Self-contained Pressure Washer

[SoCal 182 Driver]

There's no water faucet near my hangar, so I can't use a conventional pressure washer to wash my plane. There is water elsewhere on the field, however.

Looking for recommendations for a self-contained pressure washer (with onboard water tank). Thanks!

 

[Hang 4]

I'll have to look at the name, but I got one off of Amazon that used a bucket as a water source. I use a 5 gallon bucket like the ones joint compound comes in. It works ok, way less pressure than a hose based one, but good enough for around the hangar.

 

[Hang 4]

I'll have to look at the name, but I got one off of Amazon that used a bucket as a water source. I use a 5 gallon bucket like the ones joint compound comes in. It works ok, way less pressure than a hose based one, but good enough for around the hangar.

This isn't the one I have as it's no longer available, but this is what Amazon reccomended instead.
https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Ele...de-ae7f-cae2b621dd6f&pd_rd_i=B0FKMP2LDC&psc=1

 

[Hang 4]

BTW, I got to cruising around the Amazon site a bit, there seem to be way better rated choices that the one I linked. Key thing is the battery performance and chargeability.

 

[Gary Ward]

I didn't think a pressure washer is good for your plane?
I washed my plane a couple weeks ago with a regular hose nozzle even though I have an electric pressure washer at the hangar.
I use a plastic water tank made for an RV and a 120 V ac water pump. Fit's in my truck bed and is low profile. Use a garden hose sprayer/nozzle to wash plane with.

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

I didn't think a pressure washer is good for your plane?
I washed my plane a couple weeks ago with a regular hose nozzle even though I have an electric pressure washer at the hangar.
I use a plastic water tank made for an RV and a 120 V ac water pump. Fit's in my truck bed and is low profile.

Maybe pressure washer is the wrong terminology. I'm looking for something that is self-contained and will spray water with pressure comparable to a garden hose.

 

[Hang 4]

The one I mentioned is not a pressure washer in the 1,800 psi sense of the word. It's just a way to spray water with decent pressure away from a hose bib. I use it in the way @SoCal 182 Driver is thinking.

 

[Racerx]

Years ago dad took an old 60 gallon aluminum fuel tank and mounted on an aluminum skid. Then mounted a 12v pump and plugged it into the cigarette lighter to wash the plane. Pretty good pressure.

No I've got a similar set up for the v nose trailer when we go out west. Custom dual chamber tank. 65 gallons for water. 35 gallons of gas to fuel the utv so we don't have gas cans. I'm paranoid about scent when elk hunting.

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

Years ago dad took an old 60 gallon aluminum fuel tank and mounted on an aluminum skid. Then mounted a 12v pump and plugged it into the cigarette lighter to wash the plane. Pretty good pressure.

No I've got a similar set up for the v nose trailer when we go out west. Custom dual chamber tank. 65 gallons for water. 35 gallons of gas to fuel the utv so we don't have gas cans. I'm paranoid about scent when elk hunting.

Very resourceful! But I want something simpler and turnkey.

 

[Domenick]

I also do not have a convenient faucet, so I bought a backpack garden sprayer with a manual pump. It good for wetting her down for the suds and rinsing her off, but it's not going to remove anything but dust on its own.
Just for an idea this is what I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FPUHEE

 

[Getonit]

Just don't let the environmental nazi's see you spraying water. A lot of airports have banned outdoor washing. Stupid and meaningless, yes.

 

[Tools]

The kind of tank sprayer you use to water remote gardens, small orchards, etc. usually in the back of a 4 wheeler, but could easily be put on a cart. Powered with a car battery.

Prolly 12x12x36, 20-30 gallons. Tractor supply, etc.

Make your own, rv water pump, tank, hose/nozzle, car battery (old airplane battery). They usually run 60 lbs, same as most residential water, slightly less volume.

 

[WDD]

Just don't let the environmental nazi's see you spraying water. A lot of airports have banned outdoor washing. Stupid and meaningless, yes.

Yeah, that. My airport just banned that as well. I hired a guy do have his crew do a "dry wash", no water and nothing into the storm drains.

