Has this / can this be done?
- Thread starter al9226
- Start date
"Red"
Graphic Designer
I haven't, but I would imagine synchronizing the engines would be a nightmare. The RPMs would have to be extremely close nearly all the time or one engine would struggle to pull the other engine along as well as the pump. Maybe if there was some sort of clutch mechanism in the middle, that might allow for smooth running. I suppose it would be like tuning multiple carburetors, they would have to be almost exactly the same setup to run efficiently.
Something that I have been thinking about off and on, but having very little knowledge with, was running a hydraulic pump hooked to an engine and have the hydraulic pump turn the PW pump. The idea was to mount the engine in such a way that the PW pump could be mounted remotely somewhere more accessible or convenient.
Something that I have been thinking about off and on, but having very little knowledge with, was running a hydraulic pump hooked to an engine and have the hydraulic pump turn the PW pump. The idea was to mount the engine in such a way that the PW pump could be mounted remotely somewhere more accessible or convenient.
Rance
Active member
Think Tractor Pulls. Some guys have multiple engines synched together. I like your idea of hydraulic motors turning the PW pump! Definitely something to think about.
WASH-IT H.B.
New member
I'm sorry if I appear a bit thick here but why would you?. 1 pressure pump + 1 engine rated to the pump easy to maintain . 1 pump + 2 engines = 2x the trouble. Or a I missing something here?
Also if you drive the water pressure pump with an oil pressure [hydraulic] pump aren't you just doing the same job twice? After all one is an oil pump driving a water pump. for that matter you could drive a pressure washer pump with a pressure washer pump. Hydraulic over hydraulic. Oil over water. water over water.
Also if you drive the water pressure pump with an oil pressure [hydraulic] pump aren't you just doing the same job twice? After all one is an oil pump driving a water pump. for that matter you could drive a pressure washer pump with a pressure washer pump. Hydraulic over hydraulic. Oil over water. water over water.
Last edited:
"Red"
Graphic Designer
I don't know much on that subject either, but that's a very good comparison.
Rapid HotClean
New member
I think Derrel has a cool concept. But like you say, maybe it wouldn't be efficient enough. I wonder what Russ, Paul, Bill, Jerry think?
Russ Johnson
Equipment Expert
I wouldn't. Besides the sync thing, which could end up being a nightmare, 2 - 13 hp will probably use more fuel than 1 - 27 hp. Then there's the mounting footprint, 4 groove pulley for the pump, etc, etc...
Rapid HotClean
New member
Russ, I was thinking of the hydraulic aspect with one gas engine. No good?
Rance
Active member
When I worked Construction we drove 36" pipe pile in the river for a dock and the pile had to be cut off under water. They brought in a state of the art under water cut-off machine so we could get straight cuts on grade. The system consisted of a HPP(Hydraulic Power Pac) Unit and 3 cutters. We could run all three cutters at the same time from 1 HPP. It was a great system. The same could be done with power washing pumps I'm sure but for most of us it would not be feasible. However it is a very interesting concept and is very doable IMO.
Russ Johnson
Equipment Expert
Sirocco Jerry
Active member
OK. and certainly not to offend anyone in the thread here, but in reaction to some of the wasted time and money I HAVE SEEN in this industry..
OMg.. some people "forget" they are in the "Cleaning" business, and "dabble in" machine fabrication,
but to think you might waste SO much time and money as to build "gas-engine to hydraulic-power-to-water-pump-power" ! ? ?
.. you'd be building a 26hp system, which loses 20% to wasted energy for the rest if it's life,
.. and spending $too much to accomplish it,
.. with a couple man-weeks of your time..
When you should have spent $2900 to OWN an "efficient" 8gpm system,
.. and gathered a weeks' worth of fresh leads for contracts
.. which should bring you THOUSANDs of dollars in "CLEANING" income.
As a supplier to this industry, I would never "facilitate" such a waste of your efficiency.
The people that make the MOST money in this (or any) industry, are people that AIM at "Long-Term-Low-Cost",
and they "invest in" (AKA.. "delegate to") smart-helpful suppliers.
Now, to directly answer the original question..
If you have "sitting around" a couple 13hp engines..
the most efficient money spent would be to get pumps on them individually, and tie them together,
one way or the other, (direct drive, or belt drive,) by buying a "Kit" with appropriate frame, belts, or whatever,
..as efficiently, as you can find, pre-assembled if possible, to NOT waste your invaluable "selling time".
