Mike Williamson

Never tested the draw rate the precisely...all I know is that with both the 8gpm and the 5gpm machine, I get plenty of chlorine to get the algae off...and Florida is the algae capitol of the US!!!! Check with Paul on his website, I believe the 5003 is for a higher gpm, and on his website, there's a drop down menu to select the size you need. Try using one sized one step down from your machine...you'll usually get a better draw rate. Never tried the double gulp. As long as this downstreamer keeps doing the job, there's really no need to try anything else!

I didn't tell you to ditch it, I simply explained why PressurePros suggested Derek ditch it. What I do suggest to ALL who use the Xjet for housewashing is that they at least give downstreaming an honest try...it really is the superior method for housewashing. I and many others have tried both, and downstreaming has come out on top every time.

Is this the model you tested? How's that gum zapper work? And most importantly, what's the price range? I really like the gum zapper idea...is that trigger controlled? This gives me an idea to modify one of mine in a similar fashion...

Is this the model you tested? How's that gum zapper work? And most importantly, what's the price range? I really like the gum zapper idea...is that trigger controlled?

I can usually get 2-3 weeks out of the chlorine in my tank before it is too stale to get good results. I keep it as full as I need to for the amount of washing I'm doing at that particular time of year. If I was only doing a housewash here and there, I'd probably use a smaller chem tank, maybe 15-20 gallons...Whatever size suits your need, downstreaming is still easier. Of course it comes down to preference...Xjetters simply prefer to wash houses the hard way. There's no way around it, downstreaming is still easier, and gets the same result, a clean house.

No doubt the Xjet has its uses, but I'm talking about housewashing. And no, I don't need to mix my chems...well, once a week or so, when the 65 gallon chem tank gets low...Hey, I've done both, and I have found downstreaming for housewashing to be way easier. I prefer to take all my 3 minute breaks at the end of the day!

Ok, for housewashing, both downstreaming and Xjetting deliver the same results...a clean house, with the same dwell time for the chems, and the same rinse time. However, with downstreaming, there's nothing I need to do to get chems on the house except change my tip. No buckets to carry, no chems to mix in buckets, no $100+ tool that I need to keep up with, no extra hoses. I just pull my hose, grab my tips, fire up the machine, and I'm soaping immediately. I can get my chems as high as anyone can with an Xjet. And if for some reason I REALLY needed stronger chems than my downstreamer can deliver, I can set up a powered supply setup to feed the downstreamer for about the same money as I'd pay for the Xjet, and then I'm STILL not carrying buckets and all that. Which way sounds easier to you? If they both deliver the same results, wouldn't the easier way be the better way?

I don't think you're going to get 3:1 downstreaming, but you don't NEED 3:1 for housewashing. For roofwashing, downstreaming won't work. You'll want to use a shurflo, roller pump, or some other type of pump that can deliver stronger chems to the roof. The $12 downstreamer is now $15.00 or so in Pauls catalog, or $16.00 or so in espec's catalog...part # 5003C I believe. I think I sent that to you before.

Because there are easier and better ways, like downstreaming!

I tried that with one of these guys, contacted him directly, and it turned into a nasty war...He signed me up for gay newsletters, free insurance phone quotes, etc etc etc. I may have signed him up for a few magazine subscriptions in response...or maybe I didn't. LOL

If you don't have an inline filter, the most likely culprit is clogged tips.

It isn't really the $25 that is the issue...it is having to stop what you're doing 1/2 way through a job to go get a battery and installing it on the job.

Nope, I use it strictly for roofs or degreaser or other cleaning chems. On the VERY rare wood job I do, I use a pump up sprayer. A bit of a pain, but simple and since I do maybe 1 or 2 wood jobs/year, it isn't worth it to spend any time/money setting up anything more complex. I can understand the concern if you were using stains or other oil based stuff...I guess if I were to use it for that, I'd simply replace the fresh water flush with some sort of cleaning agent to help remove the oil from the pump/hose. Whether you're using 50' of hose or 200' of hose, you still have to flush it out when you're done. I guess you could also use a small compressor to blow the product back down the line to the source. Next time I have the shurflo hooked up, I'll try to remember to take a picture. I don't use it often anymore, since I started with the roller pump last year.

Yeah, that's what I said when I found out how much those stupid, poorly designed spray arms cost!

