Selling That Attachment? Why?

Selling that attachment? Why?

I see alot of power washers selling off tools and attachments, I know sometimes we miss the boat and buy the wrong thing. A surface cleaner is a good example we buy a floater and find out that one with wheels would fit our needs better. We buy one to big for our washer and pump out put. Most times you take a big hit when you sell off your equipment or attachments.

I see lots of power washers selling their old X-jet, they don't use any more, I only down-stream now. Really why? I mean why sell it off it's paid for and it is not eating anything. There are times I use an item or tool that may have not been used for 6 months I have it and it is right tool for the job. When I was a motorcycle tech I many not have used my 1/2" wrench each and every day but would I sell it? No, the same thing now applies to my power washing tools. You may not use it everyday but boy is it handy to have when you need it.

I may just be a tool or attachment hoarder the more I have the more I want if for nothing else to see if they work. Why do you need all those tools an attachments some may ask? I can simply answer to do the best job. Sometimes a job throws you a curve and if you have the right attachment it will save you. One example is this since the "long range nozzles" came out there is not much need for the old water cannon. I was on a job a couple months back when due to the angle of the roof, a close fence and an ill planted tree I could not get to a dormer on the upper part of a home. It was covered with algae and need cleaning in the worst way. I could not get to it all with the long range nozzle no matter what I did. Some how the water cannon reached it and I was able to clean and rinse it with this tool. I did not want to crawl up on the roof or put a ladder on the guttering the fence was to close for this also. Having the right tool or attachment for the job saved me time and labor. You never know when a customer will have an add-on. The other day I did a house wash and up on completion they asked if I could was the RV? I had a brush and a foamer in the toolbox and it was a quick $50 dollars for having the tools to do the extra job.

If I had sold this or put it on the shelf I'm not sure what I would have done that day. Again back to working on motorcycles my fork seal drivers were use at least once a month but some sizes did not see use for a year or better did I sell them off? No I made money with them having them when you need them. Why do some sell off attachments or equipment if they are not using them on a regular bases? I'm not sure why do you shelf them if they don't see action daily or weekly? I would rather have it in the tool box just encase than a few dollars in my pocket to spend on something. Having extra tools and attachments may come in handy if something should break or go down. Finishing a job is a must it helps to show and prove to yourself if nothing else you are a professional. I know of a washer who sold his yellow noodle said he never used it cause of the uses of down-streaming and long range nozzles. He had to borrow it back from who he sold it to about 4 months later due to cleaning a wall over a open patio basement. It was an odd clean and a pole was the only way to do it. It had hung in the shop for a year with not action so he sold it, just luck he was able to borrow it back, buy another for a onetime job would have cut into the profits. I was looking at the local "want adds" the other day here was a almost new 12" surface cleaner it was one of the better ones BE brand I believe. Said "Used once now don't need", it was only $10 dollars off the original price. I asked the dealer that sells them about it he said ya we sold it to him (one of the other local power washing companies), he did the job now he wants to sell it. Why get rid of it will this be the only time it will ever be used? I found all types of uses for my 12" surface cleaner. Keep it in the truck all the time use it at least once a week for something. Did you not include buying or upgrading in your estimate? Do you need to sell it to keep your busy going tight margins? We all hope not.

Like I said selling off a large item you won't use as a surface cleaner that is too big or does not work with your set-up would make sense, but selling off an x-jet, the small 12" surface cleaner or say a foamer simply because you are not using it every day does not make a lot of sense to me. You may want to reconsider selling those tools, attachments, or equipment it may prove to be a better investment keeping it.

Cleaned by Pete

just a power washer serving the greater Springfield MO area

417.459.7869

Driving You Crazy? or Ways of Driving Your Pressure Washers Pump

Driving You Crazy? or Ways of Driving Your Pressure Washers Pump

The pump is one of the main components of your system. How it turns to produce the pressure comes from a motor electric or gas that is the end of it right? Pictures all are provided by Cleaned by Pete via his equipment and washers except the hydraulic photo, I do not have a tractor so I don't have a need for this washer.

