M17A3 Decon apparatus ideas?

M17A3 Decon apparatus other use ideas?

Well.... hmmm. I got my decontamination apparatus working correctly, and tried it as a steam cleaner..... it didnt work very well for what I tried it on, there wasnt enough pressure. It sure did make hot water, and in a danged big hurry, and lots of it. So now I am wondering, what would be a good use for this brand new piece of equipment? I might need so help from some others who think outside the box.

The best idea that I could come up with is to use it as security for my fort when the zombie's come, like Mad Max did with the flame thrower in 'Road Warrior'

I have both a M17 and two MX 2 steam/hot water cleaners. The M17 is much, much easier to get and keep going than the MX2. The problem with the MX 2 is that it has so many interlocks, it gets tricky to operate. Usually at least once each time while using it, it will start to run away and I have seen 500 degrees C and this is in the hot water mode where the max should be 225 C, steam mode should be around 325 C. The M17 should stay around 100 C but I have seen 200 C when I forgot to turn the hose back on for my header tank once. At least the blow off valve worked as it should.

I have used the M17 now for around 12 hours doing things like washing houses and metal roofs, and washing equipment. The injector did not work too well when shooting cleaning solution up on the roof but I believe I was maxing out the elevation it would pump. It is loud and it smokes (diesel fueled engine) big time on startup and make sure to be downwind of the burner exhaust. The best way to degrease is to spray on Greased Lightning or the purple stuff and let it sit, then wash. Probably will have to repeat. Neither unit is a strong pressure washer, they only put out perhaps 200 psi max. It is not magic in making grease go away but it works as well as other Hotsy or steam cleaner units I have used. I have not been able to get the MX 2 units to work correctly in the steam mode. I have used the MX 2 at church to wash pots during our chicken stew (chicken and dumplings) fundraisers. Everyone laughed when I first brought it but now they always say make sure to bring it since it reduces dish washing considerably. I am still debating about trying to get a MX 2 going or bring the M17 (noise is a factor) to the next one in November.

Robert

Does anyone else have any uses for the M17A3?

155mm, I thought about bidding on one of those to use as a steam washer for equipment. I have one in storage for a fellow SS member.

Its good for really oil caked on stuff. Just have to keep an eye of the water temp, it will get hot fast

I have two of those in storage just waiting on a good idea to use one of them on!

I reread the original post and did not get that you already had one. The M17 only makes hot water unless you are about to blow it up or starve if of water. I made the mistake of not totally getting all of the pressure off of a hose while taking it apart and scalded the snot out of my wrist above the glove. As I stated in an eariler post in this thread, I also have MX 2 steam/hot water cleaners that are much, much harder to operate (and not blow up). I have not run those in steam mode since they are scary enough in hot water mode (~225 degrees C) and have seen 500 C on the temp gauge twice before I could hit the blow off valve.

If you do get a M17, make sure it has the steamer trunk of accessories with it. It should have two guns, two hoses, intake hose, two pouches made out of the same rubberized material they used for the gas mask hoods in the late 80s full of tools and odds and ends. It also had a shower for personnel decon which is not very useful to civilians but you can rob the couplings which remind me of the kind on some fire hoses. I bought some steam rated hoses from ebay in 25' sections for reasonable prices and used the couplings . I believe I paid around $600 for mine which had about 1.6 hours on it and was only missing one of the 50' output hoses and the water tank. It is also modified to run on diesel and has an extra tank holding 2 stroke oil which is injected at the carb.

Robert

Well guess should have researched here before today. Bought two of them. Don't have any idea if it will work, but was contemplating trying to see if I could hook it up upstream of my pressure washer turning it into a redneck hot water pressure washer. Could work well but could end up a trip to the hospital. My purchases did not come with accessories but for $90 and a personal favor to 98G for pick up how could I go wrong. Wait a minute, now I'm thinking about this more clearly, I am going to owe 98G...... this could end worse than the potential trip to ER