Hello all, I’m new to this business. I have a handyman business that I do full time and many of my customers have asked me if I do house washing and gutters etc… So, I decided to research and invest in some equipment. This is my first time on this forum and I’d like to start out right. I’ve been watching countless hours of YouTube and I think I have a decent start but I’d be happy to have your input.
Equipment:
Dewalt (Simpson) 4200 psi 4 gpm belt drive Honda GX390 pressure washer
Xjet M5
BE Whirl-A-Way 20"
Extension pole wand
Gutter Cleaner from Pressure tek (Black hook thing that looks like a window scraper)
Elemonator
150’ high pressure hose
200’ flexzilla garden hose
Still trying to source SH for a reasonable amount. I live in Midland, MI (home of Dow Chemical) you’d think it would be easy. Hasn’t been the case.
Please let me know of anything else that a startup would need. Thank you
DeWalt makes a belt drive?
I use to do IT for Dow Agrisciences. I listened to folks from Midland on many a 6am phone conferences. 
Yes, I’m pretty sure it’s a Simpson that is rebranded Dewalt.
Spare Quick Connect fittings (3/8" and 1/4" - you don’t replace the 1/4" as often but when it goes out sure nice to have one ready to go), o-rings (3/8" and 1/4"), J-rod, another 50’ of hose (it will come in handy as moving your machine around is a pita. If you are going to downstream you will need an injector - the one on the machine is junk - cap it and use a real injector, deck brush for scubbing heavily soiled concrete, pump up sprayers (get ones for bleach or look for “VITON” seals on the box) for direct chemical applications, water proof boots, eye protection, gloves.
SH - you can use Clorinating Liquid from Home Depot or Lowes. Just adjust your mix to accommodate that it is 10% and not 12.5%.
Awesome! Thank you for the ideas. The X Jet I have should take care of my downstreaming needs but the rest I’ll surely get. I’m thinking of getting a backpack pump sprayer that I could modify to work with the X jet. That way I won’t have to carry a bucket around or drag another hose.
Get a downstream injector and you won’t need the x-jet unless you are washing stucco etc. Don’t get a backpack sprayer. Putting bleach on your back in not a good idea. It will leak and burn your back. You won’t know it until it’s too late
@anon37135677 That’s a good point about the backpack sprayer, I hadn’t thought about that. By the same rational; if I have an xjet then I won’t need a downstream injector, right? Or am I missing something?
Using a downstream injector will allow you to not have to carry around a bucket everytime you wash. Unlike the x-jet, a downstream injector is plugged in after the pump or before your reel. If you’re unfamiliar, use the search bar or use YouTube to familiarize yourself with them.
You’ll also want 200ft of high pressure hose and I’d say 150ft of garden hose is enough. Almost every pool store carries chlorine. The one I get from sells 5 gallon jugs for $12 plus tax. The jugs say 10.8% but the big giant container they fill them up from outside says 12% and the store owner says it comes in at 13%. I’m in Canada btw so it’ll be cheaper on your end. Just across from Detroit actually so not too far from you.
@anon37135677 I’ll have to check out the pool shops around here. Detroit is about a 2 hour drive from here. I get how the downstream system works, I went with the xjet because I can get a more controlled concentration if needed and I won’t have to go back to the pump to shut the chemical off. I’ll be getting more high pressure hose soon. Thank you for your input, I appreciate it.
Xjet is a PITA carrying the bucket around, stick with downstreaming and an M5 DS or jrod. I only use mine when I have to do nasty patios that require 4-5% concentration.
You’ll want a buffer tank ASAP, many spigots don’t put out enough for your 4gpm. Until then be sure to find out what they put out with a 5 gallon bucket.
No problem. The x-jet is still useful to get a stronger mix for pre/post treating concrete, washing stucco, etc. Downstreaming is just much easier and you’ll have enough time to switch off your injector or switch your drop stick to a bucket of water while your soap is dwelling. I’m putting together a 12v system right now so I won’t have to use the x-jet at all. Carrying around a 5 gallon bucket while washing anything isn’t to fun lol.
@dcbrock I’m looking into getting a buffer tank. I tested the GPM at my house and it was ok at 25ft of hose but by the time I ran out 150 ft there was enough friction loss it was starving the pump. I’m trying to do this all out of the back of my pickup. I have an enclosed trailer but that houses all of my construction tools. I’m not in the position to have a dedicated setup on a trailer.
Was the hose on a reel? You won’t lose that much flow with 150ft of hose
It will be much easier walking back and shutting the chem off rather than hauling a bucket and extra hose around. @dcbrock can attest to that. He thought using the x-jet was fine until he was talked into down streaming. He’s definitely a fan! Everybody wonders why they didn’t make the switch sooner. I’d say 99% of guys on here down stream if that says anything. If you don’t have a 12v an x-jet is good to have for certain things. You live in MI though so you’ll be washing vinyl most of the time. You don’t need a strong mix for that so ds is perfect.
@anon37135677 No, it was stretched out. IDK what happened then, it stopped pumping a couple times. It didn’t do it when I was on the 25’ hose.
I could be wrong as I have been many times before lol. Do a bucket test at your spigot then do it with 150ft of hose. I’ve done it with 100ft and at the spigot and there was hardly a difference.
