If you could add features to this board, what would they be?

[Bryce C]

I'm going to go for it. I wonder if 3 days off will do the trick. 1st day blast the crud out of the waste tank with a high pressure spray gun and let it dry completely, next day pour the epoxy after somehow plugging the drain valve to prevent epoxy from getting into it, let it cure for a full day and get back to work on day 4. I think I have a small leak already.

 

[Bryce C]

Maybe I'll go to Woodcraft and talk to them about epoxy choices. Woodworkers use a lot of epoxy and know its attributes very well. I bet they could point me toward a very high quality and flexible product that has a better shot of lasting several years. When I am pouring it maybe I should pour some down as many of the sidewalls starting several inches up as I can reach in case there are some pinholes above the floor section.

 

[Dwain Ray]

I'm going to go for it. I wonder if 3 days off will do the trick. 1st day blast the crud out of the waste tank with a high pressure spray gun and let it dry completely, next day pour the epoxy after somehow plugging the drain valve to prevent epoxy from getting into it, let it cure for a full day and get back to work on day 4. I think I have a small leak already.

Is your wastetank leaking??

 

[Bryce C]

Is your wastetank leaking??

I don't know for sure. But I saw a moisture streak coming out from under my shelves a few times when working and grabbing gear from the back. I thought my Multisprayer got knocked over with some detergent in it but it was fine strapped in and sitting upright. Im guessing it is a small pinhole leak in the waste tank. Because when the moisture streak dried it left a whitish detergent residue behind, each time...

 

[Bryce C]

I knew it was a problem with these machines but I've only seen it do that a few times, and it didn't click in my mind until Nate mentioned the waste tank leaking issue just now.

 

[Bryce C]

Yep I am positive its a leak in my waste tank. Started like 2 or 3 weeks ago now that I think about it. Every other day or so when working I would see a moisture streak that dries and leaves a white residue on the floor. It is always running down the same exact groove in the floor, because it must be leaking from the same exact place in the waste tank. Fooked...

 

[SamIam]

He’s out of the business now and spends his time smoking in the garage.

Oh wait your serious

 

[Dwain Ray]

Amen Jim. That's exciting to hear, thanks for putting in a good word for us goober hacks!



That's cool Dwain-o. I really like the adjustable belts with the idler pulleys, and the simple driveshaft construction. I will challenge you on something though, I think this CDS 4.8 is even more accessible than your sexy Steam Genie. If we consider removing your panels on par (or close enough) with removing my driver and passenger seats, then it seems to me my layout is way more open and accessible as it is spread out across the space between the driver and passenger seats as well as about 20" or so behind each of those seats, like wide open, rather than stuffed in a box. I'll remove the seats and share some pics tomorrow.

Heres what the insides of a "near original " steamgeni pto looks like the 3 hose valve on the left (red outlined) is chemical tank selector (not stock ) and white duplex wire is waste pump other than that its a stock 2000 steamgeni pto with 10,363 hours as simple as a powerful machine can get 3 belts 4 hoses a pump n a blower 3 tube and shell heat exchangers a lot of open space still in a 3×3 box tucked behind the drivers seat

 

[Dwain Ray]

Heres what the insides of a "near original " steamgeni pto looks like the 3 hose valve on the left (red outlined) is chemical tank selector (not stock ) and white duplex wire is waste pump other than that its a stock 2000 steamgeni pto with 10,363 hours as simple as a powerful machine can get 3 belts 4 hoses a pump n a blower 3 tube and shell heat exchangers a lot of open space still in a 3×3 box tucked behind the drivers seat

View attachment 132463 View attachment 132464 View attachment 132465 View attachment 132466

Here's a side by side Frankenstein vs near original

 

[Bryce C]

That's sweet Dwain. Thanks for the pics. I like simple!

Someone on Hydramaster FB group with a lot of CDS machines has used this several times with 100% success sealing leaking aluminum waste tanks. It is an epoxy made for repairing motorcycle gas tanks. I think I am going to go for it. Prep the thing as best as I can without removing it and hope for the best. Worse case scenario it doesn't work and I pull the tank anyway then repair it from the bottom side

Caswell Epoxy Gas Tank Sealer - All Sizes & Colors

caswellplating.com

 

[Bryce C]

Here's a side by side Frankenstein vs near original

View attachment 132467 View attachment 132468 View attachment 132469 View attachment 132470 View attachment 132471 View attachment 132472 View attachment 132473 View attachment 132475 View attachment 132474

Your a badass mechanic Dwain. Your machine looks so much cleaner and kickass than the original Steam Genie!

 

[Dwain Ray]

Your a badass mechanic Dwain. Your machine looks so much cleaner and kickass than the original Steam Genie!

Keep in mind your comparing a 3 year old machine with 1,400 hours on the clock with one thats pushing 26 years old with over 10k on the clock. There's alot more shit in frankinstiens box, last step chemical injection, thermal relief waterbox overflow drain , high pressure cleanco & salsa heat exchangers tachometer and shaft sensor . Remote start/stop pump or enitre machine,dual chemical tank selector. Dual wastepump float switches with auto and manual with auto stop. Remote excess blower grease collection. But most importantly everything including control panel is all compactand accessible in a 3×3 box . I will have to admit, theres alot more space to work in the original. But just like cars today the more features the less space. Compared to some of the shit ive seen on the market for what frankinstien is and does he's still very very simple and easy to maintain

 

[Bryce C]

I like it Dwain. That's a sweet rig, now I know why Woody wants one so bad. I'm still stoked about the layout of my CDS. It may not be built as well, but what is contained in your 3x3 box is spread out over something like 3X the area between and behind the driver and passenger seat of the van. I think I'm going to repair and maintain this thing for a long time.

