(For those that don't know, an HT is high pressure porty for hard surfaces.)

This happened at the end of the day yesterday as I was breaking the machine down.

Before I begin I need to tell you that on my HT the main High Pressure pump switch on the handle broke a few jobs back. No big deal, because we were on the job and needed to get it finished, I opened up the handle and hard wired the discharge pump because it also uses a float switch in side as well and can easily be run on just the float switch. So with that I used the main discharge pump switch as the main HP pump switch. No problem right? ……Or so it would seem. I should also tell you I have lost the little brass cap that goes on to the discharge outlet, but again no big deal.

When I shut the HT down for the day I use the vac hose to pull out any water in the fresh water tank and any water that might be in mop buckets as well as any other unneeded water. Then I reach into the recovery and hold up the float so that it can pump down any residual water in the bottom of the tank, all but about an inch and a half or so. To prevent any water from dripping out of the fresh water or drain hoses when I roll them up I then suck the little residual water out of them as well. Then lastly, with the vac running, I go to the far end of the vac hose; hold it up into the air to create a high spot so any small amount of water still in the hose gets worked back to the machine as I work this high spot back towards the machine. Just before the machine I also installed a filter like the one that gets used on TM’s to catch any debris before it gets into the tank and then into my discharge pump. There is always a little water left in that canister so I shake it around to get out that last little bit. Breaking it all down this way avoids the chance of me making any unnecessary mess from any residual water as I roll up all of the hoses.

As I’m squatted down behind the machine shaking this canister, I see what I can only describe as; an opened fire hydrant. There is this huge gush of water shooting out of the side of the HT. Evidently there was more water in the recovery tank then what I thought there was. So with that, I jump up and hold my hand over the discharge outlet. Fortunately, that completely stops any flow of water. But see, there is no way to stop the pump from running because I have hard wired it. The only way to stop it, is to go down the hall way and unplug it. If I do that, I again have Niagara Falls. Do you see my predicament? Of course I could just yank the cord from the wall but in my infant wisdom (yes that was infant wisdom, not immanent wisdom) in an effort to keep all of the lines up off of the floor that I was working on I had routed them behind a box of “stuff” that was sitting on a counter. Yes you guessed it, yank on the cord, yank on the box. At that point in time my options were pretty limited. Fortunately the box didn’t have anything in it of any value or anything in it that was breakable.

I hope you have all enjoyed my little story. No, surprisingly, there was no damage done. This is a 9th floor condo on Clearwater Beach over looking the Gulf of Mexico that is under construction. It sure was nice to dodge that bullet. I guess it’s a good thing I go to such great lengths to avoid any unnecessary water getting on the floors. I just need to work on not getting it on the walls now.

David Gelinas
Marbleguy

Now who "pulled a James"?



Rick Gelinas
encapman

Those small parts can cause big accidents. I use industrial velcro attached to the small parts. Keeps the parts handy.

George Barnett
Owner: G & G Services
HydroTech Representative
www.webnow.com/HydroTech

Sounds like you needed a big brother working with you that day...

The monkey is now off my back.......

"Don't pull a David!!!!!"


LOL
James

David, I sent you an e-mail a few days ago, you get it. RE: Cystallization?

ill be at a hotel near brits place not far from the pier on tuesday night, wed and thursday morning... should i bring the cimmey and we can play 2gether?

Frankie