Beating the Hosepipe Ban

Shiny · Post by **Shiny** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:54 am

I have received confirmation from Thames Water that i can run a pressure washer using a hosepipe drawing water from a bucket via a hose. I can fill the bucket from the mains, just as long as a hosepipe is not attached to the mains. If you plan on doing this, i would recommend contacting your own local water authority for confirmation as what you can and can not do as i'm sure it will vary from region to region.

Most pressure washers can draw water from a static source, but check with your manufacturer that your particular model is OK as you won't want a burnt out motor!

Now Karcher have a "suction hose" available for £35 (£15 on ebay), but being a cheapskate, i thought i'd have a go myself. The problem is that the hose needs to be primed with water so that each time you press the trigger on your lance you get water, not air. I used a 3m off cut of hose, attached the black Karcher connector to one and and, on the end that will sit in the bucket, a 60p connector from Asda. The 60p connector has a little plug that slides black and blocks the flow which i hoped would stop any water draining back out the hose.

Now the set up... One bucket filled with water, elevated so i can use the Egyptian discovery of siphoning as a back up to keeping the hose primed with water, a spare bucket of water as a top up a wash bucket (warm water & Chemical Guys "No Hose" rinse free shampoo).

The car was fillthy, i've not cleaned it in ages and it has all the grime from my 1,000 mile trek around NI, covered in sand, slat, mud and cow poo. Started on the wheels, wheel cleaner doing it's job

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Then to see if the pressure washer worked! Took a couple of seconds to prime with water, but then it was pretty much no different to using it off the mains. It stayed primed and water came out with each press of the trigger. Wheels after a blast down with the pressure washer -

Tried the Snow Foam, Chemical Guys No Touch came out a treat -

Then rinsed down with pressure washer. I used approx 2.5 buckets in all.

I washed the car down with Chemical Guys No Hose, which is a rinseless wash meaning you wash and then just dry. I did this panel by panel, washing and drying as i go to prevent any streaking or water marks. Now i'm a big fan of Chemical Guys, but to be honest found it a little greasy at the drying stage. I have used Optimum No Rinse in the past, but can't quite remember how it was to dry, but think i will go back to it when the CG stuff runs out.

Gave the car a final wipe down with Chemical Guys V7, Megs' Endurance on the wheels and bit of Autosol on the exhaust tips as they we filthy -

Nice to have a clean car again, probably got the neighbours talking ("he's using a hosepipe, quick call the water board") with me safe in the knowledge that i've done nothing wrong

Post by **Merlin** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:00 am

Good tip! It would have to be really dry before we got a hosepipe ban where I live

Post by **Gayno** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:00 am

Great results!

We don't yet have hosepipe banand I hope that we don't!!

grant_day · Post by **grant_day** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:02 am

Cool, I've had a pressure washer for over a year now but don't have means of connecting it to a water source so I may just give this a go, top marks

judderod · Post by **judderod** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:03 am

Very nice!

I read somewhere it has been the wettest April since Christ was born or something but we still have a drought on

Post by **NafemanNathan** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:21 am

I use zip wax!

Post by **vanzep** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:32 am

Good job Shiny - your cars always live up to your name

Out of interest what you make of the waterless valeting - theres a couple of new places just opened near me...

Shiny · Post by **Shiny** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:39 am

Waterless or rinseless?

Some use spray on products like you get on QVC, some use a rinseless shampoo like ONR.

Personally i'm still not convinced, i can't see how wiping grit and dirt around won't put scratches on a car, i've scratched my car using a clean microfibre on clean paint before, Honda paint is silly soft.

I'd be fine using it on a car with light dirt, but i think a heavily soiled car will still need a good pre-wash and blast with a pressure washer.

Post by **vanzep** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:43 am

They all say "Waterless" and like you ive always been sceptical about it. But i bet you all these companies are doing a brisk trade down your way right now.

Shiny · Post by **Shiny** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:46 am

The ban doesn't actually apply if you are operating a business, so it should be business as usual for valeters. It is just us home users that suffer.