Am I cleaning too many roofs?

Yeah many of us can't reply with quote. As AC pointed out it's not the Pentaflex, but is a Flojet.

Are people really paying $475 - $500 for these Pentaflex's? Am I looking at this correctly?

HUH??? At that price they better last 4-5 years.

I looked at Pauls website and if Im not mistaken it was $488

I cant always make live links with the ipad, but here goes http://shop.powerwashstore.com/Flojet-Pentaflex-Series-Pump-4206-4206.htm. Thats a hefty number. And with my experience having employees, the higher the gpm, the more you may expect to shell out for landscape repair.

Whoooooooo, they have gone up a lot. When I got mine from Bob they were $20 more than the Fatboy

Ed, we don't clean as many roofs as you and some other guys do but if we did I would look into switching to an air system.

We can't do trailers Guy. Space is an issue. Commercial vehicles bigger than F250 or E250 diminishes your ability to travel certain vital roadways. NJ lives up to most densely populated state so you need to be nimble. I would love to go air. I will video my set up. I can't see how I'm having so much trouble on 3 different trucks. I have a 2 gpm Delevan that has been trouble free for a while.

Then looks like you've got limited options. If the pentaflex is as good as they say suck it up and buy them or call Bob and see if he can figure out whats going on with your current set-up. Having an internal by-pass in the pentaflex is an option that would make me look at buying those truthfully. As many roofs as you do a $500 roof pump should be a non-factor verus down time.

Just saying.

True dat mon. Im out of cash from replacing all the Delevans, lol.

I sure wish we could come with a way to downstream roofs.

Ed,
My guys do anywere from 2-5 per rig daily. We have been using the same pumps (under $100) for a long time. Call me tomorrow on cell. I also found the best gun ever for our industry.

I "Hate" this forum, because we can't quote the post we are replying to.
But here goes. Guy Blackmon, the FloJet Pentaflex does NOT have a bypass built into it. That was a rumor that was spread brother, and it is untrue. It has a pressure sensing switch, like the Fat boy. However, unlike the fat boy, it's relay is encased in epoxy, underneath the pump. This means it is a bitch to fix, if the relay fukks up. Bob modifies them to use an external relay.
However, they can still fukk up, and the relay can stick in the OPEN position.
I hate when that happens Brother Guy, because that means the pump will continue to run, until the weakest link fails, and chlorine blows everywhere !

12 volt pumps are Hokey for a real roof cleaning company, and that is another reason why you will seldom see them on our trucks.
They are only there for back up.
LOL, you pressure washers crack me up, you guys really do. You will dedicate 90 percent of your trailers space to a pressure washing rig to clean 50 dollar driveways and sidewalks. Yet when I ask you to make space for a compressor and reliable air pump to clean 600 dollar roofs, you balk, and make excuses.
And, I am not talking 3/8 All Flow pumps with tiny 5 hp dual tank wheelbarrow compressors either.
That's OLD information.
Now, IS a 3/8 all flow pump with a small 5 hp Rigid dual tank wheelbarrow air compressor better then a Fat Boy or FloJet Pentaflex ?
As far as reliability goes, hell yes!
But as far as speed of cleaning a roof goes, or ability to shoot far, not really.
But what we are using is so much better, it isn't even close.

I beg to differ. Even with 12v pumps my vans/pick-up is 50/50 dedicated to pwing/roof cleaning (give or take a few %). Maybe 12v is hokey for a real roof cleaning co who only cleans roofs, but most guys here do both and alot of companies here use 12v that I would consider better than "hokey". In my particular case I need a vehicle compliant to travel the Garden State Parkway which has a 7000lb limit., and that weight excludes alot of vehicles. $600 roofs is great but I enjoy $1200-$1500 full package exterior cleanings. You need a good pw to get steady invoices with those numbers.

Ed,
I couldnt have said it better. We have been in the business since 1992 with 12vt systems. Once you get your systems built correctly they dont break down on you. Most guys are trying to use these 5,6,8 gal per minute pumps which cycle too much. Just saying!

So what your saying jim is to use a 2.2 gpm pump and that will cycle less? I have one and have had it for 3 yrs now and it still works.

I would say thats correct. My 2gpm delevan has so far drastically outlasted the 5gpm. And you can clean a roof with it.

I guess we are different, we clean 90 percent roofs, cleaning houses takes more time then cleaning a roof, and is much harder work.
Here in Tampa, house washes don't pay worth a chit, so why bother ?
We CAN softwash with our set up, but honestly, I try to get out of the housewash if I can.
I started out with 12 volt pumps, cleaned thousands of roofs with them too, but never again will I depend on a 12 volt pump for my roof cleaning business.

Everyone must do what is right, for them.

I am in contact with the product manager of the line that manufacturers the Pentaflex and he confirmed that it does have a built in bypass. I have also disassembled one and have seen how it works. I love all of the disinformation that gets on these forums. lol

AC

@AC
When I say a bypass, I mean a traditional bypass, like what you have when you use a lawn spray pump, where it bypasses back into the tank, to relieve pressure.
An "internal bypass" is not the same, or nearly as effective.
You can call a chicken a duck, but that dont mean it is a duck.
To bypass, you must have something to bypass TO, like an external tank.
The FloJet Pentaflex is 90 percent motor, with a small pump head.
There is no Tank inside a Pentaflex, so where does the so called bypassed flow and pressure go ?