generator help

[kevinj6121]

I have a Mytee M5 portie that i bought in 2010 still have, works great, just bought the newer version LTD5 and was going to sell the M5 but am now considering keeping the M5 and using both and run from my van, my plan is to run a short 2 inch vac hose off the two then combine using a "Y" pipe to one vac hose to the wand, I would then run one off a generator, the one that one run off the generator i would only be using the two vac motors only, no pump or auto pump out. the other I would use customer power, So the question is what size generator would be needed for just the two vac motors.

 

[dgardner]

The M5 motors draw around 12-13 Amps each, that's a total of around 3100 watts. I recommend a 5000W (running watts) genny to account for the starting current inrush. Buy a generator that has either a 30A receptacle or two 20A receptacles, you won't be able to run both from a single 20A recep.

Wying the two together means you will have 4 parallel vacs - increasing your cfm some but not helping your lift any. I wonder whether you'll see much improvement...

 

[Desk Jockey]

Save the genset money, sell both portables and get a starter TM.

 

[Papa John]

Abort!! Abort!

Only 2 vac motors wont be enough power past 75ft at best. If the 2 portys have different CFM N waterlift ratings one porty will suck dirty water from the other portys potentially causes flooding problem.. Also If you are using an auto pump out on a portable, you must use a pre-filter and make sure NO lint or soil gets into the waste tank to avoid flooding issues.

 

[Papa John]

Wying the two together means you will have 4 parallel vacs - increasing your cfm some but not helping your lift any. I wonder whether you'll see much improvement...

when I put 2 M-5 together with a Y at 50' I was able to go to 150' hose run----

Oh--1 important thing: The pump out motors are not meant to run continuously-- there is no auto shut off and on-- so you have to turn them on manually or they will overheat and shut down.

 

[kevinj6121]

Hey Papa John, thanks for your feedback, I was planing on putting the Y much closer to the 2 machines only like 5 feet. Are you using 1.5 inch hose or 2 inch hose, cause i use to use 1.5 inch hose but switched to 2 inch and there is a big difference, suction is so much better and you can almost double your hose lengths when using 2 inch vac hose. I have 150 feet of 2 inch hose but have only used 50 foot and suction is great only using one machine, I hooked up 100 foot of 2 inch and still very good suction not much of a difference from only using 50 foot, I hooked up all 150 foot of the 2 inch and then I could notice a drop off in suction. The M5 is a good machine and i have two as you do, well one is the new LTD5 but it has the same vac motors as the M5, if using one machine and leaving right outside the front door then 75 foot 2 inch of hose is most likely all i'd ever need 95% of the time. But if i wanted to leave it in the van then I'd need to go 150 foot and thats too long a run for one machine, thats why I was thinking of using both and the "Y" but my original question was that I was planing on running one machine on a generator, the machine on the generator I would only be using the two vac motor's and not the 500psi pump, it would stay turned OFF, the other machine would use customer house power using both vac motors and 500 psi pump, so how many watt gen would I need for just two vac motors. But you pointed out something I did not consider and that was the auto dump pump. i guess the dirty water would be going into both waste tanks but that wold give me two 12 gal waste tanks for a total of 24 gal so I guess I could go for a while before dumping would be needed

 

[Mikey P]

I hear Aerotech has a nice gently used 2014 model for sale for just 75K..

 

[Desk Jockey]

 

[Goomer]

Abort!! Abort!..................... Also If you are using an auto pump out on a portable, you must use a pre-filter and make sure NO lint or soil gets into the waste tank to avoid flooding issues.

Putting together a ETM system based on a portable machine can be a lot more trouble than it is worth.

Marrying 2 porties will be even more of a clusterfook and will require strong sedatives to keep you from slitting your wrists.

I wholeheartedly agree with PJ in regards to the pump-out issue.

I found it to be the weakest link of any portable unit, nonetheless an ETM, and a constant issue that is a nightmare to remedy within the tight confines of the back of a van chock'full of equipment that is all tied together.

