Do pressure washers suck?

[SMA335i]

I was wondering if a pressure washer can actually suck water (by inserting the end of the hose in container) from from one of those 5 gallon water containers. I have access to DI water at work and have been taking it home in those 5 gallan containers and using it for the final rinse when washing my car. This way I can do the initial rinse and final rinse with a pressure washer. Thanks for your response in advance.

[BigJimZ28]

I think some can (but I dont know how well)








I think most pressure washers run @ 2.5 GPM or more

so at that rate you wound have less then 2 mins of working time



possible.... Yes

good idea............No







get youself a small tank with a bottom outlet

and let gravity and the stadic pressure of the water

flood the inlet if the PW

(there are several threads about this, if you need more info)

[Strs90]

I think most can.. even my cheap electric says it can as long as the hose isn`t longer than 30 feet.

[David Fermani]

A decent sized PW will go through 5 gallons of water really fast(2 minutes). You need to have a pretty large tank for it to be worthwhile. Unless you have a low pressure setting used for a spot free style rinse.

[SMA335i]

Thanks guys....I usually take home 2 to 3 of the 5 gallon containers for my weekly wash. I figure if I can do the intial washing with DI water as well, I would not have to worry about waterspots from the regular "hard water" which finds it way out of all the cracks and crevices. Obviously it would be more convenient to just buy a CR spotless filter system, but I may as well take advanatage of this "free" water which actually is more pure. (it is pharmaceutical water which goes through two RO processes before going to membrane filters for the DI process).

[JohnZ3MC]

How about pouring your DI water into one of those plastic garden watering cans with a long thin spout and using that to sheet the the regular water off the car.

With the long thin spout, you won`t use much and your take-home water won`t run out before it`s job is done.

-John C.

[imported_themightytimmah]

Get a 20 or so gallon tank with a bottom outlet. Hook up the PW to the bottom outlet and just snag a couple 5 gallon pails at a time from work.

[artm3]

I don`t think so, they are usually positive displacement pumps to generate pressure...

[Showroom Shine]

I was thinking all pressure washers sucked. But I was wrong. I have a Husky 2200 gas pressure washer,and it would not suck the water from my 70 gallon tank. It was in the bed of my truck and the washer was on the ground. It did not work. Since I carry a generator ,I bought a small utility pump from Harborfreight. It`s a small waterbed like pump. 2.4 gpm. I run this off my generator dc outlet,this is just enough to have continuous flow when I`m pressure washing, filling up my bucket for ONR washes, or refilling my heated extractor. This has worked well for the past 6 years! I did not know what else to do,I had already commited myself for mobile detailing. Glad it worked. :bigups

[SMA335i]

Bummer, I guess I will stick to only the actual washing (soap) and final rinsing via sheeting method with my "special" water.......

[imported_MBenz]

Pressure washers are not designed to have suction. With out proper flow you can risk damaging the impellers in the pump. If you really wanted to use that water, you do something like what showroom shine did and buy a tank and an electric pump.



I would think just using the garden watering pale after you rise the car with a hose would be fine.

[BigJimZ28]

I don`t think so, they are usually positive displacement pumps to generate pressure...




Pressure washers are not designed to have suction.



Sorry guys but mine will,

the parts list even list a hose with a filter on the end to do it with

[Mark_in_Marylan]

Sorry guys but mine will,

the parts list even list a hose with a filter on the end to do it with



Ummm... not to be fussy or anything Big Jim, but that comment would be SO much more useful if you`d mentioned the make and model of your pressure washer.

So, how about it?

I`m looking for the same thing in a pressure washer, except I need it for a boat in a boatyard without power outlets or hose bibs. (It`s out of the water right now.) I figure on putting a 55 gallon Blue Barrel or two in the back of my truck, so I can get about 15-20 minutes at a shot.

[215Detailing]

The Perfct Wash with The Perfect Soap Garry Dean Wash Method Tampa, FL Infinite Use Detail Juice High end detailing Premium Custom Detailing traditional wash 2bm two bucket method proper car wash karcher pressure washer microfiber - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evFTeRxtEEo)

see 3:00 mark

I would have done a SEARCH (FORUM) 1st, has been asked in past I think, I may have even posted before can`t recall, now KARCHER & KRANZLE both have units that can DRAW from a standing source

[215Detailing]

KARCHER - 1:30 mark

Karcher Pressure Washers in Use - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3u9sdgVuw)



EVEN BETTER

How to use a Kärcher pressure washer with a water butt - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHr2-JriLnc)