What's the fastest and most efficient pressure washer?

[Craig 111]

For those of you who do flatwork (and lots of it), what would you consider the fastest and most efficient gpm/psi pressure washer? What do you use now and how do you like it?

I've been using a 4.8gpm 3000psi Hydrotek unit. I recently had the opportunity to borrow a friend's rig to catch us up with work... a 4000psi 5.5 gmp unit and what a difference it makes. We generally can do about 1800' per hour and with his rig we're doing around 3000'.

I'm in the market a couple new rigs and am interested in what success you've had.

[Henry B. 4]

My 8gpm rig will scream through flatwork but finding enough volume to keep up with it can be a problem unless a fire hydrant is close by or two hose bibs..

[Aplus 525]

I've come to think 6gpm would be a great compromise.....good volume without excessive intake requirements.

[Lou Beach 14]

Henry,

in Maryland what do you have to do to be able to use water from fire hydrants to fill your water tanks?

Do you need a permit?

Does the requirments differ from county to county?

Who do you contact to be able to use the water from a fire Hydrant?

Thanks

[Craig 111]

Lou-

I believe you need a water meter available from the city water dept.

[VanDiesel99 14]

What kind fo surface cleaner do you run Henry?

[Lou Beach 14]

Lou-

I believe you need a water meter available from the city water dept.

generally are you charged for using the water from a Fire Hydrant? Is that what the meter is for?

[Craig 111]

Exactly....

[Henry B. 4]

Yes, you need a water meter from WSSC in our area and you can only use green and white hydrants. The meter is 75 for the rental and a 75 deposit. I'm not sure about needing a permit for different areas though, they never said anything about it to us when we get it every 6 months.

I use a hydro-tech surface cleaner, the one with the water broom and gum buster built into it.

[Lou Beach 14]

WSSC

Who is that?

[Don Phelps 85]

Sounds like Washington Suburban Sanitary Commision to me.

[Jeff 232]

Some areas now will not allow you to use any hydrants. The next county over from me use to rent the meters, but no longer allow it.

[Lou Beach 14]

do you pass the cost of the water right over to your customer?

[One Tough Pressure 580]

I use a 3500 psi/5.2 gpm unit and it goes pretty quick. I use 3.0 nozzles on the surfacer for 3000 psi, and general rinse/pop gum with a 5.5 nozzle for 3500 psi.

If I have a large amount of debris, I wish I had more gpm, but for the majority of things this is just fine. More gom equals more water on the waste side, so that is always something to consider.