6 Best Sprayer Three Way Valves For Tank Mixing That Reduce Product Waste
Boost efficiency and cut costs. Our guide reviews the 6 best three-way valves for sprayer tank mixing, designed to reduce product waste and save money.
Ever found yourself standing by your sprayer, covered in a bit more chemical than you’d like, after fumbling with hoses to get the mix right? You’ve got product in the tank that needs to keep moving, but you also need to send it to the boom. It’s a messy, wasteful dance that costs both time and money. A simple three-way valve changes that entire process, turning a chore into a clean, efficient task.
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Why 3-Way Valves Cut Chemical Waste & Time
A three-way valve is the traffic cop for your sprayer’s plumbing. Instead of disconnecting hoses to switch liquid flow, you just turn a handle or flip a switch. It directs the flow from your pump to one of two places: either back into the tank for agitation or out to the spray boom.
This simple change has huge benefits. First, you stop wasting expensive chemicals. No more spills when swapping hoses or drips from open lines. Every drop stays in the closed loop until you’re ready to spray. This also means a safer work environment with less direct exposure to the products you’re handling.
Second, it’s a massive time-saver. Think about mixing a product that settles quickly. With a 3-way valve, you can agitate the tank right up to the moment you enter the field. A quick turn of the valve, and you’re spraying a perfectly mixed solution. It eliminates the frantic rush and ensures what you spray on the last row is the same concentration as the first.
Banjo M220 Poly Valve: A Reliable Workhorse
When you need a valve that just works, the Banjo M220 is the answer. Made from glass-reinforced polypropylene, it’s tough enough to handle most herbicides, pesticides, and liquid fertilizers without breaking a sweat or your budget. This is the valve you’ll find on countless farm sprayers for a good reason: it’s dependable and easy to service.
The manual "T" handle is straightforward. You can feel the valve click into its position, so there’s no guesswork about where your mix is flowing. It’s a simple, mechanical solution that won’t fail due to a bad wire or a blown fuse. For most hobby farm setups using common chemicals, this valve is the perfect balance of performance and price.
Consider this your go-to for a new sprayer build or as a replacement for a leaky, older valve. Its bolted design means you can take it apart for a deep clean or to replace the EPDM gaskets and ball seat, extending its life for years. It’s not fancy, but it’s a true workhorse.
TeeJet AA144A: Electric Control for Precision
Stepping up to an electric valve like the TeeJet AA144A is a game-changer for efficiency. Instead of hopping off the tractor to switch from agitation to spray, you flip a switch in the cab. This might sound like a small luxury, but in practice, it allows for much tighter control over your application.
Imagine you’re spraying a pasture with a few sensitive trees near the edge. You can spray right up to the boundary, instantly switch to agitation to keep the mix ready, maneuver, and then immediately start spraying again on the next pass. This eliminates the risk of spray drift during turns and ensures your product doesn’t settle out while you’re repositioning.
The AA144A series offers options for different flow rates and comes in a compact, durable package. The 12-volt motor is quick, cycling from open to closed in under a second. This is the valve for someone who values precision and wants to streamline their workflow, minimizing downtime and maximizing the effectiveness of every tankful.
Hypro 3375 Series: Durable Manual Operation
The Hypro 3375 series valves are built for abuse. Like the Banjo poly valves, they are simple manual units, but they often feature a more robust construction with glass-filled nylon that stands up to physical impacts and harsh UV exposure. They are designed for high-flow applications and feel incredibly solid in your hand.
These valves are a great choice if your sprayer gets bounced around a lot or if you’re looking for a manual valve that feels like it will outlast the sprayer itself. The off-position on some models can be useful, completely shutting off flow from the pump for maintenance or hose changes without draining the system.
While functionally similar to other manual poly valves, the choice often comes down to brand preference and specific material needs. If you’ve had good luck with Hypro pumps and nozzles, sticking with their valves makes sense. They provide that extra peace of mind that comes with heavy-duty construction.