No pumps are divided into different speeds or RPMs they also are mounted differently and have different life-spans. If you can a turn a pump slower but still achieve the desired pressure and water flow you will do the same job only with less wear and tear on the pump. Less wear and tear means a longer life who would not want their pump lasting longer? How is this done? Why would you want anything else? Well the answer starts here, what do we need to do? 

First thing is we need a pump that runs at  1700 RPM (rounds per minute). These pumps will have larger cylinders, capable of pumping larger volumes of water. With each stroke of the pistons in the pump's head more pressure and more water can be pumped out. Since the pump is turning slower it will last longer. The three most common ways of doing this are by using pulleys and belts, using a gear drive or gear driven speed reducer, and the last method which is not to common is a hydraulic pump (as a pto shaft or hd pump on say a tractor). These methods use a gas powered engine to make power and then you can transfer that power to the pump.

Top view of one of the belt driven pumps from Cleaned by Pete.

 Belts and pulleys

Belts and pulleys come in different configurations and you can "over drive" as well as "under drive" the pump by changing one or both pulleys. The main thing here is you still must have the correct size of gas engine to provide the RPMs as well as the required torque. To small of engine or to little of HP horse power can not compress the larger volume of water in the head of the pump which the pistons are trying to compress. Belts and pulleys are the most common way a commercial or industrial grade power washers are driven.

Cleaned by Pete's belt driven pump, twin belts transfer power form the motor to the pump this is a 5 gpm @ 2500 psi with a 13 hp Honda engine.

Under Cleaned by Pete's Landa skid belts provide power to the pump as well as the 110 volt generator seen on the right.  Since it is pulling a pump 5 gpm @ 3500 psi and a generator it needs a larger motor in this case 18 hp twin Briggs supplies the power.

You can see the pump and the belt and pulleys that drive it in this picture.

Gear driven or Gear Reduction

Gear driven or Gear Reduction set ups have an enclosed set of gears such as the transmission on a car. The gear ratio cuts the speed of the motor in half or there about half speed. This will let you use a belt driven pump but via the transmission you can bolt it to your engine. This makes the pressure washer a smaller and more compact size. This method is gaining popularity with pressure washer builders. This method of driving the pump still has all the advantages of the belt driven unit but as stated above the "footprint" is smaller when using a small pickup as Cleaned by Pete does this gives us more room for other needed items. Smaller footprint washers and vehicles are becoming a must when trying to stay as "green" or earth friendly.

Gear driven Hypro pump the small transmission reduces the speed of this 15 hp engine to around half to power the 4 gpm @ 3200 psi pump.

The belts and pulleys are replaced by this gear reduction or gear box transmission Cleaned by Pete's gear driven pump.

Hydraulic drive

The  hydraulic drive is not that popular but does need to have a mention. A hydraulic drive system is a drive  system that uses pressurized hydraulic fluid to drive hydraulic machinery via a vane which than can transfer those RPMs to that same pump used on the other two systems mentioned above.

PTO driven pump via the shaft on a tractor.

Hydraulic drive on a pressure washing pump

Why do we as power washers chose one of the systems listed above? I have mentioned the life of the pump is doubled it simply last longer. An other reason power washers like this system or pump it will "draw water". Drawing water means the pumps volume of water is large enough and slow enough to pull water from a tank or reserve. I does not need to be forced fed water from a water tap or a well pump system. You see big water tanks that are used in areas where there is no water supply. These pumps can create enough suction or draw to pull water from a tank or gravity feed (bottom of the water tank is above the level of the intake on the pump. These pumps with larger pistons and water volume usually move larger gallons per minute and have higher pressure. Remember GPM x PSI = TCU (gallons per minute x pressure per square inch = Total Cleaning Units) or the work our washer can do. Draw backs are these pumps cost more and are larger. They need more maintenance at times, changing oil in the transmission, new belts or belt adjustments 

The Direct Drive Pumps 

Direct drive pumps work in the same manner but turn or spin at the same speed of the engine or motor driving them. Since they spin at 3400 RPM to 3600 RPMs they wear out quicker and have smaller pistons most direct drive pumps don't have large volumes of water. They can draw some water but it is not advised to use them in that matter. Gravity feed if set up correctly will work but most have to be force fed from a water tap or some type or other pumping devise. I have used a sump pump to supply water to them, they will need the supply of water to match their outputs if you are putting out 4 GPM you need 4 gallons per minute going in. The direct drive pump is found on most consumer grade systems. 

