Not long ago, I talked to an overseas gentleman about cleaning small airline aircraft at the local international airport, but also cleaning private aircraft and charter planes, some piston driven, some jets.
He had a couple of important questions, perhaps the same sorts of question you yourself might have when it comes to setting up an aircraft washing rig to clean planes.
Let's go ahead and address his questions and let's see if the answers might also help you as well.
First, he asks about the PSI (pounds per square inch) range of water pressure he ought to be using.
Well, if you are also wondering about this, you should consider the formulas they use in the industry for cleaning power.
You see, the volume of water is often as important or more important than the actual PSI range.
Power wash online suggests; "The Power Washing industry expresses cleaning power as either "Cleaning Units", measured by the equation PSI x GPM, or as "Cleaning Units/hr".
PSI x GPM x hrs.
You will find these numbers in the product literature of a pressure washer and it will give you a good idea of the effective cleaning power of a pressure washer.
" Second, he wonders when washing a Boeing 737 - about how long should the pressure washer hose be, and should it be on a reel? Well, the answer to this question depends on the number of steel braid layers and the type and weight of the hose.
You can get blue, pin-pricked hose which is light weight, expensive, non-marring for painted floors, leaves no marks, and is rated at 3000, working 5000 PSI burst, light-weight, if so, you could put 175 feet max on the reel.
But if you are using hot water, you need to unreel it all when you use it.
Additionally, at 175 feet you get tired cranking so it is nice to have electric hose reel motors, but that adds lots of costs.
I'd recommend that you have bundles of 75-feet with quick disconnects with sleeves (prevents wearing them down) and 150 feet on the reel, then add 75-feet sections as needed.
You'll need about 450 feet total and some spare hose in case of breaks.
Also as you use the hose more and more you will need your own hose fix kit.
I am not sure if you have OSHA laws for employees like we have here, but if you do, you need to watch out as the steel starts showing, as it can cut you and if it rubs on the aircraft it will scratch big time.