 

[Papa John]

I only use 2" hose on my portys -

so u want to run 4 vacs.. Keep in mind-- even though the LTD and M-5 have the same Vacs the reading at the end of the same length of vac hose could be different if the wasted tanks are different dimensions and or the filters clogged at different amounts..
I'm saying all this because I've tried it before--- I was shocked to discover that for some reason one porty would fill up quicker then the other or 1 porty had very little water-- I figured 1 porty sucked waste water for the other. Also when I connected both porty solution lines to a Y-- one port forced water into the other fresh water tank-- both were M-5-- of different ages and wear n tear.

You might have been better off connecting a Mytee Air Hog to an M-5 instead-- it would have been cheaper.

I say rent and test a generator before you buy and here is why:
I basically tried to do what you are planning on doing-- but with a pressure washing service--- I should have just bought a real gas powered and fuel heated pressure washer and saved me a big embarrassment-- (Insert here- buy a Truckmount instead)
All my calculations looked good on paper. ( based on a young kid- ME- who had enthusiasm and NO knowledge)
But on the night I tried this apparatus for the 1st time at a customers store.
It made a lot of noise but the water only softly flowed out. -- I could Piss harder then that contraption after a few beers!
Any Way-- Good Luck!

 

[Goomer]

I have a Mytee M5 portie that i bought in 2010 still have, works great, just bought the newer version LTD5 .

Have you ran the LTD5 much since you got it?

I know all too well how it is to lug around a full size M5 at 160+ pounds.

If this was a contributing factor in considering running from your truck, I would get used to the LTD for a while first.

I would imagine the 25 pound difference, smaller size, and soft rubber wheels of the LTD would be a welcome change in contrast to Big Ole' Blue, and make moving it around a lot more tolerable.

I'm looking at one myself.

Don't underestimate the additional time that will be involved on every job in setting up and breaking down multiple longer hose runs, extra electrical cords, tweaking, adjusting, and going through the learning curve of operating a home-made ETM.

Murphy and his Gremlins will drive you mad, and have you running out to your van every five minutes, likely leading to you becoming a paranoid nervous wreck even when your system appears to be operating fine.

Easier to bring everything in and nuke it, scrub it, and flush it good.

 

[kevinj6121]

I have an M5 that I bought new in 2010, still have it and it still works fine, the LTD5 I just bought I bought used for $1800 only had 13hrs on it and is in great shape, initially i was was going to sell the M5 and still might, then I stated thinking of getting a booster, then I said why spend more and get a booster and just use the M5 as a booster, I know i could just get one of those inline boosters but then you have to bring that inside the house, i'm trying to get away from bringing anything but hose and wand into house.

 

[Papa John]

I can see you really want this to work-I understand-- Its fun to tinker around.

Maybe try this. Someone posted a photo of a thick Plexiglas "Pump-out" box with a sump pump inside that is activated with a float switch. Have 2 holes or ports on this box that will connect to your 2 porties. these hoes will have to be placed far enough from:-- each other, The one inlet port for the hose that goes into the house, And high enough so that it doesn't suck waste water-thereby defeating the purpose of this box.-- Maybe there is already such a devise already available for sale? keep in mind that the closer you have this box to the porties the more likely you are to suck water into those porties. oh and don't forget the pre-filter.

Then you would only use the 4 vacs and 1 solution pump on porties-- but then you would need to power 5 cords. but you would be using less power because you would not be using 2 pumps-ie. 1 solution n 1 pump out.-- If the hose run is short you could use only 3 vacs and 4 cords...

Then save your money to buy a starter TM.

 

[Cleanworks]

portables are designed to go where truck mounts can't, truck mounts are designed to do what portables can't do. trying to make portables into a truck mount? go bang your head on the wall until it hurts and then do it some more. You also need heat, what are you gonna do? by the time you get it all figured out, you could have bought an entry level truck mount that will have way more suction and heat and will make you look like a professional carpet cleaner, not a junk yard mechanic.

 

[GeneMiller]

I hear Aerotech has a nice gently used 2014 model for sale for just 75K..

There was one for sale for 25k. i believe a 2006.