A direct drive nickle plate pump putting out 4 gpm @ 4000 psi driven by a Lifan 15 hp engine.

A direct drive nickle pump putting out 3.5 gpm @ 2700 psi driven by a Mitsubishi  7 hp engine.

Direct drive General pump 4 gpm @ 4000 psi powered by a 15 hp Lifan engine.

You can see in this picture the direct drive housing that protects and connects the motor to the pump. Cleaned by Pete portable heated unit photo.

The direct drive pump can also be found to attach to an electric motor. Most electric motors run around 1750 RPM some run at 3400 RPM your pump must be attached and mounted to the correct size motor. Electric motors are rated still in horse power but they are classed differently than a gas motor. Torque produced in an electric motor is constant unlike a gas motor. Electric motors start and run constant even under load gas motors have governors that speed up or throttle down the engine under load to keep it constant. You can find belt driven electric power washing units also and they will have a longer life as it gas breathers do.

C frame pump mounted directly to a 1 1/2 hp electric motor.

An electric kitchen cleaning unit capable of running hot water from the kitchen boiler or hot water heater do to its special packings.

This is an old "barrel pump" set-up the direct drive pump is a Hypro twin cylinder that was the standard for carwashes in the old days.

This is a 3600 RPM C frame pump for an electric motor only via a special adaptor it is mounted to a 6 hp gas engine. A Cleaned by Pete special build.

A closer view of a "C" frame pump designed to work with and bolt on to electric motors with a "C" plate face.

This is just some highlights on driving a power washer picking which way you need will boil down to what you are looking to do with it. You need to decide on a few things cost, life, style, footprint, what will power it, are just some of the questions that should be addressed before you purchase a washer. For Cleaned by Pete and what we do we have several different washers and use several types of drives depending on what the job requires. The question is always is my motor big to run this pump. Pumps require a certain horse power and speed and much be matched to the motor or engine. You can always use a bigger motor or engine with no problems but to big of pump will not work out. 

 

A Question Was Put to Me.....

A Question Was Put to Me..... 

This question was put to me the other day, why do you have so much equipment wouldn't just one washer and one of each of the attachments work just as well? I said I have all this different equipment and washers to do the best job I can, and to help reduce some wear and tear on myself. This is the quick and simple answer to a complex question. Below is a more complex explanation.

I clean and maintain some buses and some vans / trucks with a lot of vinyl lettering and signage on them. Do I need to take the large heated unit out in order to clean them? Do I really need 210 degree of water with 3500 psi at 4.7 gallons a minute to clean them? The risk of peeling off the lettering is greater with that pressure and heat. I have a smaller propane heated unit that is around 90 / 110 degrees with 2700 psi at 2.5 gallons per minute running through it. The smaller unit will do the same job "clean the buses" but will save water, gas, oil, cleaners and actually time, because I can move faster without as much worry about the vinyl letters. What is the best fit in this case? Both units can do the job that is required. I can save time, water, gas, oil and other natural resources by using the smaller unit it will fit and I can work out of the back of the smaller pick-up truck instead of using the larger service truck saving even more, but still doing the best job each and every time.

 Here are two of the surface cleaners that Cleaned by Pete has and uses. From earlier entries we know a surface cleaner is used in conjunction with a power washer. We use this attachment to clean more uniformly and to help speed up cleaning time and in most cases when used correctly it does a better job. These surface cleaners are used on flat surfaces as concrete, pavers, asphalt, brick, or stone to name a few different surfaces. They will also help to reduce water usage, along with reducing gas, oil and cleaners saving money and natural resources by getting the job completed faster. It is a win win situation. 

 

These surface cleaners happen to be our largest and our smallest one is 32" the other is 9". Both spin or swivel around forcing water out of the nozzles matched to the machine it is used on. So why do we have different ones would one work? Yes one would work but I sure would hate to clean a driveway with a 9" surface cleaner. The time and resources it took would not be effective. I also would hate to try to clean graffiti from brick while trying to hold that 32" stainless steel surface cleaner up against the wall. Each does the same thing but do they do the same job? 

