Starting to put together a residential setup.

Roy Sanders

Roy Sanders

New member
I am getting ready to order some equipment so I can add on some residential house washing. I am running a 19 horse Kohler with a TSF2021 pump that I have set at 2000 psi for my truck washing. As of now I have this on the list- Jrod with soap and rinse tips and quick connect, DS injector, new gun with two foot lance and maybe 150' 1/2" hose then another 50-100' of 3/8" hose. Not sure but do you think I need to get the bypass valve? I was thinking about going ahead and getting it as I am reading it is better to get full flow for rinsing although you have to go back to the truck/trailer to switch the valve in between soap and rinse.

Another question I have is can I leave my pump set on the 2000 psi? Will this be sufficient for residential house washing as I leave it set there for my truck washing. I have yet to see how much pressure I can push with this setup as I have not had the need for more psi. I have just landed my first job and it is a full two story and I am wondering if it is enough to reach the gable on the sides. Is there anything that I am missing here or something that I should consider? Should I consider any shooter tips?
 
bighals said:
How are you controlling your PSI? You say you have the pump set at 2000 which sounds (to me) like you have your unloader backed down to 2000.


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Correct. I have it set at 2000 with the unloader. I am trying to set up a soft wash system using what I have already and then adding the above mentioned equipment.
 
Ok, when you do that you are actually redirecting some of your flow A) back to your tank or if you're not running off a tank B) back to the inlet side of your pump. So you aren't getting 100% of your GPM. What you do is set your unloader so that it just has a small amount like a trickle of water coming out and control your pressure with different sized tips. Here is a tip chart to help you
http://meyerspressurecleaners.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Nozzle-Chart-1024x594.png
Now to answer your original question - I've seen a setup that had the downstream injector placed right before the hose reel with a "loop" to run around it. Not everyone runs like this. To my knowledge most guys just get the appropriate sized injector and go to work with no problems. I would suggest picking up a shooter. 2000 PSI is just fine for residential (gained by correct tip size). A lot of times you need to come down to 1700-1800 as the concrete in residential (depending on your areas codes) was poured with 2000 PSI mix, so you'll knock the cream right off the top and stripe it all to hell.


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Roy Sanders said:
Correct. I have it set at 2000 with the unloader. I am trying to set up a soft wash system using what I have already and then adding the above mentioned equipment.
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By softwash do you mean "softer wash" or an actual softwash system used for house washes and roofs?


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bighals said:
By softwash do you mean "softer wash" or an actual softwash system used for house washes and roofs?


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Uhmm. I reckon a softer wash? Not looking for a roof pump setup. Just using my existing engine/pump combo but not high pressure.
 
Hey Roy. Give me a call later today. We've got everything you need to convert to softwashing for buildings.
 
Russ Johnson said:
Hey Roy. Give me a call later today. We've got everything you need to convert to softwashing for buildings.
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I will give you a call Russ but will probably be next week. Just trying to see if anyone wanted to give any advice on anything else I might be over looking. Thanks
 
Roy, I've been cleaning residential for the last year with the guidance of the experts on this forum. Here are some thoughts I had based on what I've learned through this forum and my experiences:

- Don't know what the designed pressure for your unit is, but I would suggest setting to the manufacturer's specs. Then, control your pressure with various tip sizes. This gives you greater flexibility on what to clean, and keeps your system working at its optimum. I personally have tips so I can clean anywhere from 1200 psi up to 4000.

- Get a J Rod tip. It will make cleaning two story homes much easier. If you get it from innovative (there's an active thread by them) email or call them and they will tell you exactly which j rod you will need for optimal reach. And you can apply soap with it.

- don't bother with one of those extendable poles. I bought one. Used it once. It beat the hell out of me, and I haven't touched it since. lol

I use 150 ft of 3/8 hose. I can reach all the way around pretty much any house. Be cautious of going too long. The longer the hose, the more loss of pressure you will see. Also, it will impact the size of injector you will need. Unless you are doing homes with really large footprints, you shouldn't need more than 200 ft.

A water tank is not usually necessary for residential, but you will inevitability come across a home thathas low pressure out of the faucet or access to water is difficult. If you decide to get a water tank, but can't justify the cost for just the ocassional need, check into getting an IBC tote. I found a 275 gal one on craigslist for $40. They typically run between $60 and $90. Then if you get one, you can run it empty to save weight and only fill it as needed.

If you are planning on doing a lot of driveways, patios, etc, consider getting a surface cleaner. You don't need a big one for residential, 18" will do. If you get one, you will probably need to change out the tips. 2500 psi tips is more than enough in a surface cleaner IMO.

- by-pass valve - if you can can, get it. It's on my wish list. Right now, I just have a bucket of water. I drop the draw line into the water bucket when I don't want soap.
 
Good post Dave.
 
Dave B said:
Roy, I've been cleaning residential for the last year with the guidance of the experts on this forum. Here are some thoughts I had based on what I've learned through this forum and my experiences:

- Don't know what the designed pressure for your unit is, but I would suggest setting to the manufacturer's specs. Then, control your pressure with various tip sizes. This gives you greater flexibility on what to clean, and keeps your system working at its optimum. I personally have tips so I can clean anywhere from 1200 psi up to 4000.

- Get a J Rod tip. It will make cleaning two story homes much easier. If you get it from innovative (there's an active thread by them) email or call them and they will tell you exactly which j rod you will need for optimal reach. And you can apply soap with it.

- don't bother with one of those extendable poles. I bought one. Used it once. It beat the hell out of me, and I haven't touched it since. lol

I use 150 ft of 3/8 hose. I can reach all the way around pretty much any house. Be cautious of going too long. The longer the hose, the more loss of pressure you will see. Also, it will impact the size of injector you will need. Unless you are doing homes with really large footprints, you shouldn't need more than 200 ft.

A water tank is not usually necessary for residential, but you will inevitability come across a home thathas low pressure out of the faucet or access to water is difficult. If you decide to get a water tank, but can't justify the cost for just the ocassional need, check into getting an IBC tote. I found a 275 gal one on craigslist for $40. They typically run between $60 and $90. Then if you get one, you can run it empty to save weight and only fill it as needed.

If you are planning on doing a lot of driveways, patios, etc, consider getting a surface cleaner. You don't need a big one for residential, 18" will do. If you get one, you will probably need to change out the tips. 2500 psi tips is more than enough in a surface cleaner IMO.

- by-pass valve - if you can can, get it. It's on my wish list. Right now, I just have a bucket of water. I drop the draw line into the water bucket when I don't want soap.
Click to expand...

Great advice Dave. The only thing I think differently on, is the length of hose. I have 200 on the reel and probably use the whole thing on 50% of the houses I go to. I keep an extra 100 on the truck and find myself attaching that quite often. I park on the street 95% of the time because my reels are mounted on the side. I am also paranoid of having the truck or one of the machines having an oil leak or something like that. Get the bypass, you won't be sorry.
 
We have 150' on the real with a back up 50' that I rarely need. But just in case I also have a new 150' on the trailer.


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