Thinking of upgrading to a hotwater skid. Question on supply water

[coachcollins42 14]

Hello,

I just found this site recently. I teach and coach for a living and I have been pressure washing on weekends and holidays for 15 years. I have two cold water 3500/3.5 gallon a minute pressure washers. I am looking at adding a hot water skid at 5.5 gallons to my 6x10 trailer. I do not currently have a supply tank, preferring to run off of the homeowners faucet. Most houses that I do have suffienct flow and pressure.

My question is: Can you run a 5.5 or larger 8 gallon a minute pressure washer off of a normal house flow? Or do you have to have a large (350 gallon) supply tank to supply it?

If you did run it off of a house flow would you have to have a large diameter hose? from 3/8 to say 1/2?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Jake Collins

[map_911 14]

I have just went through this and bought a 200 gallon tank for my supply. I wish I would have looked in the grime scene more on this subject and would have bought a 10 to 25 gallon tank instead. A big tank takes up too much room and if your not going to use the whole tank it's a waste in my opinion. All you need is something small for a buffer so the pump is not starved. As for the size hose 3/4" should be fine, purchase a hudson float valve to cut the water off when it reaches full level.

[acegot 14]

Hello,

If you did run it off of a house flow would you have to have a large diameter hose? from 3/8 to say 1/2?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Jake Collins

I assume you are referring to the pressure hose. You are fine with the 3/8. Supply line should be 3/4, or 5/8 min. with a buffer tank.

[Jerry 24]

3/4" line for tank-feed is a good call for 3.5gpm

see plumbing images on my website,

call with any question

[Joe Ortiz 14]

to run 6-8gpm you will need a float tank/buffer tank to keep the pump from starving for water.if you dont have room Id go with a 65 gal. I have an 8gpm and most commercial spigotts cant keep up If i dont fill the tank 3/4 of the way, I will have to stop and refill to finish the job. the advantage of having a big tank is you can do jobs where there is no water hookup, or get to the next location with water and start to work without having to fill up. for 325 gals it will take me 1.5hrs tops to fill up. thats wasted time

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

to run 6-8gpm you will need a float tank/buffer tank to keep the pump from starving for water.if you dont have room Id go with a 65 gal. I have an 8gpm and most commercial spigotts cant keep up If i dont fill the tank 3/4 of the way, I will have to stop and refill to finish the job. the advantage of having a big tank is you can do jobs where there is no water hookup, or get to the next location with water and start to work without having to fill up. for 325 gals it will take me 1.5hrs tops to fill up. thats wasted time

+1!

On one of our rigs, we have a smaller tank we use so we don't starve the pump, and it allows us to wash for a while without stopping. Great for homes with low flow issues. You don't need a large tank to accomplish this.

Beth

[Jerry 24]

good call y'all !

do EVERYTHING you can do for the "perfect" water supply,

the surge-tank is a MUST, if you go over 4.5gpm (typically)

and for over 5gpm add the dual feed lines..

so you get to be productive,

instead of Mr Fix-It

[chris francis 15]

what is dual feed line how would you setup dual feed.

[Jerry 24]

Chris,

running a 2nd feed-line to the 2nd inlet of the pump GREATLY improves the water-supply into the pump... the seals last a LOT longer,

and if the pump is direct driven, you will spend a LOT less money

trying to keep the shafts from getting damaged between the pump and motor.

See our website for Dual-Feed images,

and call me for more details

Edited March 9, 2010 by Jerry