PTO Pressure Washer

   / PTO Pressure Washer #1  

rock

Bronze Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2000
Messages
56
Tractor
BX2200
This may have been touched on a while ago, but I can't seem to find the thread. I am interested in getting a power washer and was thinking that this would be a good application to be driven off the rear PTO. It would be fairly compact, go on easy, wouldn't take alot of ooomph to drive, I'd probably drag a washer behind my tractor anyhow, and I'd have one less gas engine to maintain (the main reason I bought a tractor with a PTO in the first place).

So... does anyone know if such a beast exists and can be had for a reasonable price (compared to the engine driven rigs). I have been looking in the 5hp / 2500 PSI / 3 GPM range such as the one that can be had from Norhtern for $400.

I did an Alta-Vista search and came up with some funky ones from across the pond that are probably not worth the cost given my constraint above.

I see they sell the pumps alone in the Nothern catalog, but adapting such a thing to a PTO shaft may be beyond the capabilities of my tool box, and my time!

-- Rock
 
   / PTO Pressure Washer #2  
I thought of the same thing. I think the problem is the pumps you can buy need to turn 2-3000 RPM. With a 540 PTO you would need some sort of overdrive unit. With the cost of the pumps that I've seen, this was not very cost effective.

Now if you can run one off of the mid PTO...
 
   / PTO Pressure Washer #4  
Rock,

I had the same idea, and I share your philosophy about why (in part) we have tractors with PTOs. The fewer engines to buy and maintain, the better. The orginal thread can be found at Homemade 3ph pressure washers .
I didn't get quite the answer I was looking for here, so I did some more research, including calling some wholesale suppliers. I have found sources for the overdrive unit (I have a 2710, and it only runs at 540 rpm), as well as prices for the pumps. Pump choices are the same as what you see on the gas powered models (i.e. AR, General, CAT, etc.). The trade off is the transmission/overdrive unit vs. the engine cost. Since the engines are designed to run at the rated pump RPM, you don't need the transmission. The price of lower powered engines (5-10 hp) is equal or less than the transmission cost. When you get up to that larger size engines, the transmission begins to cost less than the engine. My research shows that the cost differential plus integration/assembly costs won't make economic sense unless you are looking at the 4000 psi/3.5-4 gpm pumps with 10-13 hp ($1200 for these types). At this point, you can probably save about $400 if you use your tractor for power instead of a honda 13hp gas engine. I have identified sources for all the required parts, but as I said, this would still come in at around $800 if I built it for you. To get access to the transmission, you would need to buy quantities of 5 or more. The pumps are easy to get, but prices vary widely depending on the source. Since I don't have enough water flow from my well to run a washer, my first project is to install a 1200 gallon underground cistern for about $1400 total cost. I get to use my new backhoe for my first real dig!!! After I digest that lump of spending, then I may think about the washer again. Let me know if you would like to pursue this.

PaulT
 
 
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