# Pressure washer question..non pressurized water source



## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Does someone make a pressure washer that can suck water out of a drum? Looking for something at the property. Got a generator but no pressurized water .

Love to be able to clean stuff out there


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I use a Little Giant 120v submersible pump in a barrel to feed my power washer.


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## jjlrrw (May 1, 2006)

I have had luck sticking a hose in a 55 gallon drum full of water, using a standard gas pressure washer. It was hard to get it going best to have water source as high as possible bed of truck or in trailer was the best I could do, siphon the hose full of water then connect to a running machine. If you have more then one water source it's nice to have someone switch tanks before you run it dry.


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## jjlrrw (May 1, 2006)

If you are going to be doing it a lot, it may be worth adding a Tee with a value near the pressure washer so you can prime it.


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## birdshooter (Jan 7, 2006)

All my commercial washers are set up to draw from a tank , I think you will burn up your basic home owners trying this .


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## birdshooter (Jan 7, 2006)

Look into , a Simpson or mi-t-m , belt drive or direct drive with a cat pump or general pump , ar pumps are good also


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

It would just be for occasional use. Just to knock mud off the equipment and sxs if needed. Right now I load the crap up and bring it home to clean.

It's kinda PIA.


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## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

Dewalt makes one. 20V cordless with a suction hose


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

bowhunter426 said:


> Dewalt makes one. 20V cordless with a suction hose


Something like that is what I'm looking for. I can knock mud off and inspect things, etc. It definitely won't take paint off but for what I'm looking for it would work.


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Buddy is gonna let me try his DeWalt pressure washer, he knows the mud I work/play in but I'm gonna try it anyway. 

I also ordered an adapter for a 3/4" bung for one of our 20 gallon drums. I'll try gravity feeding my pressure washer. See how that works


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I tried gravity feeding with my gas powered pressure washer. I would put a 55 gallon barrel about 6’ above the pressure washer level. I had to make sure i used a hose that would not partially collapse from the vacuum the pump was pulling. It worked ok but the pump would start to heat up over time. Putting the submersible pump in the barrel was a big improvement.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

jjlrrw said:


> I have had luck sticking a hose in a 55 gallon drum full of water, using a standard gas pressure washer. It was hard to get it going best to have water source as high as possible bed of truck or in trailer was the best I could do, siphon the hose full of water then connect to a running machine. If you have more then one water source it's nice to have someone switch tanks before you run it dry.


How are you lifting a full 55 gallon barrel into the bed of a truck, or onto a high trailer?


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## jjlrrw (May 1, 2006)

Fishndude said:


> How are you lifting a full 55 gallon barrel into the bed of a truck, or onto a high trailer?


It's not really all that heavy I would have @triplelunger stop by and toss them up there for me... No, I put them in empty then filled with water. We had an 80A parcel for about 10 years, parked a travel trailer there and would haul 55 gallons of water to use for showers, cleaning etc. I would used the pressure washer a couple times and year max to clean the trailer and blow the leaves out from under it. Also had an outhouse with a flushing toilet, mounted a 55 gallon barrel about 6' off the ground on the back side and funneled rain water into it for flushing.


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Tonight I tried a DeWalt battery powered pressure washer my friend lent me. Tried it on the tracks of the mini. It did what I wanted but still not sold. It cavatated alot and had to wait til it bled itself out.

One track took around 5 minutes and used around 3 gallons of water. It actually worked better than I expected.


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## floareatravis (3 mo ago)

I don't like to do that myself. That's why I always call in professionals who do the cleaning. Of course, this method is not suitable for everyone. A few of my friends are high on simple house cleaning, dancing to music with headphones, and doing a cleaning once a week. But I can't do it that way. And even the siding, yard, and other places are clean with high water pressure. Of course, I don't have that powerful water pump. But I don't need one. I found contacts for Sparkle Wash, who bring their equipment, and water. They've already cleaned my house's yard, roof, and walls several times this way. Now I don't have to climb on the roof once a year.


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## wolfeman50 (Oct 4, 2016)

I ran a gas pressure washer from a 55 gallon tank for years at the motocross tracks.
Lots of ways to prime it, and sure it stops once in while wjile it rebuilds pressure.
But I cleaned hundreds of dirtbikes with this set up.


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