My first job is complete.... what a mess

Newbie Questions
62

Nice. I will order a couple to check it out.

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63

Hey man, one newbie to another. You’ve already stated the bleach, on its own, from a pump sprayer - works like a boss.

But, You can’t seem to get it “injected” from the bucket to spray on the vinyl siding with your pressure washer.

This isn’t a complex system man…

  1. Do the test
  2. After proven to be faulty/underpowered, replace the injector
  3. Log back onto to PWRA and tell everyone about the great success

Spend $20 on the injector, you were just stating you were going to spend $150 on an Xjet 17 minutes ago…

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64

Also, I might add, I DESPISE carrying around an Xjet pail. I loath it. But when you need that 3%, it’s great.

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65

You’ll feel like you won the lottery when you downstream a house and you’re fishing by noon.

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66

Dear God I would do anything to finish a house wash in a day. I think I just set a Guinness world record in the longest package house clean in the world… And on my first job… Now that’s impressive

67

I remember when it all just seemed like witchcraft. Yep.

Here’s the solution that worked for me: buy everything from PressureTek.

Get the jrod nozzle kit. Get the Elemonator. Get the PressureTek injector. Maybe it’ll cost you a hundred bucks. I even bought a new machine from PressureTek, but that’s not necessary.

This is a winning combination. Sure, there are other winning combinations, but right now you just need something that works. Then you can start tinkering. But you probably won’t want to. I no longer have any interest in playing with different surfactants or whatever.

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68

Can I buy a chem injector at a home depot or does it have to be online from pressuretek or something. Would love to have this settled by Tomorow in time for my next house wash on Friday. Keep in mind I’m in Canada

69

Where in Canada?

70

Sold, I’m Gunna get on it now! Listen if the next item I “throw in the forest” is my stupid vinyl gentle brush… I would be a happy man

71

Worst case Ontario

72

Anywhere near them? If not search Landa, Alkota, and Aladdin pressure washers. Just don’t buy anything but an injector from the last one.

73

What nozzle size are you using to soap the house with?
If your using anythings smaller than a #20 it wont draw, im thinking this might be the problem.

#30, #40 or larger nozzle and it should draw from your DS injector.

74

Oh believe me it’s drawing… It’s just not giving enough. I’ll have to check I had the guy custom make me a jrod… I told him I wanted a soap low a rinse low a soap high and a rinse high. The jrod was a fail. He sold me a soap high soap low nozzle that I’m currently using and now I walk back to the truck and just pull the hose

75

I’m learning… Am I un educated yes… Can things be done better absolutely! I will get there I am very much green right now but I’m trying and I’m investing in it so it will work eventuslly

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76

Worst case you could be in and out in a few hours spraying chemical with a pump up sprayer and using your pressure washer to rinse. You definitely need to see what your chemical injector is drawing and probably replace it like most have mentioned. You may even want to see what it draws with no wand on the end of the hose just to eliminate the gun or tip being part of the issue. Good luck with it man. Keep trying and it will all work out. The fact that your stayed with it for 3 days like you did says something about your determination.

On a side note I don’t recommend using the pump up

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77

Agree. Probably sub par chem injector. Pressure tek is the way to go for injectors and most everything else too.

78

Keep playing with your mix. Make it stronger till it does what you want. If you can’t get any professional soap and A&H not working, can try some Gain, but I think you’ve got too weak a mix for what you’re trying to clean.

On the drive, if a lot of loose stuff, lot easier to blow off with blower all the loose crap.

Keep after it. You’ve learned a lot already.

79

He said he was downstreaming straight 12.5%…can’t get a much stronger mix.

I don’t think his injector is working properly.

80

The amount of oxi clean in there is tiny. He had asked what he could use that he could get local. It’ll work fine. Some of the largest roof cleaning companies in the states use for roof cleaning as I did for a couple of years. I wash clothes in it too mixed with bleach, trust me it doesn’t neutralize it. However, It would probably be better if he did get some eliminator, which many of us use. He’s got other problems rather than the surfactant.

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81

Here’s my recommendations (I’ll be repeating some of what’s already been said)

  • Find a GP HiDraw Injector. Buy two. 2-4 gpm size

  • Put stainless quick connects on both. When the first one fails, take off the quick connects and order another. Or get the stainless injectors from Dultmier that Brodie linked.

  • Move the injector off the pump outlet and mount it right before your reel. You can put a quick connect right on the reel swivel, or use a short whip hose. I don’t think it makes much difference, honestly. But get the weight off of the pump.

  • Put cheap quick connects on the pressure gauge and lose it in your parts bin. When you find it 2 years from now, you can get all nostalgic and put it before your gun just for kicks.

  • Use a hack saw or metal cutoff saw and cut your J-Rod in half. Throw the higher pressure nozzles in your parts bin.

  • When you have a little more time, you might want to put together an injector bypass. That allows full flow for rinsing. Also put a 3-way poly ball valve on your injector inlet so you can pull clean water from your buffer tank and rinse out the injector at the end of the job.

  • Also a longer term project: get an unloader mounting block and get the unloader off of the pump. That will reduce strain on both the pump and unloader.

  • Test your draw rates once you have everything setup. As mentioned before, “practice like you play”.

  • Another thing to consider is the quality of your bleach. Even with a subpar injector, it seems like you should’ve gotten a little better result from downstreaming straight 12.5%. Maybe you got some old stock that has lost its potency?

  • Finally, if you have to use OTC soap, I would just get the Arm & Hammer “free and clear” (or whatever they call their hypoallergenic detergent without perfumes or dyes) without the oxiclean. Eliminate any unnecessary variables.

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