I have a 16" classic surface cleaner. My issue is it is causing stripes when using it. Not sure if its just the surface or cleaner. It doeant matter if I walk back and forth or side to side. It has newish nozzle on it. I replaced them last year and have only used it a few times since then. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue and knows how to correct it.
Considering it’s “Busy Season Etiquette” myself as a non-professional who is still just reading and learning until I start my business, can maybe contribute here by suggesting you provide more info for the pros to help you on this if they can find some free time, like giving your new nozzles number, size, pressure hose length and id, your pressure washer GPM, PSI etc.
You are saying you didn’t use it since last year, have your hoses and SC been sitting opened to dust and natural elements since then? maybe something got in the hose restricting pressure and GPM. what did you do so far for this problem?
To me, it looks like a lack of GPM or PSI or both there, because where the SC has overlapped looks like it has done a better then where the SC has only passed once.
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Did you just put on 1 new nozzle or two? Try switching the other one too. It almost looks like your bar isnt spinning or isnt spinning fast enough. Check that too. It could be a bent bar, have you hit it on anything. Caught it on a corner maybe or let it slam down on the ground. The whole peice of equipment is pretty simple. I would just buy yourself a second set of nozzles, spin bar, and a swivel. Replace them in that order. And if i you end up not needing one then you have an extra for the future.
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Go one way like you do, now go perpendicularly across the full surface, then post treat it. should be nice and clean when dry, can also try slowing down. I have noticed near downspots where the roof runoff I always need to make more than 1 pass and that is what appears here.
Fat-one I have a 4 gal 4k washer. A new section of 100 foot hose. Total 200 feet. Tip size I don’t remember. And it sat in my garage along with my trailer during the winter about 3 to 4 months. But it didn’t do it on a patio I washed last year and rewashed this year.
Clean1 I replaced both tips last year. I don’t think the bar is bent but ill look again. I’m going to try greasing it. I may just need to pre and post treat.
This was going horizontal. I usually go towards and back. I ended up treating again and doing it by hand. It turned out ok. I wasn’t to happy about it but they were so I guess it’s ok
Those marks you see are overlap marks meaning they have been cleaned twice as much as the inside. if you go over it again but go perpendicular to the first pass it should all almost look uniformly clean. Then once its done post treat the entire concrete surface with 3% and when it dries it will look great.
I would like to add not all concrete is the same. Some is softer. Usually original driveways. Builders get cheap and pour 3k psi mix. Patios are usually upgrades after the build and poured at 4k. May try going one size larger on your nozzles for more volume, less pressure. But ask @Innocentbystander or @Racer they would know.
Do you have a filter on it? If so take it off.
It’s not getting the moxie it needs to fully spin.
OR
Your nozzles are oriented parallel to the sides of the disk rather than being perpendicular to it at an angle.
So I realize the “better” drawing shows them turned a much more drastic angle than is necessary. Slight angle, perpendicular with the sides. Hope that makes sense.
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Do you downstream? If so and you have a high pressure ball valve, you can open the ball valve enough to draw SH and not a lot of pressure and lay a blanket down on your surface once complete. That’s it!
Ok thanks. I have an banjo filter on it but I will check the filter on the machine again also. The drawing makes sense I will have to look in the morning. Thanks again.
Yes I do downstream and have a ball valve on it. I may have to try that.
I mean a filter on the surface cleaner trigger.
Also, you can tell by the rings at your starts and stops that something’s not lined up right or it’s not spinning at top speed.
If it’s not a clogged filter and not the nozzle orientation, My guess is bad swivel. Hopefully it’s one of the easier fixes.
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I always do back and forth then sideways… never have streaks
I used to do that all the time at my old house with a Home Depot surface cleaner when I was trying to clean something too fast…
Where you are overlapping is getting 100% clean (because it’s getting two passes) and everything else is getting 80% clean.
The equipment is inadequate for your speed and flow/pressure.
Does it happen when you slow down?
Ok thanks. No there is no filter on the cleaner. I will have to check the tips in the morning and grease the swivel. I’m almost positive when I put those new tips on they are inline with the bar.
Yes but if I go fast then it will strip like when you go to fast.
Well, you have my attention. Please share your results tomorrow with investigating the nozzles.
