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My New Roof Cleaning Friend,

Welcome! I hope you enjoy and learn from and give back to the amazing forum. That is a valid question and so I will try to address it.

Fist of all,

That is just one of the reasons some of us choose to use other methods of chemical delivery such as gear driven pumps or air over liquid AODD (Air diaphragm pumps).

When you confine an electric motor designed for intermittent use, and stuff it in a box with minimal airflow and then ask it to (over) work continuously to pump a chemical mixture that it is not really designed for , i.e; sodium hypochlorite (which is BOTH a gas and a liquid). Then, you are just asking for problems.

As our friend, mentor and board guru Chris of Apple Roof Cleaning states repeatedly throughout our board.

"No Roof Pump is Forever"

Fans are a solution, Heat sink shrouds are another option. Taking it OUT of the Battery box and making an aluminum cover for it that allows it to breath and remain relatively weather resistant but still allows the heat to dissipate while the aluminum shield draws heat away as well.

Finally, have two pumps wiring and plumbed to work part time duty instead of putting the full load duty on one small pump head and motor winding full time....which is a recipe for black smoke and disappointment?

Here is my method of thought, it occurred to me a long while back, that we roof cleaners are ALL different and come from a myriad of backgrounds and so, as such, we all "float in different boats".

But, until we all realize we are all in floating in the SAME sea, different strokes for different folks will prevail, even if the methods may be dated?

Just some food for thought?


-- Edited by Roof Clean USA Georgia 229-227-0000 on Thursday 11th of June 2009 01:10:20 AM

I put 3/4" tall rubber feet on the bottom of the battery box and drilled 10 1"holes in the bottom to allow more airflow through the box. I don't remove the top, although that might be a really good idea, but I do loosen the strap holding it down so it isn't too tight. So far, I haven't had a problem, but I haven't done alot of roofs yet either. Just another idea for you to consider.

AD pump FTW!!!!

the metal box open on one side seems to work well for the people I have discussed it with. Many air compressors are set up that way around here (in farmland lol) to protect them from the rain. The open side facing away from your chem will block chem and uv but allow air in. Another option I would conideer (and may do to my AD pump) is t build a box or use a metal prebuilt box with a door on the side, then you can leave it open when in use and close it afterwards. Good luck brother!!

Thanks for the tip on opening the box. I recently switched pumps from a 4.5 gpm sure-flow to a 7 gpm Delavan.  The sure-flo was waterproof and didn't need to be in a box.  I never had a problem.  I mounted the Delavan per instructions into a battery box using a 20 amp fuse and blew 2 during my first job. The inline switch was getting hot so I was thinking I needed to beef up the wireing and may be even change out the switch   but I bet it was the pump.

-- Edited by Roofguard Shingle Cleaning on Tuesday 28th of July 2009 05:37:50 AM

I went to radio shack and bought a small cooling fan like goes in stero and computer equip. and wired it in to the wire from swich to the pump motor so when the pump kicks on so does the fan. Cut hole on one end of box and use silacone to glue window screen to the OUTSIDE of the box (ps- use sand paper to rough up slightly) cut hole on other end for fan, be sure to direct air flow across the motor the best as possiable. I've used this method for about 6 years with 1 pump and the seals finaly gave out this spring but the motor still runs.