wet n dry vacs for pressure washing

« **on:** November 14, 2007, 09:44:00 pm »

does anyone use a wet n dry vac attached to there rotary washer?

it seems a good idea but also seems awkward. there is enough stuff to cart around without another thing attached to the rotary washer. seems fiddly to me, your views please.

« **Reply #1 on:** November 15, 2007, 09:45:22 pm »

i think mike halliday used to use a vac attached to his flat surface cleaner as he was selling that kit, no one else use this?

« **Reply #2 on:** November 16, 2007, 11:12:00 am »

I think a wet & dry vac would be impracticle in the sense that it would not hold enough water given the output of water from a pressure washer.

« **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2007, 12:28:20 pm »

no there is a water outlet so that just the moss, sand and dirt are collected in the vac and the water runs out down the grid via a hose pipe.

« **Reply #4 on:** November 16, 2007, 02:37:18 pm »

Quote from: drive surgeon on November 14, 2007, 09:44:00 pm

does anyone use a wet n dry vac attached to there rotary washer?

it seems a good idea but also seems awkward. there is enough stuff to cart around without another thing attached to the rotary washer. seems fiddly to me, your views please.

I use one of Tech-Cleans wet vac's, I don't use it with the hose attchment for the surface cleaner, think this would get in the way really. I only use mine for bad draining areas, blocked soak-aways etc, wouldn't be with out it.

« **Reply #5 on:** November 16, 2007, 02:52:09 pm »

good advice roger, thats what 9im thinking of getting as sometimes you just cant get rid of the water or sludge from the sand and moss, it does expell the water doesnt it?

« **Reply #6 on:** November 16, 2007, 03:08:29 pm »

Quote from: drive surgeon on November 16, 2007, 02:52:09 pm

good advice roger, thats what 9im thinking of getting as sometimes you just cant get rid of the water or sludge from the sand and moss, it does expell the water doesnt it?

Sorry mate, what do you mean "it does expell the water doesnt it?"

« **Reply #7 on:** November 16, 2007, 03:13:13 pm »

i thought the vac sucks up the sludge and expells the water out a hose so just the sand and moss and crap stays in the vac? otherwise it would fill up quick just full of dirty water? am i wrong?

« **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2007, 03:19:13 pm »

It works just like an everyday vac, when it is full the float inside cut's off the suction, so you have to empty it manually. Have been thinking of putting maybe a small submersable pump inside somehow, so it could pump away the dirty water so it doesn't fill up to quickly etc,, but you would still have to empty the sludge etc by hand. The Tech-Clean one holds up to 100 lts if this helps.

« **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2007, 04:34:32 pm »

is the suction good on it? does it suck all the slurry up no problem?

« **Reply #10 on:** November 16, 2007, 04:40:40 pm »

Quote from: drive surgeon on November 16, 2007, 04:34:32 pm

is the suction good on it? does it suck all the slurry up no problem?

Yes it is, it has 3 x 1000 watt motors, that you bring in one at a time.
Anything in it's way will get sucked up as long as it fits down the hose.
There not cheap but a very good machine.

« **Reply #11 on:** November 16, 2007, 04:58:42 pm »

thanks roger, just looked at it on there website, it looks big, is it heavy to lift?

« **Reply #12 on:** November 16, 2007, 05:34:08 pm »

When empty no not at all, just top heavy motor is at the top.
Easy to move around.

« **Reply #13 on:** November 16, 2007, 05:54:11 pm »

hey roger, i found an old brochure from tech clean and its in there, it says it removes 98% of the water, and automatic pump out! what does this mean if you said it does not let the water escape?

« **Reply #14 on:** November 16, 2007, 06:13:53 pm »

Must be an older model then mine?

« **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2007, 06:16:39 pm »

its the one thats on there website, the blue and stainless steel one?

« **Reply #16 on:** November 16, 2007, 06:20:09 pm »

Numatic do some that pump out while you clean. Eventually you do have to tip it up to remove all the sand and sludge. They are bomb proof machines well made. We have used them for flood clean-ups fo years.

« **Reply #17 on:** November 16, 2007, 08:19:18 pm »

Quote from: drive surgeon on November 16, 2007, 06:16:39 pm

its the one thats on there website, the blue and stainless steel one?

That's the one I have, I'd give Jan a call at Tech-Clean to confirm what it does.

« **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2007, 10:51:22 am »

are you sure rog it does not pump water out? it would be better for you if it did wouldnt it?

« **Reply #19 on:** November 17, 2007, 12:23:06 pm »

Mine does'nt pump out water? would be great if it did, that's why I said earlier about putting a pump inside.

« **Reply #20 on:** November 17, 2007, 05:00:38 pm »

drive surgeon,

You probably need a "Trash or Sludge" pump!, take a look on ebay

« **Reply #21 on:** November 19, 2007, 03:41:24 pm »

think i might invest in the tech clean one or maybe a numatic. its not east trying to brush wet sand up and shovelling it into a bucket when there is lots of water with it. think i could do with one tho thats seperates the water from the sand and weeds as it would be easier to get rid of the sludge then.

