need help picking new unit

[premiumpowerwash 14]

Hey guys,

I need opinions on the differences between hot water 4 gpm and hot water 5 gpm. I currently have a 5.5 3500 cold water unit and 4.0 gpm 4000 psi unit. I know the ultimate change in 4 to 5 gpm cold water for rinsing, vertical washing . I need to add hot water. I do not want to go with a hot box I am looking to get a gas/diesel skid. My question is... does the hot water make up for the loss in gpm ( 4gpm hot vs 5 gpm cold ) . How does the 4gpm hot water compare to the 5 gpm hot water ? Is it better to use a 4gpm hot water unit to degrease excavators and equipment because 5 gpm would make more of a mess ?

Ultimately i need hot water to degrease equipment, cleaning oil spots, cleaning caked on organic matter ( chicken crap ) from machines .

I do residential, and all the commercial and industrial i can with cold water and lots of chems. I am looking to add heat to help cut down cleaning time on the things I do now and to clean what I cant with out heat.

I know this all might sound confusing and thoughts scattered. Please ask any questions you have.

[CALLTODD 15]

I'm of the feeling that more is better. Just like more cold water cleans faster. So more hot water cleans faster too......

I suppose you could have situations when you would like less water for some sort of inside work. But speed

is money. I'm running about 7 - 7 1/2 gals a minute/ 3600 psi , wouldn't want to go back to 5.5 except maybe for trucks.

They say the 5.5 is the most popular............... Must be a reason.......... But 4gpm sure seems homeowner.

[John Orr 206]

You will NEVER regret choosing more gpms. If by having more gpms you are able to clean faster, will you actually use more - or less - water? Hmm... Also, remember that (assuming you have a bypass tank) changing tip sizes - not just the color, but the orifice size - you can reduce flow or decrease pressure. I run 8 gpm/3000 psi, but generally use a 12.0 or larger tip to lower pressure while keeping the gpms. Feel free to call me if I can help.

[Joe Ortiz 14]

1 gpm wont make a noticable difference. so my best bet is go bigger,like 8gpm for commercial work. if not either one will do, pressure isnt always better. flow is key.

It all comes down to what you can afford though.

[Guy B 70]

More gpm = faster washing= more money period. Does 1 gpm make a difference "Yes", big difference "No". I started out with 5.5 Alkota hot water skid. I have 2- 8 gpm hot water skids, and will never go with anything under 8 gpm, ever!!!

Whether it's heavy equipment, houses, building, decks or whatever, more gpm = more money in your pocket.

If you're buying new or used look at Alkota & Landa.

Best Of Luck!!!

[premiumpowerwash 14]

Thanks everyone,

John, I have always been a fan of using larger nozzles to reduce pressure. It is okay ( fine on the machine ) to use smaller orfice to cut down gpm? I only would cut down the gpm if I am running both my 5 gpm off my buffer tank and I want to add a bit more delay to my buffer. Its 250 gallons. Also , how does 4 gpm hot water compare to 5 gpm cold. How important is the heat when you are running it against a machine with more GPM.

[Guy B 70]

Mark, having heat is a tremendous advantage, especially if you live in a cold climate area like you do. Degreasers are a case in point. Most degreasers have Sodium Hydroxide in them, SH works better when heated. Most chemicals react better when heated. I feel everything washed with hot water, washes faster and better..........and some will disagree.

I look at it this way, if you have dirty nasty clothes, what temp do you wash them in??? Got dirty, greasy dishes? Do you wash them in cold water?

Only thing I wash with cold water is wood.

Just my .02

[John Orr 206]

Thanks everyone,

John, I have always been a fan of using larger nozzles to reduce pressure. It is okay ( fine on the machine ) to use smaller orfice to cut down gpm? I only would cut down the gpm if I am running both my 5 gpm off my buffer tank and I want to add a bit more delay to my buffer. Its 250 gallons. Also , how does 4 gpm hot water compare to 5 gpm cold. How important is the heat when you are running it against a machine with more GPM.

My 8 gpm machine came with 9.0 nozzles for one-man operation and 4.5 nozzles for two-man. So at least for my machine (HydroTek) using smaller nozzles to lower gpms is ok. As for 4 gpm hot vs. 5 gpm cold...for what you're washing, I'm tempted to say 4 hot. As has been said, grease cleans much faster with heat. As has also been said, buy as many gpms as you can.