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[Road's End Farm <organic87@frontiernet.net>]

You pump them while you're wearing them. A lever comes off the tank just under your left hand which you use to pump with. (maybe some of them can be set up the other way around). The spray wand is at the end of a hose that comes around on your other side. You spray with one hand and pump with the other. You pump them up before starting (but usually after you put the sprayer on your back), and then just pump occasionally as you spray to keep the pressure up; you don't have to stop spraying to pump. It doesn't take a lot of muscle.

Maximum height depends on the model. Ask the manufacturer. An extension wand would probably also help.

--Rivka
Finger Lakes NY; zone 5 mostly

On Feb 23, 2008, at 11:03 PM, Jerrydana wrote:

> <x-tad-smaller>OK-how do these backpack sprayers work?  I have a "trombone" sprayer and have been very pleased with it.  The 2 or 3  gallon pump sprayers just don't have the power to get up to the tops of my trees, plus they have to be continuously pumped up again.  I can get to the tops of my trees with the trombone sprayer, but carrying the bucket around is kind of a pain.  I have about 28 trees.  How do you pump and re-pump the backpack sprayers?  They seem like they would be very handy, except re-pumping them.  And what is the highest you can spray? I need to trim some of my trees back, but will still need to get up probably 16 feet.  Jerry in southern Indiana</x-tad-smaller>
>