Comparison Forte CL-12A vs Forte OP-8

General type of sprayer. Nowadays, there are mainly such options: pump action, lever, gasoline, battery(classic and hybrid) and electric(network). Here is a more detailed description of each variety:

— Pump. One of the varieties of sprayers that work on the user's muscular strength — along with lever ones. The difference lies in the fact that in this case the accumulative principle is used: with the help of a pump, a supply of compressed air is pre-inflated into the tank, which is gradually consumed during operation; the stock needs to be replenished from time to time by pumping up the pump. A characteristic external sign of a pump-action sprayer is the paging handle located in the upper part; Because of this, shoulder-carrying models (see "Design") have to be worn on one shoulder so that the handle remains within reach. This is somewhat less convenient than carrying lever models on two shoulders; on the other hand, one hand remains free when working with this type of shoulder sprayer. And the common advantage of all pump units is that during operation it is not necessary to constantly pump air. On the other hand, this design is poorly suited for more or less large volumes, so the tank capacity in this type of atomizers does not exceed 12 liters.

— Lever....Another type of sprayers that use the muscular strength of the operator to work. Such devices differ from pump-action models in that the pumping lever must be pumped constantly — each movement of it sends a portion of liquid to the nozzle. This can be quite tedious, however, lever sprayers have their advantages. Firstly, they are simpler, cheaper and at the same time more reliable and safer: damage to the tank does not lead to an “explosion” with splashing of the contents, and the performance of many models is maintained even with a leaky tank. Secondly, large shoulder units of this type are usually carried on two shoulders, like backpacks — this ensures the most even distribution of the load; the pumping lever in such sprayers is installed on the side, most often under the operator's left hand.

— Rechargeable. Sprayers with electric pumps powered by batteries. This design eliminates the need for the operator to manually inflate air, reducing fatigue and making it easier to treat large areas. At the same time, battery models are easier and cheaper to operate than gasoline ones, they are quieter and do not produce exhaust gases; and their advantage over mains sprayers is their independence from sockets. Among the disadvantages of this option, one can note the limited operating time on a charge and the need for long breaks to charge the batteries; however, in some models this moment is compensated by the use of removable batteries, which you can have in stock a few pieces. Note that this type of power supply is best suited for shoulder-mounted models, although there are also wheeled and combined sprayers (see "Design") on batteries.

— Battery hybrid. Sprayers (usually shoulder-mounted, see "Design"), equipped with two pumps at once, with two separate drives — (usually lever, see above) and battery. Thus, such models combine the advantages of both types: the battery allows you to work without additional physical effort, and when the battery runs out, you can switch to manual pumping and continue working for as long as you need. At the same time, such capabilities are rarely required, and additional equipment significantly affects the price of the unit; therefore, there are few models of this type nowadays.

— Petrol. Sprayers driven by a petrol engine. The key advantages of such units are high power and performance, battery life (including complete independence from sockets), as well as good suitability for long-term work (both due to the “endurance” of the engines themselves and due to the speed of refueling). On the other hand, gasoline engines are more complicated and more expensive than electric ones (both by themselves and in operation), weigh more, make a lot of noise and produce exhaust gases. Therefore, such engines are installed mainly in heavy performant models designed for large volumes of work.

— Electric. Sprayers with electric motors powered by conventional sockets. With the same power, such units have less weight and cost than battery counterparts, and their operation time is practically unlimited. On the other hand, the need to pull the wire from the outlet significantly limits mobility. Therefore, this option has not received much distribution, it is found only in some wheeled models (see "Design"), where battery life was sacrificed for the sake of the advantages of an electric motor.

The nominal volume of the sprayer tank. Usually, in this case, the working volume is indicated, and not the full capacity (“for the cork”).

The more capacious the sprayer is, the more work can be done with it without refueling. On the other hand, a large volume accordingly affects the price, dimensions, and most importantly, the weight of the unit (and not only in a filled, but also in a “dry” state). Therefore, even with large volumes of work, it is sometimes more rational to use a relatively small unit, refueling it several times.

