Maximize sprayer productivity with proper filter maintenance
They are usually inexpensive and not the first thing you think about when conducting routine maintenance on your Apache Sprayer. But, when you operate in dry, dusty conditions, filters are an especially important element to keeping your sprayer well-maintained. That’s particularly true considering the cost of the damage poorly maintained filters can cause down the road.
Today’s modern filters are light years ahead of those in the past. More advanced designs and materials make air filters more effective in trapping dust and dirt that would otherwise reach critical system components and inflict damage. But, because they’re so much more effective and working in much more efficient engines today, they require more attention during routine maintenance, according to Apache Sprayers Senior Application Specialist John Casebolt.
“With modern engines, especially Tier 4, we’re actually doing more filtration than we used to. Filter systems are high-efficiency units, which means we’re going to clean the air better before it gets to the engine,” he said. “Those filters tend to become contaminated and plug more quickly, and people who have been running some of the older equipment with older engines and filtration systems aren’t accustomed to checking them as often as they should.”
Staying attentive to filters
Working in dry, dusty conditions can accelerate wear on filters simply by virtue of the volume of sediment they’re filtering, as well as the heat that typically accompanies that kind of intake. But, generally, there are other signs your filters are clogged or not performing optimally. Sometimes they’re the first thing to watch for in diagnosing filters that are nearing the end of their operational lives.
“All components are going to get dirtier working in hot, dusty conditions, and you need to clean out filters more frequently to prevent engine performance issues,” Casebolt said. “If it’s hot and your A/C system isn’t working, the air filter for your cab needs to be cleaned out more frequently, too. Keep your eye on these types of things when working with more dust.”
Cleaning filters
清洁空气过滤器时，重要的是要以一种不改变或破坏其结构或形状的方式进行。人们可能会倾向于将干燥的沉淀物从过滤器中敲松，或者使用空气压缩机，这样比用手清洗能得到更多的沉淀物。不过，这样做可能会过度破坏过滤器，而且比单纯用手轻轻擦去多余的灰尘和沉淀物更有可能对过滤器造成损害。
Casebolt说:“如果你试图用压缩空气来清洗它，必须用低压，从内到外进行，这样就不会损坏过滤器中的羊毛或纸张。”他说:“有些人拿着100或120 PSI的空气管，就可以把东西吹过房间。我不认为这是明智的，因为这样做会对空气过滤器造成更多的损害，而不是他们将得到的。我的建议是用手清洗，把松散的东西去掉。”
Tech tools help
The good news is that modern equipment, like an Apache Sprayer, typically has on-boarddiagnostics and warning systemsthat alert the operator when a filter’s performance is slowing down or being altered in a way that affects overall performance. But, don’t use those warning systems as the primary means of diagnosing filter issues.
“I’m not a fan of depending on those safeguards as a means of determining when I’m going to change my filter,” Casebolt said. “They’re there to warn us in those situations where it’s gotten a lot dustier than we realize, but by the time the warning goes off, I should have already checked my filter instead of running as long as I have with it in that condition.”
Casebolt recommends changing air filters at least once a year, or every 250 hours of operation, whichever comes first. For those who don’t operate that many hours in a season, it’s still important to change filters annually.
“Some will hit that 250-hour mark in a season, and some will hit 500 hours. For some operators, a filter will last an entire season, but for others, they’ll be changing it twice or three times a year,” he said. “If you run a filter too long, you are sacrificing engine performance, so you need to be proactive in changing them.”
Plan ahead
凯斯博尔特说，虽然这在今天的农民中并不常见，但手边有基本的过滤器供应是一个好主意。如果在需要更换过滤器时手头已经有一个替代品，那么就可以将这项工作所需的时间最小化。在淡季，这可能不是什么大问题。But, during spraying season when time is money, it can be huge.
“I’m in favor of operators planning ahead and not just buying what they need to service the machine right now, but getting what they will need for the next service. If they plan on putting 250 hours on a machine in a year, I would plan for that and have those filters on the shelf so I’m not spending precious time during the season waiting on filters to arrive or spending time trying to track them down,” Casebolt said. “Filters are consumables. It’s not like you are buying extra parts to sit on the shelf and maybe have to use. You are going to have to use them.”
Looking to purchase filters for your Apache Sprayer?去我们的配件店。
