Washdown Pump vs. Jet Wash Pumps: Understanding the Differences and Choosing the Right Pump

Washdown Pump vs. Jet Wash Pumps: Understanding the Differences and Choosing the Right Pump

Washing down milking parlours, livestock containers, or simply removing mud from machinery can be challenging for everyone working on a farm. Washdown pumps or jet wash pumps are popular agricultural pumps as they can quickly help you clean out everything from agricultural equipment and dairies to simply keeping walkways clear and tidy. However, do you know the difference between a washdown pump and a jet wash pump and when to use each of them?

This is a common question that we get from our agricultural customers. Although very similar, these two agricultural water pumps have their own uses and best areas of application due to some very different design benefits. However, it is important to be able to identify when each pump type should be used. To answer all your questions and help you find which agricultural pump is right for your application, we've prepared a detailed article that talks through design differences and gives examples of when each one is more suited.

Washdown pump vs jet wash pumps

Both washdown pumps and jet wash pumps are invaluable cleaning tools that not only help keep everything clean but reduce the risks of food contamination in the dairy farms, spreading dirt and mud on the road from agricultural machinery and complying with the health and safety regulations. Although these pump types might seem that they are doing the same job, there are some major differences when it comes to their flow rate and pressure capabilities.

Jet wash pumps have very high pressure that produces a powerful and narrow water jet which may be ideal for cleaning small areas of hard dirt, but they are not so effective for cleaning larger areas with a lot of debris. In this situation, when you need to swipe the dirt away quickly, a washdown pump would be a perfect solution as it can supply a high volume of water at a substantial pressure to wash down any remains.

With a flow rate between 90 and 130 l/min, high volume washdown pumps such as PowerSnake MK4, can provide a convenient way to hose down milking parlours and livestock containers and keep everything clean. This makes them a very popular choice among our agricultural customers especially as washdown pumps are easy to operate and have a simple and reliable design. Another big advantage is that the water pump operation is completely automatic; the washdown pump starts and stops in response to the nozzle/gun, and it can draw water from a well, stream or rainwater tank, which makes it a very cost-efficient pumping solution.

On the other hand, due to their high-pressure capabilities, jet wash pumps can be handy solutions for deep cleaning and removing any stubborn dirt, mould and marks from any surface. As the water in a jet wash pump travels fast, it hits the dirty surface with high kinetic energy, easily knocking dirt and removing any marks. Another benefit is that some high-pressure water pumps for cleaning have a chemical tank connected to a low-pressure chemical injector, which doses detergents or chemicals into the line allowing you to clean more efficiently. However, this agricultural pump has a low flow rate of around 10-15 l/min, meaning it can't supply a large volume of water to clean big areas quickly. So working with a high pressure water pump typically takes longer and is usually used for specific purposes or an annual spring cleaning. Although jet wash pumps only use water that doesn't damage most hard surfaces, we recommend testing it on an area before you start work to ensure it doesn't harm the surface you're cleaning.

 

What applications are washdown pumps used for? 

High volume washdown pumps are used for various applications due to the number of design benefits and easy operation. They are usually selected as a quick solution to wash away any debris and maintain the farm ground cleanliness. Washdown pumps are used regularly, and typical applications are:

- Washing down milking parlours, livestock sheds, yards

-  Cleaning agricultural machinery

- Washing down food preparation areas

- Keeping driveways and large open areas clean

- Swiping away any debris

 

 

When to use a jet wash pump?

Considering all the design advantages and disadvantages, jet wash pumps such as Interpump pressure washer are typically used for small surface areas or big annual cleaning of stubborn dirt. When selecting the right high pressure pump, we see many people make the common mistake to choose a pump based only on the high-pressure rating. As a leading pump supplier, we always recommend considering how you will use the pump, how often you will use it and can you use it for different applications once you have it. Based on this, you will be able to select the right high-pressure pump and ensure the specifications are good enough for what you need it.

Some of the typical applications jet wash pumps are a particularly good choice are:

- Agricultural machinery cleaning

- Removing hard dirt from livestock containers

- Removing stubborn dirt from brickwork, patio, fences even boats

- Keeping concrete driveways clean

 

 

Still a bit unsure?

In an ideal setting, you will have both pumps and use each of them for a specific application. However, if you are unsure which agricultural pump is right for your application, contact us. As a leading agricultural water pump supplier, our technical sales engineers have been specifying water pumps for domestic, industrial and agricultural use for the best part of 25 years. Simply give us a call on 01777 871100, and we will advise you on the pump that best suits your installation.