I'm glad my setup is in a 2500 Express. If you chose to go with that van, it must have a lot of virtues.

 

[Dwain Ray]

That's sweet Dwain. Thanks for the pics. I like simple!

Someone on Hydramaster FB group with a lot of CDS machines has used this several times with 100% success sealing leaking aluminum waste tanks. It is an epoxy made for repairing motorcycle gas tanks. I think I am going to go for it. Prep the thing as best as I can without removing it and hope for the best. Worse case scenario it doesn't work and I pull the tank anyway then repair it from the bottom side

Caswell Epoxy Gas Tank Sealer - All Sizes & Colors

caswellplating.com

Hopefully it'll work. I have zero experience sealing tanks. When they start going bad i start looking for replacements but in your case that could get real spendie . Is your tank eaten up or cracked?

 

[Bryce C]

On another note my waste tank was filling up rapidly this past week. Like 4x as fast as normal. I ordered a new thermal relief valve as I am sure that is what has been causing it, frankly there is nowhere else that could be dumping tons of water into the waste tank. I put a ball valve at the top of the rubber hose coming off the thermal relief valve so I can keep operating for now...

Question, since the thermal relief valve is before both of my heat exchangers, is it just a fail safe in case my relief orifice heats the waterbox up too much thereby sending too hot of water to the pressure pump? How else could water ever go into the pump hotter than what the pump is rated to handle, something like 180 degrees? If the machine runs continually for several hours can the waterbox actually get that hot even when constantly mixing with cool incoming water from a garden hose or fresh water tank?

 

[Bryce C]

Hopefully it'll work. I have zero experience sealing tanks. When they start going bad i start looking for replacements but in your case that could get real spendie . Is your tank eaten up or cracked?

I don't think it is eaten up or cracked. I've looked in it before and never noticed anything. But it is real ugly in there and I wasn't looking for that kind of thing intently. I haven't seen anything on the outside. I'll look closer tomorrow.

 

[Dwain Ray]

I like it Dwain. That's a sweet rig, now I know why Woody wants one so bad. I'm still stoked about the layout of my CDS. It may not be built as well, but what is contained in your 3x3 box is spread out over something like 3X the area between and behind the driver and passenger seat of the van. I think I'm going to repair and maintain this thing for a long time.

I'm glad my setup is in a 2500 Express. If you chose to go with that van, it must have a lot of virtues.

Its a stock 2020 chevy 2500 extended van with a 6.0L i looked into a 3500 originally but what i found out was my thinking and mindset was outdated. In my mind a 1500 was1/2ton 2500 was3/4 ton and 3500 was 1 ton which was the standard when i bought my 1983 van new but as it turns out a 2500 has a payload rating of 3280 lbs and a 3500 has a payload capacity of 4280 so the 2500 was way more than enough for me

 

[Dwain Ray]

I installed a 140° thermal relief in frankinstien where the bypassed water reenters the pump the pump pumps cold water but when im not using it the bypass regulator recirculates back into the pumps inlet and as it's recirculating with each pass ot heats up so if or when it reaches 140° it dumps into the wastetank using the same hose y'd off from the chemical pump prime i also added a check valve to prevent air from entering thru the thermal relief in the pictures circled is the thermal relief (brass) with check valve( stainless connected to hose) lower left hose is chem pump discharge top is to waste tank

 

[Bryce C]

Its a stock 2020 chevy 2500 extended van with a 6.0L i looked into a 3500 originally but what i found out was my thinking and mindset was outdated. In my mind a 1500 was1/2ton 2500 was3/4 ton and 3500 was 1 ton which was the standard when i bought my 1983 van new but as it turns out a 2500 has a payload rating of 3280 lbs and a 3500 has a payload capacity of 4280 so the 2500 was way more than enough for me

I have no idea what my machine and other gear weighs, or what my 2500 payload rating is. I suppose if I was buying new stuff I'd of learned more about it. I could figure it out now but it all seems good so I'm just happy with that for now.

I will say I am shocked at how good on gas it is. Ours has the 4.8L V8 engine in it, which seems like plenty even going up hills. And I think when operating the truckmount it saves a lot of petro compared to the 6.0L. Maybe a bigger engine would last longer or something, I don't know...

 

[Dwain Ray]

I have no idea what my machine and other gear weighs, or what my 2500 payload rating is. I suppose if I was buying new stuff I'd of learned more about it. I could figure it out now but it all seems good so I'm just happy with that for now.

I will say I am shocked at how good on gas it is. Ours has the 4.8L V8 engine in it, which seems like plenty even going up hills. And I think when operating the truckmount it saves a lot of petro compared to the 6.0L. Maybe a bigger engine would last longer or something, I don't know...

I live on a the rural coast of California about 140 miles north of san Francisco its pretty mountainous and a 6 cylinder engine would be constantly struggling especially when i have a 120 gallons of water onboard. I don't always carry a full tank of water unless im going to need it 80% of my customers are on wells and i charge a flat rate of 25.00 to bring water generally theres a only about 20 gallons on board for my convenience

 

[Dwain Ray]

I over drived my blower inorder to reduce engine rpms my engine runs at 1230 rpms to get 3000 on the blower which gives me a shit load of vacuum by design. I have a 47 blower on a 50 gallon wastetank so with 75' of hose laying on the ground and the machine on high my guage reads 13 and the relief opens @ between 15&16 so it takes frankie no time to reach max vac. At high rpm and max vac my burn is 1.6 gph and around 11-13 mpg driving higher on the freeway . However frankinstien rarely sees a freeway closest one is over an hour away only engine choice i had was 4.3l v6 and 6.0 v8

 

[bob vawter]

Yes!!!

I would add a rubber room...!