Banjo V222SS: Stainless Steel for Harsh Mixes
Most of the time, polypropylene is all you need. But when you start working with highly corrosive chemicals like certain aggressive fertilizers or specialty crop treatments, poly valves will eventually fail. That’s where the Banjo V222SS stainless steel valve becomes essential, not optional.
Stainless steel provides superior resistance to a much wider range of chemicals and won’t degrade or become brittle over time from chemical exposure. This valve is an investment in safety and longevity. Using a poly valve with an incompatible chemical is a recipe for a catastrophic leak, which can damage equipment, harm your land, and create a significant safety hazard.
Is it overkill for spraying simple broadleaf herbicides? Absolutely. But if your farm plan involves products that are known to be hard on equipment, a stainless steel valve is the only professional choice. It ensures your plumbing remains intact and your application stays contained from the tank to the nozzle.
Greenleaf M3: Manifold for Complex Systems
Sometimes, a single 3-way valve isn’t enough. If you’re building a more complex system—perhaps with multiple boom sections, a chemical injection line, or the ability to draw from different tanks—a manifold like the Greenleaf M3 is the solution. It consolidates control into one central block.
Think of a manifold as a hub for your sprayer’s plumbing. Instead of a web of tees, elbows, and separate valves, you have a single, clean unit. This dramatically reduces the number of potential leak points and simplifies troubleshooting. You can configure it to manage multiple lines with a simple turn of each integrated valve handle.
This is for the hobby farmer who is customizing their sprayer for maximum versatility. It allows you to build a system that can handle different tasks without having to re-plumb it every time. It’s the foundation for a truly modular and efficient sprayer setup.
FIMCO 5163108: Perfect for ATV/UTV Sprayers
Sprayers on the back of an ATV or UTV have their own set of needs. They are compact, use smaller hoses, and operate at lower pressures. The FIMCO 5163108 is a 3-way valve designed specifically for this world. It’s small, lightweight, and has the right port sizes (typically 3/8" or 1/2") to integrate seamlessly with spot sprayers and small boom kits.
Using a large, 2-inch valve on an ATV sprayer is overkill and creates a plumbing nightmare. This FIMCO valve is properly scaled for the job. It provides the same core benefit—switching between agitation and spraying—but in a package that fits the equipment.
It’s an inexpensive but crucial upgrade for any standard UTV sprayer. It makes managing your mix in a small tank much easier and prevents the product waste that quickly adds up when every gallon counts. For food plot management or spot spraying fence lines, this little valve is a must-have.
Matching the Right Valve to Your Sprayer Setup
Choosing the right valve isn’t about finding the "best" one, but the right one for your specific system. There is no single answer. Your decision should be based on a few key factors:
- Chemicals Used: For standard herbicides and fungicides, a polypropylene valve (Banjo M220, Hypro 3375) is perfect. For corrosive liquid fertilizers or harsh chemicals, you must use stainless steel (Banjo V222SS).
- Sprayer Size & Type: Small ATV/UTV sprayers need a compact valve like the FIMCO 5163108. Larger pull-behind or 3-point hitch sprayers can accommodate standard-sized valves.
- Desired Convenience: If you value in-cab control and precision, an electric valve (TeeJet AA144A) is worth the extra cost. If you don’t mind hopping off the tractor for changeovers, a manual valve is reliable and cost-effective.
- System Complexity: For a simple spray/agitate circuit, a single 3-way valve is all you need. For controlling multiple boom sections or tanks, a manifold (Greenleaf M3) is the cleanest and most effective solution.
Think about your current frustrations and your future plans. A simple manual valve might be fine for now, but if you know you’ll be upgrading to a larger sprayer or using more complex mixes later, planning for an electric valve or manifold system from the start can save you headaches down the road.
Ultimately, integrating the right 3-way valve is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost upgrades you can make to your sprayer. It’s a small piece of hardware that fundamentally changes your workflow, making you faster, safer, and more profitable by ensuring every ounce of product goes exactly where it’s intended.
