[58west]

Using totes of generic glufosinate for the first time this year. Have been using barrels of brand name Liberty but shortages kind of forced our hand into totes. Bought a Sotera 850 meter as well. For those that have used these...are they accurate when used on the suction side rather than on pressure side? Would hook the meter up directly to the tote if this was the case.

 

[Snapper22]

My last sortera meter was not consistently accurate. Even when calibrated repeatedly on glyphosate it was not any more consistent than using a measuring tape and marker on the side of the tote. Glufosinate is much thicker so I don’t know how it would work as I never used that stuff.

 

[MF cowboy]

My Sotera meter had a very short life maybe a couple years.
Have been using the mix tank on the sprayer which has graduated markings on the side to measure its pre marked every 5L.
Seems to me there is a wide variation in thickness of the glyphosate products and the metering is not all the same.
Even a bit of an air leak in the camlock fitting affects it as well and the sealing of those camlocks on some totes seems poor.

 

[glensts]

Mine was accurate enough for liberty but if it was sucking air too it read high. Mine crapped out and I’m getting another one just because sometimes you can’t read the bottom
Of the totes on some of the loads and my chemhandler won’t hold it all

 

[Licensed to kill]

I had several sot era meters years ago. ONE was quite accurate but after a couple years it crapped out. Of the 3 or 4 that I had it was the only one that was reasonably close. The only meter that I have found that is accurate is the Flowmec. Read dead on regardless of product and comes calibrated, just plumb it in and go. HOWEVER, like every meter, it will read wildly high is there is air in the flow. I use seeder hose so I can see the flow and watch for air. They recommend pushing through the meter but I pull through and as long as there is no air, it's works great.

 

[joesixpack]

Gave up entirely on flow meters. The viscosity spread with temperature change really messes them up. The Banjo ones are complete garbage.
Put a scale in on the yard chem handler and that’s the ticket. It’s wide enough for 2 1000l totes so you always have a full one if you empty the other out. Way faster pulling with the Venturi vs the pump and deadly accurate.
Going to rig the same setup on the tender trailer as well.

 

[NWsask]

The 1.5 inch oval gear flow meter from nozzle ninja works really well. Haven't found a product that it isn't bang on yet including thick generic liberty products. I have it on the chem handler suction. It's expensive but not really compared to pumps. Only thing to watch for is air leaks in the suction. That would throw it off. Use clear suction hose to watch for bubbles. Hasn't been a issue but something to watch for.

 

[Licensed to kill]

The 1.5 inch oval gear flow meter from nozzle ninja works really well. Haven't found a product that it isn't bang on yet including thick generic liberty products. I have it on the chem handler suction. It's expensive but not really compared to pumps. Only thing to watch for is air leaks in the suction. That would throw it off. Use clear suction hose to watch for bubbles. Hasn't been a issue but something to watch for.

The flomec is an oval gear as well. Works great with all chemicals. I was not aware that Mike stocked an oval gear meter as well. Only way to go IMO.

 

[Licensed to kill]

Gave up entirely on flow meters. The viscosity spread with temperature change really messes them up. The Banjo ones are complete garbage.
Put a scale in on the yard chem handler and that’s the ticket. It’s wide enough for 2 1000l totes so you always have a full one if you empty the other out. Way faster pulling with the Venturi vs the pump and deadly accurate.
Going to rig the same setup on the tender trailer as well.

A scale would be OK but then you need to chart the specific gravity of each produce to get the weight/litre right. I find the Venturi to be marginally faster than the sot era pump I used to use. I have tried to speed it up to no avail. Perhaps the 1" hose that I use is the limiting factor but the cam locks on barrels and totes are 1" so increasing the hose size would have marginal benefit I'm thinking. It is only really an issue when I am putting several liters per acre in then it can be touch and go getting it all in before the tank is full.

 

[lanwickum]

Sotera meters. The time is takes to get a correct reading makes them worthless to me. I wouldn't give them away. Use the tote to measure off of or better yet a mixing cone.

 

[dumbfarmer]

3.5 Minutes to suck 163L of Liberty on and less than 2 minutes to load Gly to 1200gal tank load.
That is though a pin style flow meter from Mike (Nozzle ninja) And it’s within 2% no matter the temperature or if you suck air for 5 minutes.
You couldn’t give me a chem pump for free.

 

[joesixpack]

Weight tote full - weight tote empty / tote liters = weight per liter. How hard is that!
The hose size is the difference. Just about impossible to get 1” hose fast unless your using a hydraulic pump.
Under a min to transfer the chem.
I guess there’s guys that still load b-trains with 8” augers. To each his own.

 

[Partners]

We check with a 10 liter jug..For yrs has been spot on..Roundup and Rezuvant this yr...

 

[Licensed to kill]

Weight tote full - weight tote empty / tote liters = weight per liter.

Yup that would work as long as you have an empty tote to start with.

How hard is that!

