The X-Jet debate

[GymRat 14]

I also have a helper most of the time, but when I don't, there is only one hose to pull, and one less cart in my trailer. It is also difficult in some yards to move a cart and keep it from rolling down a steep grade.

I do not use a rollover type system, or a dual lance. I do have quick connects on the exit side of my guns and on all of my lances. A lot of times on one story houses and shorter 2 story houses, I just run straight from my gun with no lance attached. I have been using the m-5 for the last 2 years, but I love the ease and convenience of downstreaming with an injector. When you go to the grocery store just to pick up a loaf of bread, do you need a shopping cart? Get the point. It took me a while, but give her a try and see for yourself.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Are you suing a rollover type system, or duall lance?

I use the pocket system.

[GymRat 14]

I also use the pocket system with a method to my madness. Soaping nozzles in my left pocket, rinsing in the right.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I also use the pocket system with a method to my madness. Soaping nozzles in my left pocket, rinsing in the right.

Yep, but mine is different. soap/rinse nozzles in the left pocket, shooter tips in the right, if I need them.

[GymRat 14]

Yep, but mine is different. soap/rinse nozzles in the left pocket, shooter tips in the right, if I need them.

I recently made a nozzle holder, made out of a 5 inch round piece of plastic I cut from the bottom of a bucket and then drilled 6 holes around the perimiter and installed 1/2 inch rubber grommets. Drilled a hole in the middle and popped it over the plug on the bottom of my gun. It works great with all the nozzles at your finger tip. I do miss playing pocket pool!!

[Tom DeFrancesco 23]

After balancing on ladders for a few months trying to do housewashes I SWEAR by my x-jet. Besides, my helper is carrying the bucket.....lol

[We Wash Concrete 64]

My downstreamer quit working the other week. Took it apart, the spring was still good, as was the stainless ball. Put it back together again, and it still wouldn't draw the chemical. So I put on an extra I had, brand new out of the package, and it still won't work. Took the hose down from 200 to 50 feet, and it wouldn't draw. Any ideas as to what could be going on here? I use a dual lance set up with a soap quick connect at the end. I'm really undecided as to what I like best, I love not carrying around 5 gallons of chemical and only having one hose, but I also love the fact that the x-jet has never failed me once.

[FCPWLLC 233]

My downstreamer quit working the other week. Took it apart, the spring was still good, as was the stainless ball. Put it back together again, and it still wouldn't draw the chemical. So I put on an extra I had, brand new out of the package, and it still won't work. Took the hose down from 200 to 50 feet, and it wouldn't draw. Any ideas as to what could be going on here? I use a dual lance set up with a soap quick connect at the end. I'm really undecided as to what I like best, I love not carrying around 5 gallons of chemical and only having one hose, but I also love the fact that the x-jet has never failed me once.

Are you using a new trigger gun? Some guns have a smaller oriffice.

[We Wash Concrete 64]

Thanks Michael, but I'm still using the same gun as I was before - when it worked perfectly. I have added a new cox reel, but I can't remember if it worked after I hooked up the hose reel. Any way the hose reel could be the problem?

[Mike Williamson 198]

Thanks Michael, but I'm still using the same gun as I was before - when it worked perfectly. I have added a new cox reel, but I can't remember if it worked after I hooked up the hose reel. Any way the hose reel could be the problem?

My first guess is that somewhere, you have a restriction in the line that is causing back pressure on the downstreamer. This would have to be somewhere between the tip and the downstreamer. The first thing I'd do is connect 50' of hose directly to the downstreamer with no gun and see if it will draw.

[ezelder 14]

:lglolly:

I never have these draw issues with my X-JET!

LoL. Sorry I couldn't resist. I like both options actually. But if its not too windy out, I will pack chems just because I can flat rock with an X-Jet.

I will hesitantly admit though, I can certainly get a more usable stream higher with DSing than X-Jeting.

For my trigger gun I use a Sutner with a simple QC at the end, no wand. Nice and short and easy to work with. If I need to sneak a couple extra feet, I can switch to either a 3' wand or DS. But generally I find the xjet to be my choice. Maybe if I did more DSing I would change.

[Curb Appeal 14]

I started with an X-jet. My first building job was a 6 building condo complex. I had 5gal jugs that handles on them and I filled up 4 of them with mix and went to town. I liked the reach but hated lugging the jugs around.

A few months later, I tried downstreaming and have never looked back. My X-jet has been in the toolbox ever since. I use 4 tips: 0040 and 2540 for applying soap and 0020 and 2520 for rinsing. I can hit the peak on the side of a 3 story building which is reallylike 4 stories high. And that's with my 5.6gpm/2500psi machine. with more pressure or flow it might reach higher.

I used the pocket system at first and then switched to a fanny pack to hold the tips. I got tired of having to pull out all of the tips at the same time to find the right ones. I got a lance caddy from envirospec and it is absolutely awesome. All of my tips are right there and now I can pick them out without even looking down, just by feel.

I saw that e-spec has started welding QCs together and screwing tips in them now. Their catalog only shows 3 welded together but I'm going to try welding 4QCs together. Should be much faster...

