Anyone plumb their buffer tank to pull water from the top of the tank instead of the bottom?
I am putting together a new build and the way I need to situate everything is going to be an issue to plumb from the bottom of the tank. I wont have anywhere to run the hose while on the bottom. If its plumbed on top, the hose wont be a issue.
Pros and Cons?
You need to come out the bottom
As far as priorities go for “situating”, first priority is safety (trailer balance, heat dissipation, etc). Second is water delivery, everything else is just convenience. What’s keeping you from pulling from the bottom?
Here’s the new tank. I threw a light in there to show the out Iine
SH tank may need to be situated like in the pic or turned longways. Won’t know for sure until I put it on trailer. If it goes longways, more weight will be on passenger side of trailer.
I wanted the water tank about 6” further back, but I can’t because a hose reel is at the end of the trailer.
I’m not following why you can’t come out the bottom. You have 10 different locations to choose from, even if you have to make a run under the trailer in a pvc sleeve
I would raise the hose reels and go underneath to where jake pointed out, hard to know the scale of what you have with the square boxes in the picture.
I know the boxes on the picture are a little deceiving. think the best thing for me to do is just to get everything situated on the trailer where I want it before it starts getting bolted down.
Even considering putting the washer all the way on the backside of the trailer right next to the hose reel
My take is, plenty of people mount their machines above their water tanks. It doesn’t much matter where the water lift happens: inside or outside of the tank.
The only issue I can see, is making sure your connections inside the tank are completely sealed. Connections outside the tank are much easier to tighten. That’s why I opted for glued pvc for the down-tubes inside my tanks. Added plus for my situation, is I can draw down to the last couple gallons.
That said, I think you’ve gotten some pretty good suggestions on how you could make a lower bulkhead work for your setup. I especially like @Jake_Lambert ’s suggestion of mounting to the side of one of the legs.
The bulk heads are definitely going to get mounted on the inner legs. I just need to maneuver the SH tank and other stuff, so it clears the bulk heads and hoses.
So you are saying there is no down side to using a “drop stick” method with a pressure washer?
Wait, are you saying you’re already putting in two other holes on the other leg? Why can’t you just feed off of that?
Well, just the disclaimer I made above, about making 100% certain that your connections are secure, and will stay that way.
I think my method of using a threaded pvc street elbow, glued to a section of pvc pipe, and threaded into the backside of a bulkhead is probably the best way to go for a permanent down-tube.
Drawing from the top you have no head pressure pushing water. Unless you install check valves you will be starving the pump when you start up.
Heres what I came up with so far. Wishing I would have went with a 18’ trailer. Could have used the extra 2’
If your machine is mounted above the water level in your tank, then final head pressure at the pump inlet will be the same (a negative number) regardless of where the bulkhead is. The only difference will be how much water is in the suction hose to begin with.
Start your machine on lower throttle until the water gets sucked up into the pump. You shouldn’t lose the prime unless you have a leak in your system.
But just checking: do you lose prime on your machines if the trucks get parked overnight with the water level in the tanks below the inlets of the pumps?
I’m in agreement overall that the bulkhead should be mounted as low as possible. But if circumstances don’t allow, you can make a higher bulkhead work.
I’ve never lost prime unless I’ve had an air l leak, and they get fixed.
