water tanks?

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hello guys need a little help. not sure exactly what portable water tank i should be looking for. i moved from a large city to a smaller city with a lot of farmland. im starting to find out that a lot of these places on the out skirts have really no convienient water source. just got a call from a farmer that has about 15 pieces of large equipment and a couple of gravel pitts that need to be cleaned at least once or twice a year. i have yet not been there to check out the situation, but he thinks that i would need at least 2000gal tank.(yea right) imagin that. i have a chev pickup truck and a 5x10 trailer not very big but i get the job done. anyway i was thinking maybe picking up a 300-500gal tank and maybe just refill it when needed for the job. not sure what i should exactly be looking for, or if anyone has any ideas would be great. i would really appreciate your help. thanks much.
 
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oh and a another thing like i said im from the city and have no clue what someone would charge for farm equipment or even a gravel pit for that matter. i know it all depends on size ect but some kind of idea would be helpful. im going to be living and working up here so i have to learn the ways to make a living. thanks again. im also going to take alook at the jobs in a couple of days i'll keep you guys posted.
 
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DPProWash

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A 500 gallon water tank is going to weight nearly 4,000 pounds. That's not bad when you're just sitting somewhere, but driving with that ... especially sloshing around will be ROUGH. What axle is under your 5x10? I'd imagine a 3500 lb at the most. And forget about putting 4k in the bed of your truck.

I think the largest tank I've heard of is 300 gallons (other than some of those super heavy duty trucks with dual rear axles, etc...some guys run dual 300's but use one solely for recovery.

You figure...5 gpm is going to give you 20 minutes of spraying water for every 100 gallons. 300 gallons is plenty...200 gallons is plenty.

I have a 150 gallon tank that I am using as just a chemical tank for doing roofs, etc.

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As far as what to charge, I have no idea...I try not to go out unless a job's at least $250...otherwise, it's not worth my time. Although tomorrow, I'm hitting up a job that's on the way back from another job for $200.
 
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i was looking up the weight of the tanks full of water not a good idea if your driving in the dirt country back roads, asking for trouble there. i figure i was going to go with a 200gal tank. and yes if the job wasint going to be over 250$ it wasint worth it to me. i have 7 years experiace but just now started up my own buiss so im still a light weight havent made it up to the heavy weights yet. thanks much for the reply prowash
 
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James S

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I do a LOT of washing that is in rural places. I do a lot of oilfield work, truck-fleets, and on-location heavy equipment washing...gravel oilfield roads, doesn't get much rougher. I understand the hardships of starting up in this business so if you can't get a heavier trailer right now and only a 200 gallon tank then thats what you have to do. You might wanna look into a 300 gallon, might save you a little bit of time...time is money. When you get to where you can spend the money, if you have a truck that will pull this, get yourself a trailer with dual 7k axles. The bearings and hubs on these 7k axles will hold up to the twisting and turning of a full 500 gallons directly over top of them. And, also, get a 500 gallon tank if you're planning on getting into washing equipment. You will need it. Those small tanks will work fine for doing houses, but not on equipment. One thing to look into, if you're not too far from a water plant or pump facility(whatever you wanna call it), they will fill your tank up for about 3 cents a gallon and can fill 500 gallons in about 3 and a half minutes with a 6 inch hose. This is what we do before we leave town. To take-on the problem of getting water in rural locations, we got a water meter from the water districts we do our work in. This meter hooks directly to a fire-hydrant. Very simple to hook-up and fairly quick. You just call in the reading on the meter at the end of the month and they charge you for what you use. Only thing you would have to buy is a fire-hydrant wrench and a discharge hose. Needless to say, doesn't take very long to fill 500 gallons. I'll try to help you with pricing when you get a good description of the equipment but first....why in the world would you wash gravel pits?
 
