I have two power wash suppliers 30 minutes and an hour, respectively, driving distance, I think there is much to be said about going local if at all possible for convenient service when needed.
If you do not have a local source we carry a wide selection of PWers and supplies Pressure Washing Supplies - Products and Equipment – WindowCleaner.com
Once you buy the machine you don’t need much more to get going.
Plugs
Qc
Hose
Injector
Guns
Lances
Surfactant
Orings
Pic set
Nozzles
Source hose Flezilla
150’ is what I jace in my reel
It’s mean green but then don’t sell that any more flexzilla is great hose
I would run 150’ on the real
An jace 2 50s for xtra length if you need it
I would use all stainless steel QC Hansen preferably.
I would use The GP hi-draw downstreamer suitable for your machine
Try Elomonator as your surfactant
Try a 6” lance
An a 2’ lance
But you’ll need bigger at times
Maybe a 4’
Get at least 2 guns
You can call me if you jace any questions.
I’m sire I’m leaving stuff out.
Yup not all providers will jace what you want so
Wcr sells stuff
Pressure Tek
Both great providers
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Plus one. I gotta get off wcr and do some work. But I usually work with my bluetooth headset on. So feel free to call me with any PW questions. 8023809036
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I’m still mulling over what I am going to do.
I have read several places that people say the Power Pro unit is under powered and it doesn’t truly pump 5.6 GPM. I know Alex is telling me he is happy with his unit, and I can’t argue his opinion since I value it.
I am just thinking that maybe a skid unit, powered by a 20 HP Honda, 5.5 GPM at 3500 PSI might be a better choice for me. It’s twice the money, but I think it would serve me better, longer term. I like the idea of electric start, since my enclosed trailer is smaller. The battery might be useful as well, when I add soft washing to do roofs.
The only things I am going to be able to source locally on this build, are the buffer tank and straps, and the SH.
Yeah, I know it seems like a lot of bologna to build this PW set up, but I think IF I’m going to build one, I might as well build it nice. After looking at built trailers starting at 8 grand, I’ll hopefully be pretty happy with this build, compared to something in that price range. Something built that I would like, would run 12-15k.
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I’ll never be one to discourage someone from buying a better machine than what I have.
I do know that when I first bought the machine, I did a bucket test with my house washing tips and overflowed a 5 gallon bucket in a little under 50 seconds. If people are doing a timed test with the high pressure 6.5 tips that come with the machine, they have to keep in mind that the unloader will bypass about 1/2 gpm at 2500 psi. That might be the reason for some disappointing test results from new owners.
Pressure pumps in general will put out their rated flow at their rated rpm. If you’re not getting the full flow, always check to see how much is bypassing, and then check rpm of the motor.
Max pressure is where you suffer from using a low hp motor. That’s why these machines are setup for 2500 psi. That is usually sufficient for residential concrete, provided you’re not running hundreds of feet of pressure hose, and you take some precautions to not have overly restrictive plumbing. An injector bypass is not a bad idea if you plan on doing concrete work.
Commercial concrete sometimes requires 3k psi or more. But it can also require heat, depending on what you’re cleaning. So you open a whole new can of worms if you start looking at commercial work.
Apart from flatwork, 2500 psi is more pressure than you need for pretty much anything you’ll want to wash. If I were going to invest in a larger machine, I would be doing it to get more flow.
GPM == $/hr in power washing
If you do go with a larger machine, like a gx690, you’ll have the option of installing an 8gpm pump sometime down the line if you need it. But from what I’ve read, it seems that many operators who upgrade to 8 gpm are at the point where they like to have a backup machine, as well.
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I can’t wait to hace electric start. I’m sick of pull start . My cord broke on a job this year, An I had to pack up an go back the next day. I now have a xtra one on board . Electric all the way . it’s coming hopefully before I break my arm … Patience it’s coming ! 
@Infinity why are people with 8 gallon machines needing , or wanting a back up ?
An 8 GPM machine isn’t much more money, but I don’t have a big enough trailer to hold a much larger tank. I’d probably need at least a 200 gallon tank for the bigger machine. My trailer isn’t that big. Besides, I don’t think at this point, I want to fool around with commercial. I don’t want to do fleet washing, or do large commercial work.
I did plan on getting an injector bypass.
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I guess as an insurance policy. Instead of trying to troubleshoot on the job when the machine suddenly acts up, they just fire up the backup machine. These are full timers that can’t afford any downtime.
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Here’s another option for you, if you’re open to a little bit of risk.
Get the 22hp Predator vtwin from Harbor Freight. Upgrade the fuel pump, and buy whatever extended warranty they’ll sell you. If you’re lucky, you might even get them to apply the 20% website coupon that supposedly excludes motors, but numerous people report successfully using to buy them.
Bolt on a gear drive Udor pump (the best brand in the industry - better than you’ll get on 90% of prebuilt machines). You could choose between getting an 8gpm and running it at 70% throttle for ~5.6 gpm, or just getting a 5.5 or 6 gpm pump. (Depending on what the municipal supply is like in your area, you might find you have no issues running at 8gpm off a 65 gallon buffer at most homes in town, in which case you’d only have to idle-down for slower wells.)