And when u can afford to BUY a larger, more efficient system, you could SELL the smaller units AS IS, for full face value.
..since "Phunky stuff" is certainly harder to sell.
I sell system kits (without engines), when requested.
OMg.. some people "forget" they are in the "Cleaning" business, and "dabble in" machine fabrication,
but to think you might waste SO much time and money as to build "gas-engine to hydraulic-power-to-water-pump-power" ! ? ?
.. you'd be building a 26hp system, which loses 20% to wasted energy for the rest if it's life,
.. and spending $too much to accomplish it,
.. with a couple man-weeks of your time..
When you should have spent $2900 to OWN an "efficient" 8gpm system,
.. and gathered a weeks' worth of fresh leads for contracts
.. which should bring you THOUSANDs of dollars in "CLEANING" income.
As a supplier to this industry, I would never "facilitate" such a waste of your efficiency.
The people that make the MOST money in this (or any) industry, are people that AIM at "Long-Term-Low-Cost",
and they "invest in" (AKA.. "delegate to") smart-helpful suppliers.
Now, to directly answer the original question..
If you have "sitting around" a couple 13hp engines..
the most efficient money spent would be to get pumps on them individually, and tie them together,
one way or the other, (direct drive, or belt drive,) by buying a "Kit" with appropriate frame, belts, or whatever,
..as efficiently, as you can find, pre-assembled if possible, to NOT waste your invaluable "selling time".
And when u can afford to BUY a larger, more efficient system, you could SELL the smaller units AS IS, for full face value.
..since "Phunky stuff" is certainly harder to sell.
I sell system kits (without engines), when requested.
Rance
Active member
I personally am not offended by any means Jerry. But you seem to be distressed by the contents of this thread. Sorry if I have made any comments here to upset you.
I seriously doubt any one here would actually waste their time and $$$ building what has been discussed here. However you are certainly welcome to vent your opinion any time.
As always I value and appreciate your knowledge and willingness to help others. Thank you!
al9226
Member
WASH-IT H.B.
New member
Amen to that. A lot of cleaver people have designed this "wheel" why reinvent it. Just buy a "wheel" that does the job and go make some bucks.
"Red"
Graphic Designer
If everyone thought that way, the internet would not exist today to have this discussion. I've researched 3 technologies that could have a huge impact on the pressure washing industry. The problem is, no one has applied any of them to this industry to realize their enormous benefits over current technologies. One of the main problems is actually having the money to do R&D to produce a functioning product.
Imagine having a 10 GPM hot water system small enough to fit in a standard pickup bed toolbox for less than $2000. The technology already exist, but it hasn't been developed (I suppose) due to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality.
Imagine having a 10 GPM hot water system small enough to fit in a standard pickup bed toolbox for less than $2000. The technology already exist, but it hasn't been developed (I suppose) due to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality.
Last edited:
Sirocco Jerry
Active member
the "cool tool" is only a cool tool if a designer designs it, and he gets a deposit on it, and it actually works..
I have "done the math" on MANY systems that failed to meet our reliability and "Long-Term-Low-Cost" criteria..
..and they were squelched on the drawing board.
I wouldn't recommend a system which would waste 20% or more in Hp/fuel cost,
.. so you're not going to see me build a hydraulic drive between a small engine, and a water pump,
.. unless you want to change it from higher flow with lower pressure, to higher pressure with lower flow.
.. and even then, I'm going o point out the cost difference between 2 other methods which do NOT waste HP/fuel-cost
The internet is what it is.. an enormous pool of readily available information from which you can make "your best opportunity at productive decisions".
Short sided people will still stop at what they "think" they want, and open-minded people will still have questions for "a technical guy"..
..because wasting money or time is always a bad thing.
'nuff said.
I have "done the math" on MANY systems that failed to meet our reliability and "Long-Term-Low-Cost" criteria..
..and they were squelched on the drawing board.
I wouldn't recommend a system which would waste 20% or more in Hp/fuel cost,
.. so you're not going to see me build a hydraulic drive between a small engine, and a water pump,
.. unless you want to change it from higher flow with lower pressure, to higher pressure with lower flow.
.. and even then, I'm going o point out the cost difference between 2 other methods which do NOT waste HP/fuel-cost
The internet is what it is.. an enormous pool of readily available information from which you can make "your best opportunity at productive decisions".
Short sided people will still stop at what they "think" they want, and open-minded people will still have questions for "a technical guy"..
..because wasting money or time is always a bad thing.
'nuff said.