FAQ: New: Pressure Washer FAQ, + Call for Papers

OK guys the competition is hotting up, there's another FAQ to get your teeth into.

formatting link
FAQ is from Dave Lang and has lots of stuff on Pressure Washers I wish I knew before I bought my el cheapo one from a shed one. Mind you, even that little pile of s**te left me wondering why I didn't get one years ago. All the times I have scrapped and scrubbed the slippery moss off my yard pavers when I could have had them stripped and gleaming in no time!

Amongst the little gems in this FAQ is the little known fact that they are not even called Pressure Washers by the trade. HPC's is what they are - High Pressure Cleaners, that is. And there is a cunning formula that lets you work out if the one you have an eye on has enough ooomph - it's the 'Cleaning Effect' magic number, no less.

Well, that's 3 brand new FAQs this months - Any more for any more??? I'll help you knock a draft into presentable prose :-)

For inspiration have a look at a the outline of "interesting" topics I knocked up

formatting link
- its Word format.

Comments on the list itself are also welcome, if you don't actually feel a FAQ coming on ;-)

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

formatting link
Google uk.d-i-y archive is at
formatting link
NOSPAM from address to email me

Reply to
Phil Addison
Loading thread data ...

The phrase here doesn't make electrical sense. "With electricity we recognise that amps (flow) are often more important than volts (pressure)." Power is the ability to do work which is the product of current and voltage. Therefore they are as important as each other.

I have always been frustrated at determining the quality of machines. I feel price alone is not always a good indicator to determine if its a cheapie or midrange. I doubt many shops would allow you to take the cover off to have a look!

Reply to
Fred

Would be worth adding some common faults, and their solutions.

For example, in a machine with a bypass valve (When you stop the water, the motor continues to run) sometimes you can get a fault where, when you operate the trigger, the water pulses, along with the sound of the motor. When this happened to me, the fault was a piece of grit in the very end of the lance ( It had 5 holes when the nozzle was removed, four in the sides, and one in the end (I assume the ones in the side are used when you pull the nozzle back a bit, to get a low pressure output) - the grit in the end was restricting the flow, causing the bypass valve to operate, then when the pressure dripped the bypass valve closed again, ad infinitum. Removal if this grit was a simple job - but care must be taken not to damage this little hole (I very carefully used a piece of wire to clean it out, about half as thick as the hole)

I can probably take some pictures of my nozzle if it helps!

Maybe if other people can add their experience with their HPC's it can all be added!?

Sparks...

Reply to
Sparks

A comment on the pressure washer FAQ - for the safety section.

'Take care when washing painted surfaces - a pressure washer can be an effective paint stripper - upsetting if the paint concerned is on your new car!'

Andy Mckenzie

Reply to
Andy Mckenzie

Especially so if you catch the side of a paint chip! Ruined my first happy day after the machines purchase.

While we are on motors, a warning about the dangers of approaching too close to tyre valves. (a warning in the instructions that came with my karcher machine)

Often wondered if it would be possible to link a water heater (electric shower?) to the inlet of a pressure washer. It could improve the efficiency of cleaning my car?

Reply to
Adrian C

I just connect the hose to the hot tap.

Reply to
Fred

Indeed.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

formatting link
Google uk.d-i-y archive is at
formatting link
NOSPAM from address to email me

Reply to
Phil Addison

The very last sentence addresses that, but maybe it could be put a bit stronger.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

formatting link
Google uk.d-i-y archive is at
formatting link
NOSPAM from address to email me

Reply to
Phil Addison

They use the water to cool the motor. Mine has a specified max input temperature of 40C.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Nice one, in both cases!

I've mostly written a cleaning FAQ, explaining the different types of detergents and other types of cleaners. I've been wondering if its quite DIY or not, and have reached a tentative conclusion.

First, its prime use would be household cleaning, ie not diy. Second, cleaning is actually an important part of DIY, so it would in fact be useful and relevant for DIY as well.

OK, time to post it and see what people think....

NT

Reply to
bigcat

your pads get wet.

NT

Reply to
bigcat

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.