the_GUNN_man 14 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 I have been talking about it for awhile and I finally went ahead and did it. It cost me about $68 in parts and I needed a 5' piece of high pressure hose. the two check valves is what cost me close to $60. You could do it without the check valves but you would have to use ball valves to start both machines and then open them at the exact same time so you don't have one machine pushing water into the next machine. It just seems easier and safer to just install the check valves.I hooked my 5.2 gpm and 5.5 gpm machines together. Nearly 11 gpm's has some kick. I couldn't use anything smaller then a #12 nozzle. Heck the soap nozzle had some good power. I plan on using it on my surface cleaner. I have a 30" surface cleaner and 11 gpm's would be kickin. I can haul 550 gallons of water. I would burn through it in less then an hour. I could add my other smaller 4 gpm to it and get 15 gpm's but that would be getting a little silly. I have to change out the tips in my surface cleaner to two 5.5's or 6's. I have a two bar spinner. I may get a 3 or 4 bar spinner now. The down side to running the two machines together is double the fuel use. Running two 18 hp engines can get costly. Like I said the most practical use will be with my surface cleaner and when I need to rinse something down fast. Does anyone use high gpm's for cleaning other then concrete? I was wondering if anyone thinks there would be any problem washing a deck with 11 gpm's? I would need like a #24 tip. Do they make tips that big? The biggest I have bought are #15. I see they make 20's, 25's, 30's, etc. for soap nozzles. Maybe a 4025 would work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 Wish I had another machine as this sounds like fun. They make nozzles in lots of sizes and while we call them soap nozzles, they are just nozzles. Find a place that has a good inventory and they will have them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aplus 525 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 The main problem I see washing a deck with 11gpm would be the huge puddle of water you would leave behind. Honestly, with 4gpm, I can wash a deck as fast as I can move, and hold a wand accurately. I've used my 5 gpm and it didn't make me any faster on deck cleaning. After all it's really the chems that do the work. The only area of concern I have with a surface cleaner is whether the rotary union can handle all the gpm you are pushing. Upon initial thought, it seems the union would be under greater stress, thus wearing out faster. Additionally, it seems that two surface cleaners running, one on each machine, would be faster than one running 11gpm. RFitz is the king of mega GPM around here, hopefully he can expound on how exponentially faster he is is. PS....In your avatar pic, you remind me of Bud Bundy from Married with Children. Bud....is that you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul B. 523 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 Tony, The GPM's would not be an issue in the spinner as long as it does not create extra pressure and over-spin the bearings (that would hurt the spindle). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aplus 525 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 Paul, It seems that surface cleaners are rated for the GPM they can handle, at least in a couple of the catalogs I have here. One in particular, rates surface cleaners as either under 5gpm or over 5gpm. It doesn't state how far over 5gpm you can go. I was just thinking that 11+ gpm is a lot of flow to push thru the rotary union at any psi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John T 744 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 Commercial flat work cleaning this would be an awesome set-up to have 11+gpm. I have two hot water machines that would be about 10gpm if I hooked them together. I still think about it at times but I just can't find the time to even try it since when I have time off I vegged with the family. Something to keep pondering about at least for me :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
staudend 14 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 I just experienced today that a 30 inch surface cleaner at 5gpm is not nearly as fast as a 17 because of the slow rate of spin. In fact, the 10 incher I have spins twice as fast as the big one and is faster still. Food for thought, but 10 gpm might make that 30 incher crank! Nick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bill3752 14 Report post Posted July 28, 2004 Steve, could you get by with one check valve? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_GUNN_man 14 Report post Posted July 29, 2004 You will need two check valves. Right before you you tee off you need one on each side. A check valve lets water only flow one way. With only one you would be taking a chance. The whole purpose is if one machine stops running it doesn't push water backwards through the other pump. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beyoungsr 14 Report post Posted July 31, 2004 Steve, Even if one machine stops any flow that might returned to that machine would not be greater than the machine would normaly handle. When you have the sudden change in gpm, you will release the trigger and the operating machine goes to bypass. The differance in the gpm is very helpful. It really depends on your needs and available water source Anyway, I did not use check valves or ball valves and have had no problems. I sure don't want to be argumentive though. Don't forget to make sure your gun is rated for new gpm. As far as the surface cleaner goes I agree with Tony. Most of them I have seen are for X gpm. The limitation based on the rotary unions rating. A turbo nozzle and it's filter also has the same limitations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_GUNN_man 14 Report post Posted July 31, 2004 The whole thing with the check valves was better to be safe then sorry. I wasn't sure what kind of damage could be done if you sent water backwards through the pump. If you say you have done it and it causes no harm then I believe you. I had seen similar setups to what I made and they had check valves on them. I assumed that the reason behind it was to not force water back into the other machine. I made sure the gun I used could handle that much gpm. Mine actually can handle up to 13 gpm. I have a 30" Steel Eagle with a two bar spinner. I didn't see no problem putting two #6 tips on it. I do have a question about the high pressure filter. Is the whole reason behind a high pressure filter on a surface cleaner is to not plug the tips? Because if I go from #3's to #6's the orifice would be bigger and less likely for something to get lodged in there. Does debris cause any harm to the spinner? I know that in turbo's you are trying to protect the ceramic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beyoungsr 14 Report post Posted July 31, 2004 Steve, Yes the filters are used to trap anything that would block the spinner bar nozzles. No the debris should not damage the rotary union but could block internal flow through it depending on union design. Based on the size you will be using debris stopping the nozzles up would be unlikely. Personaly I have not had any blockage problems with with my surface cleaner or turbo nozzles since I switched to all stainless fittings. I do however still use the inline filters But like you said it is better to be safe than sorry! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanDiesel99 14 Report post Posted October 11, 2004 Hey Gunn, what kind of unloaders do you have on each machine? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_GUNN_man 14 Report post Posted October 12, 2004 I do believe I am using the 607's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R. Williamson 14 Report post Posted October 12, 2004 This is a picture of the 3417 Cat that I used to use. Its puts out 14 Gpm @ 3000 PSI. Now it collects dust. I also used to connect two 5 GPM pumps. I preferred the two 5's. Although this Cat did eat up some flatwork. To give some perspective the manifold alone weighs as a much General TS 2021. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the_GUNN_man 14 Report post Posted October 12, 2004 What size engine did you have running that monster? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R. Williamson 14 Report post Posted October 12, 2004 I used a 40 hp Wisconsin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timhays 14 Report post Posted October 13, 2004 where did you get water? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
R. Williamson 14 Report post Posted October 13, 2004 500 gallon tank and fire hydrant permits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