Effectiveness verse efficiency would be what we have to look at with all jobs we do. Do we need to take the largest unit with the most pressure and heat? Would something else work better and more effective? This is why we have all the different washers and equipment in our lineup. When I do a house washing I have to take in a lot of considerations, that will lead me to which unit and equipment to use. Will I need heat? Will I be soft washing, or power washing? What am I cleaning from the surface mold, mildew, algae, or dirt and grime? What is the landscape around the home: fences, plants, single story or multi-storied. Also what is the home painted, vinyl, steel, wood, brick, stone or combinations of material if I am soft washing I want my low pressure unit with a higher gpm (gallons per minute) on brick or stone I would go with more pressure here. We at Cleaned by Pete can offer you our customer a wide range of washers and techniques not just a cookie cutter approach for your cleaning needs.

Water brooms big deal the all do the same thing or do they?

Five different water brooms here. Cleaned by Pete

Five water brooms but if you look closely you see two are the same or are they? They are both the same but one has a wider nozzle pattern moving and cleaning a wider path but with less cleaning force great for rinsing a large area saving water. Again they all do the same thing but each has a positive point and a draw back all are faster and thus save resources than just the wand and one tip. Quickly here the big wide mouth has one tip that moves back and forth cleaning a 12" path since it is just one time it has more concentrated pressure for cleaning but has more trouble moving large pools of water or dabree. The small twin nozzle quickly replace a single nozzle, moves and can push more. The three nozzle broom cleans a wider area the one with wider fan nozzles clean even a wider area but we are starting to loose the pressure for cleaning. Four nozzle broom really great for rinsing and light cleaning but we are loosing pressure for deep cleaning. One has to find the best equipment and understand it strengths and limitations.  I hope you are starting to see why we use certain items for different jobs. Having one unit is OK have one surface cleaner or water broom is OK. There is nothing wrong with it but Cleaned by Pete feels he can customize your job to get the best results with different machines and equipment. Have you ever seen two thing that were exactly the same in every way.

Surface cleaners from 9" to 32" Cleaned by Pete has the right equipment to meet your cleaning needs. 417.459.7869 Springfield and Southwest MO.

What's new at Cleaned by Pete

What's New

Sitting back and just working is not for us at Cleaned by Pete, we do all our own maintenance and up keep. I will also do any rebuilding of our pumps and motors if needed. If you keep your oil changed and all other maintenance on a regular schedule your equipment will last longer. This not only keeps your overhead down but also helps the motor running at peak which saves gas and oil. Keeping your pump up keeps it at a higher efficiency moving the most water and keeping up the PSI making its' cleaning power at the top.

Another thing I do here is build new units, if a need arises I will seek out what is needed and build a new unit I just finished one today. Cleaned by Pete has been doing more concrete cleaning lately. We started in the power washing business washing concrete, business fronts and sidewalks. The recession set in and a lot of business took a hit to save money and keep the profit line higher several let their external cleaning go or tried to do it "in-house". Today these businesses are coming back. Our residential customers are more concerned with that black algae and mildew growing on their driveway and sidewalks. Keeping your concrete cleaned has several benefits: looks, safety, and health being the top of the list.

If you see something growing on your concrete you know it is forming a layer or growth this growth gets slick anytime water is present. From rain to a heavy dew you are at risk of slipping and falling, and you need not put your customers or visitors at that risk. Cleaning and killing off the cause of the problem is what we do. Give that concrete some grip with a cleaning form Cleaned by Pete.

Looks: just having us clean your sidewalks and entrance makes your business or home more inviting and if your selling it has more "curb appeal". Your customers get a feeling that says you care and keeping up appearances it's important to your business, a good place so shop or eat.

Health with environmental change and strains of algae and mildew that is always evolving we are now seeing black streaks on our roofs and concrete. Some strains have become resistance to older cleaners. Cleaned by Pete keeps up with new cleaner and brings that technology to you. Some people are bothered by mold, mildew and algae to some it is more a health concern than just an eye sore. Let us help you with this concern with a cleaning.

In order to help you with these problems. I would like to introduce you to two new pressure or power washers I have built for cleaning concrete and patios. First one is a higher powered unit to enable us to use our to largest surface cleaners more effectively. Getting a "deep clean" helps us to root out that organism growing in the pours of your concrete. With this new washer we can get more water pressure to the point it is need.

