Tired of DS and looking to build a soft wash system. Looking at the Pressure Tek website with a little bit of Sticker shock. Is it really worth the $1400 vs. a 1/2" poly kit for $400?
Used the search function and saw guys raving about it a couple of years ago, just wondering if its still worth it.
Thanks
If you will be building a soft wash system to replace DS and intend on using for anything other than roof washing take a good look at an Air system. Call Lori @ Pressurewasherproducts.com for $1400. you can get started in a system that works 100x better than any pressuretek 12v system. If your referring to the bandit for $1400. it does not work well for a replacement of DS and you can build a much better system yourself!
What about booster pumps Brett? Do you know how they would compare to an air system?
I have no experience with using booster pumps
I’m finally at the point where I’m ready for a 12V also. I was looking back through old threads and @Innocentbystander recommended a battery, garden hose, 12V pump and cheap plastic hose reel. This was a couple years ago though. I’m just trying to decide if I can sell roof washes before i jump in feet first with an air set up. A 12V looks like a cheaper option. I’m here just to tag along and see what advice you get. 
Private message me and I will send you a YouTube link to a video I just made comparing electric pump to air diaphram pump. I have not released it yet (it is private) until I tweak it a little… Anyways I built my own and it is way cheaper. All elec. 3 fat boy pumps 2 accumulators, 150 foot of chem hose,built my own poly sprayers with j rod and a 35 gal chem tank… Did not include hose reel,… All that cost about what the price of the kit cost. But I had 2 extra pumps and an extra sprayer as a back up… Later you can add air diapphram pumps. But you need an air compressor…
Booster pumps are for rinsing (roofs usually) I use my PW with black nozzle for siding and watering plants… Also the 100 psi version of the fat boy is better than the 60 psi version…
Booster pumps are not just for rinsing. I know a lot of guys who run them and a lot converting to them. A booster pump is like the big bad brother of a 12V. You run any % mix you want through it.
Every system has it place, just depends on what your trying to do with it.
Yeah, i’m liking the booster pump + proportioner setups i am seeing.
The Proportioner is a nice set up. It works with Air Diaphragm pumps and Electric Chemical pumps too. Not much to go wrong there. It uses well tested valves and connections.
A booster pump is designed to boost the pressure it is not designed to increase volume. A lot of people selling booster pumps claim they are 7 or 10GPM pumps, but if you look at the model number of the pump and go to Goulds, (or who ever makes the pump) you will see that it is a 5GPM pump. 5GBS0714P4
Download the manual here and read page 5 to figure out the code.
http://documentlibrary.xylemappliedwater.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/22/files/2012/07/B5-33GB-R4.pdf
What a booster pump will do is deliver the water to higher places without loosing as much volume as a smaller pump would. it is all about pressure versus volume… then you throw in Lift… This is where the booster pump seriously out performs electric 12 volt pumps and small air pumps.
A booster pump has several impellers and a shaft seal. The impellers are resistant to corrosion (engineered composite?) that are in Stainless steel housing. Doubt it is as good as Teflon or kynar. They say it is good for pressure washing and spraying, but never mention anything about chemicals, so who knows. It also has a mechanical seal on the shaft which in this example is Vinton. They also cost like 650 - 850 bucks for a 5 gal version depending on who you get them through.
You will also need access to 110 electric or bring your generator.
Bottom line I can run chemicals through just about any pump, the question is how long will the pump last and how cost effective is it?
How long will it last running standard house wash thru it? How long will it last running higher roof mix thru it? I cant answer that because I don’t own one. Goulds makes good pumps so I assume it will last a while.
Keep in mind there is 14 impellers and a shaft seal to maintain/replace if it takes a dump…
The same can be said about everything we buy, nothing we use is really rated for corrosive chemical use. Replacement parts are just the cost of doing business.
Just like 12V aren’t actually putting out the gpm they advertise, most of the time a 5gpm 12v only puts out less than 2gpm with 200 ft of hose. Plus it has to be open flow or you will mess up the switch.
Ive talked to a few guys with boosters and one guy only runs them on his rigs and has had the same pumps for years. It just like everything else you just have to rinse it. As for reliability i cant say, even though a AODD pump may be more reliable you still have to worry about the compressor. With the booster you trade gas problems for electric problems. I dont like electric with water so that why im not a huge fan of them. But i would like one to be able to clean apartments with out disturbing everybody completely.
A booster would be easier to wash a house with over my small AODD set up because of the pressure and rinse abilities. So it really just depends on what your trying to accomplish with your set up.
Although i see the appeal of that machine, a lot of guys have had problems with that type of pump system. Mainly they dont last. You also can run a proportioner off them which means batch mixing is till required. They also have a bypass like a normal pressure washer that has to now be routed back to the tank. Go to the roof cleaning forums, a lot of them tried them but they didnt last and everyone still uses AIR. Also you can build an air system cheaper than that.
What pump is this, I have a 190 honda engine. And I’m curious. Do you rinse homes with a soft wash system ? Or are they just for chem applocations
could I get a link for this please
