Twin-Operator Haulage Depot Washdown Rig
Client: Major Northern UK Distribution & Haulage Operator (350+ Fleet)
High-volume 2-operator hot water system cleaning 40+ articulated tractor units and curtain trailers daily
Client Requirements
The client operated a busy 24-hour haulage depot servicing 40 to 60 articulated tractor units, refrigerated trailers, and curtain-siders every day. Their existing fixed wash pad suffered constant bottlenecks, causing vehicle downtime during driver shift changeovers. They required a mobile, high-pressure hot water rig capable of simultaneously supporting two operators working on opposite sides of a 16.5m truck and trailer combination, with sufficient onboard water to complete multi-vehicle cleaning sessions without constant hydrant re-fills.
Technical Constraints
Splitting single-machine high-pressure water between two simultaneous operators can cause severe pressure fluctuations and burner cycling if the hydraulic manifold and burner coil are undersized. Furthermore, moving 1,500 litres of water (1.5 tonnes) safely on depot roads requires precise baffle engineering and axle load calculations to prevent vehicle surge under braking.
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE & INNOVATIONS.
Alkota UK designed and assembled a bespoke open-deck tandem axle trailer centered around the Alkota 4305-GED industrial hot water skid. A heavy-duty Vanguard 18HP V-Twin engine powers a high-displacement triplex ceramic plunger pump. Water is delivered from a central 1,500L baffled tank through a custom brass flow-balancing Y-manifold, feeding two independent 12V electric auto-rewind hose reels with 50m of high-temp wire-braided hose each.
Engineered hydraulic flow-balancing manifold preventing pressure drop when second trigger gun is pulled
High-capacity down-draft combustion chamber maintaining 130°C output across full 17.0 LPM total demand
Rotomoulded triple-baffled water tank centered precisely over the twin tandem axles for neutral 75kg tongue weight
Dual 12V electric rewind reels wired into the Vanguard alternator charging circuit with auxiliary AGM buffer battery
Full UK IVA road certification enabling legal road transit between four regional depot hubs
Subsystem Walkthrough
01 — Primary Power & Pump Unit
Alkota 4305-GED skid with Briggs & Stratton Vanguard commercial V-Twin engine and belt-driven triplex plunger pump running at a low 1,450 RPM for continuous 10-hour daily duty cycles.
02 — Hydro-Insulated Heating Coil
Schedule 80 cold-rolled seamless steel pipe hydro-insulated down-draft burner delivering instantaneous high-pressure hot water and backed by Alkota’s 7-year warranty.
03 — Baffled 1,500L Reservoir System
Virgin MDPE tank with internal anti-surge baffle walls and low-level float switch that automatically cuts burner ignition if water supply is depleted.
04 — Dual Electric Hose Management
Two heavy-gauge steel hose reels with 12V high-torque electric recovery motors, enabling single-touch recovery of 50m hoses in under 20 seconds.
VERIFIED PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS.
Lifecycle Support & Maintenance
Like all Alkota UK bespoke builds, this system is supported by scheduled Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM), annual IVA roadworthiness inspection certification, and our industry-leading 7-year hydro-insulated coil warranty.
Learn About Trailer PPM & Lifecycle Care →ENGINEER YOUR SYSTEM.
Use this completed build as your starting blueprint in our interactive rig configurator. Customise water volume, machines, recovery, and chassis MAM in real time.