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Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:

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I wish. The Delevan 5850 work well but I'd be embarassed to say how many I replaced this year. I couldnt even give the right number if I tried. I love to have an air pump.

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 They take up more room, but if you have employees, it might be better to just keep using the 12 volt pumps, and replace them when they fail ?  They are pretty inexpensive, quick and easy to change out too. The main reason 12 volt pumps seem to fail is pulsing on and off because the nozzle is too small. Why are YOUR pumps failing so much ED ? 

Ever consider doing what a guy I know does ? He gets his pumps at Northern Tool, and buys the extended warranty, it is cheap! 

His employees always carry 2 pumps. When one fails, they change it out, he then rinses the pumps off to get the bleach smell off, and returns them. 

There is nothing "sacred" about the Delavan 5850 Ed. It seems like who you are buying them from aint doing shit for you, except selling you MORE !

Why not  try the Northern Tool 12 volt roof cleaning pumps, and never have to pay for pumps again, like the guy I know does ?

 

Been using for two months. Has way outperformed my All-Flo. Quick priming, no pulsing, no fading or stalling. Cost me $306.00 plus tax. http://www.ingersollrandproducts.com/am-en/products/fluid/diaphragm-pumps/compact-pumps/3-8-non-metallic

 

 

I left Delavans and been using a off brand name, Bill told me about, I cant remember right now. No viton seals or nothing, It's still going???

Hey Chris. Diaphragm and balls are santoprene, rest is poly. And I do rinse everything every day.

I bought a pump from Northern with the warranty and its the only pump I never had a problem with, lol. Bob from PT said I was using the wrong wire, and that I need to use the fine strand wire. He also said stop using wire nuts. I did everything he told me to do. I must say he has been great trying to help me. He even wired up a pump the way they do when they build the bandit, and sent me the pump for free. So I wired all 4 trucks the same way. Alot of times its just the pressure switch but I still think theyre crapping out prematurely.

I just bought another pump from Northern. Its a Flojet 5gpm (I think). I didnt get it yet but they seem to have much more meat on their pressure switches. Its was $150 but they didnt offer a warranty on that one. I also think we are cleaning a lot more roofs than most. Each truck washes 6-10 roofs per week, sometimes even more. I also think my guys are dialing down even though I scream not to.

I have a 2.1 gpm pump from Tractor Supply with a TRUE internal bypass. No pressure switch. Its runs until you shut it off. We use it for backup or when cleaning porch, sidewalk, etc. Its been working great all season. Every trucks has 2 pumps hardwired and ready to go.

If I had to guess I think I bought anywhere from 12-15 Delevan 5850 pumps this year.

ChicagoLand Roof Cleaners wrote:

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Gary, 

What Aro 1" pump are you using, what size air compressor is required and what size discharge hose gets yout the ability to shooy 70'? 

Bye the way, thanks for the Talkshoe prograqm on Saturday

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 Jim;

Here is my set up back in May. I use 3/4" hose, 100-120 psi of air, and recently bought one of the stainless nozzles that I also have a post on here about. The nozzle alone added almost 12'.  Love the way it works.

http://roof-cleaning-institute.activeboard.com/t47968056/testing-videos-58/

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I bought my northern tool pump and the extended warranty i asked them directly does this include commercial use pumping chlorine, and they said yes. I haven't returned it yet to test this but I never was impressed with its capabilities anyway(it was their 3gpm). Its just a transfer pump and I'm now happy with my 1/2 all flow for the roofs.

Peter LeBlanc wrote:

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Chris, I used to get the northern pumps with the extended warranty, but they finally caught on to me. One time one of my employees returned one to exchange, but he did'nt rinse it out completely. They smelled the Sh, replaced it and told me they won't warranty these pumps for me any more.They even put a nice bright sign at every register explaining the extended warranty on the Northstar pumps. I ended up biting the bullet and got a $500 compressor from Harbor Freight and got an All-Flo pump. Best buy so far, I haven't had a single problem with the pump in almost a year.

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 How do u like the Harbor Freight Air Compressor so far ?

I would try to keep an extra recoil for it, cause parts are dam near imposible to get from repair shops. In fact, down here in Tampa, many repair shops just will not work on their air compressors, cause parts are so hard to come by. The price on them is right, and mine worked good, but kept breaking the starting recoil, then the whole air comprssor was stolen off my truck one night.

Ed Thompson has employees, and kind of lacks the room for an air pump setup, so he uses 12 volt pumps.

Roof Cleaning Illinois wrote:

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Ok was thinking about buying 2 Delevan 5850 to start off roof cleaning in the spring, but after reading some post...replacing 12-15 Delevan 5850 pump in a year$$$ I'll be out of business, before I even start. Northern Tool pump with extended warranty sounds like a winner, but don't want to see the bright sign at every register. NOW WHAT. Back to the search button I guess lol..Thanks for update every one.

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 Let me tell you a "secret" about pump warrantys. NEVER EVER EVER EVEN HINT THAT THE PUMP WAS USED TO SPRAY BLEACH.

In fact, it is my opinion that every roof cleaner needs to LOSE the words BLEACH and  CHLORINE from their vocabulary. If put into a corner, and asked what you use to clean roofs, tell them you use Sodium Hypochlorite instead.

In a warranty return situation, always wash the outside, and inside if you can, with some straight Pine Sol type cleaner, and do not rinse the Pine Sol very well.

If asked "what happened" at the return counter, with a dumb look on you face, simply say "I don't know, it just quit, thank God I did like they said to do, and bought the extended warranty". 

Then, STFU, and act like you expect them to honor the warranty you paid extra for.