LETS TALK GPM why and Where? How Much PSI is to much or To Little

greg/sd said:
Ron Jerry has said it time after time its all job specific. The only time we run 3000 psi or over is cleaning concrete.
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On interior Jobs I like 4000 PSI with 4 GPM even on Walls and Equipment Lines. 10 GPM inside a Commercial Kitchen is Stupid.

I want New guys to Understand that GPM and Pressure is all related to what your washing and the Set up you have.
 
Ok, so what's a good range for psi on concrete? For example, is it 2600-4000? Also, when it comes to gpm, is it best cleaning and rinsing, or just rinsing. For example, if I have both hot 4 gpm and hot 8 gpm, should I clean and rinse with 8 gpm, or will less gpm help the downstreamed soap?
 
CL Scott said:
Ok, so what's a good range for psi on concrete? For example, is it 2600-4000? Also, when it comes to gpm, is it best cleaning and rinsing, or just rinsing. For example, if I have both hot 4 gpm and hot 8 gpm, should I clean and rinse with 8 gpm, or will less gpm help the downstreamed soap?
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Thats pretty CLear it will be more about Strength in the concrete and the Standard your building a Zoning Kept quality. Comemrcial is Suppose to be 6000 to 8000 PSI Residential 2000 to 2500


We all know its Way less and Sub Standard, so Testing is always going to be required.
 
Ron Musgraves said:
Thats pretty CLear it will be more about Strength in the concrete and the Standard your building a Zoning Kept quality. Comemrcial is Suppose to be 6000 to 8000 PSI Residential 2000 to 2500


We all know its Way less and Sub Standard, so Testing is always going to be required.
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What about gpm and rinsing?
 
On interior jobs we usually go with 5 gpm at 1400 to 2400 psi. the vacuum we use can easily pull 16 gpm through a couple hundred feet of vac hose but why chance it inside a building. cl if you soap with 8 gpm you will use more chem a lot of times we soap with the machines half throttle then turn off chem and rinse full throttle.
 
greg/sd said:
On interior jobs we usually go with 5 gpm at 1400 to 2400 psi. the vacuum we use can easily pull 16 gpm through a couple hundred feet of vac hose but why chance it inside a building. cl if you soap with 8 gpm you will use more chem a lot of times we soap with the machines half throttle then turn off chem and rinse full throttle.
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Yeah. My hot water is 4 gpm. I'm looking to get 8-10 gpm. The question is hot or cold. Of course there's about $4k in price to add hot water. Sounds like adding a cold 8-10 gpm is the way to go all the way around - saves the higher investment, saves the ongoing investment - on chems!
 
greg/sd said:
On interior jobs we usually go with 5 gpm at 1400 to 2400 psi. the vacuum we use can easily pull 16 gpm through a couple hundred feet of vac hose but why chance it inside a building. cl if you soap with 8 gpm you will use more chem a lot of times we soap with the machines half throttle then turn off chem and rinse full throttle.
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That's a neat idea soaping at lower throttle. Mine has a fixed throttle though. I just use as wide a fan pattern as is effective and move fast soaping.
 
CL Scott said:
Yeah. My hot water is 4 gpm. I'm looking to get 8-10 gpm. The question is hot or cold. Of course there's about $4k in price to add hot water. Sounds like adding a cold 8-10 gpm is the way to go all the way around - saves the higher investment, saves the ongoing investment - on chems!
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I would think the most economical way for you to speed up production right now would be for you to look into putting a 5 GPM 3000 psi pump on your current pressure washer. I'd much rather wash with 5 GPM 3000 psi then 4 GPM 4000 psi. Not sure how hot the water will get that way though.

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JDhomeservices said:
I would think the most economical way for you to speed up production right now would be for you to look into putting a 5 GPM 3000 psi pump on your current pressure washer. I'd much rather wash with 5 GPM 3000 psi then 4 GPM 4000 psi. Not sure how hot the water will get that way though.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
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I don't know where you got 4000 psi from... I'm @ 3000 psi @ 4 gpm. (GX390) Pump (Cat 66dx)
 
I like 10+ gpm through surface cleaner on commercial flatwork. More gpm does not mean more runoff, if you go half the time with twice the flow it's the same water. Same with rinsing. One thing, when you go up to high gpm it's hard to go back! Any soap I use is applied straight and not downstreamed.
 
We currently run a TS 2021. 5.5 GPM @ 3500 PSI. For flatwork we run wide open. For resi work we run no more than half throttle keeping the pressure down. When applying chems, like Greg said we turn down the RPM's too. Adding two 4 GPM @ 4000 PSI pumps soon. Then when we do commercial jobs we can run 8 GPM's to be faster and more productive and achieve better results all around including profitability. Time is money! Even though it has gotten us to where we are now, 5.5 GPM's is to slow for commercial. IMO.
 
I don't run over 3000 and use all 1/2" hose on commercial flatwork - We handle the 1-wire 1/2" hose no problem.
 
