Flat Surface Cleaner

[Wallydog 14]

Gday Cleaners! My machine is a 3200psi, 3GPM , 8HP engine washer. Bit on the small side.

Im just about to buy a flat surface cleaner too and am seeking advice from you pros on whether I should purchase either the 16" hover Whiraway or the 18"one with castors?

Has my machine got enough GPM to drive the 18" well or would it be more appropriate to get the 16". I thought id chime in too as one of the members is having the same quandry although he obviously can drive a larger flat surface cleaner.

It would be a crying shame if the one I bought didn't clean properly. I have had advice by one contractor who thought the 18" might be pushing it and the 16" inch more appropriate and on the other hand i have been told that the 18" will be a top choice, casters and all?

I need the pros advice here and i would really appreciate your comments on which would be the most effective size cleaner. Cheers Wallydog

[GymRat 14]

I have run a 20" surface cleaner with a washer the same size and it did a great job, just had to walk slower than normal. Check the rating on the surface cleaner and buy the one that fits your specs.

[Roger Oakley 14]

Hi Wallydog,

If it's any use I use an 18" FSC with castors, my machine is a bit more powerful then yours but it works a treat. I might be wrong but most FSC, work with 2500 psi or better I think you'll find so you should be fine.

Have a look at my website, all the work (cleaning anyway) on there is FSC, and lance as a final clean-up. So in short my view is an 18" with castors is fine.

Roger

[PLD 14]

It's not at all like you might speculate. i.e. walk half as fast, but cut twice the path. I undersized once (27"/4gpm) and I can tell you that properly sized and smaller will go faster than larger and oversized. IMHO, I would go for the 16"er.

[Wallydog 14]

It's not at all like you might speculate. i.e. walk half as fast, but cut twice the path. I undersized once (27"/4gpm) and I can tell you that properly sized and smaller will go faster than larger and oversized. IMHO, I would go for the 16"er.

Phil what you say makes sense. One prob, I can't find a suitable 16" FSC with castors. I think casters is a better way to go. The 18" has much the same config ie, two water jets and the 2 bars. 1" extra on each side. Could this make a serious difference in perfomance? Is it likely the 16" would be way better for me considering the 3GPM and 3200PSI. Im pulling my hair out as the jury is 50/50 on what works best. Im worried that the 16" will be hard labour because its a hover type and casters will be easier going. But then Im thinking that the 18" might be snail pace work which is not the way to go either. Ideally a 16" with casters is the way to go. Wallydog.

[Christopher 102]

I have gone down the same road but with a bigger machine and had to purchase different surface cleaners to find the fastest one. I would get the 16" for your machine. I use the Whisper Wash Classic 19" with my 5.6gpm 3000psi hot water machine. Their support is great and the parts are inexpensive. I tried out the bigger surface cleaners and found out that for my machine 24" and smaller is the best but the hover type has a lot of advantages over the castor or wheel machines. I can stand in one spot and move the surface cleaner side to side or in and out where my Steel Eagle 24" I have to work it to get into tight places and it will not get up against the wall until you have a big area so you can get on the left or right side of the machine. The Hove type will hug the wall on all 4 sides and will maneuver around obstacles like poles, equipment and benches. I do some tire stores every 90 days and with my Whisper Wash Classic I cut about 30 minutes off each location because of the advantages of hovering. There are some disadvantages like trying to keep it in a straight line for large areas but for what I have done so far the advantages have been great. Check out Whisper Wash http://www.whisperwash.com/ and see what you like. I am not affiliated with them at all but really like their product.

[CCPC 26]

I have gone down the same road but with a bigger machine and had to purchase different surface cleaners to find the fastest one. I would get the 16" for your machine. I use the Whisper Wash Classic 19" with my 5.6gpm 3000psi hot water machine. Their support is great and the parts are inexpensive. I tried out the bigger surface cleaners and found out that for my machine 24" and smaller is the best but the hover type has a lot of advantages over the castor or wheel machines. I can stand in one spot and move the surface cleaner side to side or in and out where my Steel Eagle 24" I have to work it to get into tight places and it will not get up against the wall until you have a big area so you can get on the left or right side of the machine. The Hove type will hug the wall on all 4 sides and will maneuver around obstacles like poles, equipment and benches. I do some tire stores every 90 days and with my Whisper Wash Classic I cut about 30 minutes off each location because of the advantages of hovering. There are some disadvantages like trying to keep it in a straight line for large areas but for what I have done so far the advantages have been great. Check out Whisper Wash http://www.whisperwash.com/ and see what you like. I am not affiliated with them at all but really like their product.

This has been my experience as well. I prefer the hover style when it comes to surface cleaners that are 20" or smaller. They seem to be much more versatile when cleaning tight areas, and you can easily tilt them to cut in around where concrete meets grass and what not. They don't seem labor intesive to me, once the machine is spinning the weight is lifted (hence the term hover style), and it practiclly moves itself.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Buy a Landa

[tylerbateh 14]

I am looking into buying a 12'' Whirl A Way for my consumer pressure washer at home. Anyone have success with these? I have a 3000 PSI and 2.7GPM and read that 12'' is probably the most I would be able to push

[Guy B 70]

I would suggest to anyone that is starting out in pressure washing to go no lower than a 13 hp 3000 to 3500 psi, 4 gpm machine. Gallons per minute (Or liters) is more important than psi (or Bar). The more gpm (liters) the faster you move.

Even 1 gpm more is a lot. All of our washers are 8 gpm, and wouldn't have it any other way.

[Doug Black 18]

I am looking into buying a 12'' Whirl A Way for my consumer pressure washer at home. Anyone have success with these? I have a 3000 PSI and 2.7GPM and read that 12'' is probably the most I would be able to push

I have an 8 inch for special projects and have to turn my 20HP down to almost stall b/c she runs like a banshee! So I think you would be okay with a 12".

Mr. Guy's advice is correct though.

[mick m 19]

Hi Wallydog. Mick here from Perth. Is there any reason you cant go to, say kerricks & try both size's.? You'd test drive a car before you bought it, wouldn't you? Are you feeding off a tank or straight from a tap?

[WashRite 14]

My opinion would be to buy the 16" hover type surface cleaner. Properly tipped, it should hover and move effortlessly from side to side and front to back. The hover units are great for working around obstacles and steps and curbs. They are usually much lighter than the wheeled units. I have both types but usually only use the wheeled units for larger jobs such as concrete gas pump pads and other large flat concrete areas.

I believe BE has a new 16" (maybe 18") surface cleaner that has detachable wheels. It looked like it was built well.