Using a Pump to Supply A Pressure Washer - Cleaning Equipments

For mobile cleaning applications, pressure washers may be directly fed from a tank without using a pump to push the water from the vessel to the machine.  However, direct drive pressure washers must be kept close to the tank and will be less likely to cavitate if the machine is below the tank level.  Belt drive and gear drive machines are capable of pulling from a tank even more effectively and can be located slightly higher than the water source.  Its always best to locate the pressure washer as close to the water source as possible and lengthen the high pressure hose to reach the cleaning location.

While we have seen a few customers have success using a pump to supply their pressure washer from a tank, it doesn’t happen often and we do not recommend using that type of system.  In many cases, supply pumps have a fluctuation in their flow rate and this makes them prone to cavitating the high pressure pump.  Turbulence in the inlet flow on the pressure washer causes cavitation just like starving the pump or introducing air into the inlet stream.  As a result of this, we neither recommend nor sell equipment for pumping water from a tank to a pressure washer without having an additional reservoir or tank for water right at the machine.

Pressure Washer Do's and Don'ts - Cleaning Equipments

Do’s

1. Always verify the GPM output of the supply hose is adequate for machine.  Check supply filter.
2. Always check engine and pump for proper level and color of oil before every use.
3. Always shut unit down when letting go of the gun jet more than 30 – 45 seconds.
4. Always change oils regularly every 250-300 hours of use (pump and engine).
5. Always shut down burner first, run for 1-2 minutes or until cold, and then shut the engine down. (Applicable only to hot water units).  Always run at full throttle while burner is on.
6. Always make sure supply valve (house or jobsite) is open all the way.
7. Always get valves adjusted every 300 hours or warranty is void.
8. Always run antifreeze through unit during the winter months, and if more than two months will elapse between uses.  If using during freezing temperatures, run antifreeze immediately after each use.

Don’ts

1. Never walk away from a unit while running in by-pass for more than 45 seconds.
2. Never kink supply or high pressure hose, or run over with a car or forklift.
3. Never run a unit with water leaks anywhere on the machine (gun jet, hose, fittings, etc.).
4. Never continue to run a unit with milky or metallic oil.  Running a unit until it quits just to finish a job is costly.
5. Never throttle down an engine while the burner is running, or shut down a unit while the burner is on.
6. Never tip a machine over or run it at an angle: the oil will not properly lubricate the internal parts.
7. Never allow the unit to freeze.  Just blowing out water will still leave enough water in the unit to cause major damage when the unit freezes.

 To know more click here

Consumer Pressure Washers - Cleaning Equipments, Cleaning Services

Pressure washers designed with the casual user in mind; someone who will be using the machine less than 100 hours per year.  We sell units that have brass pump heads and are economically repairable.   These are a cut above the units sold in the big box stores.   Most have commercial style couplers and can take advantage of a wide variety of accessories to handle your diverse cleaning jobs.

 

Click here to know more

Cleaning without Chemicals - Vacuum Cleaner

Many people are concerned about using chemicals during cleaning as they are perceived to be potentially harmful to the environment and the person using them. No one wants to use chemicals unless they have to, so cleaning methods that reduce or remove the need for them are becoming more popular and dry steam cleaning is one of them.

Using dry steam for industrial cleaning

The efficacy of steam as a cleaning medium has been known for many years and has demonstrable benefits in carrying out industrial cleaning. The basic principle of a dry steam cleaner is that, by putting the water in the boiler under pressure, the boiling point of the water is raised to achieve saturated steam i.e. steam with insignificant water content – usually 5-6%. Steam produced in a pressure washer, for example, has a high water content which may be adequate for some cleaning, but it does not effectively sanitise a surface. Effective sanitation is only achieved where the temperature of the steam is above 140°C when micro-organisms such as bacteria and dust mites will be killed. The high temperature of the steam emulsifies oil and grease as well as destroying germs, which allows the liquefied residue to be removed by vacuum or other means such as a micofibre cloth. A dry steam cleaner can be used on most surfaces except those that are very sensitive to heat. The advantage of this type of cleaner means both a reduction in the use of chemicals and also in water usage, which benefits both the environment and the personnel using it.

