desi 14 Report post Posted January 25, 2005 I have only found linmited threads discussing this topic. If you were doing residential work and trying to break into the commercial market, do you think the HOME DEPOT 4gpm 4000 psi unit is fast enough? I am concerned about two things 1) Since this unit is direct drive and I pull water from a tank, will I burn out the unit in a short period of time? 2) If I am trying to get more commerical work ( once I have a hot box) is 4 gpm competitive enough? What do pw contratcors who do commericla work use? Thanks in advance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted January 25, 2005 I use 5 gpm for my commercial work. I have a 4 gpm machine and could not imagine using it to do these same jobs. The gpm will play more in rinsing and moving debris than in the cleaning itself. Hot water for commercial work is a must if you want to be competitive and get gum. Where is the machine in relation to the tank? If they stay close and you have a decent supply line then you would be okay. If you use the machine seperate from the tank at a distance then you will have to do some extra planning. Advise on how you plan to operate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jon 533 Report post Posted January 25, 2005 My personal advice is forget the hot box and go with a true hot water system. As for your HD machine sure many start out that way but look at it from the other side, the manager or DM of the accounts you want, they already know what is out there and when they see your machine they might think twice. Not trying to put you down but you need to be prepared to explain when asked is that a professional machine or how long have you been doing this work etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanH 14 Report post Posted January 25, 2005 From experience, 4gpm is not enough for flatwork. It works fine when cleaning houses, though. I've never encountered a situation where 3600 psi wasn't enough to accomplish what I wanted when washing houses (I usually require much less)....so spend your $1000 on a machine that can provide 5gpm at 3000 psi. you can daisy chain a hot box later and mount the motor/pump on a skid for a more professional look if you decide to continue with the game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
staudend 14 Report post Posted January 25, 2005 4 gpm @ 4000 psi is about perfect for decks with the right tip and siding with an x-jet. Just a thought, but if you perfected your residential techniques and made enough for a professional hot water unit, you could do residential with the smaller unit while using the other for commercial applications and possibly have both on one trailer drawing off your tank. A decent 5 gpm hot water system by itself won't cost your more than 5 g's if you shop around, and you can make that in a short time with good residential work AND write all of it off. One way to build without going into debt. You have to start somewhere. Nick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beyoungsr 14 Report post Posted January 26, 2005 Keep in mind by changing the tip, he is refering to inserting one that will drop the pressure but keep the gpm a 4.0. I hope! Do not use 4000 psi on a deck or siding! A direct drive pump does not produce any lift. They are not designed to pull water. A direct drive pump requires a flooded or forced water supply. It may work with an elevated tank and a large short 1" -1 1/2" supply hose. For $200-300 more you could purchase a belt drive machine. This style of pump is designed to pull water and using a tank would never be a problem. Keep in mind a 5.0 gpm pump gives you 25% more water. More water means less work. Do Not use the red "0" nozzle on concrete or wood. Actually put it away for a year. You will likely find it has not been missed! This may be a little hard to understand at this point but, You MUST spend money to make money! Good Luck Texan! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
