Not all sprayers are created equal, and neither are your chemicals
Why matching your Solo Sprayer to the solution you spray is the difference between years of performance and a costly mistake.
When it comes to chemical application, the sprayer is only half the equation. The solution being sprayed and its pH plays an equally important role in determining how long your equipment will last and how effectively it will perform.
Solo’s standard sprayer range is designed for neutral pH solutions and covers the most common application categories: herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, bactericides and larvicides. These sprayers are fitted with FKM seals (commonly known as Viton), which provide reliable performance with neutral solutions and offer some tolerance for weak acids.
Battery-operated sprayers deserve particular attention. They are especially sensitive to solutions with a non-neutral pH. Acidic products cause FKM seals to swell, while alkaline products actively degrade them.
This matters more than ever today, because a growing number of modern solutions are alkaline. Standard FKM seals simply won’t hold up under sustained exposure. For alkaline applications, EPDM seals are the correct choice, not an upgrade, a necessity.
NEUTRAL pH
FKM / Viton seals
Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and more. Standard Solo range.
WEAK ACIDS
FKM – with caution
Some tolerance, but seal swelling is possible.
ALKALINE / HIGH pH
EPDM seals required
FKM seals will degrade.
CleanLINE series recommended.
HYDROCARBONS
Not compatible
All seals will swell. Battery sprayers must never be used. Seek advice.
A WORD ON HYDROCARBONS
Hydrocarbon-based solutions are a category of their own, and one that should never be underestimated. Any product containing naphtha, or that falls under the broader description of hydrocarbons, will cause all seal types to swell without exception. Battery-operated sprayers must never be used with these products under any circumstances.
If a customer needs to spray a hydrocarbon-based solution, always seek specialist advice before specifying even a manual sprayer, the wrong choice will result in rapid seal failure regardless of how well the equipment is maintained.
Sealing material is also just one part of the picture. The plastics used in the sprayer head, nozzle and trigger components all need to be matched to the chemistry being applied. A correctly-sealed sprayer with the wrong plastic components can still fail prematurely.
This is precisely why Solo developed the CleanLINE series, sprayers engineered with specific seals and materials for specific chemicals, taking the guesswork out of compatibility entirely.
From a single SDS sheet, Solo’s team can analyse the chemical and recommend the correct sprayer for your customer. That’s the kind of service a DIY store can’t offer.
When a customer comes to you with a chemical they need to apply, you don’t have to guess. Simply provide our sales team with the Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and we’ll identify exactly the right Solo Sprayer for the job, seal material, plastic type, and all.
