Tip selection - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

mdshunk · 06-30-2007, 11:58 AM

What's the tip called that's basically like a 0° nozzle, but it "spins" to clean a wider area at a time. Something like "whizzer", I think, for slang. What are they called, for real?

Rich Turley · 06-30-2007, 12:49 PM

I've always called it a roto-nozzle. I just looked at the slot on my P/W where it is stored and it is marked "Turbo Nozzle".

Rich

mdshunk · 06-30-2007, 12:51 PM

Cool. Thanks. I want to buy one of those tips. They seem like the cat's backside for cleaning sidewalks, which is what I want to do. Well, not everyone's sidewalks.. just mine

Builtbybeck · 06-30-2007, 01:10 PM

Mdshunk,
You have to have one! I do quite a bit of washing and I have no use for a regular tip anymore! I have 2 one from Home depot and 1 from Porter paints diferent brands both work equally well.

Rich Turley · 06-30-2007, 01:23 PM

MD

Do a little testing first. I use on most concrete okay, but that nozzle will tear up my asphalt driveway. Can't use it on wood either.

Rich

As part of my testing I stuck my finger in front of the nozzle at just 3 or 4 inches. (Sometimes I'm not too smart.) My finger swelled to Elephantitas proportions and was sore for over a week!

mdshunk · 06-30-2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Turley

Do a little testing first. I use on most concrete okay, but that nozzle will tear up my asphalt driveway. Can't use it on wood either.

So you're saying it wouldn't be such a good tip for washing the car?

I just looked up a few, now that I know what to call them. Seems like they run 40-50 bucks.

tgeb · 06-30-2007, 02:02 PM

I find that these type nozzles can leave swirly marks. But they do clean real good.
Great for heavy soil on equipment. But they will take off the paint!

http://www.watercannon.com/pdf/promo84.pdf

Check out page 15 of the link above, they have them for as low as 20 bucks, suitable for the lower volume pumps like you have.

carolinaprowash · 07-03-2007, 01:04 PM

A roto or turbo nozzle will cause you more damage than you can imagine in less time than you can blink! We've seen damage to asphalt, wood, concrete - although they are wonderful little additions to the pwing industry, they can be baaaad in the wrong scenarios! Keep it as far away from the substrate you are cleaning as possible or you will have swirlies all over. Probably should not wash your car with it.

It's not the pressure you want anyway, it's the gallons per minute. High rinse volume is your friend, not high pressure.

Celeste

tom connelly · 01-28-2008, 05:55 PM

Be careful with them. The 40-50$ range roto-nozzles are cheap. A good one will cost you about 100-150$. We have a couple of them but rarely ever use them. We typically use flat surface cleaners, and/or a green tip.
Med/low pressure. Let the detergents do the work.

If you move to fast for the turbo tip it will leave really nasty swirls, the more expensive ones rotate faster (usually) so you can move faster.
It can also eat into the surface really bad. You are not trying to destroy the surface, you are trying to clean it. Ripping the surface can also mean that it will get dirtier quicker, and deteriorate faster. Pull away from the surface you are cleaning.

Wouldn't recommend them on wood either. Be careful. In the wrong hands they can ruin more things than clean. I've seen plenty of bad examples made with a good roto-nozzle, trust me.

Gutter Clean & Power Wash
Hickory NC