WW Classic vs Big Guy

Pat Norman

Pat Norman

New member
This has been discussed before but here goes again. I run an 8gpm by 3500psi hot water skid and have a Big Guy SC for almost 3 years. I need to rebuild or replace the swivel as the seal is starting to leak a little. But all along I've been a little disappointed with the "striping" issues I frequently have. I am thinking of switching to a "Classic" buffer style machine. Will I be able to actually cover more ground with the Classic? Does one pass usually work with an 8 gpm machine?
I've tried everything with the Big Guy. Took off the 1/4 hose and gun replaced with 3/8 and ball valve. Tried 25 degree and 15 degree tips (15 seems better to me) and also trying 1504 tips instead of 15045's to keep the pressure up.
 
Sometimes the "striping" is the cream being removed from weak concrete. There is weak concrete all over the place, not just in certain cities.

Take a look at the "striping" and compare it to the rest of the concrete, chances are it is the cream of weak concrete being removed.

Not all concrete is created equal. When the guys are working the concrete and it is starting to harden and they add water to give them more time, they just cut the strength of the concrete and then you have crews that don't work the concrete properly so you just never know.

I have had jobs where I put in 40 degree nozzles and lowered the pressure to about 2000psi and it still removed the weak cream in areas so you just never really know about the concrete, it really is not as indestructible as people think it is.

Always do test spots so you know if it can handle some pressure and then work accordingly but always let the customer know about the situation so they are aware of the possibilities, CYA.
 
I would stick with the Big Guy since you are runnin 8gpm's, that is a good match between the surface cleaner and the pressure washer.

Whisper Wash has the new swivels out that you just change out the cartridge so no more pressing bearings on/off for rebuilds. I have heard a lot of great things about these new swivels so I bought one as a spare for the classics and the big guy.
 
Are you getting the striping issue from overlapping? I run into this problem a lot. I run a 9 gpm hot water skid with a 38" surface cleaner. If I am doing a 4' sidewalk and need to make two passes I will get an overlap stripe. Is that the problem you are having? I have tried everything to correct the issue and have found that there is not much you can do besides not going over the same area twice.
 
Christopher said:
I would stick with the Big Guy since you are runnin 8gpm's, that is a good match between the surface cleaner and the pressure washer.

Whisper Wash has the new swivels out that you just change out the cartridge so no more pressing bearings on/off for rebuilds. I have heard a lot of great things about these new swivels so I bought one as a spare for the classics and the big guy.
Click to expand...

Hey Chris where did you buy your swivel and how much? Thanks!
 
My 2 cents. I agree with the cream issue may be the problem, if the concrete is new or white that might be it. You need a good spinner for it to work right. I would use 2504 or 25035 with a 8 gpm machine. You have to walk slow to get clean coverage, and sometimes you just have to go over it twice, even if you are doing everything right.
 
Its overlap, I run 8gpm hot with a big guy @ 2700psi and I get it only on really dirty concrete. or if my chem is weak. also try a different chem. I have used 2 types of chems for a job I do monthly and one works better for that type of crete that the other.
 
Christopher said:
Sometimes the "striping" is the cream being removed from weak concrete. There is weak concrete all over the place, not just in certain cities.

Take a look at the "striping" and compare it to the rest of the concrete, chances are it is the cream of weak concrete being removed.

Not all concrete is created equal. When the guys are working the concrete and it is starting to harden and they add water to give them more time, they just cut the strength of the concrete and then you have crews that don't work the concrete properly so you just never know.

I have had jobs where I put in 40 degree nozzles and lowered the pressure to about 2000psi and it still removed the weak cream in areas so you just never really know about the concrete, it really is not as indestructible as people think it is.

Always do test spots so you know if it can handle some pressure and then work accordingly but always let the customer know about the situation so they are aware of the possibilities, CYA.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think Chris may be right on spot with this post. The outer band of the surface cleaner gets more time under pressure and may be being overworked. Maybe i/o a 15* tips I need to go back to 25* or try some 40* tips. Also Bob told me about the new improved swivels.
 
I just think its overlap marks on dirty concrete. I see it often. It can be fix easy usually, after washing and rinsing, just spray some 12% down and leave it. Evens everything out nicely, usually. Also makes the clean last longer, helps kill any left over mildew, gets rid of overlap marks.

I just took some pictures of a job we did over a year ago, some sidewalks and curbs in a townhome complex, looks like it was cleaned just yesterday. On most resi concrete and some commercial the 12% after, makes a huge difference
 
Pat Norman said:
Here was how it was marking before I put on some new tips and went over again.

View attachment 17676
Click to expand...

Just did a job very similar with red clay stains on new concrete. Sprayed muratic acid and went over it with surface cleaner and cleaned up real nice. We could not let the acid sit on the concrete very long or was not effective. We sprayed a section of maybe 300-400 sq ft and then used surface cleaner and it worked great.
 
Mark at what ration did you apply the muratic on the clay stains.I mixed some ox with muratic and had decent results.I like to use muratic on clay stains but on that job i wanted to make sure i didnt etch the concrete.It didnt turn out as well as when i used muratic i should have went with it anyway.
 
We just down streamed it........no problems
 
I have cut muratic 50/50 then downstreamed it with great results on clay stains before. You have to work with small areas and rinse fast. To be honest I am just a little afraid of using muratic.
 
Matthew Norman said:
Hey Chris where did you buy your swivel and how much? Thanks!
Click to expand...

I got it from Lori at PWP, I think it was about $235 more or less.

Not sure how much the cartridges are but from what I hear it takes less than 10 minutes to change out and they will last a long time.
 
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