I can't disagree completely with the rule. It would work if the water runoff went into the sanitary line, as it would end up at the water treatment place. But on the tarmac, the run off just goes into the storm system, so I'd essentially be flushing soap and whatnot into the water table.

 

[dtuuri]

I had a Twin Comanche and didn't like the hard water at the airport, so I just got a couple of 5-gallon jerry cans and brought soft water from my home. Did the whole plane by hand in two-foot squares at a time. One bucket for suds, one for rinse. No muss nor fuss, floor underneath stayed dry. Never used a hose after that.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

A lot of airports have banned outdoor washing. Stupid and meaningless, yes.

As a kid, I used to live about a block away from a naval air station. The storm drains on the ramp ran into a dead end canal just off the base. Used to play around the canal - lots of nice oily sludge - we tried real hard to not fall in. Never caught on fire though. Not like the Cuyahoga. But then again, we never thought to try putting a match to it.

 

[Groundpounder]

I use my Ryobi pressure washer hooked up to a 30 gallon water bladder. It's not a super strong pressure washer so I'm not too worried about hurting the airplane. Having a foam cannon really makes the process easier. 30 gallons is just enough for a wash, I have found.

 

[flyingron]

I have a Milwaukee water pump (runs on their cordless tool batteries) that has two garden hose fittings. You can put the source in any water source (tank, bucket) and it sprays out the other outlet.

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

I have a Milwaukee water pump (runs on their cordless tool batteries) that has two garden hose fittings. You can put the source in any water source (tank, bucket) and it sprays out the other outlet.

Interesting. Do you have a link?

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

I use my Ryobi pressure washer hooked up to a 30 gallon water bladder. It's not a super strong pressure washer so I'm not too worried about hurting the airplane. Having a foam cannon really makes the process easier. 30 gallons is just enough for a wash, I have found.

Nearly 200 pounds of water in a bladder. Where do you source the water, and how do you transport it?

 

[flyingron]

Interesting. Do you have a link?

https://www.northerntool.com/products/milwaukee-cordless-self-priming-transfer-pump-tool-only-18-volts-7-5-gpm-3-4in-ports-model-2771-20-55842

 

[Gary Ward]

There's no water faucet near my hangar, so I can't use a conventional pressure washer to wash my plane. There is water elsewhere on the field, however.

Looking for recommendations for a self-contained pressure washer (with onboard water tank). Thanks!

This is not self contained, but easy to deal with.
The plastic tank is a RV tank. The electric pump I have had it for years. Put a new rubber impeller in it every so often. They are dirt cheap. I can use it to feed my electric pressure washer or just use a hose and garden sprayer.
There's more than enough water to do the whole plane and then just enough to wash my truck sometimes. I keep the sun off of it.

I don't use the pressure washer on the plane. I use it on the hangar floor and the truck.

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

This is not self contained, but easy to deal with.
The plastic tank is a RV tank. The electric pump I have had it for years. Put a new rubber impeller in it every so often. They are dirt cheap. I can use it to feed my electric pressure washer or just use a hose and garden sprayer.
There's more than enough water to do the whole plane and then just enough to wash my truck. I keep the sun off of it.

I don't use the pressure washer on the plane. I use it on the hangar floor and the truck.

Impressive, but I don't have a truck to transport it. Need something relatively small that I can store in my hangar.

 

[Gary Ward]

Thanks,
I have seen some tanks and sprayers self contained made for small tractors and ATVs. Could put it on a dolly or wagon to move it around unless you have a ATV or golf cart you keep at the hangar.

 

[bonefishpete]

This keep this in hanger.

 

[Albany Tom]

Just don't let the environmental nazi's see you spraying water. A lot of airports have banned outdoor washing. Stupid and meaningless, yes.

If you live somewhere where there's not enough water to wash a plane, and I believe you, the environmental problem isn't water usage, it's people living where there's not enough natural water. Sam Kinison had the answer to that - you don't need water, you need trucks.

Here in NY there's plenty of water, wash whenever you want. Well, except in the winter, or when it's raining, which gives you about 30 days a year to wash the plane.