PLD

Pete, Post a recipe for a good GP housewash using only SunBrite products!

I've been on an open trailer for 2 years now. I already find my 7x10 & 6x12 trailer too small and many things live in the truck bed which looks dumpy. Because of that a van's size would be a big negative for me. Weather protection and the ability to lock it and go would be a big plus. One big negative of a trailer is that truck and trailer are almost 40ft long and can be a bear to manuver in many locations. On the positive side, the one of the crew can unhitch the truck and run for lunch, gas, etc. w/o rolling up. All that said, my ideal vehicle would be a box truck with a box footprint of about 7x16. Actually, a box truck with roll up sides would be perfect. However, that may be greener grass since I have never worked out of one.

Nope, teen vandals...

Three questions: How do you soap very tall locations with a downstreamer? Which downstreamer are you using? What ratios does it deliver?

Ditto. That's happens when a pump with a pressure switch ( a "demand" pump) senses the increased line pressure caused by the orifice. If you want to use a smaller orifice, get a bypass pump. It has an internal unloader and no pressure switch.

Must be oddball week. I just got a call to wash an enclosed (tube) waterslide that got BBQ sauce and ranch dressing poured down it.

shurflo 2088 3gpm/40psi from Northern tool. $69 IIRC

8 months perhaps. I have a porch swing that's dead at less than a year. And it got 3 coats with a heavy handed sprayer. Why Olympic? Mom bought the swing and the stain as a gift.

My understanding is that farm (off road) diesel/ home heating oil = road diesel - highway taxes. There are people who (illegally) use home heating oil in diesel cars. Hence, IIRC as long as you don't use it in a car on public roads there is not problem at all running farm/dyed diesel in other equipment. As far as considering biodiesel, I have read enough (volumes) that I am more than comfortable with it as a fuel. Particularly in a simple application like a burner. As far a long term effects, all the research (lab and field) indicate that it is better for your equipment than petro-diesel.The unknowns are more related to it's physical properties (gelling, shelf life) that's it's chemical construct and suitability as a fuel. All that said, I'll let you guys know how it works out. I am designing a biodiesel processing rig and absolutely plan on burning it for hot water. If the processing proves to be cost/time effective, I will proceed to replacing my 18hp gas engine with a diesel small engine. As far as for why I haven't made batch #1 already: From processing beer, I know that fluids seperation (good va slag) is MUCH more efficent in cone tanks. But, cone tanks are far from cheap (3-4x flat bottom tanks) and cheap tanks do not allow for easy slag removal. Hence, I am trying to engineer an efficient processor and/or save us discretionary funds for a cone bottom tank.

In Ga., you just need not get caught with red dyed fuel in your tank.

Sounds like she didn't like your estimate and didn't have the stones to say so. I find that most seriously indecisives (as opposed to getting more estimates) and just "no's" who don't have the nerve to say so. Some people just get sticker shock. The expected $50 and got en estimate $250 and are much to embarrased to say so. They don't want to look cheap or admit they they cannot afford your services. So, they find every excuse in the book not to say no because it may raise the question "Why not". In the end they hope you will just go away and fail to see that a little honesty would save them more discomfort and save you alot of wasted time and aggravation. I know because in a previous life I was one of those people. 15yrs in the business world and that person no longer exists. One thing these people did teach me is that when I am interested in something but must put a vendor off because of timing, money, etc. I tell them up front that I am interested and that I am not afraid to say no. I also typically give them a date that it would be better to get back in touch with me regarding the matter. Saves alot of BS and unnecessary follow ups. As for followups, I make three calls. One the day after the quote. One three days later, and a final a week later. On the final call I tell them that this is my final call and that I will not trouble them again. It nets some stragglers who may be lost to more persistent washers. Some customers are just busy/disorganized/whatever and will give their business to the company that makes it easiest for them. I still fall into this category alot.

2.5gph = ~20gal/day = 100 gal/week = 2400 gal/season Pump $2.20 - Bio $0.70 = $1.50 difference $1.50*2400 = $3600/yr. That's one heck of an expensive warranty... Speaking of which, do Beckett burners have a longer warranty than the skid itself (1yr). If not, then it's already void.

Biodiesel has been well researched. From my research, while it has some drawbacks (such as low temp gelling), it is well understood and categorized chemically. It is also available commercially and produced commercially by at least one major company (I forget the name). Well, 5.5gpm H2O = 2.75gpm fuel. That's about what I heard previously here and was re-iterated in this thread. As far as burning farm diesel, it is my understanding that you may use it for anything except on public road use. My big concern was the effect the dyes might have on burner output (red stained burner, smoky output). If those are not an issue, I will burn nothing but. No sense paying road tax for non-auto use.

