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Might it be possible to run a pressure washer using gravity feed for the water supply? Login/Join 
Three Generations
of Service
Picture of PHPaul
posted
I'd like to do some pressure washing in an area where I don't have any running water.

I wonder if I could get away with gravity feeding the water from a 40 gallon barrel?

Without specific knowledge, it seems like it might work as you're really not moving a lot of water. I could put the barrel on the forklift and get maybe 8 feet of head which would be a bit over 3 psi.




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Posts: 15677 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of HayesGreener
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I see portable pressure washer rigs on trailers with big tanks around here all the time. I think your outlet hose that feeds the pressure washer would need to provide enough water to keep the pump chamber full


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Posts: 4382 | Location: Florida Panhandle | Registered: September 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Deal In Lead
Picture of Flash-LB
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This link says 20PSI.

http://powerwashertips.com/do-...SI%2C%20consistently.

How Much Water Pressure Do I Need?
The average household water spigot will supply you with about 30-40 PSI if you have it turned on all the way. Most pressure washer manufacturers recommend that the water supply to the machine is approximately 20 PSI, consistently.
 
Posts: 10626 | Location: Gilbert Arizona | Registered: March 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Funny Man
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My understanding is that the power washer itself produces the pressure used for washing. As long as you can keep the pump supplied with water it should work. I think you need to figure out he flow rate of the gravity fed hose then compare it to the needs of the pump.


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Posts: 7093 | Location: Austin, TX | Registered: June 29, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I think it would depend on the gallons per minute of your pressure washer. It looks like most are between 1-2.5 GPI. You would need to test the flow rate of your 40 gallon drum. Im not sure what would happen if you only supplied .75 gpi to a 1.2 gpi pressure washer?


 
Posts: 5499 | Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA | Registered: February 27, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
You didn't get penetration
even with the elephant gun.
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I think it would work just fine. As long as there is water for the pressure washer to pull from , it’ll work.


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Posts: 2263 | Location: AZ | Registered: January 30, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nosce te ipsum
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If you get the barrel 250' high and have a big-enough pipe to reduce restrictions, you could probably skip the power washer entirely.

"as you're really not moving a lot of water. " This would be the issue; feed velocity will be greatly hampered by standard hose at 3psi.
 
Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Three Generations
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quote:
Originally posted by Woodman:
If you get the barrel 250' high and have a big-enough pipe to reduce restrictions, you could probably skip the power washer entirely.

"as you're really not moving a lot of water. " This would be the issue; feed velocity will be greatly hampered by standard hose at 3psi.


Damn. My skyhook is in the shop. Big Grin




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Posts: 15677 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I bought the Worx battery operated unit that sucks water out of a bucket. Has worked great for me. Not the power or volume anywhere near the gas operated one hooked to a pressure hose.
I did not have a pressurized water source. I really like it. Has worked great.

Someone here turned me on to this unit. Wink

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wo...uded-WG620/314555726



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Posts: 20052 | Registered: September 21, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
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I've seen guys clean boats using pressure washers supplied using a filtered hose dropped down into the lake. So as long as you're using a model of pressure washer with that same capability, you would not even need gravity feed, just access to a container of water with sufficient volume to keep it fed.
 
Posts: 33613 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Unmanned Writer
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quote:
Originally posted by PHPaul:
quote:
Originally posted by Woodman:
If you get the barrel 250' high and have a big-enough pipe to reduce restrictions, you could probably skip the power washer entirely.

"as you're really not moving a lot of water. " This would be the issue; feed velocity will be greatly hampered by standard hose at 3psi.


Damn. My skyhook is in the shop. Big Grin


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For Sale...




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Posts: 44850 | Location: Box 1663 Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: December 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by LS1 GTO:


Walt, don't you have a 3D printer? Razz


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...




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Posts: 15677 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Drill Here, Drill Now
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From what I've seen on YouTube about mobile detailers is:
  • That a tank elevated only a few inches above pump suction works fine. Might have to futz around priming it the first time.
  • However, the potential problem lies in pump longevity. This might not be a concern in Maine since the tank water wouldn't be that hot, but in the South the tank water will likely be significantly warmer than city water or well water. If your motor keeps at the same RPM and the pump just relies on a relief valve dumping back to suction you'll eventually overheat your pump. The solution is either a pump/motor with total stop systerm OR utilizing a pump with an external relief valve and hose (i.e. this doesn't work on internal relief) which is replumbed back to the the water tank instead of the pump suction.



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    Posts: 24107 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Saluki
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    Keep water in the hose all the way to the pump. Hold the wand valve open till you get an uninterrupted stream, at that point start the pump. Pressure washer pumps aren’t designed with suction in mind. They don’t tolerate running dry very well either, something that a normal hose feed protects against.


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    Posts: 5277 | Location: southern Mn | Registered: February 26, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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    Picture of shiftyvtec
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    A proper triplex pressure pump will operate just fine with simple gravity feed assuming you don't exceed its Gallons per minute requirement (generally 3-5 GPM) its done all the time with mobile units.

    Or elevate to 7000+' and skip the pressure washer altogether
     
    Posts: 1585 | Location: Near Austin, TX | Registered: December 12, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Nosce te ipsum
    Picture of Woodman
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    Speaking of pumps, how would I go about rigging a power supply if I wanted to use this pump for a field shower application at a music festival?

    Delavan PowerFlo 2200 Series 1.2 GPM, Diaphragm Demand Pump | 2200-201-SB

    https://barndoorag.com/delavan...nd-pump-2200-201-sb/

    Would a small motorcycle battery with solar charging work? If a car battery is 500 amps, does that mean this 3.4 amp pump would run for a couple of hundred hours on one charge?



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    Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Three Generations
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    Worked perfectly.



    Cleaned an 8x10 coop with 8 foot ceiling. Hit it twice, once with soap, once with plain water to rinse.



    Used about 1/4 of a 30-ish gallon barrel of water.




    Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
     
    Posts: 15677 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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    It would be no problem. I had a side business years ago and had the pressure washer mounted on a trailer with a tank and never had an issue.
     
    Posts: 7257 | Location: Treasure Coast,Fl. | Registered: July 04, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
    Savor the limelight
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    quote:
    Originally posted by Woodman:
    Speaking of pumps, how would I go about rigging a power supply if I wanted to use this pump for a field shower application at a music festival?

    Delavan PowerFlo 2200 Series 1.2 GPM, Diaphragm Demand Pump | 2200-201-SB

    https://barndoorag.com/delavan...nd-pump-2200-201-sb/

    Would a small motorcycle battery with solar charging work? If a car battery is 500 amps, does that mean this 3.4 amp pump would run for a couple of hundred hours on one charge?


    500 is probably the battery’s CCA rating which is a rating for starting power. You want to look at the battery’s amp/hour rating. A deep cycle group 27 battery weighing around 60 pounds will run that pump for up to 25 hours. If you want the battery to last, it’ll run that pump for 12.5 hours before you need to charge the battery.
     
    Posts: 12224 | Location: SWFL | Registered: October 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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