soft, dry cloth, and EGO says never to use detergent or alcohol. For a clog on the EGO, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box first, and because EGO prints no pressure-relief method, get EGO’s guidance before you loosen the nozzle. Then use the manual’s method: unscrew the nozzle and push a thin wire, which is not included, through the holes. I keep a thin wire in the kit for that reason.

DEWALT’s method starts with a powered rinse: rinse the tank, then spray clean water through for at least 30 seconds, until no water comes out, and squeeze the shut-off lever to release the remaining pressure in the hose. Before you open the cap, take out the basket or turn the sprayer upside down to dry it, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box again. For a clog, complete the full shutdown first, then follow DEWALT’s method: take the nozzle apart, clean the openings, and never use sharp tools or hit the nozzle against a surface. The manual says never to operate the sprayer without the in-tank filter properly installed.

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. My roundup of battery sprayers for weed killer covers nine models for lawns, beds and paths.

Before you store the sprayer, complete the applicable full shutdown in the shutdown box, including its emergency exception. 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. Store the sprayer drained, cleaned and dry, as your manual describes, with the battery stored as the battery manual describes.

EGO’s manual says to store its sprayer indoors in a well-ventilated place, with the tank empty and away from corrosive agents such as garden chemicals and de-icing salts. DEWALT’s manual says to store the sprayer and battery indoors in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight, never with chemicals in any part of the sprayer, and never where it can freeze, because frozen water in the pump can void the warranty.

Winner: DEWALT, because its manual gives more cleaning steps for the hose filter and the in-tank filter, which are the parts that hold residue. I compare the DXSP190681 with the CMXCAFG190682 in my article on DEWALT and Craftsman backpack sprayers.

Drawbacks and Liquids Each Manual Forbids

Each battery backpack sprayer has limits that the manual states plainly, and the forbidden-liquids lists are the ones to read twice. A product that a label allows is still not allowed in a tank that the manual rules out.

  • EGO, tool only: the battery and charger are extra, and the manual prints no runtime, no wand length and no method for relieving pressure.
  • EGO, liquids: the manual says not to spray bleach or hydrogen peroxide, alcohol-based chemicals, powders or abrasive chemicals, or caustic or self-heating liquids, and it warns against flammable liquids such as gasoline.
  • DEWALT, figures: the maker prints no weight and no runtime, and its flow chart warns that a wrong nozzle and dial pairing can damage the pump.
  • DEWALT, liquids: the manual says never to use flammable or combustible chemicals, caustics, bleach, acids, hot water or pressure producing chemicals, and never to store chemicals in the sprayer.

The label decides what may go in either tank, and neither maker says a given product or fertilizer is compatible with its seals. A sprayer that leaks, loses pressure or cuts out means stop, complete the full shutdown, inspect, and resume only on the manual’s conditions. A battery that is unusually hot, swollen or smoking is the emergency exception in the shutdown box instead.

Choose the EGO BSP3500 If

The EGO is my pick when the shed already holds EGO 56V packs and chargers, because the sprayer then shares the platform you charge for everything else. It also suits a buyer who wants a plain speed dial and a lock-on lever without a nozzle chart to study. My EGO BSP3500 sprayer review goes through the 4-gallon 56V tool-only kit on its own.

  • You own EGO packs: the ego bsp3500 uses the ARC Lithium batteries you already have.
  • You want a simple dial: one speed dial sets the flow and also turns the sprayer off.
  • You work in long passes: the lock-on lever holds the trigger down.
  • You skip it if: you own no EGO battery and want one box that runs on day one.

On a long pass along the drip line, the lock-on lever under my gloved thumb was the control I used most, and the dial was easy to find with my free hand.

EGO Power+ BSP3500 4 gallon backpack sprayer in white and green with a hose, battery sold separately
EGO Power+ BSP3500 4-Gallon 56V Backpack Sprayer

SHOP ON AMAZON

Choose the DEWALT DXSP190681 If

The DEWALT is my pick for most buyers because the box is complete: sprayer, battery, charger and six nozzles. It suits a buyer who wants a printed nozzle and dial chart, and a 21 inch wand to reach a drip line or a low branch. My DEWALT DXSP190681 sprayer review goes through the 4-gallon 20V kit on its own.

  • You start from zero: the dewalt 4 gallon backpack sprayer kit includes a battery and a charger.
  • You want choices: six nozzles and a 10-position flow dial cover more patterns.
  • You like a long wand: the 21 inch stainless wand reaches low branches.
  • You skip it if: you need a printed weight or runtime, because the maker prints neither.

When I swapped to a low flow nozzle, I turned the dial back to the low range first, as the chart says, and the storage clip kept the spare nozzles from rattling around the tank.

DEWALT 20V 4 gallon backpack sprayer in yellow and black with a wand and a brass nozzle
DEWALT DXSP190681 4 Gallon 20V Backpack Sprayer Kit

SHOP ON AMAZON

Which Sprayer Goes in My Orchard Rows

Both sprayers ask for the same discipline at the orchard rows: label first, shutdown before every hands-on task, and a rest when the arms tire. The EGO earns its place where its battery platform already runs the yard, and the DEWALT earns it where a complete kit saves a second purchase. A battery and charger on the shelf are worth more to me than a spec line I cannot check, so I look at what each box holds before the numbers. Whichever model you pick, the dedicated sprayer rule applies, and a unit that has held weed killer stays off the fruit trees. That is how I settle the ego vs dewalt backpack sprayer choice for a yard like mine. For handheld models too, my roundup of battery powered garden sprayers lists nine picks for 2026.

Garden Power Scout Amazon Black Friday Banner

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EGO better than Dewalt?

EGO is better than DEWALT only for a buyer who already owns EGO 56V batteries, because the BSP3500 ships without a battery or a charger. A buyer starting from nothing gets a ready kit with the DEWALT DXSP190681, and neither maker prints a runtime, so I choose on what the box holds.

What is the difference between the EGO BSP3500 and the DEWALT DXSP190681?

The difference between the EGO BSP3500 and the DEWALT DXSP190681 starts with the box: EGO ships the sprayer with four nozzles and no battery or charger, while DEWALT ships a battery, a charger and six nozzles. Each maker prints a different kind of pressure figure, so I do not rank them.

Which is better for a home orchard, the EGO BSP3500 or the DEWALT DXSP190681?

The better sprayer for a home orchard is the one you can carry full and clean without shortcuts, and the product label decides what may go in either tank. EGO prints a 16.8 lb dry weight without the battery and DEWALT prints no weight, so I judge comfort and not figures.

Can you use DEWALT batteries on the EGO BSP3500?

You cannot use DEWALT batteries on the EGO BSP3500, because EGO’s manual lists only its own ARC Lithium battery packs and chargers for this exact sprayer model. Use only the battery and charger the maker lists for your exact sprayer, and DEWALT’s manual likewise allows its own designated chargers only.

Which backpack sprayer has the longer warranty, EGO or DEWALT?

Of the two, DEWALT is the one whose warranty term for its model I can state: a three-year limited warranty for the DXSP190681 in its 2021 manual, with separate terms for its battery packs. EGO has to confirm which term applies to the BSP3500 before the two can be compared, so ask EGO in writing before you buy.

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. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Lithium-ion Battery Safety. Fact Sheet DTSEM FS-4480. US Department of Labor; January 2025.
  4. 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.
  5. Alheidary MHR. Influence of nozzle type, working pressure, and their interaction on droplets quality using knapsack sprayer. Iraqi J Agric Sci. 2019;50(3).
  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.

Scroll to Top