Ron Musgraves said:
Lets all talk about the proper Findings in all aspects of cleaning..
..whats the Right pressure for certain Jobs .. and whats the to little ..
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OK yeah.. this is a HUGE topic, and EVERYone needs to understand the basics AND variables..
as there are SOooo many variables

start here.. water flow restriction in 100ft of HP hose with fittings..
5. gpm in 3/8 is about 100psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi unit @3200psi, 4000psi y= 3700psi.. =grafitti removal (@ 200 degr.)
6.5gpm .. .. is about 200psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 2900psi, 4000psi y= 3400psi.. =gum removal .. (.. " " )
8. gpm .. .. is about 300psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 2600psi, 4000psi y= 3100psi.. =sidewalk cleaning ( " " )
10 gpm .. .. is about 400psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 2300psi, = house washing

8. gpm in 1/2 is only 60psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 3320psi, 4000psi y= 3820psi
10.gpm .. .. is about 90psi.. and a fuel savings of about 30% over "squeezing it" through a 3/8" hose.
14.gpm .. .. is about 150psi

next is relative effectiveness..
generally.. Flow is about "WorkSpeed" and pressure is about "Quality of Clean"
..but by "delivery of" effectiveness..
you're better off with 6.5gpm at 4000psi than 8 @ 3500 .. and you will save HP fuel .. 6.5@4000= 18.2hpC 8@3500= 19.6hpC
..but..
if you want to use 1/2" for the first 200ft, and go 100ft more with 3/8"..
.. 8gpm@3500psi delivers 3100psi ..so 8gpm is better than 6.5gpm@3500 delivering 3200 from 3500psi unit,
.. but if a 6.5gpm 4000psi unit, which has delivery of 3400psi in the lighter 3/8" hose..
we're going to talk heating-fuel costs..
using 6.5gpm@4000psi system costs you about 10% less gasoline, and 20% less diesel to heat it.
..If running 20gl of fuel per day, that's about $20. back in your pocket ! every day !
that's a $5000 vacation, per machine every year !
..and you pull the lighter hose !

So.. are you a 5ft10" 180lb man, or 6ft2" and 230lb ?
performance can relatively "kick yer A$$" if you don't do the math,
and "the lack of performance" .. can hack yer profit$

If you want to own efficiency.. CALL ME !
I will NEVER waste your time, nor a nickle of your money.

I always say "the Jobsite tells YOU what it needs"
and.. don't waste fuel and HP on "mis-delivered" flow.

So for you guys that will add you criticisms and suggestions in here..
make sure your examples of "performance" include..
what size, and how much hose is on your reel,
and how much fuel you buy to do the example day's work.

Time is money, but efficiency is about keeping more of it.
 
Last edited:
Sirocco Jerry said:
OK yeah.. this is a HUGE topic, and EVERYone needs to understand the basics AND variables..
as there are SOooo many variables

start here.. water flow restriction in 100ft of HP hose with fittings..
5. gpm in 3/8 is about 100psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi unit @3200psi, 4000psi y= 3700psi.. =grafitti removal (@ 200 degr.)
6.5gpm .. .. is about 200psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 2900psi, 4000psi y= 3400psi.. =gum removal .. (.. " " )
8. gpm .. .. is about 300psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 2600psi, 4000psi y= 3100psi.. =sidewalk cleaning ( " " )
10 gpm .. .. is about 400psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 2300psi, = house washing

8. gpm in 1/2 is only 60psi in 300ft of hose with 3500psi yields 3320psi, 4000psi y= 3820psi
10.gpm .. .. is about 90psi.. and a fuel savings of about 30% over "squeezing it" through a 3/8" hose.
14.gpm .. .. is about 150psi

next is relative effectiveness..
generally.. Flow is about "WorkSpeed" and pressure is about "Quality of Clean"
..but by "delivery of" effectiveness..
you're better off with 6.5gpm at 4000psi than 8 @ 3500 .. and you will save HP fuel .. 6.5@4000= 18.2hpC 8@3500= 19.6hpC
..but..
if you want to use 1/2" for the first 200ft, and go 100ft more with 3/8"..
.. 8gpm@3500psi delivers 3100psi ..so 8gpm is better than 6.5gpm@3500 delivering 3200 from 3500psi unit,
.. but if a 6.5gpm 4000psi unit, which has delivery of 3400psi in the lighter 3/8" hose..
we're going to talk heating-fuel costs..
using 8gpm@3500psi system costs you about 10% less gasoline, and 20% less diesel to heat it.
..if running 20gl of fuel per day, that's about $20. back in your pocket ! every day !
that's a $5000. vacation, per machine every year !
..and you pull the lighter hose !

So.. are you a 5ft10" 180lb man, or 6ft2" and 230lb ?
performance can relatively "kick yer A$$" if you don't do the math,
and "the lack of performance" .. can hack yer profit$

If you want to own efficiency.. CALL ME !
I will NEVER waste your time, nor a nickle of your money.

I always say "the Jobsite tells YOU what it needs"
and.. don't waste fuel and HP on "mis-delivered" flow.

So for you guys that will add you criticisms and suggestions in here..
make sure your examples of "performance" include..
what size, and how much hose is on your reel,
and how much fuel you buy to do the example day's work.

Time is money, but efficiency is about keeping more of it.
Click to expand...

​Thank you!!!
 
tomtucson said:
I like 10+ gpm through surface cleaner on commercial flatwork. More gpm does not mean more runoff, if you go half the time with twice the flow it's the same water. Same with rinsing. One thing, when you go up to high gpm it's hard to go back! Any soap I use is applied straight and not downstreamed.
Click to expand...

Yeah but of you have no Run off you do not have to worry. RIGHT?

In tucson can you run smoothly because I know you do not have large float tanks? I'm curious about this and can you hook direct and get enough Flow?
 
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