I'm talking about having to adjust the spray arms for both balance and spray angle. It got a bit irritating to have to stop working, go get a couple crescent wrenches, and re-adjust the spray arms because I caught the corner of a curb or something. That, and the rotary unions are ridiculously expensive when they do go, which they will if you don't have the silly thing balanced just right. The spray arm on the WW is light weight, and I've never damaged a swivel by hitting anything. I don't have to do a darn thing to it except replace the tips when they wear out. It's lighter than the SE, and performs just as well. Of course, if you need to reclaim and use the SE reclaim unit, that's a different story...but for those of us who aren't reclaiming, I feel the WW beats the SE hands down. Lighter, performs as well, similarly priced, and zero maintenance. Oh, and the spray on the WW is much cheaper than replacing the spray arms on the SE. I did have to replace that after 2 years of pretty steady use because it was close to wearing through the tube. Oh, and did I say no water spraying under the housing? That's the other thing I hated about the SE. As far as your comment that the "Steel Eagle rocks" all I can say is mine didn't like rocks...hit one big enough and you're replacing a spray arm at $30.00 or more each, or at least having to re-align the spray angle.

When I use a shurflo, it stays on the trailer. I have 200' of 3/8" polybraided hose that reaches anything I've needed to reach thus far. I have a battery mounted on the trailer that is wired into the trailer wiring harness so it stays charged off the truck's charging system. I have it set up so that the shurflo can draw either from my roof tank, water tank, or any other source with a drop tube. When I'm done spraying whatever it is I'm spraying, I just stick the end of the gun/wand/hose into the tank/bucket, turn on the fresh water source, and pump the chem back into wherever it came from. When the hose is flushed and I'm getting water only (about 1 minute or so) I just drop it on the ground and let it run for 5 or 10 minutes to flush the pump. I tried the handcart thing when I was Xjetting, and just found it to be a PITA, not to mention taking up room in the trailer. When the shurflo isn't in use, it stays in a storage compartment under the rear seat of the truck. Only takes a minute to pull it out, hook up the appropriate connections, clip the gator clips to the battery, and start spraying. I could understand a handcart setup if you were having to work a long ways from your rig, but other than that, having it mounted on the trailer is the easiest way to go.

Amen on the WhisperWash...I have two Big Guys and I love them both...WW will be the only brand I ever use. I had a Steel Eagle, and in comparison, the SE sucks...too much potential for damage and maintenance. A turbo has its place, if you do certain types of work. It sure comes in handy getting pine needles out of screen enclosures...you know, the ones that are hanging through the screen? Turbo twists them right off. Also good for removing paint or other hard to remove stuff from concrete/curbs etc...just have to be careful not to damage things.

When did you post it? I didn't get an email notification of a new post, and I've been sitting here all morning. Are you sure it actually posted? Just repost what you had to say!

I've seen the original Xjet as cheap as $99.00, and that is what this is similar to. I've seen the M5 as cheap as $129.00. LOL! This argument is silly. Like maybe 5 seconds and maybe 5 cents worth of chemical. .Much less time than you're going to spend messing with your Xjet. By the time you have your Xjet set up and are ready to start soaping, I'll have a minimum of one side of the house soaped and rinsed and be spraying chems on the rest of the job. As for being able to clean quicker if you put the chems on stronger? Not in my experience. Downstreaming doesn't make the cleaning go slower. Great. My downstreamer pays for itself the first job. Yes, smarter, not harder. Which is why I downstream. Much easier, more efficient, and faster. Oh, and cheaper. I use less chems, and the downstreamer is much cheaper.

If you're going to spend as much as an Xjet costs, why not just get an Xjet?

...with your socks on, that is....:lgsideway

Boy, THAT story sure makes me want to dive into a bag of kisses...

I just drilled a 3/8" hole in the top of the tank on the opposite side from the intake, and stuck the hose through about 6". It's tight enough that it won't work its way out. Never have any problems!!!

Yep! Which wouldn't be a bad idea for those of us who don't have them to install one....may save a hose, or even an injury, one day.

The problem with the portable machines is that they bypass back into themselves, meaning the water in constant circulation from the pump to the unloader and back to the pump gets too hot, and can cause premature failure due to the pump running for extended periods at high temps. What would happen if the machine wasn't bypassing at all, and the trigger gun wasn't released, as that the system would fail almost immediately at the weakest point, likely the pressure hose or a fitting somewhere in the system. I suppose it is possible that the pressure could build to the point where the engine could no longer turn the pump and stalled, but more likely you'd simply blow a hole in something to release the pressure. The only exception would be, as Scott mentioned, is if you have air in the system and aren't really pumping water.