First Post

[marine_clean]

Hello everyone. I'mnew to the site and have been browsing for the last couple of days. I don't even have our equipment yet but I have a ton of questions that I know you guys could help out with. I found most of what I needed through the search option but not all. This is a great board, very thankful I came across it. Heres where we are: I've been a Sales manager for a SeaRay dealership for quite some time with a small detailing business that I ran on the side. The dealership I worked for was bought out and I lost my job so I'm wanting to expand my business into pressurewashing. We've been pressure washing boats and detailing for quite some time and have an extensive customer list. Our problem is that business comes to a complete halt after we detail and shrink wrap most of the boats for winter time. Now that I'm not employed I have to have something to carry me into winter time. We want to expand into doing decks, homes, driveways, roofs....yada yada yada. . .

I'm a salesman by nature so i think it'd be easy for me to get accounts with companys to do their driveways and parking lots but I have a couple of questions that I hope you guys could help us with.

before I worked in the boating industry, I sold chemicals for water treatment. Chemicals to clean the insides of filters and water towers and I know the potential for pressurewashing at water and waste-water treatment facilities, plus I still have a good customer list from the work I've done in the past with them..

If you guys could answer some of my questions, I'd be thrilled!.


1.) Present Equipment Situation: Craftsman 3500 PSI @ 4.5gpm (i believe) cold water system with 50' hose and one tip. Is this adequate for heavyier jobs like trash trucks and bulldozers? Can I add a Hot Water system to it later to provide the pump with hot water w.out having to buy a complete hot water pressure washer? I have two 275 gallon totes (not mounted yet), how do I get the water from the totes into the pump? Do I have to pressurize it with a pump?

2.) Do any of you have contracts with construction companies cleaning their equipment overnight? How well did it work?

3.) (answered)

4.) (answered)

5.) (answered)

6.) Do you have to get any sort of permits to carry the chemicals used in cleaning? (hazmat)

7.) Do any of you do any pressure washing for boats and yachts?

8.) Is there a place (other than the classifieds here) that I can find used or rebuilt equipment?

9.) (answered)

10.) How do you keep your water from freezing while its in the tank?

Thanks so very much for all your guys help. I'm going to be really active on this board, its nice to have a new board to hang out on and get advice.. thanks!


Cale DeLozier


Currently with Marine Innovations

 

[Mark]

[GLOW=blue]Cale,
Welcome to www.PowerWashNetwork.com[/GLOW]


#1. 4.5 GPM on a Craftsman unit Probably 3.5 GPM,
5 GPM @ 3000 PSI is usually the minimum I would recomend.

You can add a water heater / Hot Box later these units heat the water after it comes out of the pump.

Stick around keep your eyes, ears and mind open and you can learn alot.

Once again Welcome.

 

[oneness]

Cale:

Welcome!

I agree with Mark, you'll likely need a larger machine for some of the things you're considering. If you go that route, I'd go with a hot water machine rather than adding a hotbox to a new cold water machine.

I've never heard of anyone needing permits to carry cleaning chems, and some of these guys carry some pretty nasty truckwashing acid. You DO have to have the MSDS sheets on all your chems with you at all times. I've heard it is a pretty heavy fine if the DOT catches you without them.

I'm assuming your current machine is a direct drive unit. To feed the water to your machine, you'll need to make sure the pump is at least slightly lower than the bottom of the outlet on your tank. You simply run piping/hoses from the tank to the pump supply. If the tanks aren't plumbed you'll need to get a bulkhead fitting for it and whatever suitable pvc fittings and hoses you need to get the water from the tank to the pump. No, you don't need to pressurize the tank.

I'm in Florida, so water doesn't freeze here. However, I have heard that some folks put a bit of anti-freeze in their tank. The other option is not to leave your tanks full when you're not working. If you run the pump bypass to your tank, the water will be constantly moving while the pump is running, so unless it gets REALLLLLY cold, the tank won't freeze.

I know at least one guy who blows all the water out of his machine with an air hose at the end of the day.

email me at oneness@gator.net. I have a couple places you can check for used equipment.