« **Reply #22 on:** November 19, 2007, 09:33:40 pm »

Hi All,
Have a look at the links all with auto pump out tech clean do one but not on their site
Give Jan a call on 01472 388880
Made one my self old carpet cleaning machine cut out middle between dirty water and clean water side put a dirty water pond pump on a grid in clean water side with filter bushes in center
It works

Would be interested in how your getting on with the FLC with vac port if any one is using one, did post on here a few months ago but got no replies

I’m not to sure how easy it is to drag a 2” vac pipe around with you

http://www.bartonchemicals.co.uk/shop/view_product.php?product=WVD1800AP-2&searchlink=yes&search=WVD1800AP-2&page=1

http://www.gpcleaners.com/item54.htm

http://www.tech-clean.co.uk/products.html

Best of luck and hope the links come in handy.
Mark

« **Reply #23 on:** November 21, 2007, 01:01:58 pm »

thanks guys i will look into this.

« **Reply #24 on:** December 02, 2007, 10:16:17 pm »

hi, if you guys want a sreious bit of kit look at the big brute website. these are serious machines!!
mike

« **Reply #25 on:** December 03, 2007, 12:08:04 am »

I never used an auto empty vac, but as far as I can tell you can't empty a wet vac whilst youre sucking up with it. The motors create a vacuum in the tank that sucks the water/dirt up. so you can't empty a tank when it's in vacuum, any breach of the seal IE to empty it either by taking off lid, opening a tap or turning on a pump will result in loss of vacuum and therefore it wont suck!

So the sucking operation must be halted by manual switch off if you lift the lid or open a tap, and in the auto empty (a sub pump and auto level switch) the auto switch must turn the vacuum motor/s off during the empty cycle.

In the case of a 70 litre capacity machine then it would have to be emptied or auto empty every 4 or 5 mins.

Thats why I use a wide stiff brush elbow grease and a puddle sucker type pump on bad drainage jobs

« **Reply #26 on:** December 03, 2007, 09:09:28 am »

It is automatic pump out whilst vaccumimg, its a one way valve built on the pump side so that it cannot
If there wasn't it would be sucking on the pump outlet pipe.
All the best
Mark

« **Reply #27 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:37:38 pm »

yes i thought the wet n dry vacs would always have a pump out option on it as it would fill up quick if it was just sucking up water, fine if your sucking up a spillage in a factory but when you need to suck up the sand, moss, sludge its better to have a pump out surely so just the sludge is contained in the vac and the dirty water is pumped out down a drain, maybe this type of vac is best for pressure washing. but also the other type would be good to suck up water where it logs on certain jobs!

« **Reply #28 on:** December 04, 2007, 11:25:51 pm »

Quote from: mark bowditch on December 03, 2007, 09:09:28 am

It is automatic pump out whilst vaccumimg, its a one way valve built on the pump side so that it cannot
If there wasn't it would be sucking on the pump outlet pipe.
All the best
Mark

Yes I agree with that Mark the one way valve is in the pump to stop the vac pulling in through the pump, but the pump cant pump out while the tank is in vacuum.
Just put a water bottle in your mouth clamp the opening in your lips (you know snog it lol) see if you can empty the bottle by sucking it dry, bet you cant or at least it would be difficult as you will be collapsing the bottle. A vacuum tank wont collapse. You have to replace the water you pump out with air and as the tank is devoid of ait IE a vacuum you cant use the vac and pump out at the same time.

Unless........... they use a spilt tank with a changeover valve so you empyy tank A whilst vacumming up with tank B when tank B is full the changeover valve swops em over for continuos use, but for that money I doubt it, still thing you need to stop vacuuming to empty it. With my p/washer it would be 4 or 5 mins use to fill a 70 litre vac

« **Reply #29 on:** December 05, 2007, 08:38:58 pm »

Hi drivewasher,

Steve I’m pretty sure if it was a bottle of Brandy you would have no problem sucking out every last drop.

The one way valve is just after the pump, I don’t like to disagree with you Steve as you know your stuff but I will.
My homemade one [see my post further up the page] does pump out and vacs at the same time.

The only way to stop the vac is to turn off or when the water gets too high a ball floating on the water gets sucked into the vac pipe and stops the vacuum but the motors still running.
The way I see it is you have a vacuum which is always sucking air through the vac pipe and out of the motor; water drops into the tank because water is heavier than air.
The pump switches on pumps water out all that’s in the tank is air and it’s still sucking air with water.
If when pumping out the water levels falls below pump pick up then you have a problem when the water raises you will have an air lock in your pump.
I would think the manufacturers one would work basically the same, no point having an automatic pump out if you have to turn the vac off.

All the best.
Mark

« **Reply #30 on:** December 05, 2007, 11:30:35 pm »

Mark, Your dead right, believe me I would get all the brandy out!...hick,hick..

As with the vac, I really need to see a purpose built one and give it a going over, you know kind of a reverse engineering project.
So if anyone has a duff one send it over and we'll do a post mortem!

« **Reply #31 on:** December 07, 2007, 12:40:41 pm »

thanks for the info guys will look into it, anymore ideas??