[ezelder 14]

My pocket system used to consist of 0020 and 2520 in left 0040 and 2540 in right. Its easy to remember which size oriface is in which pocket. And you can blindly feel the difference between a 0 degree and an angled nozzle. Now, if you hace like 1520 1540 2520 and 1520 you are hosed because they all feel the same. at the tip.... :-)

[FCPWLLC 233]

I started with an X-jet. My first building job was a 6 building condo complex. I had 5gal jugs that handles on them and I filled up 4 of them with mix and went to town. I liked the reach but hated lugging the jugs around.

A few months later, I tried downstreaming and have never looked back. My X-jet has been in the toolbox ever since. I use 4 tips: 0040 and 2540 for applying soap and 0020 and 2520 for rinsing. I can hit the peak on the side of a 3 story building which is reallylike 4 stories high. And that's with my 5.6gpm/2500psi machine. with more pressure or flow it might reach higher.

I used the pocket system at first and then switched to a fanny pack to hold the tips. I got tired of having to pull out all of the tips at the same time to find the right ones. I got a lance caddy from envirospec and it is absolutely awesome. All of my tips are right there and now I can pick them out without even looking down, just by feel.

I saw that e-spec has started welding QCs together and screwing tips in them now. Their catalog only shows 3 welded together but I'm going to try welding 4QCs together. Should be much faster...

NO MORE WET POCKETS OR MISSING NOZZLES! - NOZZLES QUICK CONNECT / 1/4 MEG / HOLDERS / SPECIALTY

[David O'Connell Jr. 14]

We have that 4-way. Awesome.

[Cleanly Done LLC 14]

I love the x-jet. I have mine connected to a 30ft hose and a 16 gal holding tank on a dolly. I spray the entire side of a house and while I'm rinsing my hose monkey moves the soap mix to the next side. This requires me to keep pulling the hose on and off the nozzel barb but it's no more trouble than changing a tip. I don't have to wait for a pressure hose to get clear of soap before rinsing and I don't run chemicals through my pressure hoses and guns.

[Russ Spence 76]

we have the 4 ways too , sucks x 4 when you loose one of those guys

[plainpainter 217]

I am a downstreamer, but I have often wondered if the x-jet has a slight advantage on those really f-ing nasty wood sided homes that have like thick encrusted moss vegetation all over the place - something that hasn't been cleaned in like 40 years.

[CO2Solutions 14]

Obviously I'm new if I'm going to ask this question...lol...But what the heck is a 'downstreamer'? I've seen the x-jet...

By the way, does anyone know where I can pick a new M5 x-jet up in Canada? all the online stores don't seem to ship to canada??

thanks,

mike

[CO2Solutions 14]

guess no one knows where I can pick one up in Canada or have shipped to CA?

thanks.

mike

[Mike Williamson 198]

guess no one knows where I can pick one up in Canada or have shipped to CA?

thanks.

mike

Check with Bob at Pressuretek

Buy the pressure washer items you need at affordable pricing. We have Suttner Cat Giant General Pump Delavan Pressure Pro Hansen Mosmatic Comet Whisper Wash AR pumps trigger guns surface cleaners lances wands duct spinners swivels ball valves chemica

I can't imagine he doesn't ship to Canada.

[Joe Ortiz 14]

Does or has anyone ever fabricated their own X-jet.Abused the "search" link and just couldnt find any thing.Would like some ideas if you all have them.or just an idea of how to regulate the chem ratio.I love fabricating my own tools and making them to my specs

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Think they read the thing it's final rights..but your welcome to go ahead and resurrect the thing by trying out a DSer on the end of yer line. Some old coot said it worked but couldn't offer anything of what draw ratio was or if he drilled it or such.

[R L S 14]

A downstreamer on the end is not going to change your ratios so basically you are still downstreaming.

I had a guy work for me for a bit who used to make his own xjets when he had a business. Basically he took a 3/4 brass T and plumbed it up and reduced it down to 1/4 ends. He fitted the backside with a 0degree nozzle and the front with a hose barb and the bottom with a 1/4 chem line. That setup created his venturi and worked for him. I have never done it but it sounds really feasible. I am not good at describing things by typing but if you get the picture it seems feasible.

[Rodney 14]

I used an xjet the 1st 5 years and switched to down streaming this past year wondering why I waited so long. I down streamed the entire year and didn't miss the bucket at all. So why did I switch back to the xjet last month? I was using more 12.5% bleach per week. My ratio xjetting was 2 gallons bleach and 3 gallons water. Down streaming was reversed, 3 gallons bleach with 2 gallons water.It was taking more chemicals per house using .0040 tip, even though I love using this tip especially on windy days. I also noticed that when down streaming my rinsing was not completely free of soap out of the line. This was noticed primarily when rinsing the windows. The last reason is, I purchased a new titan reel at the begiining of the year (which I hate ) and the bleach running through the house reel rusted out the center bar creating a pin hole leak.My supply house replaced the bar for free.My last reel lasted 5 years using the xjet but it also wasnt a titan. So long story short.. Xjet uses less chemicals for me , Quality of rinse is better due to no soap in the hose,Less wear on the equipment with bleach being a corrisive.