too much power? the dumbest question you've seen ever, I promise!

[flip houser]

Hey,

As I'm looking at powerwashers for sale they all have gpm and psi listed. But as I understand it, the real number is the GPM, PSI is a function of of hose length and nozzle tip size and angle, and I guess hose width and anything else between the pump and the surface being cleaned including the distance between the nozzle and that surface. What I should be interested in is finding a machine (of good components, sold by a good merchant ... etc) that spews out the gpm I want and then making sure I have nozzle tips and everything I need to get the appropriate pressure to my cleaning surface, or am I missing something?

Basically, with a machine that spews out 5 gpm, all I need is the right nozzle tips to get it down to say around 1500 psi I use an 8.5, (which means if I want a 40 angle I want an 85040), the PSI they rate the machine at doesn't figure at all into my calculations. The way I'm imagining it, the PSI rating a builder puts on a machine is like a maximum.

The primary thing I'm going to be doing is decks-- my own mostly--, but I can see that very quickly I'll be powerwashing the siding, driveways, concrete, the cat, and I can see a way for me to get into a couple of restaurants and small trucking companies (family). That seems to to me that want something like 3500 psi or greater, 5 gpm, tips in the 8.5 family if I want 1500 psi, 12 family if I want around 700 psi, and 15 family if I want just under 500 psi. These should be good for wood it seems.

I know there are other choices I have to make (hot water machine or hot tank for the restaurant when the time comes, etc) but I have to be certain I'm seeing this right before I move foward.

Thanks. I know this seems like a real basic (and even "dumb" question"), but I"ve searched and browsed these forums and haven't really seen this spelled out, not in a way that sunk into my dense head anyway.

 

[PressurePros]

If you are planning on running a washer for just friends and family and home projects and nothing whewre you ned to produce high volume a 4 gpm machine would work fine. If you are planning on setting up a rig with a reserve water tank then definitely go with the higher gpm (5+)

 

[flip houser]

Hey Ken,

First off: thanks. You always have an answer when I've got a question. I've learned a lot from your posts. I really appreciate it.

The two things I want to avoid are 1) making a purchase that doesn't meet my needs (which always "expand" immediately when one learns something new), and 2) find out after the fact that if I had made a relatively minor adjustment in what I was getting in the first place, I'd have been better off down the road.

If I find "all" I need down the road is a tank or an unloader or some other item, I think I will have done well. If it looked like I was reading the nozzle chart right and am understanding how you adjust pressure via tips, then I feel like I'm on the right track.

If that is the case then I think I've only got one more thing to research, or search for a couple of days and ask another question.

 

[M. Williamson]

Hey,

As I'm looking at powerwashers for sale they all have gpm and psi listed. But as I understand it, the real number is the GPM, PSI is a function of of hose length and nozzle tip size and angle, and I guess hose width and anything else between the pump and the surface being cleaned including the distance between the nozzle and that surface. What I should be interested in is finding a machine (of good components, sold by a good merchant ... etc) that spews out the gpm I want and then making sure I have nozzle tips and everything I need to get the appropriate pressure to my cleaning surface, or am I missing something?

Basically, with a machine that spews out 5 gpm, all I need is the right nozzle tips to get it down to say around 1500 psi I use an 8.5, (which means if I want a 40 angle I want an 85040), the PSI they rate the machine at doesn't figure at all into my calculations. The way I'm imagining it, the PSI rating a builder puts on a machine is like a maximum.

The primary thing I'm going to be doing is decks-- my own mostly--, but I can see that very quickly I'll be powerwashing the siding, driveways, concrete, the cat, and I can see a way for me to get into a couple of restaurants and small trucking companies (family). That seems to to me that want something like 3500 psi or greater, 5 gpm, tips in the 8.5 family if I want 1500 psi, 12 family if I want around 700 psi, and 15 family if I want just under 500 psi. These should be good for wood it seems.

I know there are other choices I have to make (hot water machine or hot tank for the restaurant when the time comes, etc) but I have to be certain I'm seeing this right before I move foward.

Thanks. I know this seems like a real basic (and even "dumb" question"), but I"ve searched and browsed these forums and haven't really seen this spelled out, not in a way that sunk into my dense head anyway.

That's pretty much it...though it is a 40085 tip, not an 85040. That would be an 85 degree size 4.0 tip.

 

[flip houser]

Hey M. Williamson, thanks. I don't know how I got that mixed up, I didn't really check my grammar on it but I thought it was right.

I was looking at a couple of old threads and I didn't understand how they were getting the pressure they were saying they were getting but now I see I was reading their tips backwards.

That is why I was so unsure of my math-- or my reading of the chart.

I think I'm on my way. I was just about to log out and figure out what I was going to buy (CW, add a hot box later if and when needed; diesel powered around 5 gpm, are the only criteria I'm kinda locked in on right now) when I saw your response. Thanks!

 

[Sunny1]

Have a plan.

You sound like you're doing the right homework. It seems apparent but, did you map out a business plan? Write down your business plan to help you decide where you are at, as well as where you may want to end up with your business. This will help determine the rig size, and specs you will need. Budget will come into play, but you can then get a clear picture of your work scope, and you can buy equipment based on your plan. (example; When you have to determin if direct drive, belt drive, or gear drive is your best choice, the plan will give you specific reasons why to buy which.)

 

[flip houser]

Hey Sunny, thanks for the vote of confidence. That is an excellent point about how a well thought out business plan would give an indication about equipment needs and the kind of life cycle I would need out of it.

I haven't done a business plan for this. I want to invest in a good power washer to help me with fixing up houses, really speeding up prep work for painting. Fixing up houses to sell is not the best thing to do right now, but it was a good choice right when I sold the last house. Right off the bat, I'm doing decks for family (whether they want it or not) while I get the hang of the machine. I've only rented one before this, but when I was renting I was keeping sights on what I'd think about in buying.

I'm looking to wait until spring time to see what the real estate market looks like and where it might be worth buying again. If I don't like what I see, I might be drawing up a business plan, and using a whole lot of small business assistance programs that help with business plans and things like that.

Right now I'm off on vacation for a week in sunny FLA to take the kids to the Kennedy Space Center and those places around there.