how to use the Chapin hose end sprayer?

[DirtyCoconuts]

amazing info, Ray and KeysGuy...major thanks

I think i have it figured out and i will likely come back to have Ray confirm my math

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Keysguy

I also include Ray's recommended dosage of Kelp Max the first feeding of every month mixed with my regular fert. (which I know he's not in favor of).

Why would I not be in favor of that?

[Keysguy]

Why would I not be in favor of that?

I thought I recalled reading something some time back where you felt by doing that there was some sort of potential for an interaction that could negate part or all of the content. I remember at the time not understanding how that could be.
If it wasn't you or if I misunderstood (which is always possible), I apologize.
And now I'll have one less thing I don't understand!

[estación seca]

This involves far less thinking:
Dramm Syphonject
You screw it to the hose bibb, screw the hose onto the other end, drop the small spaghetti tubing into your concentrate bucket, and turn on the water. It needs fairly high flow to proportion properly.

The Web page says it dilutes approximately 1:20 but it actually dilutes 1:16. Numbers frighten people nowadays. There are 16 US Tablespoons (15ml per) in 1 US measuring cup. So if you want a final concentration of 1 Tablespoon per gallon of something, you put 1 cup of that something per gallon of water in the concentrate bucket.

In other words, put 5 cups of something into a 5 gallon bucket, and fill to 5 gallons. Mix. Drop in the spaghetti tubing. Turn on the water. Coming out the hose end is 1 Tablespoon per gallon of whatever you put into the concentrate bucket.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by estación seca

This involves far less thinking:
Dramm Syphonject
You screw it to the hose bibb, screw the hose onto the other end, drop the small spaghetti tubing into your concentrate bucket, and turn on the water. It needs fairly high flow to proportion properly.

The Web page says it dilutes approximately 1:20 but it actually dilutes 1:16.

They used to specify 1:16...

I move away from one of those a long time ago because the mixing ratio varies a LOT with changes in pressure and flow.

They are venturi devices, which rely on a pressure drop across the device to work, so if you attach it to your spigot and then add a long, narrow (1/2") hose for watering, the pressure drop across the device is practically zero, and injection is drastically reduced. Larger and/or shorter hoses will have less impact, but it's still a reality.

I "calibrated" mine by filling a gallon "feed" jug with water containing a LOT of food coloring. Upon turning the water on, I filled 5 gallon pails over and over until the feed jug was empty. 16:1 would have filled 3 and a bit, but I saw almost 5, meaning I was at a bit under 1:25. When I went to a longer hose, I ended up with such slow suction that I gave up.

The alternative was to put the siphon device on the delivery end of the hose, but then you're stuck carrying the concentrate around as you water.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by Ray

They used to specify 1:16...

I move away from one of those a long time ago because the mixing ratio varies a LOT with changes in pressure and flow.

They are venturi devices, which rely on a pressure drop across the device to work, so if you attach it to your spigot and then add a long, narrow (1/2") hose for watering, the pressure drop across the device is practically zero, and injection is drastically reduced. Larger and/or shorter hoses will have less impact, but it's still a reality.

I "calibrated" mine by filling a gallon "feed" jug with water containing a LOT of food coloring. Upon turning the water on, I filled 5 gallon pails over and over until the feed jug was empty. 16:1 would have filled 3 and a bit, but I saw almost 5, meaning I was at a bit under 1:25. When I went to a longer hose, I ended up with such slow suction that I gave up.

The alternative was to put the siphon device on the delivery end of the hose, but then you're stuck carrying the concentrate around as you water.

How long of a hose made the device unusable? I have a 50' hose (1/2"). I'm interested in this because I hate the Chapin nozzle, which sprays everywhere with the power of a pressure washer. Also the Chapin's flow rate dramatically effects dilution so reducing the flow as a solution would require a lot of guess work / potential risk. Plus I don't want to reduce the flow.

[Ray]

50' of 1/2" hose will render it basically unusable, due to the back-pressure.

I have an old Ortho Dial-and-Spray, with removable disperser, but I think that with the Chapin sprayer you can do what I do:

Get yourself about a 2' or 3' length of PVC pipe. I used 1/2" CPVC, but the spray disperser on the Chapin might require a slightly larger ID. Hold the pipe over the spray nozzle, point the other end into a pot, and pull the trigger. The pipe consolidates the spray into a steady stream that won't disturb potting media and allows you to keep the foliage dry.

I have thought about permanently attaching the pipe to the device, but I use if for pesticide sprays, too. Maybe I'll do that anyway and buy a new one for pesticides.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by Ray

50' of 1/2" hose will render it basically unusable, due to the back-pressure.

I have an old Ortho Dial-and-Spray, with removable disperser, but I think that with the Chapin sprayer you can do what I do:

Get yourself about a 2' or 3' length of PVC pipe. I used 1/2" CPVC, but the spray disperser on the Chapin might require a slightly larger ID. Hold the pipe over the spray nozzle, point the other end into a pot, and pull the trigger. The pipe consolidates the spray into a steady stream that won't disturb potting media and allows you to keep the foliage dry.

I have thought about permanently attaching the pipe to the device, but I use if for pesticide sprays, too. Maybe I'll do that anyway and buy a new one for pesticides.

Thanks Ray, great idea, I'm off to work on that project now. Any way to keep concentrated solution from flowing out of the little holes in the chapin?

[estación seca]

I don't use it for my indoor orchids, but I use it frequently for outdoor plants with an open 50' x 1/2" hose and no nozzle. It siphons well. I haven't measured the dilution.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I don't use it for my indoor orchids, but I use it frequently for outdoor plants with an open 50' x 1/2" hose and no nozzle. It siphons well. I haven't measured the dilution.

Good to know because I ordered it anyway I'll upgrade the hose if I have to.

I also read that I can put it between two hoses to make the length of nozzle to injection shorter to increase the psi

Mixing ferts is the most tedious part of orchid keeping for me for some reason. I just want to water lol