best chem for heavy equipment?

[rholman]

I just landed an account for excavator cleaning. greasy mess. I would like to hear what you guys would use as a degreaser. I have an 8gpm @ 3,000psi machine and hot water. The hot water works good, but i would like to find a chem that will speed up the process. i found a thread where formula 88 was used and no hot water. I like the sound of that since if my heater ever goes out i won't be so dependent on the heat. Can't find formula 88 around here. I called Lowes, Home Depot and Advanced Auto Parts today and they don't carry it anymore. Not sure what to use. I don't trust all the hype out there about chemicals in the media...I like to hear from experienced contractors who have actually used these products. What do you think?

[PPC]

try envirospec they ship it dry shipping charges r usaully cheap

[jakeman]

I have been cleaning alot of excavators myself and have found upstreaming my soap with hot water works well. I usually get most of the grease off this way, then I spray the stubborn spots with potassium hydroxide degreaser sprayed from a hand pump sprayer. This usually melts the rest off. Also I find if my soap mixture is a little stronger it gets rid of the grease more easily instead of just pushing it around the machine. Then I take a gallon of orange cleaner to the shower to try to get the grease off myseelf!

[rholman]

Originally Posted by jakeman

I have been cleaning alot of excavators myself and have found upstreaming my soap with hot water works well. I usually get most of the grease off this way, then I spray the stubborn spots with potassium hydroxide degreaser sprayed from a hand pump sprayer. This usually melts the rest off. Also I find if my soap mixture is a little stronger it gets rid of the grease more easily instead of just pushing it around the machine. Then I take a gallon of orange cleaner to the shower to try to get the grease off myseelf!

What potassium hydroxide cleaner do you use and at what ratio? I use my shurflo to apply chems...And yes, getting clean afterwards can take awhile. I came home and spent 2 hours cleaning my equipment and used some old pumice cleaner on my face. I would like to use a face shield, but not sure if it is practical because it will just get caked with grease and I won't be able to see. Do you use a face shield? I now have a better idea of what to do. I am going to get some hose covers for the section of hose closest to the gun....boots and gloves(duct taped at the wrist)....trench coat rainwear(for easy removal afterwards(unlike a typical rainsuit that is hard to get off without grease getting on your clothes)....and an mp3 player pumping tunes into my ears to make the whole process more enjoyable!

[John Doherty]

I've never done this kind of work but if I did I always thought I'd use something like this.

Industrial absorbents, sorbents, spill containment, oil spill cleanup, industrial supplies from New Pig Corporation

[Integrity.PSI]

HDB. You can get it at your local Hotsy dealer. Hotsy pressure washers: affordable high pressure cleaning equipment.

[jakeman]

Originally Posted by rholman

What potassium hydroxide cleaner do you use and at what ratio? I use my shurflo to apply chems...And yes, getting clean afterwards can take awhile. I came home and spent 2 hours cleaning my equipment and used some old pumice cleaner on my face. I would like to use a face shield, but not sure if it is practical because it will just get caked with grease and I won't be able to see. Do you use a face shield? I now have a better idea of what to do. I am going to get some hose covers for the section of hose closest to the gun....boots and gloves(duct taped at the wrist)....trench coat rainwear(for easy removal afterwards(unlike a typical rainsuit that is hard to get off without grease getting on your clothes)....and an mp3 player pumping tunes into my ears to make the whole process more enjoyable!

I don't wear a face shield for the reason you mentioned but i just toss my safety glasses to my helper to clean when they get covered in grease. I wear thin latex gloves inside a heavier pair of gloves, that way when i have to move the boom I take off the outer gloves so don't get grease all over the controls. Also I put an old blanket on the seat. That sounds like a good idea about the hose covers. I am definately going to try that. I have a shurflo pump pumping my soap into my pump and i just use the hand pump for degreaser. It is Rhino Heavy Duty degreaser and I mix it about 20 to1. I downstream my acid so it does not go through my pump. What are hose covers made of and who sells them?

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by rholman

What potassium hydroxide cleaner do you use and at what ratio? I use my shurflo to apply chems...And yes, getting clean afterwards can take awhile. I came home and spent 2 hours cleaning my equipment and used some old pumice cleaner on my face. I would like to use a face shield, but not sure if it is practical because it will just get caked with grease and I won't be able to see. Do you use a face shield? I now have a better idea of what to do. I am going to get some hose covers for the section of hose closest to the gun....boots and gloves(duct taped at the wrist)....trench coat rainwear(for easy removal afterwards(unlike a typical rainsuit that is hard to get off without grease getting on your clothes)....and an mp3 player pumping tunes into my ears to make the whole process more enjoyable!

Just a word of caution here guys, if you are on a construction site or if the heavy equipment is moved on occasion, you might not want to listend to the tunes. One of the mechanics on the site was doing that and 3 times started to back up or walk away from the dozer he was working on and almost got ran over by front-end loader, 55 ton crane and a fuel truck. When you are cleaning, the pressure washer is making noise but that is usually 20-100 feet away, you need to be able to hear the equipment driving by for your own protection.

If you are on a site where you have it blocked off, that is another story. I do not like to listen to music because you can get distracted too easily and someone could be stealing stuff off your truck/trailer while you are jamming or someone walk up on you and you will not hear them.

There are many more reasons to not get distracted when working around heavy equipment but here are just a few.

Just trying to keep you guys safe.

[Tmrrptr]

I've had probs w day laborers...
No ipods/mp3's... I've got them there to help. Never know when they can hear me...

No cell phones. They will stop everything to take calls...
Leave em in the truck. Check for calls @ breaktime.

Just one accident on a jobsite can send a company down the tube.
Or worse.
r

[rholman]

Originally Posted by jakeman

I don't wear a face shield for the reason you mentioned but i just toss my safety glasses to my helper to clean when they get covered in grease. I wear thin latex gloves inside a heavier pair of gloves, that way when i have to move the boom I take off the outer gloves so don't get grease all over the controls. Also I put an old blanket on the seat. That sounds like a good idea about the hose covers. I am definately going to try that. I have a shurflo pump pumping my soap into my pump and i just use the hand pump for degreaser. It is Rhino Heavy Duty degreaser and I mix it about 20 to1. I downstream my acid so it does not go through my pump. What are hose covers made of and who sells them?

I used the hose covers this winter when i was painting the inside of a warehouse....the owner provided all the equipment so I had to do a little research on where to buy the hose covers. Check this link out....looks like what i was using...comes in 50 ft perforated sections.

ROLL HOSE COVER by Airlessco and other Paint Sprayers at Gillroys.com - <PRE>A protective sleeve made of pl</PRE>