Portable high pressure unit built for concrete cleaning, Cleaned by Pete your concrete driveway and sidewalk restoration cleaners.

Portable high pressure unit built for concrete cleaning, Cleaned by Pete your concrete driveway and sidewalk restoration cleaners.

Portable high pressure unit built for concrete cleaning, Cleaned by Pete your concrete driveway and sidewalk restoration cleaners. While you can buy a unit like this I prefer to build our own so I can customize one for the needs and want here in our local area.

This addition to our line of washers is to insure you, that you're getting the best cleaning you can when you use Cleaned by Pete.

The second unit we are adding to the lineup is for patio and areas we have had trouble or that were time consume getting to in the past. Hauling a washer to remote or backyard areas sometimes is quite impossible with the lay of the land or landscaping getting to that needed area, that needs the cleaning took several trips and time. Getting that washer, tools, hose, and supply lines there took time  and energy so to help I came up with this. A washer that is gas powered and will carry the high pressure hose, the supply hose, a cleaner tank, an adjustable flow setting for the cleaner, tools needed, on pneumatic tires, and a easy to move cart all in one unit all on-board and taking one trip to get it there and setup. Just think everything needed in one trip to and getting your cleaning under way quicker leaving little to no invasion on your yard or vegetation. While not quite complete, it still is needing the hoses attached and the new pump plumbed in here are some pictures. This is again something you may be able to buy but this custom made unit is all set up and designed to fit the needs of our customers and us here at Cleaned by Pete.

This will be Cleaned by Pete's self-contained patio and remote washer.

Two hose reels, gas motor, high pressure pump, chemical / cleaner tank, pneumatic tires and a easy to manoeuvre cart Cleaned by Pete is building this unit to aid in getting and cleaning those hare to reach areas.

Portable high pressure unit built for concrete cleaning, Cleaned by Pete your concrete driveway and sidewalk restoration cleaners.

Cleaned by Pete is always adding, updating, and building new power washers to help us to better serve you, our customers. Give us a call at 417-459-7869 and discuss your cleaning needs with us.

All in a Weeks Work

All in a Weeks Work

Here is what Cleaned by Pete did this week, Being a power washer brings on different challenges each with different needs. Cleaned by Pete can address these different needs and with years of experience know how and what to use and do. You can rest assured that your home or items are in good hands. Experience, knowledge, equipment and the investment we have put in over the years is what you are looking for call us at 417-459-7869 for your cleaning needs. Below you will see house washing, patio cleaning, fence washing, window restoration and cleaning, and a the new pressure I built and designed plus the new dual wands which will aid us in our down-streaming cleaning methods. All in a weeks work.

Picture of the week:

Cleaned by Pete house washing, patio furniture washing, wooden furniture washing, drive-way cleaning.

Cleaned by Pete new construction clean-up, patio cleaning and patio furniture washing.

Cleaned by Pete new construction clean up.

Concrete patio cleaning, Cleaned by Pete.

Construction clean-up and house washing, Cleaned by Pete.

House washing, Cleaned by Pete.

Cleaned by Pete, patio cleaning.

Fence washing, Cleaned by Pete

Fence washing, Cleaned by Pete

Cleaned by Pete cleaning windows and buffing out the frames restoring the looks.

Window frame restoration left side has been buffed and waxed,  right side is faded and chalking still awaiting Cleaned by Pete to restore them to look new again.

Window frame restoration and cleaning, Cleaned by Pete

Window frame restoration and cleaning, Cleaned by Pete

Building a new washer, this is a frame we are building for a self-contained washer with hoses and soap tank for accessing patio areas that are hard to get to.

Cleaned by Pete is building this new power washing unit: it will have high pressure hose, garden feed house, soap / chemical tank, 6.5 hp motor driving a 2000 psi @ 3.5 gpm pump on wheels to be able to move it to hard to reach patio areas for cleaning

Cleaned by Pete built this new unit to help us with your jobs investing in new ideas and equipment will help us help you.

Also had time to build two new dual wand lance one with adjustable control valve and the other with a roll over valve to aid us in our down-streaming washing methods.