We need a portable tank solution for high volume remote pressure washing work (similar to oil field work). We cannot have tanker trucks dropped at many of these job sites, but can have have a tank filled up for us. We’re never on any one site more than one day. Bascially, we need to decide between two pieces of firefighting equipment: a 2500 gallon folding tank,
or a 2500 gallon self supporting (onion style) tank
Anybody have hands on experience to help us choose between the two? Pros and cons?
Very similar in price.
We use the self supporting style on our tanker truck. They are nice but a little cumbersome and heavy. Not something your going to manhandle by your self. But they just fold out and fold back up when your finished with them. Having the supports built in, its also going to need a larger area to be stored and transported. Never used the other style, but I would think it would work just as well. And I would imagine would be less cumbersome to handle and easier to transport and store.
That’s pretty slick. Do you know where to get one?
Man honestly I’m not sure. I just know its that same style.
That’s not really an awful price for a portable tank. A 600 gallon poly tank is close to the same.
If you have a way to fill it on weird field jobs this thing is pretty rad. Bookmarked.
I would imagine so. I’ve got a job annually washing giant inflatables in a huge field. I subbed it out the first time and watching the guys have to go back to the hydrant to fill the tanks in the last hour of the job at 2:00 am was miserable. They had a 500 and 250 gallon tank. Lol
This could get dropped right in the middle and filled from the dump valve on the buffer tank the day before. Then buffer tank refilled that night, and the water pumped back into the buffer tank with the 12v from right next to it.
I know this sounds like a pain, but it’s less painful than rolling up hoses to drive a 1/2 mile to the hydrant in the middle of the night. Lol
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I wonder how far a pressure washer could pull a draft before it became harmful to the pump? I also know you would spend a fortune in hose though…
Find a local volunteer fire department and ask them if you make a $200 donation that they would bring the tanker out full of water. No work on your part that way. Just make sure you have a good filter for rusty water.
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No idea. This particular job this flex tank would be within 200’ of any of the inflatables. The hydrant is a legit half mile. They’re both on opposite ends of Kansas speedway. The race car track.
That’s an even better idea. I’d make a $700 donation for this particular job.
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Well I have been volunteer FF for 13 years and if someone offered that kind of donation I know I would run the tanker out and sit with them while they used the water. Heck for $700 I may bring our tanker over lol
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would it be easier to leave the hoses laid out and just unbolt them from the reel? leave them on the ground while you go fill up
I’d assume the onion tank is quicker to unroll and start filling
if you’re using it regularly, perhaps it’d be worth buying a ground sheet to lay under the tank. A piece of canvas or even blue poly tarp would be good value considering the cost of the tank
We use the folding tank with the metal frame on all our tankers. I have no experience with the onion style. I think the folding ones are easy to deploy with 2-3 people. They are a little heavy, but if you store it waist to chest high on a truck, it’s not really a problem. Again, I have had no experience with the other style, but have had zero problems with the folding.
You can rent rigid poly supply pipe on towable reels, we strung 3600 ln ft for a job keeping two 500 gallon tanks supplied, rental was 600 for a week for 4k ln ft. I think if you have a open tank unattended it is considered a hazard & would have to be treated like a swimming pool, secondary fence and all even @ a closed raceway.
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Yes. That would be easier. Well… to attach quick connects at the reel before this job so I don’t have to roll up. But I am too dumb for all that Jazz.
It’s honestly the drive to the hydrant and waiting to fill up that is a pain when I could fill up the buffer simultaneously from one of these fancy kiddie pools
Do you draw from a floating skimmer, or is there a port near the bottom of the folding tank to tie into?
