Need more than 100 gallons?

[Travis Sonderegger]

Those of you running truck mounts, do you ever wish you could carry more than a hundred gallons?

How much is the most water anybody takes with them?

What about having a pump out and having a fresh water hose to refill with?

Does anyone dual wand and wish they had more?

I'm just doing a little brainstorming at this point, share some thoughts thank you. I'm getting sick of carrying my porty up stairs and through mud and over crappy surfaces.

 

[hogjowl]

Until this latest purchase, I've never carried more than 50 gallons. I always managed fine, or almost always. Always had to hook up and on some commercial jobs that was a problem. This latest one has 200 gallons. I recommend as much as you can carry.

Get a waste pump out. No sense in exposing yourself to an unnecessary risk.

 

[TimM]

I have a 100 gallon tank in my van and it works good for me. If I run into a big day and go thru more water than I expected I just hook up to the customers water and fill my tank up while cleaning.

 

[rhino1]

Just recently I have been considering getting a bigger tank, mostly because I have to put a water softener in the shop and it would be nice to fill up with soft water and go all day. I have never wanted to put one in the truck.

 

[jwfoulk12]

I carry a 100 gallons but there's many days I wish I had more. I don't like having to fill up at a customers house so I find myself swinging back by the shop at least once a day to fill up my tank. Thats the one thing i really liked about my butler, that all day tank.

 

[Jim Morrison]

Yes was thinking about that today. We have a 120 gal tank, often find myself wishing for bigger. In the summer time its no problem to find a hose bib outside, when its -10 thats a different story. But in a perfect world it would have to be a 200 gal waste tank also, then a cabover box truck dually and then.....
wants vs needs

 

[mirf]

225 gals if needed. I use to keep it full but we went thru 2 transmissions. Nice to have but usually go out with 125 gal and refill as needed at clients home.
Some of them have shut water off now due to temperature drop

 

[dealtimeman]

We can carry 200 plus but don't, as it is dangerous carry an extra 800 pounds that sloshes to and fro.

We normally carry about 150-160 and if needed top off as necessary.

Always dump water as close to job if not on the job.

 

[Mike Draper]

Had a large commercial job this morning. Went through about 240 gallons. I carry 200. Was really nice not to have to dump half way though. I can hold over 200 gal waste. Its nice on those big commerical jobs.

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

I carry 210 and use between 160 to 180 per day on residential. I like to use lots of water.

 

[davegillfishing]

been carrying 200 plus for 9 years now..just installed a 60 gallon saddle tank for the pro 1200 and the water pond..

we rarely need to refill..we carry 200 gallon dump as well but try to if possible to dump sometime in the middle of the day

 

[ronbeatty]

I

I prefer to carry enough clean and waste water to complete a full day. The weight is evenly distributed over the frame so it is no problem to carry.

 

[rjwood]

You guys must be spending a small fortune on gas and water, no? I let the customer pay for the water and that also allows me to save on gas with a 6 cyl van.

 

[Mike Draper]

everything is relative.

 

[ronbeatty]

You guys must be spending a small fortune on gas and water, no? I let the customer pay for the water and that also allows me to save on gas with a 6 cyl van.

I fill at customers homes when convenient, fuel is cheap compared to loss of time. Effeciancies have allowed us to fit extra jobs in the day.

 

[rjwood]

I recall reading on one of these boards (not sure if it was this one or Trash Mouth Forums) where some folks are spending upwards of $600.00/month on water? That's crazy!

 

[Able 1]

170 gallons or so in one truck, 120 in the other..

Water and sewer $400 or so every 3 months..

 

[Mikey P]

Is it morally corrupt to fill up at your first job of the day?

 

[Mike Draper]

I fill at the shop along with my friend who owns 2 large trucks with 200 gallon fresh tanks. Our water bill has been averaging $45.00 a month.

 

[rjwood]

Is it morally corrupt to fill up at your first job of the day?

Give the customer a discount. Though by the last two posts it doesn't need to be much of a discount.

What about fuel for the vehicle and stress on the engine, transmission and suspension?

