Lost in the forest of chem injectors for house washing....

Steven Rowlett said:
Give me a call tomorrow and I will be more than happy to explain everything about the X-Jet and the benifets.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think I just found an answer by reading the articles on chemicaldoctornetwork regarding your thoughts on chemical concentrations.

My brother teaches at UGA so who knows, maybe I'll have a chance to stop by for a visit next time I see him, thanks.
 
Okay. ...my take on x jet. I have one and it has saved my butt when I've had problems with an injector. Actually it was because I was using a trigger gun I had as a backup that came with my machine was too restrictive.

Benefits.....
Can apply chemicals at very high ratios if needed or can be proportioned down as needed.
Applies soap at very high pressure if that is what you need to do like maybe on heavy equipment or trucks or something.
Again great backup for standby problems with Injectors.
Kind of foolproof. Much simpler for techs and newbies to understand. Downstreaming has to be optimized. Picking the right injector, right spray guns nozzles etc etc. You can run 600' of hose with xjet of you want. 200 to 300 max for most downstreamers.

Cons.
Lugging a bucket of soap around. Also easy to knock over a bucket of bleach on someone's nice zoysia. Some have cobbled a two wheeler together with an affixed bucket. That's a great idea for someone who is a dedicated xjet user. Also many found that they can use a longer than standard chem hose and not have to move the bucket around as much.
Another big con to me is for washing houses it uses maximum pressure. I sell Soft Washing and low pressure. I feel much safer as far as damaging property using lower pressure to soap and rinse. Of course in most cases you can back off from walls being washed but when you get under porches etc you're up close.

As for me I love downstreaming. I run 200 to 250 feet of hose and rarely have to reposition the trailer. My soap bucket stays right on the trailer by my hose reel. If i have a big job i may often use a 55 gallon barrel cut in half for soap mix. I pull too much soap really with 50gpm nozzles but I like it that way. I can always cut my soap use going to smaller nozzels like 40s or 30s. Keep in mind I don't develop full pressure until I drop all the way down to an 8.5 nozzle. 95% of the time I have a helper with me so while one is spraying the other can tend to the chemicals keeping mix as needed and pulling the chem hose out as needed etc. I usually like to be the one spraying soap as I have a better feel when to keep spraying and when to stop. While I'm soaping my tech is brushing gutters behind me. Then while my tech is rinsing I'll mix more soap etc.
 
Pat Norman said:
Okay. ...my take on x jet. I have one and it has saved my butt when I've had problems with an injector. Actually it was because I was using a trigger gun I had as a backup that came with my machine was too restrictive.

Benefits.....
Can apply chemicals at very high ratios if needed or can be proportioned down as needed.
Applies soap at very high pressure if that is what you need to do like maybe on heavy equipment or trucks or something.
Again great backup for standby problems with Injectors.
Kind of foolproof. Much simpler for techs and newbies to understand. Downstreaming has to be optimized. Picking the right injector, right spray guns nozzles etc etc. You can run 600' of hose with xjet of you want. 200 to 300 max for most downstreamers.

Cons.
Lugging a bucket of soap around. Also easy to knock over a bucket of bleach on someone's nice zoysia. Some have cobbled a two wheeler together with an affixed bucket. That's a great idea for someone who is a dedicated xjet user. Also many found that they can use a longer than standard chem hose and not have to move the bucket around as much.
Another big con to me is for washing houses it uses maximum pressure. I sell Soft Washing and low pressure. I feel much safer as far as damaging property using lower pressure to soap and rinse. Of course in most cases you can back off from walls being washed but when you get under porches etc you're up close.

As for me I love downstreaming. I run 200 to 250 feet of hose and rarely have to reposition the trailer. My soap bucket stays right on the trailer by my hose reel. If i have a big job i may often use a 55 gallon barrel cut in half for soap mix. I pull too much soap really with 50gpm nozzles but I like it that way. I can always cut my soap use going to smaller nozzels like 40s or 30s. Keep in mind I don't develop full pressure until I drop all the way down to an 8.5 nozzle. 95% of the time I have a helper with me so while one is spraying the other can tend to the chemicals keeping mix as needed and pulling the chem hose out as needed etc. I usually like to be the one spraying soap as I have a better feel when to keep spraying and when to stop. While I'm soaping my tech is brushing gutters behind me. Then while my tech is rinsing I'll mix more soap etc.
Click to expand...
I have tested mine with a 4000psi@4gpm machine and it was about 1300psi. If you are getting full pressure you might have the wrong orifice installed. They come in different sizes. Send me an email and I will be gad to help you with correcting it.
 
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Okay, well I'm not getting full pressure or it would be 3500psi. When I ordered it for my 8gpm machine I think they sent it with a 10gpm orifice which I think was the largest available. So are large orifices available? Can it be drilled out? I assume it won't pull soap as strong if I go to a larger orifice since its behind the venturi. is that correct?
 

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Pat Norman said:
e6yrynu6.jpg


Okay, well I'm not getting full pressure or it would be 3500psi. When I ordered it for my 8gpm machine I think they sent it with a 10gpm orifice which I think was the largest available. So are large orifices available? Can it be drilled out? I assume it won't pull soap as strong if I go to a larger orifice since its behind the venturi. is that correct?
Click to expand...
It should have a #16. I think I might have one on my desk, I keep several sizes. I do not advise drilling them out. I will check tomorrow and give you a call. If so it will pull the soap.
 
