desi 14 Report post Posted March 24, 2005 Just got my new 16" steel eagle !! My craftsman p.w comes with a gun and wand. There is no quick connect on the gun or wand . They are connected by a bolt. The only quick connect is where the tips go on the wand. Therefore, when I hook up the surface cleaner, my right handle sticks out about 2' more than the left handle. Should I get another gun? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted March 24, 2005 yes...and hose...and some more QC's and QC plugs to match it all up. If I am not mistaken, your craftsman came with about 50' of hose. 150'-200' is standard for most operations. Rod~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted March 25, 2005 I have a qc on the end of my gun and the surface cleaner and wands have plugs. I can switch between them as often as needed without shutting down or closing a ball valve to change guns. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Sweerin 14 Report post Posted March 25, 2005 I have a qc on the end of my gun and the surface cleaner and wands have plugs. I can switch between them as often as needed without shutting down or closing a ball valve to change guns. Thata the same as I run too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCPC 26 Report post Posted March 25, 2005 Alan, If and when you have the time can you post a pic of what you are decribing. I can't seem to visiulize it, but it sounds like a real time saver. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 25, 2005 What's a plug? We have a quickconnects everywhere and a ball valve at the end of each hose. Shut the ball valve and you can switch b/n anything you want. You can also switch wand lenghts on the guns by simply twisting the wand off the gun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted March 25, 2005 Here is a picture of a gun. All mine are setup this way. Ball valves add extra weight, get scraped up dragging on the ground, and fail at the worst time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aplus 525 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Similar to the way I plumb mine, except I do q/c at each end, as shown... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Here's the what I was talking about Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tim Polk 14 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Hi guys, just posting this with the hopes of not having to re-do my whole set up. Isnt the plug supposed to point in the direction of the flow and hook into the QC? Or does it really matter. It was mentioned somewhere that I read that going the opposite would create a restriction or something. If it works that way, I sure wish I had set it all up like that so I didnt have a damn ball valve to lug around. lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Depends on who you talk to. ESpec says to run the water thru the plug into the qc, but I fail to see how it can matter when the plug is crammed against the o-ring anyway. I will keep mine as shown above, as it works very well for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCPC 26 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Thanks for pictures. I'm still confused on how you manage that with your surface cleaner. Do you plug the gun into the gun of the surface cleaner? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 No, you plug the the ball valve, at the end of your hose, into the gun on your surface cleaner. The ball valve has a male QC and the gun, on the surface cleaner, accepts it into a female QC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tim Polk 14 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 If it doesnt matter then, I think I will change my setup as it seems alot more convenient than the big ball valve. Thanks Alan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 If it doesnt matter then, I think I will change my setup as it seems alot more convenient than the big ball valve. Thanks Alan. You are going to eliminate the ball valve for convenience? Did I understand this right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tim Polk 14 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Exactly, thats what this whole thread is about. A ball valve is heavy and gets in the way. The way Alan has his set up eliminates the ball valve as the QC on the end of his gun stops the flow of water right? And allows you to switch from wand to surface cleaner without shutting down the unit or having a ball valve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirtgun 122 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Tim, Some surface cleaner come with a gun attached and require a 3/8" fitting.My guess is Alan has 1/4" plug on his surface cleaner that allows him to use the gun the way he does. Our guns are set up the same way Alan's are and we still use a ball valve.It's a personal preference thing.I don't mind the few extra ounces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted March 26, 2005 Whisper wash seem to always have the gum attached to the surfacer, where Steel Eagle just has a 1/4" pipe. If you have a gun attached to your surfacer, you will either have to modify the set up or use the ball valve to save trips to the machine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 Exactly, thats what this whole thread is about. A ball valve is heavy and gets in the way. The way Alan has his set up eliminates the ball valve as the QC on the end of his gun stops the flow of water right? And allows you to switch from wand to surface cleaner without shutting down the unit or having a ball valve. There isn't a QC on the face of this earth that stops the flow of water. On Alan's setup it's the GUN that stops the flow. I'm guessing that he's surface cleaner hasn't got a gun attached.....therefore he will remove the wand from the tip of the gun, with the aid of the QC, and then attach that same gun to the surface cleaner. This setup won't work if your surface cleaner already has a gun attached from the manufacturer. I own Whisper Wash and Hydrotek surface cleaners, all of which are gun equipped. Ball valves are trip savers.....imagine being on a roof and having to climb down more than once to shut the machine off, just b/c you want to switch b/n tools. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanDiesel99 14 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 Actually there is a quick connect that will stop flow once it is disconnected from its counterpart. I will see if I can remember where I read about that. Anyone else seen these? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
One Tough Pressure 580 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 Actually there are q/c's that stop water and they are generally found on carpet cleaners. I do not know the true name, but they do exist. Hansen is one of many that make them. In my set up however it is the gun that stops the flow. I have yet to try the other ones for a pressure wash set up. There isn't a QC on the face of this earth that stops the flow of water. On Alan's setup it's the GUN that stops the flow. I'm guessing that he's surface cleaner hasn't got a gun attached.....therefore he will remove the wand from the tip of the gun, with the aid of the QC, and then attach that same gun to the surface cleaner. This setup won't work if your surface cleaner already has a gun attached from the manufacturer.I own Whisper Wash and Hydrotek surface cleaners, all of which are gun equipped. Ball valves are trip savers.....imagine being on a roof and having to climb down more than once to shut the machine off, just b/c you want to switch b/n tools. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 This is the first I'm hearing of them. I'd like to see one first hand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GymRat 14 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 I have quick connects on my air compresser tools that have a valve stem type configuration that stops the air even on the plug. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aph111 14 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 it would seem impossible to undo a a QC without releiving pressure first.Alans gun setup is how I and assumed everybody is setup.Has anyone used the stop flow QC described above with your unit running?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Washaway 64 Report post Posted March 27, 2005 Thanks for the pic Alan. My question now is the following: what determines when it allows the flow and when it stops it?:lgbow: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