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James S said:
I do a LOT of washing that is in rural places. I do a lot of oilfield work, truck-fleets, and on-location heavy equipment washing...gravel oilfield roads, doesn't get much rougher. I understand the hardships of starting up in this business so if you can't get a heavier trailer right now and only a 200 gallon tank then thats what you have to do. You might wanna look into a 300 gallon, might save you a little bit of time...time is money. When you get to where you can spend the money, if you have a truck that will pull this, get yourself a trailer with dual 7k axles. The bearings and hubs on these 7k axles will hold up to the twisting and turning of a full 500 gallons directly over top of them. And, also, get a 500 gallon tank if you're planning on getting into washing equipment. You will need it. Those small tanks will work fine for doing houses, but not on equipment. One thing to look into, if you're not too far from a water plant or pump facility(whatever you wanna call it), they will fill your tank up for about 3 cents a gallon and can fill 500 gallons in about 3 and a half minutes with a 6 inch hose. This is what we do before we leave town. To take-on the problem of getting water in rural locations, we got a water meter from the water districts we do our work in. This meter hooks directly to a fire-hydrant. Very simple to hook-up and fairly quick. You just call in the reading on the meter at the end of the month and they charge you for what you use. Only thing you would have to buy is a fire-hydrant wrench and a discharge hose. Needless to say, doesn't take very long to fill 500 gallons. I'll try to help you with pricing when you get a good description of the equipment but first....why in the world would you wash gravel pits?
Click to expand...

thanks much..im going to look at the job in a few days. whent looked at tanks but know one could help about a pump or the hook up. im assuming that the gravity isint enought to run the pressure washer alone and need a electric pump to run. but im not sure on the set up i could rig something up but want it done right. what do some of you guys do to run the water out of your pumps?
 
Larry L.

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
Pricing farm eqt. is something you'll learn,some cases you'll need your houly rate to figure the cost of each.Less say you cleaned a 2 wheeldrive at a cost of hmm 25 dallors,the next farm with the same size 2 wheeldrive may run 75/150.

I didn't catch the size or the gpm on the washer you have or whether it was a beltdrive or direct drive.Belt drives gravity feed fairly easy,direct drive is a different story.

I've been bouncing up and down gravel roads for several years with a 500gal. tank with 130 gal. chemicals on board plus hotwater rig and tools.The 16 ft. trailer has almost seen its days,the wheels are looking cocked eyed at times.
 
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DAFF

New Member
Start looking for a old field sprayer. Picked on up for 400.00 dollars last year for a backup system. Most of them are self contained units with an axle under the frame. Just hack the axle off and remove everything but the tank and straps. With a little work install your pump(s) and reels right to the platform. Plus if you find a alunimum one all the better. A little brightiner and autosol and you have a sharp unit. Had a 03 1500 dodge with 3 extra leafs in the rear and a few turns on the tortion bars. Handled the 300gal. tank with no problems. But in this region there isn't a hill to be found.

If you are working for farmers talk to them, trade some washing for a sprayer. For around here these sprayers mostly sit around, for most the farmers are sub contracting the spaying out.

Good luck and stay clean. [hello]
DAFF
 
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ok guys i decided on 2 125 gal tanks mounted in the back of my truck. but still not sure on the pump set up on how to pump the water out of the tanks. i have been asking around at the stores but know one could help. one guy said he had a diesel pump with a generator but i dont think i need all that right now. i was thinking on going with a electric pump for now, but still unsure. i just want to do it right the first so i dont have any problems. the help would be much appreciated.
 
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Mark said:
A good belt drive pressure washer
should have no problem drawing
water from the tank. :)

Do you have a p/w already?

http://www.pressurewasherzone.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=210
Click to expand...

i have a direct drive 3800psi 13hp 4gpm cold water honda p/w.
just not sure on the pump set up for the water tanks, i cant get a answer no matter were i go its like they dont have a clue to what im talking about. i have been to all the pressure washer supply stores in the area. they just look at me and say i dont know. im also up here in the north country ny so not to many pll do this kind of work up here.

i already have the 2 tanks i just need to know what would be the best way to pump the water out of the tanks and into the p/w. i could rig something up but want to do it right the first time so i have no future problems and dont waste money.
 
Greg Rentschler

Greg Rentschler

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We use a 250 leg tank as a buffer tank to run 2- 3500 @ 4gpm machines. USUALLY the supply keeps up but every once in awhile we get a well that just wont keep up and the guys end up sitting around waiting for it to fill.

Tractor Supply carries the tank if you have one locally.

Our belt drives will siphon the tank almost 100% dry if you let them. With a direct drive it may siphon. Some do some dont. Im sure sureflo, flowjet, and delavan all carry a pump that will push the water to the pump if needed. Ideally you would want a 3/4" hose for your supply though so you'll need to get a pump to accomodate that as well.
 
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alright this what i came up with what you do think?

jet pump system 1/2 hp 7gal tank 10gpm from lowes
with a 4000watt coleman generator for 250$ i know its a little much but had to take the deal, with 2 125gal tanks. i think that should be enough for what im doing. when its all said and done im looking at around 1000$ after all the little odds and ends.
 
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