Safety: Once you go over 240 degreesF...

[Jerry 24]

After some of the posts I've seen in these bloggs.. and I have to interject this..

Once you go over 240degreesF. with pressure, you'd better come up with

some seriously abuseable hose to handle it !

And I don't mean the best brand.. I mean something better than standard R2 hose..

I haven't seen (yet,) a hose properly rated for over 250 degrees F AND over 1000psi at the same time..

Look at the combo hose.. if you go over the 250 degrees, the pressure rating drops to 500psi !

and it's only R1.. R2 version hasn't tuned up on the "affordable list" yet.

..and it won't as long as y'all keep asking for"cheaper" than cheap.

Now the reliability part of my point.. and I'm not "pullin any punches" on this one..

For anything over 220 degrees, MOST systems are borderline DANGEROUS..

You need severely reliable controls for going over 220 degrees safely..

There are only 2 manufacturers (I know of) that use redundant temp.controls, and I believe we are still the only manufacturer using redundant Pressure relief valves... before AND after the unloader.

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT rely on a pressure switch alone, to control the heater over 190 drgress.

I don't condone them at all, because they don't last as long as a FLOW switch,

and they can allow heat-ON without flow flowing !

For redundancy, OK, add pressure switch to flow switch, and sleep better,

whilst "yer peeps is out thrashing yer stuff". EH?

and "RESPECT THE TECH" ..isn't a plea for a job..

I spew that stuff to help you consider what pool of information you take the biggest drink.

some of the "suggestions" found in bloggs are near poison.

There are SO MANY flaws in "the most popular" systems out there, just to keep you a little safer..

I'm offering to look at close-up images of your system to evaluate it for reliability and safety

NO charge. just e-mail 'em to me.

Before you go over 190 degrees, your system should be "evaluated" by a tech..

..one that actually understands how these machines FAIL !

..If you plan to go over 250 drgrees AND stay over 1000psi,

CALL me for another level of FREE advise..

I'm a well educated tech, and troubleshooter, offering free info that WILL help you stay safer,

and / or help you work with more confidence.

With fewer liability problems on the jobsite, and in your workforce,

you can "keep" ...more of what you earn. Eh?

BE CAREFULL !!! High pressure can put you in the hospital for a month,

High Temp. can put you in that hospital for another month, or worse.

Jerry McMillen

Pres, Cleaning System Specialists, Inc. a.. dba ..www.PressureWasher.net

info@pressurewasher.net anytime....................call ...800-400-Clean(2532)

10821 Airport Drive El Cajon, Calif. 92020 ..............office..619-448-8111

manufacturers of… .....BullDogProIndustrial Water Blasters

Sirocco Reclaim Systems,and the...VacuBerm

...see them at.. http://www.pressurewasher.net/siroccovacuums/sirocco.html

[Joe Ortiz 14]

Good info Jerry, as always thanks for offering to help us. We depend on the guys selling us the PWs to make sure we are good. but from what ive seen on the net they are selling machines cheaper and cutting out critical life saving parts to sell them at a lower price. Ive done a search on most boards and there is one brand that has had the most issues.

[nitrox2595 15]

could you Pm me and say which machines have the most problems? I have 4 aladins

[Jerry 24]

I know I can easily sound like a salesman, or at least get interpreted that way,

but this IS all "from the service dept"..

Even if you have a machine from one of the biggest names in the business,

the newer it is, the more it's nothin' more than you would get at Home Depot.

They used to be "somethin'. with reliability that made the "name", and now,

all you have is a "bean-counter riding it into the ground".

My point is this.. ..and I say it all through these bloggs..

"How it's plumbed" is from where you get reliability.

BIG feed lines, especially when tank-fed, bypass to the tank,

eliminate "flow-restrictive" fittings, and DON'T rely on a pressure switch for heat control.

The only problem with High Voltage Ignitors on 12 volts is the way they're wired, and

oh, I'll stop there.. those beancounters fired the technical-guy years ago.. Get it ?!??

Who you CAN rely on.. is Alkota and EnviroSpec are the ONLY manufacturers I can think of,

that have consistently "not gone backwards" on reliability,

and that makes them #2 & 3, as I've ALWAYS tried to make our pressure washers

and Vacuums SUPER-safe, SUPER-reliable, and SO easy to service,

we talk people through troubleshooting our systems in minutes. For Real.

But, my credentials are not the point here..

The point IS.. the fact that several major manufacturers have NO credentials in "key positions".

I'm not goin to name the names here, but two manufacturers for sure, are

making heater shells SO wimpy, that instead of an old-fashioned "coil-blow-out" from

old-age, or a pressure switch that got stuck..

..the whole thing blows chunks across the parking lot.. That was a $2000. repair !

and you want to set it for MORE temp !??

let it suffice to say.. the on-line-mail order companies,

and at least one MAJOR machine mfr, put you at risk !

and until you extract those factory-installed bugs,

don't even THINK you can monkey-rig more heat.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your "do-it yourself" way of thinking,

I'm just trying to get y'all on the same page with getting the technical help you MUST have,

to minimize risk, liability, and of course.. wasted time.

can I get an amen?

Edited February 3, 2010 by Jerry

[pressure washing LA 14]

Amen. Good info.