Not for chlorine? My pump is marketed for acids and caustics. And I pump 12% every day with it and rarely rinse out. If you shurflo is turning on and off when you have the gun closed, you have a leak somewhere. Pressure drops and it cuts on for a few sec. If you are cycling with the gun open, your orifice is to small. Excessive cycling will cause premature failure. As for excessive use, they do market a shurflow with fins on it for cooling. If you do not have that one, perhaps you could order just the fins or jerry rig one. if that is impossible, get some 1/2" copper and wrap it around the motor like a coil 8-10 times. Run your freshwater through that and it's NEVER overheat. I use that same design for a beer chiller (during brewing) and I can cool 2.5gal at 212^f to 70^f in about 3-5 minutes.

As a rule I don't kill anything living unless a) it *richly* deserves it or b) it looks tasty to me. Typically humans fall in category A and animals in category B. Execeptions are rare since god's creatures seek only to be left alone and humans are not very tender and somewhat difficult to debone.

Actually I believe you can just add diesel. That's what BD20 and other mixtures try to achieve. what temperature will Biodiesel Gel or become cloudy? 30 degree F Bio will gel. At around 40 degree F Bio will start to Gel. NO 2 Diesel Gels around 12 degrees F

Not me! I'm a firebrand Libertarian and find govt licensing to be blasphemy...

The guys that installs my hitches and accessories had a hydrotek trailer/skid in his lot with a for sale sign on it. I asked how much, and he said that he didn't know it was a customers just in for some manner repairs. Then he commented that he wouldn't have it as the axle was undersized for the load and frame was not very well made. I never looked closely at the frame myself, but his look/demeanor was similar to what we would have had on our faces if another contractor seriously asked us what we thought about getting a 5.5hp home depot to runa business with. Based on that, I may buy a hydrotek skid in the future but their trailers and surface cleaners are on my do not buy list.

Chicken with more bones than fish and about as much meat than a squirrel! We have annual roundups here that serve rattler. It's not bad eating, but alot of work for a little food (like crawfish).

The deafening silence tells me that no one is at all interested in biodiesel as a fuel. That surprises me given how much fuel some of you guys use. FWIW, I'm going to pursue it some more and see what happens. I'll likely run my first gallon of BD20 (20bio/80pump diesel mix) through the burner next week. If that test is successful I am contemplating taking off the 18hp gas engine and replacing it with a similar small diesel engine. That would significantly increase my fuel capacity (both tanks diesel) and should increase run time (more "mpg" for diesel). Add to that that I can make 55gal of biodiesel for about $40-50 and weekly fuel costs for the rig should be very minimal. One last thing about diesel. Are you guys running auto diesel, dyed diesel (off road, no tax), or home heating oil in your burners? Is there a difference?

I don't think you misunderstood. Since I'm ignorant of how the burner functions, perhaps I wasn't very clear with my question. I knew that with my pump water had to keep moving to avoid compressive heating, so I opened the unloader bypass to spoil to ground and/or the tank. I have no experience with the burner so I didn't know if periodically opening the gun to allow flow was required, just good practice, or completely unnecessary. Nothing has been rigged that I am aware of and the unit is relatively new, so I am assuming that the pressure switch is functional. If so, it is my understanding from your reply that I can flow or not flow HP water as I wish without risk of damaging anything. Anyone else have any tips for using a hot water rig that I can avoid learning the hard way?

Nice snake. Damn shame she couldn't leave well enough alone and go back into the woods to live a long healthy life.... Celeste, they aren't that bad. Just a few months ago I saw my neighbors pool boys hovering over a snake. From the way they were ducking and weaving, you would have thought it was a king cobra. I walked over to take look and almost died laughing. These two guys were trying to put the "deadly" king snake into a 5 gal bucket with a pole. They had already put the bucket over it, but couldn't figure out how to get the bucket upright with the snake in it.... I gave him a few minutes to calm down and then picked him up and carried him into my woods where he can live in peace.

My brother in law bought the real deal. It was by no means light...

Look at Sams club. 18ft = $99.

That's good to know. One question. I have my unloaders set up so I can run contantly. But I am unfamiliar with burners and have no manual. Do I need to periodically open the gun to allow water flow or can I work as I do now (oblivious to the equipment running)? Even so, I am quite interested in biodiesel. $0.70/gallon sounds pretty appealing. At $2.25+/ gallon for gas it would it would quickly pay back a conversion to diesel vehicles. Looking into it, making 55gal once or twice a week wouldn't require much time.