Does Everyone Use a Flat Surface Cleaner?

[NoName]

THLAKEL - you're right have looked a few 1.5 meters...it's on the wishlist - maybe 2020 I'll get round to the investment ? 

 

[NoName]

@Pjj Nice...looks man enough for anything and all shinny and new too - I've got a 15lpm and often wonder what step up to a 21lpm would be like...if mine ever dies...bet it last's forever now I've said that...

 

[Pjj]

Just in case I decide to get involved with squirting water around, how long do the lances go to ?

There's a guy on the other forum who has them made to his own length for doing roofs from a cherry picker think they are 2:5 to 3:0 meters long so I guess you can have what ever length you want 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I had a rebate on my Falch account so I decided to buy some spare jets. Scott was saying they are sapphire and cost £35 each but if you buy 10 then they cost £26 each. I ended up buying 10 so I could get my £40 back. They are coming from Germany and can withstand 3,000 bar of pressure. That's the reason I don't use the fsc, I find it too slow.

 

[#cleanwindows]

My lances are made to suit my height & are split flow, quick release at the trigger and at the nozzle end.

Everything is out of the van at the moment & in storage but I've got a sizeable job starting a week on Friday & need to get everything back in and ready to go.

There's a problem with having lances too long which will be easier to explain with a photo or two, had two at 2.5 metres and two @ 3 metres made for roof cleaning and never used them.

I'll get some photos and do a post.

The longest lance I use on 'flat work' is now 2 metres, shortest 1.5 metres, though I have a 300mm for works that are down the side of buildings - this is rarely used.

Having lances made to suit your height limits issues with stooping, neck & lower back pain.

 

[Dave B]

We use a fsc more than a turbo , but I know some favour the turbo , but I find they make a hell of a mess compared to a fsc , but both will do the job just make sure you don’t end up missing bits as when it’s dry it will look Stripey.

I always use twin turbo nozzles and no fsc.

I find the reason you have more mess is you are cleaning more sheite out.

Horses for courses.. whatever suits you.

Never needed one yet.

We use flat surface cleaners, Turbo nozzles and normal fan nozzles. they all have there uses, if your doing a large flat area then you will use your flat surface cleaner, everything else just use turbo or spray ... if using on decking than a turbo will rip the wood up so only use the normal fan jet 

I use my 40° on decking on low revs..usually with a bit of sodium hydroxide to clean the green off without ruining the wood like with hypo.

JasonD - if you're new to it I would go super careful with a Turbo Nozzle they can very easily cause damage - I wouldn't recommend you start out learning on the job by using your turbo nozzle - especially if you're doing domestic work with garden's furniture etc. 

Of course you could try to clean a patio with a toothbrush if you liked ? but IMO you'll need a fsc to do the job sustainably, will be so much quicker hence profitable, superior and consistent finish and way easier for you. As said above overspray is massive with just nozzles compared with a fsc (which is a great selling point custy's often complain about cowboys creating massive overspray everywhere etc) - do the donkey work with a fsc and wash down (everywhere inc wall,shrubs etc etc) with a fan nozzle stood way back, before it dries. I've got my turbo but hardly ever need to break it out .

I know space is tight for you but grippa do a turbodevil (Suttner (mosmatic so good quality)) which you can collapse the handle in half - or would it fit on your roof rack - strapped down?  in footwell/passenger seat? You may just need to swap out a bit of kit for the day to carry the fsc...

Once you've used a fsc you will not choose to clean a patio with just a nozzle - no way!

I do lol.

 

[Dave B]

Just in case I decide to get involved with squirting water around, how long do the lances go to ?

I use 100m pw hose and pressure washer mounted in the van.

200l buffer tank that connects to customers supply.

Got a long lance and a 30m telescopic one to clean gutters etc.

 

[NoName]

DaveB 100m hose , wow ? I was always under the impression to keep pressure up, the shorter the hose (10-15m) the better...I thought water pressure attenuated over longer lengths? There was me thinking I was 'pushing it' when my 10M hose failed and I replaced it with a 15m, to prevent having to move the pressure washer around so much! I can understand the attraction of a van mounted unit, do you know it you lose pressure by having such a long hose?

 

[Pjj]

DaveB 100m hose , wow ? I was always under the impression to keep pressure up, the shorter the hose (10-15m) the better...I thought water pressure attenuated over longer lengths? There was me thinking I was 'pushing it' when my 10M hose failed and I replaced it with a 15m, to prevent having to move the pressure washer around so much! I can understand the attraction of a van mounted unit, do you know it you lose pressure by having such a long hose?

