So, I started washing houses this spring and am now getting the confidence to wash roofs. I washed 1 small ranch style house with asphalt shingles a week ago. Today I moved things around on my trailer to mount the pump, lines, and mix tank. I realized that I can only get about 20 feet high at most with this set up. I have a 5.5gpm 60 psi pump.
I am using flexilla garden hose as my chemical hose at the moment since I didn’t want to spend to much money until I actually know what I want in a roof setup. I am using the J-Rod from my 4gpm 4000psi PW for tips.
Now for my actual question. What do I have to do to get more height from this setup? Do I need a pump with more psi? Should I used smaller lines since the garden hose is 5/8"? Does it have to do with my nozzles? I was thinking an accumulator but not sure if that is actually what I need. What do ya’ll think?
You can try using smaller nozzles in jrod - like 0020 or 0030 for your distance nozzle. 1/2" hose will help some too with that size pump but you should be getting more than 20’. Like 30-35’
My local Norther Tool carries nozzles so ill go pick up those sizes to test them. I went with garden hose because it was fast and not very expensive since I sold a roof washing job before I even had the pump set up That will motivate you to set it up fast! I found a 100 gallon tank for $50 that I will be picking up tomorrow as a batch mixing tank.
If I go down to 1/2" hose, but increase the length to 200 feet, will those cancel each other out and keep the range at about 20 feet?
Does the accumulator only get rid of the pulsating? I use a 2510 for my low pressure soap on my 4/4 PS and that is the only tip on my electric pump that doesn’t pulsate. The other tips are 2540, 0010, and 0040.
Yes but ots just going to break. I use a 5.5 and 200 feet of hose every day. I just started using the quad rod I really like it. Remember to flush the pump. Make sure you have a way to flush it already set up
I’ve read about the bladders breaking a lot but didn’t know if that was just cause everyone who had it break on them decided to tell everyone about it but there was still a lot of people who liked them that weren’t saying anything. It looks like the quad rod is just like the J-rod but cheaper. Im definitely ok with cheaper since this is my first season and im still building everything.
I have it in my plans to have a valve from my buffer tank or just straight from a hose to flush everything out. Thanks for that. Im glad I am on the right track with my thought process.
I’ll replace my garden hose with 1/2" line, pickup a quad rod, and try some different nozzle sizes to see what works best.
Thanks @Racer and @Firefighter4hire for your knowledge. I wish I had someone from this forum that lived close to southern Wisconsin so that I could shadow or even work for to learn from. This forum has taught me everything I know but someone I could work next to and learn from would be even better!
I ordered a roll of 1/2" Flexilla air hose for my roof pump. I know @Infinity and a few others emailed the company to ask and it’s resistant to sh. Pressure Washer Products even sells it as chem hose now. I think I paid $180 for 300’ on Amazon with free prime shipping.
I actually found that roll on amazon maybe an hour ago and have it saved I think that’s the way I am going to go. I saw a thread on here a few weeks ago discussing that air hose doubling as chem hose. The one I found is $181 for 250’.
Watch out that amazon doesn’t pull a fast one like they tried with me. The item had been in my cart for awhile, and when I finally got around to ordering yesterday, I saw the price had jumped up to $240-something. So I clicked on the little button that said “available at a lower price from other sellers”. The first option was a Prime seller for $181.
Wow…I wonder if the seller just increased the price or if Amazon has algorithms that intentionally do that? I guess I’ve had that happen to items that I left in my cart but was only a few cents or a buck so I didn’t think much of it. It’s another story when it’s $60. After hearing that it’s definitely something I’m going to start keeping an eye on.
Im using 1/2 inch kuritec hose with that same jrod with a 6 inch wand. Im getting good distance out of mine. Rick upgraded to 5/8 for his gas pump and when running the 12volt through it you can notice a decrease in distance the further up the ladder you go.
I clamped on a 1/2" hose barb. I then used a 1/2" ball valve and some schedule 80 with a 45 at the end. I think I made it 18". I then put a 1/4" quick connect on the end for a j-rod. That’s how a lot of us do it but they also have the pre-made gun you can buy. I’ve heard some complain that they don’t last long and start leaking.
What do you use @Firefighter4hire ? I always like seeing what everyone out there is using.
I used pvc and built a gun that just had a ball valve. I learned quickly that I didn’t like the fact that I couldn’t release a trigger to stop the flow. So yesterday I bought a Gilmour garden hose sprayer and put a quick connect on the end of it for my J-rod (soon to be quad rod). This what I was using to test the height of the water stream. I am quickly realizing how important a soft wash system is. I sending out 2 more commercial quotes today that I wouldn’t have been able to do without this pump setup. Bot jobs having a roof cleaning portion to them.
That will motivate you to set it up fast! I found a 100 gallon tank for $50 that I will be picking up tomorrow as a batch mixing tank.
I think that’s the way I am going to go. I saw a thread on here a few weeks ago discussing that air hose doubling as chem hose. The one I found is $181 for 250’.
