Welcome back to the age of jive
Good info. Where in Spain are you? Have seriously considered retiring there or Portugal. It’s obvious you’ve spent some time thinking about.
Your comments on water availability should be a consideration. An 8 gpm machine is going to double that requirement and even here is often a problem keeping buffer tank filled so that you don’t have to stop and wait on water. If I were you, why not just get another machine like you have and when you really needed 8, just mate them together. Those siamese kits are readily available and inexpensive.
It sounds as if the majority of your savings would come from vehicle upgrade to EV, especially with the incentives from government. I would consider making that investment first. But by continuing to use gas powered equipment for now on the pressure washing, you’ll be a lot more efficient for the next several years. We’re starting to see more and more electric powered equipment used over here and CA has mandated that by 2025, small gas engines not allowed.
I also own a Lawn maintenance business and so I keep up with what’s going on in that market. It is far ahead of the pressure washing business in terms of electric powered equipment and many have switched to, even in states where not expected to be required anytime soon, and are very happy with the change, due to noise, better equipment maintenance requirements etc. They now have large blowers, trimmers, and even mowers that can run all day. I would suggest that maybe you look at some lawn care forums and pose your questions. But I might add, the initial front end cost, at this time, is considerably more. But the improvements coming everywhere equipment wise over next few years. Go for the vehicle now, with the incentives you have on that side, probably not a bad investment. Good luck.
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that’s a great advise, hadn’t thought of that, thanks!
lol that’s funny af actually
yes, that’s exactly the thing and i reckon if nobody went ahead in that lawn business, you never go a step further.
but yes, definitely, still relatively high in costs in comparison. However, as mentioned, electricity in comparison is a lot cheaper than gas.
Just a stupid question, how long are you guys gas equipment supposed to last? I started with a Ducati gas powerwasher but that literally went to sh*t after my first big job, it didn’t last over a month, and it wasn’t cheap. I went with it to a shop and it was an expensive repair, and it would took a few weeks for the shop to get the parts to fix it. I was told that it’s not even real ducati material but chinese trash with a b-spec (non chinese) engine that is licensed by Ducati. don’t remember the brand, shop said it’s like those electric steps with ‘lamborghini’ on it. Obviously, it’s not lambo. But because i know Ducati builds stroke engines i expected the engine to actually be Ducati. turns out not even that.
So the shop had a machine there he just ‘restored’ with some equipment, and a Honda engine. If i recall he mentioned the Honda engine came from either a lawnmower from an agricultor machine, and he ‘revised’ the engine and mated it to a power washer pump.
I still use that for two years now, and the engine has never given me any issues or problems, but i go through 2 pumps a year easily, when i’m reaching the end of the 4th month i now preventively go to the shop to replace the pump. He services the engine. Oil, filters, etc. also replaced the exhaust for free once with a second-hand one. I must admit it’s starting to make more and louder noise though and the structure is starting to deterioate too.
I asked him about electric power washers and he said they’re fine for using at home, but professinally he doesn’t have any at all nor believes there are any. He sells and services gas pressure washers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and generators.
So since he wasn’t able to help me with this i was thinking maybe here i can find some answers.
thanks for the answers though.
My only point is i think it’s pretty rude as a first ‘non answer’ to claim power washing is not a business for me when i’m doing it for myself for over 2 years now without even having went to promote, all clients are the result of mouth-to-mouth and knocking on a few doors, and i’m simply looking for an alternative form of machinery.
Anyway, thanks for the answers though, very much helps.
I hope you carry breath mints.
“…all clients are the result of mouth-to-mouth…”
lol, pardon my non-native english non-mother language lol.
mouth to mouth, right?
English is not my first language either and that’s why i thought it was funny, in french we say “bouche à oreille” (mouth to ear) publicity. Often people will say “bouche à bouche” (mouth to mouth) and it’s funny to visualise. I gather you use the same expression in spanish to say “Word of mouth”.
Keep us updated on what equipment you set up!
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Is your machine direct drive or gear or belt drive? What type of pump are you using? A decent pump here will easily last 1000-3000 hours depending on type and performing nothing but a gear oil change occasionally.
Gas averages about $3-3.50 per gallon here, so not quite the economic incentive that you have. Most Hondas, which is what 90% of the market uses here, average about 1 gal per hour for larger machines, less for your size. Plus what happens when the electric grid is overloaded and power shut off?
You never answered what part of Spain you’re in?
i’m at at the East Coast of Spain.
well the pump life looks similar, even though i tend to burn through one somewhere between 6 to 8 months tops, which is more or less what you mention.
as for the overloaded grid, yeah i understand your point but to be honest, i could also say 'what happens when there is a crude oil issue worldwide and there’s no gas at the station? we’ve actually had that not long after the war in Ukraine happened. And gas price went all the way up to 8 USD a gallon for a while before the government imposed a tax discount, and then most gas stations here mandated a maximum amount of fuel you could tank a day. Which was, obviously, annoying.
so, to be honest, the electrify thought is also greatly influenced by all of that, and if i have solar panels installed, i am no longer dependent on the grid either (only on decent weather).