Why use a dry steam cleaner

A dry steam cleaner is a versatile cleaning machine that has the advantage of leaving a surface not only looking clean but also being thoroughly sanitised. They can be used in a variety of industrial and commercial settings including hospitals, schools, shopping centres and office buildings. There are also machines designed specifically for chewing gum removal which is a problem for many local authorities and businesses.
Before buying or hiring a steam cleaner there are a few things to consider including:

• The boiler should be made of stainless steel to provide more resistance to lime scale.
• Does the cleaner have continuous water fill?
• The dry steam cleaner should be robustly constructed as it is being used in an industrial environment, with possibly a number of different operators.
• There should be accessories which will enable a thorough cleaning job to be carried out. For example, different brushes and lances suitable for cleaning particular areas.
• Is a vacuum facility required to remove residue?
• Is the machine easily portable?
• What steam pressure is required
• Is a detergent delivery system required
• The surface to be cleaned and sanitised

Using a dry steam cleaner will drastically reduce the need for detergents used in other cleaning methods. It is anticipated that detergent use would be reduced within a range of 80 to 90% and the use of water by up to 95%. Using a dry steam cleaner gives not only environmental advantages but also economic ones as well.
There are many factors to consider before buying or hiring a steam cleaner and before entering into a contract, be sure that the machine will do what you expect it to. If in doubt get expert advice and you can always hire for a period before buying to make sure it does what you want it to. See some examples.

Pressure Washers - Cleaning Machines

Pressure washers are a vital tool in the industrial environment ensuring that cleaning is carried out to the standards and regulations required. The pressure washer has been around for many years and has developed into a wide range of types. The basic principle is the same in that water is fed into a machine and is the pumped out via a lance, exiting through an adjustable nozzle. The spray can be altered by adjusting the nozzle to suit the cleaning job in hand, the narrower the water jet the stronger the cleaning force, but less area is covered.

Selecting a Pressure Washer

Selecting the correctly sized machine from the huge range of pressure washers available can be daunting. The selection criteria are based on the type of job the appliance is required for. An example would be oil or greasy deposits which are adherent may require a high pressure to remove them, however a large hard surface area requires a lower pressure but a higher water volume. Consideration should always be given to the duty that the machine will be required to give to make sure you select the correct machine.

Types of Pressure Washers

The sophistication of pressure washers has developed over the years and there is a lot of choice. Hot water washers as well as cold are now available which are more effective if degreasing or disinfecting are required. The other advantage is that because hot water cleans better than cold, lower pressures can be used. Pressure washers can be portable or static and there are advantages to both:

• Portable Pressure Washers have an advantage as they can be moved where the cleaning is required. If the washer powered by electricity the portability is obviously restricted by the length of the power cord. Some pressure washers are available with their own power source, such as a diesel engine and can be moved around the site or off site for remote cleaning.
• Static Pressure Washers are a static wash system for premises where there is a regular requirement for hot water pressure cleaning. This would useful say in a transport company where a static jet wash facility could be used by a variety of operators at different times or in a small food processing plant where a cabinet mounted pressure washer would enable efficient cleaning. This type of stand alone hot pressure washer can be attached to a ring main system for one or two operators to access at various points to clean around the premises.

For information about pressure washers and how they can help you keep your business spotless, contact Astol Cleantech (P) Limited for the best advice and prices available.