 

[Mike Draper]

I say do what is best for your business. I average about 7,500 miles a year on my truck. Almost all of my jobs are very close to each other. So carrying around the weight is not an issue with me. It is more productive for my business. I can also store over 200 gallons of waste. That being said, If I were all over the city and up and down large canyons or did a lot of driving between jobs I'd have a small frssh tank and a pump out. Make your rig productive and economical to fit the needs of yur business. Thats the most important thing, not what others do.

 

[rjwood]

I say do what is best for your business. I average about 7,500 miles a year on my truck. Almost all of my jobs are very close to each other. So carrying around the weight is not an issue with me. It is more productive for my business. I can also store over 200 gallons of waste. That being said, If I were all over the city and up and down large canyons or did a lot of driving between jobs I'd have a small fresh tank and a pump out. Make your rig productive and economical to fit the needs of yur business. That's the most important thing, not what others do.

That's good advice and I appreciate it. I'm thinking long term. I have a very economical setup that appears to serve me well. However, if I do decide to add on I'd like to understand the pros and cons of the options available to me.

I read some people looking to reduce cost and others who can easily justify the costs. I'm just debating within myself more or less.

Thanks for the input.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Do you guys use magic water and that's why you need to carry it around? I thought of using a 110 gallon tank but at over 900lbs and the need to fill up at least 2 times a day turned me off..

So is it worth it with the real estate it takes up inside of the van, the extra weight and still the need to fill up.. I don't think I found a residential house I couldn't hook up to.

If you use a high flow, like a zipper or a rotary.. then little point in getting a fresh water tank.

 

[rjwood]

I've always thought the advantage to a rotary was that it could clean satisfactorily without the higher pressure, which I presume is meant by "high flow".

The Zipper is a different story all together.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I've always thought the advantage to a rotary was that it could clean satisfactorily without the higher pressure, which I presume is meant by "high flow".

The Zipper is a different story all together.

Its not just pressure, its the amount of water coming out. Most rotaries/zipper have 4-6 jets, so you naturally use more water. You have a higher flow going to the carpets.. a higher flow you need to suck out and a higher flow to use more water from the fresh water tank that is on the van.

 

[jcooper]

I've always thought the advantage to a rotary was that it could clean satisfactorily without the higher pressure, which I presume is meant by "high flow".

Best thing I've found using a rotary, agitation. I use mine at 250-300 at the most.

If you use a high flow, like a zipper or a rotary.. then little point in getting a fresh water tank.

How cold does it get by you, Brad? When it's -5 a water tank would come in VERY handy, Even if for only the first job of the day. Not many outside spigots are turned on during Jan/Feb. The smart people turn them off for the winter.

How comfy are you hooking up a garden hose to a bathroom faucet? It sucks....

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Water here costs less than a penny a gallon (.93c).

Gas is 1.76 gallon. On my van new front brake pads cost $68., usually once a year.

I will continue to enjoy the many advantages of onboard water.

 

[rjwood]

Its not just pressure, its the amount of water coming out. Most rotaries/zipper have 4-6 jets, so you naturally use more water. You have a higher flow going to the carpets.. a higher flow you need to suck out and a higher flow to use more water from the fresh water tank that is on the van.

Ah! I see your point, though I think the Zipper needs the pressure as well. I cleaned with the Rotovac system hooked into a faucet for many a year and had very satisfactory results, and very good dry times to boot.

These guys here talked me into buying a Zipper, which I'm happy with but it does appear to demand higher pressure to clean effectively. Perhaps I should try using the Zipper from a faucet and see how it works.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Ah! I see your point, though I think the Zipper needs the pressure as well. I cleaned with the Rotovac system hooked into a faucet for many a year and had very satisfactory results, and very good dry times to boot.

These guys here talked me into buying a Zipper, which I'm happy with but it does appear to demand higher pressure to clean effectively. Perhaps I should try using the Zipper from a faucet and see how it works.

That is the big difference between a rotary and the zipper.. the rotary has natural agitation with how it functions.. the zipper your only agitation is the actual spray jets hitting the carpets and the little on both zipper lips. You still need to prescrub with the zipper but not with the rotary. If someone told you to get the zipper over a rotary then they gave you bad advice. The zipper is a good tool, might not be the go to for really getting out that embedded soilings.

 

[SamIam]

I've seen RO water cost a bunch every where else it's cheap