Downstreaming - how do you start and stop your mix?

Supplies & Equipment
21

You should not have to go back to your trailer to DS. if you do ,your DS is broke.

22

I have to ,because I DS two different chemicals,using a 3 way poly valve to switch from one to the other

23

I do because I rinse with the same tip that I apply soap with

1 Like
24

Huh. So ya’ll are that low pressure all the time

3 Likes
25

So what tip will draw soap and what won’t?

26

Yep…

27

So the Schertz box would help ya’ll out tremendously right?

2 Likes
28

Yes it will, walking back to the trailer accounts for like 30 minutes of my day when you add it all up. I’m hitting like 15,000 steps/day on my iphone and im sure like half of that comes from walking back to trailer to switch soap/water lol

29

I wash trucks. So we’re a lil different. I use a dual Lance wand to control my soap to rince. Fixed soap nozzle on one side. Qc What ever tip I need on the other. Twist my handle for low pressure soap,twist it back for high pressure rince…interesting to see how we all differ

2 Likes
30

Yeah I’m pretty sure I’ve read before that’s how you do it. For most of us washing siding, if the pressure is high enough to stop soap, is too much pressure to wash siding; which is why we walk back and switch from soap to water to rinse (most of us with a 3 way poly valve).

1 Like
31

So I’m assuming you’ve read on here about the Shertz box ,and @squidskc built one as well?

32

Downstreaming you have a few options to change to rinse
Option 1 & 2 are the only way to stop the soap with out walking back to the truck.
Option 2-4 allows you to use the same tip you soaped with to rinse.

  1. Use soap tip to soap and then switch to a high pressure tip to stop the ds from drawing. Most people do not use this method with house washing, because you are now no longer “soft washing”.

  2. Have a remote system. Hit the button and on the truck theres a ball valve hooked up to you soap draw tube. When turned to the off position it stop the downstreamer from pulling soap.

  3. Same concept as #2 but the manual version. Have a poly ball valve on your downstream draw hose and when you want to stop soaping walk back to the truck and turn it.

  4. Downstream injector bypass kit. Similar #3 you have to walk back to the truck, but you get “full” flow when rinsing.

12 Likes
33

Good information !

34

I just use my jrod. Soap with the low pressure shooter or fan, switch to higher pressure fan until clear water runs out then rinse with that. I was running 150’ of hose yesterday and I’d say it takes about 10 seconds for the line to clear.

1 Like
35

Was this maybe the reason why you had issues with with algae not coming off at the top of the house the other day ?

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36

No, it was pointed out that my mix wasn’t hot enough.

37

How is soap coming out of the hose until you get back to the truck. Are you tying the gun to a tree and zip tying the trigger open? If you aren’t on the trigger, soap isn’t flowing. If you are using a high pressure tip to stop soap, you are using to much pressure

2 Likes
38

I was wondering the same thing.

39

I really don’t like to run my machine without the trigger pulled or the wand off at the ball valve.

40

Maybe it would be best to stop until you but legitimate equipment.