I like to use a gas powered Pressure Washer to keep my sailboat and dock clean during the sailing season. Unfortunately, there is no water supply on the dock but I am surrounded by a fresh water lake. I came up with a very simple way to supply lake water to the Pressure Water without the use of any battery or gas powered water pump. The lake water is supplied to the Pressure Washer is gravity fed.
The Parts List:
1) Gas Powered Pressure Washer (2500 PSI)
2) 5 Gallon Buckets (3 each) (Someone is always tossing them out.)
3) Attwood Bait Aereator (Remove the spray head.)
4) Garden Hose Quick Disconnect
5) 5/8" ID Plastic Tubing (6 to 8 feet)
6) Plumbers Putty (Optional)
7) Fiberglass Window Screen (18" x 18")
8) Bungie Cord
Tools Required:
1) Drill
2) 1" Speed Bit
Here's what the gravity fed Pressure Washer System looks like completed:
Drill and 1" Speed Bit:
Attwood Bait Aereator:
Garden hose quick disconnect:
(The quick disconnect attached to Pressure Washer)
Attwood Bait Aereator with spray head removed:
Drill 1" hole in 5 gallon bucket 2" above bottom:
(This allows any sediment to sink to bottom.)
Aereator placed thru the side of 5 gallon bucket:
Inside view of bucket with Aereator thru wall:
Plumber's Putty is an option to prevent leaks around Aereator:
The 5 gallon bucket (feeder bucket) with the Aereator is placed upon a turned over 5 gallon bucket. This provides just enough "drop" for the water. A 5/8" ID (6 to 8 feet) clear plastic tubing connects the Aereator to the Pressure Washer. No hose clamps are used:
Fill the "feeder bucket". The Pressure Water needs to be primed with a water flow. Make sure there is no air in the plastic tubing as this initially starves the Pressure Washer on start up:
Start the Pressure Washer and get ready to clean! It takes 4 minutes at 2500 PSI to empty 4 gallons of water so you'll need a second person (It's great to have sons!) using the third bucket to keep the "feeder bucket" full of water. (When I get home I run the household water through the Pressure Washer):
Place fiberglass window screen atop of the "feeder bucket" and fasten with a bungie cord. This will keep any debris "scooped up from the lake water" from clogging the Pressure Washer.
It's not complicated and costs very little providing you already own a Pressure Washer. Best of all it works!
