A Review of The Spray Shop’s Batchmaster 1200

by Farming Ahead

The Spray Shop’s Batchmaster 1200

Mounted on a sturdy hot-dipped galvanised frame fabricated using RHS, the Batchmaster 1200 has a footprint of 1400mm x 2000mm with the operator platform in the transport position. This means it will be accommodated in the back of a standard ute tray. The frame incorporates a set of pallet fork slots for lifting with a forklift or alternatively there are four eyelets for lifting from above.

FITTINGS AND FIXTURES

A 1200L round conical base, the roto-moulded tank has clearly marked graduations and two manual-loading access holes with quarter-turn lid-locks to the left and right of centre when standing on the operator platform. The lids are 1100mm above the fold-down platform height and can be used for loading product from 20L or granular product boxes or overhead filling. The righthand lid has a stainless-steel spear but the left-hand lid does not.

Other than the spear central flush, there is no drum-wash, although the spear and rinser could be modified and replaced with a standard drum rinser nozzle.

The tank is fixed to eyelets on the frame using a single 75mm webbing strap with hooks. The pump and plumbing sit on checker plate which has also been hot-dipped with the frame while a 750mm platform folds down for operators to stand on if manually loading product into the hopper. This platform folds up and locks up out of the way into a vertical position for transport.

Internal tank agitation is via three adjustable angle 32mm 45-degree angled fittings. Tank rinse employs a central tank-roof mounted spray nozzle. The outlet in the bottom of the tank also has a sump drain pipe for removing the last few litres of liquid from the system.

PUMPING

The heart of the Batchmaster is a 3.7kW Honda GX200-driven Banjo self-priming centrifugal pump which can shift 1100L/min.

Water fill is via a 75mm Banjo cam-lock fitting and three-way tap and mixed product delivery back out of the unit is also via a 75mm outlet. Outside manual loading, the chemical can be drawn into the system via venturi induction probe from a shuttle or Enviro drum.

With seven Banjo taps on the Batchmaster, product flow paths are easy to determine and operation is intuitive. But Farming Ahead’s engineers were impressed that most taps were clearly labelled with sturdy, chemical resistant engraved plates.

Recommended retail pricing of the unit as inspected is $10,305.