Gen 1.3 Drum Unit or Gen 3 Tankless Unit?

We are often asked about the relative advantages of the Gen 3 tankless unit over the Gen 1.3 drum unit, and vice versa.

Capacity – With respect to the number of nozzles they can drive, Gen 1.3 and Gen 3 are identical.  On a single zone, there is a practical field maximum of about 80 nozzles, which would protect an area with a perimeter of 800 feet.

Functionality – Both units can be equipped with identical functionality.  Agitation and Leak Detection come as standard on a Gen 3 and are added as options on the Gen 1.3 drum unit.

Function	Gen 1.3 Drum	Gen 3 Tankless
Mist using remote transmitter	Standard	Standard
Agitation, siphon prevention, quick nozzle startup and shutdown	Option	Standard
Leak detection	Option	Standard
Wind sensing	Option	Option
Multiple zones	Option	Option
iMistAway internet monitoring/management	Option	Option

Routine Service – The routine service of filling the unit with insecticide is considerably easier and quicker for a Gen 3 tankless unit than for a Gen 1.3 drum unit.  To add insecticide to a Gen 3, you snap a new bottle into the coupler and program the mix ratio.  In a Gen 1.3 drum unit, you measure out the concentrate necessary to dose the tank and then wait for a garden hose to fill the reservoir with water. 

Reliability – Both units are extremely reliable if they are maintained.  However, the components that give an edge to the Gen 3 around routine service mean a few more moving parts and more potential for component failure than in the Gen 1.3.

Concentrate Flexibility – There are some misting concentrates that are chemically destructive to plastics, and these chemicals are more aggressive in the concentrate than they are after they’ve been diluted with water.  Since the Gen 3 has to handle the concentrate – pumping it out of the bottle with a dosing pump – it is more vulnerable to chemical attack (and related component failure) than the Gen 1.3, which only handles the dilute material.  As a result, the Gen 1.3 can handle a wider range of concentrates than the Gen 3.  Click to view the approved formulations list for Gen 1.3 and Gen 3.

Aesthetics – Gen 3 is more attractive.  Let’s face it, you can’t do much to the looks of a 55 gallon drum.  Then again, the units are likely to be situated next to the pool pump and filter, so it may not matter.

Cost – The price of the Gen 3 tankless unit is a few hundred dollars more expensive than a Gen 1.3 drum unit that is equipped with the same functionality.