WARNING: The pump discussed in this article is not designed for soft washing. Soft washing utilizes sodium hypochlorite (SH), a highly corrosive chemical that can break down metals, plastics, and just about any material you can think of with varying effectiveness. SH can be dangerous if ingested, inhaled, and can cause chemical burns to your skin.
We recommend a soft wash pump designed for the application such as the Comet P40, AR45, or 12V options from companies like Remco or EverFlo.
That being said, some DIY soft washers have recently been posting about this $189 Harbor Freight pump and we wanted to summarize what we know so far from the soft wash community who is using this pump.
This is not an endorsement of this pump in the soft wash industry, please do your own research and proceed with caution.
Intro
Ok, now that we have the scary stuff out of the way, let’s talk about this crazy cheap gas powered Predator pump from Harbor Freight!
First of all, it goes by many names including, Trash Pump, Cheap Shot, Predator Pump, Harbor Freight Pump, Budget Pump… They all refer to the same product.
This is a 79cc, 4-stroke engine coupled with a cast iron pump with silicon carbide seals (not made for SH but YOLO). With 1-inch NPT input and output ports, the Predator pump integrates easily with standard plumbing setups used in the industry. Its total size measures about 15x15x11 inches and weighs ~40 lbs.
Some great videos are available on YouTube by Advanced Softwash LLC. This is the first video that was sent to me by one of our customers asking if our 1” proportioner would work with this budget gas powered pump. Take a look below at Joseph Nallick’s overview video wherein he shows us his plumbing setup, output, and spray distance while doing a house wash.
If you are interested in trying out the Predator Pump with a soft wash proportioner, we recommend the 1” proportioner in our shop. Check it out below
PREDATOR GAS POWERED PUMP SPECS – FOR SOFT WASHING
Reminder, this pump was not designed for soft washing but the specs below reflect the pump’s performance when set up in a soft wash configuration.
GPM: The maximum flow for this unit is rated at 35 GPM but we have to keep in mind that it was not designed for soft washing and when we add 100+ feet of 1/2” soft wash hose it dramatically reduces the output GPM. I have seen two GPM tests with soft washing setups using this pump and the results ranged from 8-9 GPM.
That’s pretty crazy for a pump this cheap!
PSI: This pump appears to have decent pressure, similar to many 12V pumps on the market. However, in one of Joseph Nallick’s videos from Advanced Soft LLC, he says his output after ~100 feet of 5/8” soft wash hose was around 60 PSI. If that’s the case, it’s on the low end of PSI for your starter soft wash pump. Typically a rating of 100+ PSI is recommended, but, it’s all about the results you get on the job.
SPRAY DISTANCE: Speaking of results, the spray distance on this trash pump is quite remarkable. From the videos I have seen it reaches up to 50 feet and can hit a two story house no problem. We recommend using this HIGH FLOW SOFT WASH GUN for best results.
RELIABILITY: Who cares if this pump has great performance if it breaks after a week? I have heard mixed reviews on the reliability of this pump when used for soft washing. Some users report it “goes kaput” after 3 jobs and others get several months of work out of it. Such is the nature of Harbor Freight tools. One thing I will say, it doesn’t matter if you have a $2k soft wash machine – if you don’t maintain it properly it will break very quickly!
BEST MAINTENANCE PRACTICES – PREDATOR PUMP
We know that SH is highly corrosive and this pump is made with cast iron – that is not a good combo to start with… It’s ok though. We understand this isn’t the “gold standard” pump, but we still want to get the most out of it. This is where maintenance comes into play and it is very simple. FLUSH!!!
The most effective way to slow the corrosion of your soft wash pump is to limit its exposure to SH. Obviously when it is in action you are constantly pumping chemicals through it, but when you finish a job it is vital that you flush your pump out with at least water and preferably a bleach neutralizer like the one below.
Typically after soft washing with chemicals you will do a final rinse down with just water to wash away any excess SH and to protect vegetation. This is great because it gives you the minimum 5-10 minutes you need to flush residual SH out of your pump so it doesn’t corrode so quickly. For best results, use bleach neutraliser when performing your rinse down to preserve your clients property and to give some much needed love to your pump’s internals:)
Also, this pump does not have a bypass. So, if you are not spraying, the fluid inside of your pump is still circulating and has nowhere to go which creates heat. Shawn Alexander from Apex Pressure Cleaning recommends you turn your machine off if letting it idle for more than 5 minutes without pulling the trigger to avoid overheating. You can check out his review of the pump below.
PRICE COMPARISON – COMET P40 vs PREDATOR PUMP
A Comet P40 (industry standard pump) can cost 10x more than this Predator Pump, or around $1,800. The Comet P40 justifies its $1,800 price with materials like stainless steel and Viton seals, offering greater resistance to SH and significantly longer service life. We have to temper our expectations for this Predator pump because of its $189 price tag. You get what you pay for, and any industry veteran knows this.
With a 10x price difference it would be fair to expect a 10x difference in performance amongst these two machines, right? In reality, the biggest difference between these machines isn’t performance, but rather reliability.
If you have been in the industry for any period of time you know that soft wash pumps are notorious for failing on the job. This is because SH is such a corrosive chemical that even pumps designed with special materials break down over time. The Predator Pump is made with cast iron metal which will break down very quickly if not maintained properly, and even if you are religious about flushing it out between jobs, it is only a matter of time before you will need to replace the Trash Pump.
TRASH PUMP WARRANTY:
This is where the warranty comes in. Harbor Freight is known for selling cheap sh*t with great warranties. For instance, the Predator Pump comes with a 90 day warranty. If the pump stops working you can bring it in for a replacement. They also sell an extended 1-year warranty for $55 which will come in handy because it’s very unlikely this pump lasts that long when subject to SH. (It’s unlikely to last 90 days to be honest)
There is probably fine print that nullifies the warranty if a product is used outside of the scope of its purpose – in this case, the pump is developed for water not chlorine – but, after speaking to the cashier at my local Harbor Freight, he told me they don’t ask questions when it comes to warranties… Do with that info what you will.
Oh, and make sure if you do return the pump for replacement that you empty any remaining gasoline from the tank or they won’t accept it!
CONCLUSION
In summary, the Predator Pump is not designed for soft wash and is not a long term solution to grow your professional business. But, it could be a cheap entry point for those just getting started who don’t have a lot to spend on their first setup.
You are rolling the dice with the materials it’s made out of and you can’t rely on this pump with your life. Make sure to have a backup solution if possible.
Proper maintenance on a pump like this is ESPECIALLY important to keep it from breaking. Regardless of which soft wash pump you are using, make sure to rinse the pump out with water for at least ~10 minutes after a job, and invest in a HIGH QUALITY NEUTRALIZER for added protection.
Finally, we recommend you invest in basic safety gear when working with soft washing equipment. This includes but is not limited to high quality boots, eye protection, and a respirator to minimize bodily exposure to SH. You can find our SOFT WASH RESPIRATOR HERE for just $30.
Hopefully you got something out of this article. Please reach out if you have any questions (561) 314-0761 and check out our other blogs for more soft washing info!