I neither said nor implied that it was "hard" only that it was required since each chemistry has a different specific gravity. IMO, that snarky comment was neither necessary nor warranted

The hose size is the difference. Just about impossible to get 1” hose fast unless your using a hydraulic pump.
Under a min to transfer the chem.

Could be. I have wondered about how much a 1.5" hose may improve flow even though it has to come through the 1" cam lock on the tote/barrel

I guess there’s guys that still load b-trains with 8” augers. To each his own.

Again, IMO that snarky comment was neither necessary nor warranted. It is a shame that you chose to sully an otherwise good informative post with such unwarranted nonsense.

 

[SouthernSK]

Why not just use a tape measure. Most 1000 litre totes are 3.5 in per 100 litre. I gave up on the sotera meters years ago and just use a tape measure and marker to mark the side of the tote to measure my chemical. The electric chemical pump,is way faster without a meter on it as well,

 

[joesixpack]

Yup that would work as long as you have an empty tote to start with.

I neither said nor implied that it was "hard" only that it was required since each chemistry has a different specific gravity. IMO, that snarky comment was neither necessary nor warranted

Could be. I have wondered about how much a 1.5" hose may improve flow even though it has to come through the 1" cam lock on the tote/barrel
Again, IMO that snarky comment was neither necessary nor warranted. It is a shame that you chose to sully an otherwise good informative post with such unwarranted nonsense.

I forget there’s some real tender hearts in here. I mean if your but hurt by that post it might not hurt to run in for a test check.

“As long as you have a empty tote to start with”. Are you implying it might be hard to get to a empty tote?
If I suggest you use however you currently meter chem first and then weigh the empty tote will you take offense?

I never said there’s anything inherently wrong with using a slower method if it works for you. Again is there something wrong with the phrase “to each his own”?

Great suggestion SouthernSK! I’ve done lots of measuring with the complete lack of faith in flow meters.
It can be challenging when the trailer gets parked different every time. Also these new queer Liberty totes sure don’t lend to measuring the sides.

There’s always pumping it into the chem handler and measuring with it to. Did lots of that when there’s a guy on the water truck with nothing but time on his hands.

 

[Licensed to kill]

I forget there’s some real tender hearts in here. I mean if your but hurt by that post it might not hurt to run in for a test check.

“As long as you have a empty tote to start with”. Are you implying it might be hard to get to a empty tote?
If I suggest you use however you currently meter chem first and then weigh the empty tote will you take offense?

I never said there’s anything inherently wrong with using a slower method if it works for you. Again is there something wrong with the phrase “to each his own”?

Great suggestion SouthernSK! I’ve done lots of measuring with the complete lack of faith in flow meters.
It can be challenging when the trailer gets parked different every time. Also these new queer Liberty totes sure don’t lend to measuring the sides.

There’s always pumping it into the chem handler and measuring with it to. Did lots of that when there’s a guy on the water truck with nothing but time on his hands.

Sorry to disappoint but it is not about "tender hearts" or being "but hurt" it is about having a respectful discussion and exchange of ideas in an adult fashion. The fact is that YOUR response smacks of being "but hurt" because I did not applaud your scale idea and pat you on the back for it. It IS a good idea and am sure it works great for your operation and I appreciate your sharing it even though it does not fit MY operation, others may benefit from your experience.

 

[58west]

Thanks for everyone’s input so far.
Back to meters...we bought it so we’re gonna try it. We have a 12v chem pump as well so if we find the meter isn’t anywhere close to accurate then we can just pump into chem handler and measure it that way. Scale sounds like a great idea but probably not an option for us. At least for now.
As far as installation goes, was going to put the meter right at the end of the hose. Hose barb in one end and a 2” female cam into the other end to hook to tote. Will this work or do we need more hose in between the meter and tote for best accuracy?

 

[Millie]

If you haven’t used it yet I would advise you to try and switch it for a dura pump meter. Sotera and Gpi meters you have to calibrate for the current fluid every time you switch. Dura pump ones are close enough for me. The dura pump pump is not the best but the meters work better than the other. What I did was put a barb on one end and a camlock on the other the same size, just so you can put it in the line or remove it if you don’t need it. The pumps pump twice or more as fast with no meter. Where you put the meter in the line doesn’t matter, but with a pump I would put it on the discharge side so the pump doesn’t have to suck so hard. Just remember when you hit air the meters go crazy fast.
When I used a pump I gave up on meters and just used the handler numbers to judge volume because of speed. But now I bought a new handler that sucks chemical and I use the meter again. But after buying the new handler that sucks, I would advise everyone that needs a new pump to buy a different handler or redo your current one to suck. It’s way faster, no mess, no wires, I have 3 totes hooked up going through one meter.
Good luck

 

[torriem]

I'm a bit surprised that the Sotera would need to be recalibrated for every fluid. With a wheel or turbine flow sensor, calibrating using water should be enough. Calibration should not be affected by density thereafter.