If using an electric karcher then yes shorter hose is best ,but with the professional machines the pressure loss over 100 m is minimal   , and it saves moving it all the time and you work a lot faster 

 

[Dave B]

DaveB 100m hose , wow ? I was always under the impression to keep pressure up, the shorter the hose (10-15m) the better...I thought water pressure attenuated over longer lengths? There was me thinking I was 'pushing it' when my 10M hose failed and I replaced it with a 15m, to prevent having to move the pressure washer around so much! I can understand the attraction of a van mounted unit, do you know it you lose pressure by having such a long hose?

I've not noticed any loss.

I have 3x30m hoses and a 10m.

They all have quick connect fittings on them so I use what I needfor the job.

 

[NoName]

Pjj that prompted me to dig around a bit...still confused ?  I *think* the power source doesn't matter, looks like it's the friction on the inside of hose that robs the pressure...going by my dodgy maths it's like you say 'minimal' comparing 10M/100M it's less than 10% (need a grown up to run the maths)...but it your unit is powerful enough looks likes it's not a biggie... 

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-pressure-loss-hose-d_1525.html 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I've not noticed any loss.

I have 3x30m hoses and a 10m.

They all have quick connect fittings on them so I use what I needfor the job.

I had 70m's of high pressure hose on a drum permanently bolted to van. Never had any problems with pressure loss, if I did then I would push up the revs on the PW.

 

[Pjj]

Pjj that prompted me to dig around a bit...still confused ?  I *think* the power source doesn't matter, looks like it's the friction on the inside of hose that robs the pressure...going by my dodgy maths it's like you say 'minimal' comparing 10M/100M it's less than 10% (need a grown up to run the maths)...but it your unit is powerful enough looks likes it's not a biggie... 

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-pressure-loss-hose-d_1525.html 

Yes you are right frictional loss is similar but the bigger the diameter the hose the less the loss I think also an electric karcher at 100 psi looses 10 bars pressure that’s a huge loss , but a 250 bar professional machine looses 10 bars it’s nothing you don’t notice any difference 

 

[Doddy111]

Does anyone watch Ricky bedding on YouTube? (Maybe you lot aren’t as sad as me) he only uses a FSC to clean and then the lance to rinse off, I envy the guy so much as he makes every job look like a piece of p!ss 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Just had a look at one of his videos. Using a turbo nozzle without eye protection and if that's not bad enough, he begins softwashing with no mask, no eye protection nor a visor. Maybe he is retiring soon. ?

 

[Dave B]

Just had a look at one of his videos. Using a turbo nozzle without eye protection and if that's not bad enough, he begins softwashing with no mask, no eye protection nor a visor. Maybe he is retiring soon. ?

What he is doing isn't bad.. weak hypo mix I would not use a mask on those jobs either.

Turbo I would wear specs.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

What he is doing isn't bad.. weak hypo mix I would not use a mask on those jobs either.

Turbo I would wear specs.

 Ah, but you have not went on the course!

 

[Dave B]

Does anyone watch Ricky bedding on YouTube? (Maybe you lot aren’t as sad as me) he only uses a FSC to clean and then the lance to rinse off, I envy the guy so much as he makes every job look like a piece of p!ss 

Ricky is a good bloke... bet his setup cost a bit though.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I mentioned it on his utube channel and he said you don't need that health and safety nonsense but he has been doing it for 15yrs.

 

[NoName]

I so don't understand this type of comment - 'hse nonsense' - when we learn to drive we are bombarded with mirror, signal manoeuvre, look over right shoulder before pulling out. etc etc ...who says safe driving is achieved thru ignoring all this sensible advice (idiots. Who soon learn the hard way). HSE advice is for OUR SAFETY, anyone who reads theirs advice, nods and says/know - 'yeah that makes sense'...sounds like this 'Ricky' is jerk

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I so don't understand this type of comment - 'hse nonsense' - when we learn to drive we are bombarded with mirror, signal manoeuvre, look over right shoulder before pulling out. etc etc ...who says safe driving is achieved thru ignoring all this sensible advice (idiots. Who soon learn the hard way). HSE advice is for OUR SAFETY, anyone who reads theirs advice, nods and says/know - 'yeah that makes sense'...sounds like this 'Ricky' is jerk

Its hard to educate some folk (politicians) they don't see the point in wasting 5 minutes putting on goggles and a mask. One day he sprays hypo into a corner and it blows back into both eyes and he loses his sight. Only then will he realise how foolish he has been.