What is a pressure washer? - Vacuum Cleaner

A pressure washer is a mechanical device that uses a pump to generate a high-pressure stream of water to clean surfaces. The pump is typically powered by a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a diesel engine. The pump is a positive displacement pump that forces a specific amount of water flow from the outlet.  By restricting the flow with the nozzle, much like you do by placing your thumb over the end of a garden hose, the pressure washer produces pressure. Without the nozzle the impact of the water from the end of the pressure washer hose is similar to that from a garden hose. The narrow diameter of the nozzle increases the water's velocity and, consequently, its impact and cleaning power. The smaller the nozzle orifice, the more pressure is potentially produced. However to produce greater pressure, more horsepower is required to force the water through the smaller hole. Each pressure washer calls for a specific size nozzle to match the flow of the pump and the horsepower of the motor. Putting too small a nozzle on your pressure washer strains the components and may cause excessive wear to the machine; too large a nozzle sacrifices cleaning power.

All pressure washers produce pressure and flow. Both are important to the cleaning process. Most pressure washers also provide a method for dispensing soap or detergents, either under low or high pressure. The proper use of soap is often key to the cleaning process. Hot water pressure washer are equipped a burner system to continuously heat the stream of water, further aiding the aiding the cleaning process. Most hot water pressure washer can generate wet steam of approximately 240 degrees F, by turning down the pressure to around 150 PSI. There also true steam cleaners that generate a dry steam of approximately 320 degrees F at 150 PSI. Understanding the basic concepts of pressure flow and cleaning units will help you pick the right pressure washer for the cleaning job at hand.

Pressure and flow
Pressure washers use the impact of the water to break the bond of the dirt to the surface you are trying to clean; the higher the pressure, the greater the impact. The type of nozzle you use makes a huge difference in how much impact your pressure washer creates. A zero degree tip gives you the full impact of your pressure washer but is almost useless for cleaning because it hits such a small area. A 15 degree nozzle increases the area you can clean at one time, but reduces impact by 70%. A 40 degree increases the surface area cleaned further, but has 88% less impact than a zero degree nozzle. This is why a turbo nozzle is so effective; for it is a 0 degree nozzle rotating thousands of times a minute creating a 25 degree cone of full impact.
The amount of water, or flow, a pressure washer puts out makes a big difference in cleaning. The flow is what carries the impact to the surface. The more flow, the more impact; there is a direct relationship. A 13 HP pressure washer putting out 4000 PSI at 3.5 gallons a minutes flow has one third less impact than a 20 HP unit putting out 3,500 PSI at 5.0 gallons per minute. Moreover, flow is what is needed for effective rinsing. This is especially true when cleaning large open surfaces, like driveways; or quickly rinsing vehicles in truck washing operation.

Cleaning units
A pressure washer pump creates a positive water flow, and by restricting that flow at the nozzle creates pressure. The more horse power driving the pump allows more flow to be pushed through the pump and the more pressure to be created at the nozzle. For a given amount of horsepower you can have only so much pressure and flow; there is a tradeoff. Most people focus on pressure (PSI), but you really need to consider both pressure and flow. One way of comparing pressure washers is to use the measure of “cleaning units”. To calculate cleaning units, multiply the pressure times the flow of the pressure washer. All other things being equal (i.e. chemical use and heat) a unit with higher cleaning units will clean better than a unit with lower cleaning units.

Cleaning unit application guidelines
Home use, light duty: 2,000 to 3,750 cleaning units.
Medium duty: 3,800 to 7,500 cleaning units
Heavy duty: 7,600 to 15,000 cleaning units'

The measure of cleaning units is a good way to compare the power of one pressure washer relative to another, with the following proviso. When two pressure washers have different pressure and flow specifications, but the cleaning units are equal, remember the unit with the higher pressure unit will make a rotary nozzle work better, while the higher flow unit will rinse better and make flat tip nozzles work more effectively. With that in mind, the following guide can be used on how much pressure and flow is needed to perform certain tasks. Some of these tasks may require a rotary Dirt Killer nozzle as well if you are using the minimum PSI. The minimum specifications are what are required to get the job done. Having more pressure and flow will make the job go faster. The column marked preferred CU shows how much cleaning power is required to get the job done more quickly. (CU means Cleaning Units: cleaning units = Pounds per Square Inch of pressure (PSI) times Gallons Per Minute of flow (GPM).