Depending on which pump you go with, and what accessories you choose, you could be setup for $2k-$2500. And save a ton on shipping if you pickup the motor at your local HF.
@SchertzServicesLLC on pwr has had good success with his Predator-Udor machine so far. A couple other guys have done it, also.
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That’s a good suggestion, but maybe on the next machine. I am mechanically inclined, but I don’t want to mess around putting the motor and pump together at this point. It’s going to eat enough time plumbing everything and getting it all secured down. Maybe something I can build next winter, but this build needs to be simple-ish and make me money.
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Literally 4 bolts. Easier than setting up the plumbing, or even using one of those god-awful “spilless” gas cans.
But I won’t blame you for not wanting to take a gamble on a HF motor at this point. Tons of people swear by them, but then a ton of people curse them. Every manufacturer will have a few lemons, but I believe Predator has a slightly higher warranty return rate than Honda 
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Oh, just build one of those. 2 foot whip hose, a branch tee and regular tee, a ball valve, and a couple of quick connects for your injector are all you need.
(Alternative to what’s pictured in my setup, you can swap the position of the ball valve and injector, and save one or two hundred psi by eliminating a couple 90° turns when bypassing. Your injector might not pull quite as well, though)
While you’re at it, setup your soap line with a 3 way poly valve, so you can rinse your injector out with clean water during the final rinse of the job.
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For his first An only machine I wouldn’t even play around. Go Honda !!!
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I got asked today, by a condo association, if I offer any other services. I told them I will be offering power washing next Spring, and he offered me a pile of work cleaning the pool area and all the stairway’s to the condos.
I was there to clean 7 extremely hard to access windows. Third floor, patio doors that butted up to a deck railing, on the outside of the building. This job just plain SUCKED, but the offer of all that PW work, sure made me feel better.
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Here is another thing for anyone thinking of adding this on:
I called my insurance agent to check to see what this will cost to add it on, and bump up my liability. The liability is cheap to bump up, but power washing is a problem.
My insurer, last week made a company wide decision for the state, to no longer accept power washers. There have been far too many claims made. My guess is, too many people decided they would start a PWing business, and caused a lot of claims with their lack of knowledge.
Anyway, the underwriter had to get approval from her boss before she could even attempt to quote it. I’m still waiting to see what it might cost.
I don’t know if this is a problem statewide, or a national issue. But I would advise anyone thinking of adding this service, or starting a PWing business, to check your insurance rates and if you can even get insured, BEFORE you buy any equipment. I haven’t bought my equipment yet, as this was the last step before writing the checks. I’m glad I checked FIRST, as I could have been setting with a expensive piece of equipment to wash my vehicles and house…
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Update to the insurance fiasco…
I am now shopping for insurance. Because of the rating of risk shifting, they quoted me 6 times what I am already paying, to ADD ON power washing. Literally, six times more expensive to add this on.
I can understand there being more risk because of the nature of the work, but I am not cutting down trees or dynamiting buildings here…
Words directly from my agent “It’s because too many people have started PWing and don’t have a clue what they are doing. We have had claims for damaged roofs from power washing shingles, claims for damaging siding from pressure, and some of the dumbest shit you could imagine.”
It’s good they were insured. Bad that they are offering services they don’t know how to perform. Kinda why I cringe whenever I hear someone say “fake it until you make it”.
Yep. Just wait until you buy your equipment and realize you need to spend another 30% from what you budgeted to get all the necessary extras.
Then get to the jobsite and troubleshoot like you’ve never had to before in your life because something is always malfunctioning. Downtime downtime downtime.
If you’re not spending time on the PWRA forum, you’re hurting yourself down the road. This is not a simple add on. It is rather complicated. Even something like plumbing a buffer tank sounds simple but can leave your head spinning.
There is also no insurance code for PW. So if a company will insure, they put it under landscaping or painting or carpet cleaning. Except for J Walters. People say bad things about them but i haven’t had an issue with them.
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Jordie, I thought you got out of power washing? The rig you had that I saw, looked like a carpet cleaning truck mount in a Grumman body truck.
I read over at the PWRA forum, just never registered. I’m registered here, so I guess I’m just being lazy and don’t see why I would need to register at both. I am not worried about plumbing lines and a tank. I’ve done stuff like that before. I am familiar with small engines and most of what I need to know about adding this on.
I won’t talk to Walters, as I have seen several people complain about them. That doesn’t sit well with me, considering there is a small percent of window cleaners/power washers on the forums, and there have been several complaints.
I have found a company that will reasonably price my General Liabilty and CCC, but don’t offer inland marine for my equipment. I need to talk to my current agent to see what I can do about at least keeping the I.M. policy with them, and moving the rest of the commercial coverage over to the new company I want to use. You may want to check them out yourself. Next insurance.
Even IF I had to pay for BOTH policies, it would be cheaper than using the one I have now.
I thought figuring out the equipment I would need would be the hard part. NOPE! Insurance is what is tough.
No I’m back in. New trailer. Glutton for punishment.
No need to register in the other forum. Just read. It’s a slow drip of knowledge intake. But you’re probably more mechanically inclined and more of a business mind, so you’ll be alright. It’s been a lot harder than on paper. I often wonder if others found it the same, try to spare them the growing pangs.
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