Detailed recommendations on the optimal volume of the tank for a particular situation can be found in special sources. With regard to specific values, in the most compact manual sprayers (see above), the capacity does not exceed 2 liters. Tanks for 2.1 – 5 liters can be found both in hand-held devices, and in pump-action and battery models (see "Type") with a shoulder carry. Sprayers for 5.1 – 10 liters are almost all made shoulder-mounted, the capacity of gasoline units actually starts from 10 liters, and the most capacious modern sprayers have tanks of more than 15 liters.

The longest distance a sprayer can effectively spray a liquid or powder. Usually, the horizontal range is implied, however, for “long-range” models, values bare also given for vertical spraying — in such units, the difference between horizontal and vertical ranges can be very noticeable.

A “long-range” sprayer (for 10–15 m or more) is convenient in that it allows you to process a large area without moving, and also to reach high branches without using ladders. On the other hand, a long range requires appropriate power, which affects the price, weight and dimensions of the unit — despite the fact that such capabilities are not always required: for example, for a cramped greenhouse, an atomizer with a short range ( 5 – 10 m, and often and less) So it is worth choosing according to this indicator, taking into account the features of the planned work.

The maximum operating pressure of the sprayer.

High pressure allows to achieve good spraying performance and range, however, actual performance can vary with units with the same pressure. Therefore, in general, the indicator is for reference (the lion's share of models has a pressure of 3 bar and 4 bar, and it is only possible to compare different models by it approximately. When choosing, it makes sense to focus on more practical characteristics — performance, range, etc.

The maximum fluid temperature that the sprayer can safely handle.

The preparation process of some formulations requires heating; therefore, data on the temperature to which the liquid must cool can be very important for safe operation. However, even in the most heat-resistant sprayers, this figure does not exceed 40 °C; such a liquid feels warm to the touch.

It is worth remembering the temperature limits when the unit is in the sun: if the tank has had time to get very hot in the sun, you should let it cool down before starting work.

The length of the hose supplied with the sprayer.

The longer the hose, the farther the spray tube can be reached without moving the sprayer itself. However, this is true mainly for wheeled and universal sprayers (see "Carrying type"). In shoulder-mounted units, the hose is usually selected in such a way that it is enough to comfortably hold the tube in your hand, and this parameter in such models most often does not exceed 150 cm.

It is also worth considering that long hoses can be quite bulky; however, this disadvantage is often eliminated by the use of spiral hoses, which are stretched to their full length only when necessary.

Nominal voltage of the battery used in the battery sprayer (see "Type").

In general, a higher voltage is needed to provide high power. At the same time, the characteristics of models with the same battery voltage may differ markedly. Therefore, in fact, this parameter may be required to search for a replacement battery rather than to select a sprayer and compare it with other models.

It should be noted that modern sprayers usually use batteries of standard voltage — 6 V, 12 V or 18 V. At the same time, most models are 12-volt, 6 V is found mainly in low-cost devices of a small volume, and 18 V is found in powerful professional equipment.

Capacity of the complete battery in the battery sprayer (see "Type").

A higher capacity allows you to work longer without recharging, but this is true only “ceteris paribus” — the actual energy consumption (and therefore battery life) depends on the performance, range and some other characteristics of the sprayer. Therefore, only devices with similar indicators can be compared by this parameter, and it is easier to evaluate battery life by directly claimed operating time (see below). Also, larger batteries tend to weigh more and cost more. Therefore, manufacturers usually choose the battery capacity according to the features of a particular model — in order, on the one hand, to ensure good battery life, and on the other hand, not to greatly increase the weight and price.

Time of continuous operation of the battery sprayer (see "Type") on one battery charge. The actual operating time may differ slightly from the claimed one due to the specifics of a particular situation, however, these differences are usually not very large, and this indicator can be used to evaluate not only theoretical, but also practical indicators of battery life.