I have told you many times I’m in Fredericksburg come on up. I’ve got 42 unit to do In Richmond that will even save you some drive time
I’ll message you info for a property in Richmond I just turned down because they make it so hard to get a meter unless you are local. It’s about 75 brick two story apartment buildings. I really can’t remember where everything is. I didn’t know/forgot you were in VA.
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Please do. That would be awesome. I have a meter… Thank you
Give me your email and I’ll just forward you the email.
How is it a 5.5 can wash at the same speed as an 8 gpm but yet a 10 gpm is way faster than an 8 gpm? You lost me on that one.
You don’t surface clean concrete so you wash a lot different than most people so it’s hard to compare apples to apples.
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My 5.5 is faster because it’s hot. You can’t run a 8 where I am unless you bring water. I have said it many times on this forum you can’t blindly tell people to buy a 8 without knowing there water situation.
I’m going to say this the best way I can with out sounding like a a hole. But it also has alot to do with set up and experience.
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Don’t worry about it. We’re use to it. 
humor…only humor…lol
I completely agree with that but does that mean a 5.5 is only faster if someone has years of experience? What if IBS who, has years of experience, went against you and your 5.5 hot and I loaned him my 8 gpm Hydromax. What about someone with even more experience than ibs?
Just so you know I’m not arguing with you. I’m legitimately curious.
A couple more questions. Do you ever leave hose burn marks in yards? It’s probably not much of an issue in summer but what about colder temps in late fall? I did that to a guys yard but I was cleaning a nasty patio with high heat. I’m guessing it doesn’t happen with warm water. What temp do you house wash with? I know it makes a huge difference in speed. I even compared it with cold on a vinyl fence with caked on algae last year. The cold took a 10 minute dwell with 2 applications and the hot made it disappear in like 3 minutes. Both I just down streamed with my 8 gpm which doesn’t pull a very strong mix. It’s strong enough to do houses tho. What temp do you run at for houses?
Last question. How’s Jamie doing? Last I remember doctor said things were looking up. I hope you two never have to deal with it again.
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Ok this is what I can tell you. I have tried them all 4,5.5,6.5,8,10 the 5.5 is the sweet spot. A 8 gpm unit just waste water. You have to think about it this way if I can wash just as fast with my 5.5 your not moving the financial needle buy going to a 8 gpm unit. It’s just my opinion but I will never go back to a 8 gpm unit. While you are waiting on water I will be washing. And my 5.5 pulls soap better.
When it comes to concrete the right pre and post treat allows me to run a 20 inch surface cleaner. Again this is just my opinion but have been doing this for a long time and like I have said many times this is what works for me. But also not the guy who has only owned 1 machine. I have tried them all and find the 5.5 is the best for my style of washing . I do plenty of commercial and residential work with it. And wash a 4 houses a day on average of 2500/3500 sq feet. I can still only wash 4 with a 8gpm so why waste the water. Keep in mind I don’t have help on a regular basis it’s just me doing property protection washing clean up which is how most guys operate. I typically rinse around 90 degrees
Thank you for asking Jamie is still doing good. The drugs they put her on are keeping it at bay for now. She has good days and bad but more good than bad
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Sounds pricey. What machine did you get?
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He lives in California, It wasn’t the machine that cost so much it was the 3 catalytic converters, def fluid system for the burner and a regen system for the carbon build up. It also has to be smog tested every 6 months by the state.
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Glad to hear Jamie is doing better. Hopefully she keeps getting better and will eventually have good days everyday.
I get that some water is wasted with an 8 gpm especially for people with less experience. But, throwing more water allows you to not have to spend as much time spraying each section. I’ve used a 5 gpm, 6.8 gpm, and now my 8 which is closer to 9.5 soft washing. I don’t have to worry about water supply tho. I show up with about 150 gallons in my buffer and that gets me through. Most houses have plenty of flow. I was even on a well yesterday that had to be putting out 10 gpm+. We have plenty of water in the ground but 10 is unusual for a well. I’ve only dealt with one well that couldn’t keep up but that was on my 5 gpm. I’ve been lucky with my 8 gpm. As you mentioned a lot of it had to do with variables in each of our own location and also technique. Have to do what works best for you.
Haha @Hotshot . That’s hilarious. It’s probably all true. Heck, it was like that when I left 15 years ago. I can’t even begin to fathom how much worse it is now.
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Skin in the game rarely makes you wash any faster, all it does is teach you the do’s and dont’s of business and what to walk away from and how to deal with problems better, you wash a 1000 homes it’s no different to 3000, there comes a point where you realise your human like everyone else and moss, mold and algae doesn’t care about your resume or the same similar sized last home you did in record breaking time where your efforts were wiped off on the way to the next job because you had to sit in traffic for 12 minutes, sometimes you’ll be at the worksite the same amount of time as the guy that’s done it for 54 years and named his first born bleachblaster no matter what you use. I’m a 5.5 man myself and have been for years, I have 8 gallon machines in the arsenal but rarely wash homes with them I use them for commercial concrete work where you can drop a fair few hours from a single job and wrap up the day early, saving 10-15 minutes on residential homes doesn’t move my needle enough to care about bigger pumps. My guys are paid hourly with realistic job sheets per day, everyone wins.
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From owning a gas powered system for over a year now, it’s a decent tool to have and in @Seandz ‘s case where he washes mainly stucco, definitely worth having. With the AR pump, the only thing I’ve had to replace is an expensive oring, but was relatively easy to do. Not a whole lot to those pumps. But just like a 12v, you don’t get anywhere near the stated flow. I typically run mine at 175psi and with 250’ 1/2" hose only got about 1/2 gal more flow than out of a 7gpm 12v. Using 250’ of 5/8 I get about 6.5 gpm. So hose friction loss is a real thing with them, but they do a much better job than a 12v with dealing with head pressure, loss is very little.
I still use my 12V the majority of time on roofs because typically you don’t need that much flow and there is a lot of excess using the gas powered. But it can reach some peaks that a 12v can’t. For doing 30’ high ware house walls where you need a stronger mix they’re perfect. I paid for mine with one 3 story really dirty school building. @Seandz I will tell you since you tend to have some decent winds where you are, if it’s windy, they’re terrible. That sucker won’t shoot 15’.
They are a nice tool to have if you want to spend some money, but I wouldn’t trade any of my pressure washers, including my 4gpm for one. And the realistic cost by the time you get your mixer, remotes, 3 way valves, hoses, etc will easily be about what you can get a cold water 8gpm machine for. And they are more finicky machines, more like starting and shutting down a plane versus a pw.
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Just saw this. Hydrotek scx30008. All my equipment is mounted on a skid, In this case the hydrotek skid itself and the one we fabricated and then mounted that to. It’s a fair amount of work to pull the motor out, the way it sits, so I wanted the best longevity, hence the Kubota motor. I actually just pulled the whole skid to do prep, rust converter and then raptor liner (4 coats) on the skid and bed of the skid. Redid all plumbing to help prevent sh leaks. Will add the fat daddy to the back and replace my mix tank with the hydromixer with the remote like the Schertz box. One 55 gal left for sh that’s it, about half to 3/4 full. Stoked for this year!
I knew it was too good to be true! Lots of the pluses are still there though. What about using 3/4” hose? I think that may be better if it’s only 300 psi max and long hose lengths. I’ll get a 300’ role of 3/4” and let you know how it goes. Picking up my new trailer this week I have a spare 24’ reel.
Are you using any sort of accumulator tank after the pump to cut down on the pulsing?
I do on my 12v but the gas powered system is just now being shipped. Good question I’ll call and ask them.
No, not a problem with the gas.
