Hi y’all, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything but I always love coming here if I can’t find the answer myself. Thanks to the information gathered here, I successfully started M.A.N Pressure Washing and Sealing in Nashville 6 months ago.
I’m beyond excited at this point and happy with being able to earn a living after just half a year. My question to y’all is what is the best SMALL Soft Wash setup using a 25 - 30 gallon tank (I’m residential so far)?
I started off with a bunch of decks, but recently I’ve been getting more calls about driveway sealing and house/roof washing. I’ve finally gotten comfortable and confident with the pail and m5ds method. But I’m a one man show, running out of a little Tacoma. Refilling that thing over and over again drives me batshit crazy and adds up to a lot of wasted time I feel like. Also, had my first big mistake. Last week, when I knocked over my full pail and realized it only after it was totally emptied into the grass.
It seems like the advantage of a tank setup is saving a whole lot of time, coming to a job or two premixed and not having to switch out guns and attachments and stuff.
I’ve done a couple roofs and I’d like to do more of them. This seems like it would make life a little easier for roofs too right?
I’ll try to attach an image or two of my truck, in case it helps give you an idea the space I’m working with. Thanks to everyone
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You can make your own 12v system for around $600 or so. There’s a thread on it somewhere on here. There really isn’t much to them. A lot of guys use those Northern Tool 5.5 gpm pumps and have had great luck with them. I first purchased a 7 gpm Delavan and it died after 3 weeks. I picked up another one and it’ll sometimes go out until I tap on it. I’ve been using the NT pump since last year with zero issues. I like the flow of the 5.5 better. The 7 gpm almost puts out too much mix. It’s nice when I need to reach higher heights though. I have both sizes plumbed into a truck box.
If possible I’d consider a larger tank than 30 gallons. I know room might be an issue though. I’ve seen someone mention about using one of those hitch racks or whatever they’re called. A lot of roofs will take more mix than that. Although, you could always mix more onsite but the extra SH would take up room too. I have a 65 gallon tank for my 12v tank and I’ve almost emptied it on a couple roofs. If you setup a proportioner you could get by carrying one tank and just have it full of straight SH.
Congrats on your success. I wish I would’ve started doing this 15 years ago. There’s a lot of work out there if you run your business the right way.
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Thanks @marinegrunt , I’ve read a lot of your previous posts and have always found them really insightful and easy to follow.
The Northern Tool tanks are exactly where I started too haha You know, I really like the idea of using one of those with a hitch rack for the setup. I’ll go with the 5.5 GPM pump and buy a 7 for those silly high peaks.
This should get me through year 1 for sure. Next year I’ll look into getting a larger truck… this Tacoma is a trooper though. Is it weird that I feel some kind of real sentimental bond forming with my work truck? Thanks again my friend. Great advice as always. I’ll post pics once I get it squared away 
@AceofSpray you have plenty of room there for a cheap home built proportioner system, ideally what you want working on your own. With a couple of hundred bucks in welding I would put the surface cleaner next to the ladder and hang the reels off the side to free up the valuable bed area. Vertical tanks are your best option, one thing to note, is that the wider and taller you have your tank the skinnier in diameter they can be for the size of water/chemical needed. RV/campervan shops have plenty of them in various sizes to suit, majority of them are blank tanks letting you position your outlets however you like.
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Tacomas are great. I’d just adapt and keep using yours until you’re ready to move up to a two man rig.
@MuscleMyHustle made some really good suggestions about freeing up space in the bed.
You’ll want airbags, or add a leaf or two to the springs, as soon as you start adding any weight to it. Also adjust the way you drive; your stopping distance will increase with more weight.
Oh, and you’re not weird for being sentimental over your first work truck. “The Brave Little Toaster” will always have a special place in my heart…
Just another thought that kind of goes along with what has been said. If you get a 30 gallon tank and fill it with straight bleach and build a proportioner system you are essentially carrying 60-90 gallons of mix. That should do any roof you come up against unless it is something crazy.
You could also downstream out of the same tank using a downstreamer that mixes to the right proportion for your machine.
Then you have roof mix covered and house washes covered with only about 350lbs or so of weight and not too much room taken up.
Just a though, but it does depend on the equipment you are running.
Joe
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Wish I had taken pictures of my softwash setup in my ranger. I just switched over to a 5x10 trailer this weekend though and love it.
If you move the surface cleaner up to the ladder rack and hose reels mounted on the side you should have plenty of room. I have a proportioner system in mine with 2 55 gallon drums I got off of craigslist and a 15 for my soap. If I packed everything in correctly I could fit my pressure washer plus a 25 gallon tote for my chems and a leaf blower.
I would reccomend at least going with 45-50 gallon tank for bleach and same for water. If you have any less than that you will be making 2-3 trips to the chlorine store on any size able roof
Man, I’m glad I asked a question 
So many great suggestions that I’m gonna have to consider a bunch of ideas. I definitely know I should sidemount the pressure reel, I’ve been avoiding it for a while, but It makes sense.
Thanks a bunch y’all.
