garavity feed or trash/booster pump

servicemark p.w.

servicemark p.w.

New member
i have a 300 gal tank thats been sitting around for a couple of years. i usually don't haul water that much, but lately i've gotten more calls to do work where water is not available. do you gravity feed or use a booster pump? in the past i've rented a water tank with a trash pump to boost water pressure through a garden hose. it would be nice to hook up a skid pw with a couple of feet of hose. is there any chance of cavitation doing it that way?
 
my buddy in the auto detailing business has a direct drive unit and he gravity feeds his pump with no problem at all
 
I have 2 direct drive units and one belt driven. All 3 have no problems pulling off the same tanks at the same time. The key to flow is to use 2" pipe coming off the tank and then choke it down to 3/4 just before the machine. You should have plenty of force to get the water fed into the machines. I have herd that anything less than 4gpm will not draw from a tank however one of my machines is 3.5gpm and its still pulling like crazy
 
mobilewashpros said:
I have 2 direct drive units and one belt driven. All 3 have no problems pulling off the same tanks at the same time. The key to flow is to use 2" pipe coming off the tank and then choke it down to 3/4 just before the machine. You should have plenty of force to get the water fed into the machines. I have herd that anything less than 4gpm will not draw from a tank however one of my machines is 3.5gpm and its still pulling like crazy
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This is correct. However, if you are going to be hauling water in the tank with bumps in the road from here to there, I suggest that you prime your hose for 2+minutes. Turn on the unit WITHOUT the wand attached. Drain the line of impurities and air. Then connect wand and pressure wash.

You should have a waterline filter already. If not, you will need a 20 mesh SS filter. Get a minimum of 3/4 inch. Remenber.... pipe is measured external and hose is measured internal. THIS IS WHY YOU GET A 3/4 inch pipe to fit on a 1/2 hose line; to prevent restriction of water flow. These filters are about $50. There are cheaper filters, remember you get what you pay for.

Again, 2 inch out of tank, down to 3/4 inch filter, down to 5/8 or less to your pump. ( depending on your pump intake thread ) You want your filter as close to the pump as possible.
 
I think with a large enough hose your fine. One inch or bigger hose can move a large amount of water with almost no pressure. I talked with a guy at general and he said that flexible hose was better because it could pulsate with the pump, also said it was important to have no sharp corners anywhere and use a sweep elbow if needed. You could also feed into both sides of the pump with two hoses.
 
I would put the nice filters before the tank and keep it pristine inside, then use a plain strainer on inlet of the hose. There are check valves you can get to keep water in the hose when the pump is turned off. Get one that is oversized for full flow, I ordered one that has a swing gate so no restriction at all on the intake, haven't got it yet though.
 
Good point about the feed into both sides of the pump. But I do not think he will need that much water flow for a 4.3 GPM

My concern is the vacuum of the pump. This can wear down the pump prematurely. By having a 2 inch ( which is usually the male nipple on the bottom of most tanks ) you create a small amount of pressure. GPM and PSI works together TO A CERTAIN POINT.

A 1 inch will work fine, in fact a 3/4 inch would most likely work. However, you will be making the pump work just a little bit harder with every reduction in size.

I'm all for saving to rebuild my pump. Most people rebuild their pumps every 2 to 3 years. Our pumps last 14+ years before we lose vacuum or pressure. Granted, it all about how you take care of your system and how you use the equipment. And yes, we have all OPEN guns.
 
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