Hey guys so I’m curious is running an 8pm vs a 5.5 really faster and more efficient and if so by how much? Now let me start by saying im new to this industry and I’m still running a 4gpm so I’m writing this strictly to learn. I am also not at this point in my business yet its just me looking and planning for the future.
This is based strictly on residential washing no commercial and very minimal concrete ( there isn’t a ton of residential concrete around here) with all that in mind does the extra 2.5 gpm really weight out the rest of problems that come with running an 8gpm? For example in my area most homes are on city water probably like a 60/40 split so with a 5.5 machine I can get away with 55-65 gallons of water. If I go with an 8gpm that buffer tank needs to increase to 125 to upwards of 275 according to some people.
By no means would I want to travel with 125 gallons let alone 275 so if I drive to my first job with 50 gallons of water and I fill the rest
Up when I get there, then before I leave that job I’m Draining most of that water out again to travel to the next job just to do it all over again. Refill, wash, drain and leave. With all thoes extra steps accounted for 10-15 minutes to fill, a few minutes to drain per job, how much time are you really saving vs using a 5.5? With a 5.5 I can show up with my tank full start washing and then pack up and leave and go to the next job and do the same thing. Considering this would be in a truck bed not a trailer this will also save space and be less expensive.
Obliviously in pure rinsing speed the 8 will win but with the extra time to fill and drain your tank at the end of the day how much time does it actually save ?
I get that, and I’m genuinely asking not trying to prove a point or be argumentative, but you’ll burn threw that same water faster with the 8 which is why guy general get bigger tanks then what they were using with a 5gpm, so they aren’t Wasting time waiting for there tank to fill back up. However I would imagine it’s kinda defeating the purpose to have a 200gallon tank if your not going to transport it full of water. 200 gallons of water is around 1,700 pounds. Ide rather not put all that stress on my truck. So that’s why I was figuring your arriving with it almost empty and your leaving with it almost empty. Does that time you actually save rinsing outweigh the time your filling and draining on each job.
I don’t understand the concept of draining your tank after each job. That’s a waste of time and water. You don’t need a 200 gallons tank. Get a 50 gallon tank and leave it full. If you are washing houses run two hoses to the tank.
So that makes complete sense to me, but I searched the forum the other night for “what size buffer tank is needed for 8gpm “ and everyone seemed to say 125 minimum but larger would be better. Unless you were using hydrants to fill ( which I won’t be) they seemed to think 50-65 gallon wouldn’t be enough.
It’s not just 1,700 lbs it’s an extra 1,700 is what I meant. If your hauling 200+ gallons vs a 50-60
Gallons your adding a lot more weight to your truck/ rig
I use a 100 gallon tank with no issues for my 8, i usually aim to shut the water off just before i finish rinsing then leave with about 60 gallons. When i arrive to the next job i fill it up while i’m taping/ taking pictures/asking customer to close their windows. Works well.
For us fleet washers we go 5.5/ 6gpm because we can get the correct chem draw and not waste as much water , but we do use 8gpm’s to rinse on big jobs , Most veterans on here use 8gpm for residential. We also carry a minimum 600 gallon buffer tank up to 1500 gallons.
First of all, 8gpm will allow you to reach 40’ vertical with DS and rinsing. Really comes in handy when it’s windy.
You don’t need a big water tank, I use a 55 gallon vertical in my trailer. I never run out of water off a house spigot, although some don’t put out as much.
You don’t drive with a full tank, I travel with about 15 gallons.
You have to understand the concept, a typical house spigot puts out 8-10gpm. You arrive at the house, hook up to water, by the time you unroll 200’ of hose, put on your gear and attach wands the tank is filled. You won’t be on the trigger constantly, so effectively you’re only using like…4gpm over the space of an hour. I always have to remember to shut off water during my last house panel.
Is everyone free filling these tanks from customers water supply? Is there a float mechanism that one can install so you arent flooding the heck out of your rig or trailer or whatever youre using or are people just keeping any eye on it?It seems to me that a float switch might be something to look into. Forgive me if thats dumb, im still rocking the 4gpm machine as well so legitimately have no idea
Wow, haven’t tested that many, but 6gpm is on the high end from the few I have, more seems rare.
@Dallsheep check out Topaz float valves. I like the compact model, but they have a few different ones depending on your setup.
Personally, I don’t see the point of having a large tank if you’re not driving around with it filled. What I prefer not to do is drive around with it half full. When it’s a 275 the sloshing will make you seasick until you find ways to baffle it.
If you’re mainly just washing houses w/o much concrete, I’d go with the 5.5. I have 200 gal tank on my truck build, usually travel about 45-50% full. Hook up water first thing and I run out of water and have to wait a lot with my 8. Probably 2 hours per week. Average house flow around here, especially newer ones because they all have flow restrictors on them, is 4-5 gpm max. Even bypassing most my incoming hose and only running 100’ when I can, still have to wait.
Plus w/ 5.5 can pull stronger mix. But make sure a full blown 5.5 with 3500 psi. You can reach within a couple of feet of an 8 in height. Where not having the 8 hurts you is in rinsing, especially if you do a lot of brick homes.
@dcbrock - once I start spraying I’m probably not off the gun 5min until I start rolling up, unless I’m sitting there waiting on water. But I’m pulling 8.7 gpm with my m5 nozzle. So with my average house, even starting with say 150 gal, if I’m running a 4gpm deficit and probably have 10gal less than that really available, if on flat ground due to pickup location in tank, then I’m out of water in about 35-40 min tops.
That’s exactly what I was getting at. Again I’m no where near this level just looking towards the future. I plan to have a dedicated truck or trailer for commercial / big concrete jobs. The vast majority of homes here are all asphalt driveways if there is any concrete it’s two or three steps by the front door and a walkway that 3 feet wide by 10 feet long. Also while there are brick houses here again the vast majority of homes are vinyl siding and some homes have wood siding. 60% would be on city water the rest private wells, but as a lot of guys have said city water flow here is like 6gpm. So if I run an 8 gpm machine on let’s say a 55 gallon tank that’s holds 50 gallons due to Hudson float valve with a 2 gpm difference I get 25 minutes of trigger time. Granted im not on the trigger the entire time but if your at a house for 45 minutes to an hour’s technically your waiting for water at least once per house.
You can always duel feed the tank but that’s an extra hose to lay out and roll up every job.
How much faster can you rinse with an 8 vs a 5.5 ? If it would take you 45 minutes with the 8 would it take you an hour with the 5.5 ? Or an hour and 5 minutes? Or are you going from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours ? You said you have to wait 2 hours a week at least do you save that by using the 8 vs a 5.5
Why are you caught up with the rinse aspect of washing? 8gpm soaps faster than not 8gpm, just like it rinses faster. Hooking up two hoses to a house literally takes less than one minute
It shouldn’t take you more than 25 minutes of continuous trigger time to wash an average 2500sq ft vinyl house. By the time you finish and roll up hose your tank should be full for the next job. I think you are over thinking it.
I reckon we good lol. We have a large account with 900 trailers and 294 tractors on the lot to wash monthly and it comes in super handy when you got 3 machines running at 14 gpm combined, then we have a 3000 gallon tank on a trailer that is our water Buffalo that goes a gets water at the hydrant on site to feed the the 1500 gallon tank on the wash rig…