Steve, I have an X-Jet that has sat for over 2 years now and the orifice inside the X-Jet has rusted badly, I am sure it is not going to work.

I ordered it for my 5.6gpm machine, what will happen if I use the 8gpm machine? Will it pull the same? Less? More?

I would hate to have to change our orifices for each machine as I use it only about 1 time each 2 years or so.

How much are the orifices? I need to get a new one for the 5.6gpm machine and one for the 8gpm machine.

Thanks Steve.
 
Christopher said:
Steve, I have an X-Jet that has sat for over 2 years now and the orifice inside the X-Jet has rusted badly, I am sure it is not going to work.

I ordered it for my 5.6gpm machine, what will happen if I use the 8gpm machine? Will it pull the same? Less? More?

I would hate to have to change our orifices for each machine as I use it only about 1 time each 2 years or so.

How much are the orifices? I need to get a new one for the 5.6gpm machine and one for the 8gpm machine.

Thanks Steve.
Click to expand...
You will need a #13 for the 5.5 and a #16 for the 8. They are $20.00 each and can be sent through the mail. The ones I have seen with rust problems were due to acid and not being properly cleaned out. It is best to always run water through it after each use. If that is done you should not have anymore problems. They will not pull correctly without the proper size installed.
 
Most of the rust I'm seeing came from the crappy QC that it came with. I switched mine to stainless and cleaned it out good. Like new!


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JDhomeservices said:
As far as injectors, this is what you need. http://shop.pressurewasherky.us/General-Pump-High-Draw-Fixed-Injector-BA5188.htm
Click to expand...

Alright so the next question is: my machine has a detergent knob on it. If you want to draw soap, you turn the valve to adjust the rate you want. If you don't want any, you turn the knob all the way to close the valve. Without such a valve connected to your soap tube, won't you be drawing air into the water stream whenever the tube isn't in your bucket (or the bucket is dry)?
 
jeffnc226 said:
Alright so the next question is: my machine has a detergent knob on it. If you want to draw soap, you turn the valve to adjust the rate you want. If you don't want any, you turn the knob all the way to close the valve. Without such a valve connected to your soap tube, won't you be drawing air into the water stream whenever the tube isn't in your bucket (or the bucket is dry)?
Click to expand...

With my fixed injector, I can usually tell if my soap bucket just ran out because I feel a little pulsing in the line. I suppose that is caused by intermittent air and solution sucking up the line. However when we are ready to rinse we just pull the line out of the bucket and start rinsing. At that point it may be drawing air in I don't know and don't care. I really can't tell any difference.
 
Steven Rowlett said:
You will need a #13 for the 5.5 and a #16 for the 8. They are $20.00 each and can be sent through the mail. The ones I have seen with rust problems were due to acid and not being properly cleaned out. It is best to always run water through it after each use. If that is done you should not have anymore problems. They will not pull correctly without the proper size installed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Steve, I think that the X-Jet was not rinsed out after an apartment job over 2 years ago, so with the house wash mix in the hose sitting all that time, I am sure that is what rusted out the plug and the orifice.

I will call you Steve to order those orifices.

Thanks.
 
Those will probably work fine. That kit gives you two soap nozzles and two high pressure rinse nozzles to cut off the soap without going back to machine. I just don't like to work with high pressure and I like having the flexibility of all 4 fan patterns readily available. I use a 15 degree a lot on gutters soffits and gables and only use the 0 tip for the highest peaks. Then if I'm working low I usually soap with a 40 degree to get the widest coverage but rarely do I rinse with a 40.
That's why I have 1 4 way with all 4 soap tips and carry another with a little higher pressure for rinsing.
 
I carry 5 sets of 4 ways. One set of 8.5s for pressure this one does not have a zero tip so my techs don't really screw up something but rather it has a 60 degree soap tip for driveways etc. Then I have a set of 20gpm tips . 30s for rinsing and 40s and 50s for soap all with 0 15 25 and 40 degree nozzles.
 
We use x-jets currently. the fixed kind. When it comes we throw away everything but the x-jet and the valve it comes with. Replace the tip with a quick connect. Then add 100ft. of tubing with a plug on the end. We take a 5 gallon tote and drill the cap, add a 3/4 bulk head and 3/4pvc pipe that goes to the bottom of the jug. and a quick connect on top on top of the lid. and drill a 1/8th hole in the lid for air. This creates a situation where you hardly move the jug, if it falls it barley spills a drop and you can choose any tip while using it. All problems solved. Reaches over 3 stories with a 60 orifice zero degree on a 8 gpm machine (if you buy the proper orifice x-jet) and on a 5 gpm machine 30 orifice tip.

Remember to close the little valve if not in use or the vacuum will continue to lay cleaner on the ground when you disconnect it. Also we add a hp filter before the x-jet and real hose clamps instead of that plastic junk it comes with. I am so amazed they have never sold it this way and that they sell that ridiculously useless jug adapter instead.
 
To the original poster: You don't have to use the x-jet as a high pressure only device. Play with stuff, don't be afraid to modify stuff. There is a serious lack of inovation on the manufacturing side of this industry. Most things we buy including the powerwashers get modified before they go into use.
 
Also sometimes some x-jets act differently than others (also a lack of consistency in products you buy from the same manufacturers in this industry) {great job CETA, lol} If you find that it trys to throw high pressure through the low pressure tip, add a 10 inch or longer extension lance to the quick connect you added and it will fix the problem.
 
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