# Water Tank Size for Rig



## JacksonPaintCo (Jun 3, 2008)

I'm very excited. I recently purchased a 13 HP Belt driven 4gpm 3500psi pressure washer and I have a question about water tank size. 

My local pressure washer dealer states that most rigs go with 225 gal tanks. What size tanks, if any, are you guys using? 

Do you use the homeowner's water to re-fill the tank during washing? 

I typically wash homes between 2000-3000 sq ft, strip and seal decks, and wash and seal driveways. This would obviously use more than 225 gallons of water. Any insight would be appreciated.


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## seversonspainting (Jul 6, 2008)

Now my questions why would want to buy tank when you can use the HO water from their faucet.

When I go and wash homes or decks, I bring my 200ft of hose and hook right to their faucet.


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## HomeGuardPaints (Jan 17, 2008)

I like to hook up to the house also but 225 gallons of water is a good amount for that size home. Tanks are useful when there is no water source, but will kill the gas milage in your vehicle. Adds 1800 lbs to your truck or trailer when full


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

A 13hp 4gpm machine doesn't really need a tank - although you run into the occasional really low flowing muni tap. I use a 35 gallon buffer tank for the same machine. Guys who use big tanks like that are for guys running like dual 5.5gpm machines or 8.0gpm machines - and are doing commercial concrete washing, or fleets.


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

I have heard that people use like a 55 gal drum with a float valve hooked up to the ho hose so that the sprayer never runs out of water (drum fills up while the trigger is not pulled and stays full thanks to the float valve. But then do you have to have an electric pump going from the drum to the washer? Or does gravity feed enough water for the washer?


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## JacksonPaintCo (Jun 3, 2008)

Thanks for the input. I believe in most cases I would be able to use the HO's water, but I am interested in how a float tank would work. 

plainp - literally you have a tank hooked to homeowner's water that buffers any difference between supply and demand. I take it that the float valve keeps the tank from over flowing?


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

225 gallon tank isnt enough water to fnish a 2k house which means the HO water will be refilling your tank. Since this is the case, choose a small tank to be used as the "float" tank as PlainPainter suggested. The PW draws directly from the tank which evens out flow/pressure problems from city water. The PW then ejects water back to the tank to when the trigger is not open which saves your pump.


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