Richard Ivy 14 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Hi folks I could do with some advice on setting out my new trailer. I may be getting either a 5' wide by 10' long trailer or a 6' x 10'. On the trailer I need to get, as I can see it, a water tank, the pw itself, a box of other kit, perhaps containing tools etc. I should also need space for hose and reels, perhaps those mounted ones I have seen on some of your rigs. Aside from mounting the tank above the axles (twin), can you give some advice on where to locate the other bits? Should I be looking at putting the pw near the front of the trailer or the rear? Presumably centrally located, not to one side? Should a tool chest go near the front? Have you a preference for siting the hose reels? Have I missed anything? I am planning on getting a flat bed trailer, ie not one with the wheels pronounced to the sides, but underneath the trailer, if you follow. I don't think that having sides on the trailer is going to help anyone, is it? Also, I would be very interested to see photos, close ups, of how you use the tank. Do you bore a hole in the side of it and feed the pw from there? I have read about wheelie bins (as we call them) PHOTO: being used as a reservoir. Is this bin fed from the main trailer tank or elsewhere? Questions questions... Thank you in advance. Richard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squirtgun 122 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Rchard, The wheelie bin would act as your float tank.You would need to install a float valve near the top and a water connect at the bottom to feed the pressure washer. http://www.merrillfoxenterprises.com/ The comapny listed above builds a set up to work witha wheelie bin and ships to the UK.You might want to give them a call and see what they recommend. I would get atrailer with at least 12" sides to keep your equipement from spilling over the sides. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCPC 26 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Small sides would be a plus for reasons Scott stated, but I would also consider having an open square frame built on it as well. It will give many more options for mounting ladders on the top, mounting hose reels on the top and bottom (which will save you quite a bit of room), as well as, in essence, give you twice the trailer space without inhabiting your access all the way around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Ivy 14 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Squirtgun, What is a 'float tank'? Is it used in addition to the main tank or is some kind of separate thing? I am dealing with merrillfox as we write. Any further advice on setting out the items on the bed of the trailer? Anyone got any photos, preferably plan-view, of a trailer all setup? Thanks both. Richard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Richard, The axle should bear the weight of the heaviest object on it. This is usually the tank. Most pw'ers carry a tank with a capacity of at least 225 gallons, most carry 300-500 gallons but you will need to determine if the load capacity of the trailer will support that much in addition to the machine which could add 500-800lb's. (Forgive me if we are using ASE instead of metric.) Take into consideration the tank will weigh an avg 1/2lb/gal capacity alone. Water weighs avg lbs/gal A 225gal tank would then be around 112lb + 1800lb of water when full = 1912 lbs of water + 650lb pressure washer skid unit = 2562lb's which is 2 1/4 tons before adding anything else like reels, hoses, tool box etc. All should be mounted in relation to the weight distribution along the axle. The tongue of the trailer should have the least weight. Balanced out, the tongue weight should not exceed 250lbs. This will give you the best control on the vehicle without overloading the shocks. A float tank is a small tank that contains the water which will gravity feed the pw'er. It contains a float valve that shuts off the water coming into the tank avoiding an overflow. The pw'er should go towards the back behind the tank which should be mounted directly over the axle. Tool boxes and chems go in front of the tank. Reels are mounted according to preference for the majority of work you will be doing. I hope I have not made your confusion worse... Rod!~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Ivy 14 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Far from it Rod, that's a great help - I had no idea about the volume of water we were talking about - phew! I'm planning on a twin axle trailer with a capacity to take a couple of tonnes (metric), so should be ok. A question on the flaot tank thing - is this fed from the main tank? So the main tank holding 400 gallons, say, somehow pumps water to the balance tank? Then the pw takes its feed from there? I don't quite get how the main tank can fill the balance tank (say a wheelie bin) without being under mains pressure. Is another pump involved? ??? Not too confused, only a little! :) Richard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bforbis 14 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Richard, Are you set with the size trailer you are getting (6X10)?? I am using a 6X14 landscape type with dual axles and it is full. Could almost use something a little bigger. If you are adding boxes, float tank etc on you may want to rethink the size. An exercise I did was to lay it out on paper the foot-prints of equipment plannng to use/mount and weight of each. Keep in mind that you will need to access tanks, tools, equipment etc to be able to wrok on it, so if you cramm everything into a tight place, it will make you life a bit tougher when the SH__t hits the fan and you have to work on it. Beth and Rod hit the nail with the weight of water. I use a 325 tank and rarely transport that much weight, use it stantionary up to full and it has worked on the springs. Be sure the wiring harness is not between the axiles and decking. Some guys that build these things have little sense about what they put where. You also want the wiring to be encased in a protective sleeve. Your truck will have to be set up with electric brakes (cost about $150) if you don't alrady have it. Bed sure your truck is rated to pull the weight and it has adequate muscle to handle the weight. Transmissions are very expensive!!!! Also, double check with your DOT about towing/commercial vehicle requirments....plays into the weight you are licensed to pull. Once you get the weight distributed properly, be sure the trailer will pull level. Depending on your truck axile height, you may have to adjust the pull ball height. If not level it will bounce and damage springs, tires and bearings. That should keep you thinking for a little while.....! GOOD LUCK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 A question on the flaot tank thing - is this fed from the main tank? So the main tank holding 400 gallons, say, somehow pumps water to the balance tank? Then the pw takes its feed from there?I don't quite get how the main tank can fill the balance tank (say a wheelie bin) without being under mains pressure. Is another pump involved? Float tanks usually are part of the OEM installed on the pressure washer and are only 3-5gal. If you have a larger tank like the one I mentioned, the wheelie bin becomes superfluous. The larger tank will have the pressure by weight alone to feed the pw'er. I had no idea what your use for the Wheelie bin was except for maybe a collection tank for reclaiming wash water. Are you intending to use both? Or only one of the two? The idea is to gravity feed the pw'er from the main tank. If the unit comes with a float tank, you will hook up your supply line from the hose bib to it. This negates a supply tank unless you will bypass the float tank that comes with the pw'er. Rod!~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Ivy 14 Report post Posted January 17, 2006 Sorry for my ignorance about all this, but each answer takes me a step closer. I had assumed that a float tank, whether a wheelie bin or other small-ish container was what was always used when using a pw. I can now see that I don't have to use a float tank if I don't want to, and can feed my pw from the main, very large capacity tank. I guess there may be circumstances where I would want to use a float tank - perhaps for ease of access for some smaller job. Hope I've got this right. I'm expecting a delivery from the US later this week with some gadget that will connect to a wheelie bin, but I reckon now that I can connect it to my large water tank on the trailer. Sure hope I have this right! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLD 14 Report post Posted January 18, 2006 FWIW: I don't use a float tank. I plumb my supply into a 300gal tote and have an overflow pipe that spoils the overflow to the ground. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Ivy 14 Report post Posted January 18, 2006 If anyone has any close ups of their kit on the trailer I would love to see them. Anything that helps with how and what connects where would help immensely. Thank you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beth n Rod 1,279 Report post Posted January 18, 2006 [/url]http://www.thegrimescene.com//gallery/browseimages.php?c=11 This should get you started Rod!~ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richard Ivy 14 Report post Posted January 18, 2006 Now you're talking! Great link - looks super. Richard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
