Interior mobile home washing

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Have a job for tomorrow where the guy wants the inside of an empty 15 x 30 mobile home hot washed.

Price and technique is not the question, but rather why. He says that it is very dirty from many years of living and animals, and that before he guts the thing, he wants it cleaned.

Water damage to the interior is not an issue with the guy either. The only real issue is a water supply as it does not have one out in the sticks, so I hope 460 is enough, or I will be using my new water conservation bypass valve.

Back to the real question, WHY? Anyone ever done this before? Should make for some good pictures, unless I forget the camera again. Bad Habit.

[Firedkm 14]

Alan that sound really strange to me. I hope you have a waiver signed saying your not responsible for any damages. I also hope you remember your camera. I would love to see the before and afters.

[One Call Power Wash 500]

Major water damage in the making. He seems to be a few cards short in his deck. If he is willing to pay and not hold you liable, then go for it. Please dont forget the camera, this is most interesting.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

So they did not tell me the whole story on the phone. I get there and like they said, the thing is empty, very empty, and way off in the hills, down the smallest little dirt road I have ever seen in CA.

I go in to look at the interior and when I open the cabinets, there is alot of rat dropping and misc junk that they made their bedding from. Dogs were also using it as a dog run.

The plan is they just want the shell for the vintage look and will totally restore the inside.

Although they did not say it, I now know they wanted it washed to sanitize it before they start to demo the inside.

They were not concerned with removing all the dirt, just the loose stuff, and a very hot rinse. Pictures were nothing special, but here is one to see what it was.

Also got to see how they make their potato guns form ABS pipe.

[beyoungsr 14]

OTP,

Wow that does look like stickville.

If I remember correctly you are running 5.3 gpm/3500 psi.

I will guess you will add two ball valves and tee's onto your burner. Mark@Easy Clean introduced me to this concept awhile back.

One to bypass the hp output by a gallon or more back into the the burner hp infeed. The other to close of the infeed when not using this device

This should work ok. You may have to turn your thermostat down some so you don't over heat your water. Don't want to kick out the high temperature switch.

If it was 460 gals. (3910 LBS.) and not $'s you were refering to, you could acheive this:

bypass 1.0 gals =running 4.0 will give you 86 minutes

bypass 2.0 gals =running 3.3 will give you 139 minutes minutes

500 psi should be more than enough pressure for that job.

Try not to run in bypass very much since you will be heating your supply water up.

This is kind of ironic since you were contemplating over clocking your pump a while back to increase output. LOL

Hey be careful out there in the middle of no where. Take some one or thing with you if you can.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Interesting stuff!

[One Tough Pressure 580]

This was a referral from a trusted source so no need for back up on this one.

That overclocking the pump was just to understand it in theory as I have no need to actually do it.

I have not measured what the bypass rate is on the water yet, as I just finished it all up recently.I did mine with a metering valve after the unloader and before the coil. This means that I can really super heat some water if needed, and that the bypass does not heat my supply tank, since it never goes thru the burner. It's kind of like a two gun setup that runs one hot and one cold.

Only used one tank which is 45 minutes when running 5 gpm, and ran at 2000 psi except for when in the closets, then I used a soap nozzle.

Interesting day indeed, and it paid well.

[beyoungsr 14]

OTP,

Glad it went well. Did 2000 psi blow the walls?

You are doing the same thing with a different approcah by being on the cold side.

I was totaly wrong about the unloader bypass heating up the tank. So much for watching tv and typing.

Using the burner hp hot approach does the same thing as you described. Except it allows you to bypass hot water back into the burner. This should raise the temp. significantly while keeping the gpm flow to the burner constant.

Please let me know how yours works once you try it.

[beyoungsr 14]

OTP,

Will bypassing after the unloader put unecessary pressure on your pump?

Your pump is still maintaining the 5.0 gpm output and then the water hits a restriction in the plumbing.

Do you have the unwanted water plumbed back into bypass?

I realize that you have stated in earlier posts this is the way steam machines are configured.

While this is correct, they run considerably lowwer psi.

I would appreciate any input on the subject since I am considering a similar modification.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

There is not much pressure in the bypass line. Their is no reason why it would be harmful to the pump, as the pump is just doing it's normal thing.

When you say restriction in the plumbing, you lost me, as I have a "T" where the main line goes thru and the metering valve is going back to the tank, like I said earlier, similar to a two gun setup, and I have never heard that they are not bad for the pump.

[beyoungsr 14]

OTP,

Thanks for your patience. Is this your configuration?

[beyoungsr 14]

Is this pic correct?

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Basically yes. I ran two lines for the bypass, so that they have their own.(metering valve bypass and pump bypass)

I also have a 3 way valve on the pump bypass so that I can still upstream when needed.

[beyoungsr 14]

OTP,

Thanks!

No for the 100th question.

Have you tried it yet????

Below is a picture of how I was going to configure mine.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Yes I have tried it but for limited time, will get more into it when I get some smaller tips so that I can give it a full whirl. Water sure does get hot though, and I mean HOT

[Jon 533]

Alan you did not tell me you lived way out there, how am I ever going to find your place with no road signs?

Well post those before and after pictures already.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

I did take pictures, but they do not show much as the place was so old and worn out. They wanted more of a sanitizing rather than cleaning. I only posted that one above to show how old and neglected this place was. Nobody has lived in it for 10 years, except for the dogs and rats.

Wish I did live out there, mighty quiet and lots of land. That little trailer was sitting on 40 acres.

[Jon 533]

Alan all kidding aside where is it, above Santa Barbara or northeast of it?

[One Tough Pressure 580]

It was in Acton, just before Palmdale/Lancaster. Since it is a travel trailer, the bathroom was inside.

[beyoungsr 14]

OTP,

It may require a steam type line and gun.

I don't think standard hose and guns will last.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

For true steam yes. My hose in rated for 250° and my guns for 300°, so I have a little room to play.

[timhays 14]

i would have dressed up like a spaceman for that job and have had my helper standing by with some sort of high powered protection , very strange request.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Mask, goggles, and rain gear. And some super hot, super chlorinated water. Needed the mask for the chlorine steam cloud more than anything else.

[timhays 14]

sounds like a good paying job.

[Aplus 525]

I think a match and lighter fluid would have done a better job sanitizing.....:D

[One Tough Pressure 580]

but Tony, they wanted to keep the place!! Long story, but they need that shell.

[James 625]

It sounds like you were hired to clean a crime scene.....