Cleaning IBC totes

[pvaughn]

I am a new member with what seems to be a unique application. I work for Soilworks, LLC as the Production Manager. We have a product called Soiltac that goes out to customers in IBC totes. My computer is giving me problems so for a picture of an IBC tote please Google Image search "IBC tote" or go to my company's website Soilworks.com and poke around, you will see them. Sometimes we will get these back with the Soiltac set up in the bottom and it could be any thickness from thin to a few inches thick and consistency that could be sludge, gum or like rock. We are cleaning these with Mi-T-M HD pressure washer @ 4500psi, 200 degree water at 5gpm water (no cleaning solutions) through a turbo nozzle. I have a few problems. First, it takes forever. I think I need to get higher gpm and pressure but the wall of the tote is only 2mm thick poly-something and there is a good chance that higher pressure will penetrate the wall. If we sit with a 0 degree tip in one spot for a couple seconds we will breach the wall of the tote. Another problem is access to the inside of the tote. There is a six in hole on top and a two inch hole on the bottom for a valve, those are the only entry points for a wand. I can't clean the inside top of the totes with a straight wand. I am considering having a wand 90" long bent 90 degrees at 40" to go through the 2" valve hole then be fed through to reach the top of the tote. Has anyone tried an angled wand at that high of pressure? Finally, I am thinking about building my own pressure washer using an air motor and electric home water heater instead of the gas run Mi-T-M and its diesel heater. I came across a Graco Hydra Clean when I was researching this concept and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with one.


Sorry for the length of this post. If you guys think it should be broke apart into different threads I will do my best to keep up on them all.

[Russ Johnson]

Here's just what you need...


http://www.arnorthamerica.com/cleani...biroty018.html

Hook it to your pressure washer, drop it through the 2" port in the lid, plug it in, and go do something else for 15 - 20 minutes.

[fasttravis]

A buddy of mine uses this to clean out 55gallon drums and the big plastic water/sludge tanks. up to 350gallons. This thing is bad ass. BUT your gonna pay for it.. Also see if ya can get an extra water filter in there somewhere when these clog up there a monster to get cleaned out I hear...

[Russ Johnson]

At $1,350.00, it's not cheap, but when you compare it to the labor savings, plus the fact that the tote will be clean top, bottom, and sides, it's not too bad.