OT: Pressure Washers ?

[crane763]

I've given up on my compact electric Karcher Pressure Washer. It never really was powerful enough and now it is needing parts. The specs on this Karcher claim to be: 1.6 gpm at 1600 psi.

I really do not want a gas powered one, though.

What about the larger electric driven ones ?

I'm looking at this one for $400:

is driven by a 2.0 HP electric motor, with the following specs:

1.7 gpm at 1700 psi.

What gives? Can I really expect its performance to be comparable to the little dinky one I have ? Even with a 2.0 HP motor?

Thanks, Larry

[Peter Huebner]

If you want something that is more than a home handyman's toy you want to look at something close-ish to 3gpm and closer to 2000 psi. Mine is driven by a

5horse Honda4-stroke and that thing really does clean up (11 litres/min at 2200 psi). I've borrowed a Stihl electric one that was pretty close in performance (very heavy mind). Most of the smaller Karcher are gutless wonders.

-P.

[nailshooter41]

I think the electric pressure washers are about as useful as the old "power nozzles" you used to buy for your hose end. I know someone that loves his to wash his car, but he washes it every week. Then if the weather is really bad and his car gets mud on it, he takes it to a regular car wash since it won't clean off dirt.

I also have a little 5hp Honda powered washer. It pushes out at 2400 psi, and works like a champ. I bought it a few years ago, and have washed a lot of houses, cleaned a lot of driveways and sidewalks with it without any problems at all. If you buy one of these, the must have along with the washer is the largest size (diameter) water hose you can put on it to supply water. Depending on your water pressure, the skinny little garden hose won't be enough to use the machine at capacity.

Robert

[Leon]

If you can find an electric with 2,500 psi.

Probably not. Gas powered is going to work the best.

[Casper]

Really? I love my Karcher! It's all in what you need to do tho. I've got a small single story home with only a 10x20 patio and 2-car drive (just enough for parking) and a 4x8 deck. For me the Karcher works perfectly, but if you've got more to do, then you're probably only really going to be happy with a gas one.That Porter Cable one looks pretty good, but it doesn't rate much higher than the Karcher so I'd be skeptical. I get terrible headaches from gasoline, so it was a simple choice for me.

Good luck! ~Casper

[Lew Hodgett]

Strictly a toy.

Yes.

Anything less than 10HP, 3,00 PSI is also a toy IMHO.

Probably looking at about $3K if you are serious.

Anything less might be good for cleaning sidewalks, but not much else.

Been there, done that.

Lew

[gfretwell]

Northern Tools had a nice one for ~800 but I don't have the specs handy. I am with you, I want an electric too. I want to pipe it in like a central vac with quick disconnects at both ends of the house. One great thing about electrics is they turn off when you let go of the trigger, instead of just turning the water to steam in the pump.

[bent]

I needed a PW to wash the car - a '99 black/black Vette. I bought a 300 karcher on sale for 175. I returned it. it didn't cut it. I could tell. I also did not want gas. As much as I wanted a Harley at 3a.m. So I payed 800 for an italian Interpump Boxjet Turbo, no tax. 110 V. It works great. It does rims. You have to hold it like at the pay pumps. Karchers are literally designed to last for 110 hours. You can go 220V. This is, I'll tell you, slightly better than the karcher, which is a big improvement. You can, flick of the wrist, blast soapy suds off the FAR side of the hood.

[Leon]

Is slightly better really a big improvement?

[bent]

....Turbo21 actually.

not only will it last forever, but

in 110V, for my purposes, it is. Both statements are true.

This thing blows 15A fuses! I have to turn off all the lights and the radio.

It is heavier than a case of beer, about the size of a 12 pack, very solid. Would run 24, 7.

It is a pleasure to wash the car. This sheating off the far side is very important, w/o going to the o/ side. I run around like a chicken anyways. I can take 8 hrs.

And 110V, 110V!

[bent]

when using thre 100' garden extension cord I noticed how hot the wire was. It warped and melted the orange plastic cord-wrap wheel!

[bent]

any more and the paint finish & o/ is in danger, and less and we're talking garden hose. It IS one of those things. A good question. DOn't know if I gave the appropriate answer. Go to a commercial dealer. However, they may only tell how how shitty Karcher is, for personal reasons. There are a few names, I can't remember...

look up professional pressure washers, or commercial

say,

gpm and psi have no connection to the speed the water comes out of the nozzle

[bent]

p.8, second pic down on the right. Turbo21

about 52 lbs.

there are more substantial sites.

you can see the quality of the build. For this price. Definetely a good unit. Makes a difference. This unit has ceramic plungers. Takes an oil change.

[wheelzuk]

bent mentioned=20

"when using thre 100' garden extension cord I noticed how hot the wire = was.=20 It warped and melted the orange plastic cord-wrap wheel!"

--------- If you're referring to the electrical cord, isn't it common practice = these days to find an advisory on the cord wheel to suggest it's = uncoiled off the wheel to it's fullest extent, before use? It certainly = is here in the UK. Coiled/wrapped cable on an electricity supply is known to be an = electrical hazard and the cause of many fires.

[Leon]

"when using thre 100' garden extension cord I noticed how hot the wire was. It warped and melted the orange plastic cord-wrap wheel!"

--------- If you're referring to the electrical cord, isn't it common practice these days to find an advisory on the cord wheel to suggest it's uncoiled off the wheel to it's fullest extent, before use? It certainly is here in the UK. Coiled/wrapped cable on an electricity supply is known to be an electrical hazard and the cause of many fires.

It is not common knowledge in the US that extension cords should not be coiled up when they carry a heavy load and apparently bent is not aware of that either.

[Bugs]

My Briggs & Stratton [yes they make a power washer] puts out 2500 psi with the high pressure nozzle, which will strip paint and gunk off almost anything. The higher volume, lower pressure nozzles are for house washing & applying oil spray to fruit trees with the eductor tube. Cost about $350 & very handy on my 3-1/2 acre micro farm. Washing vehicles is chancey with that much power. Bugs

[Casper]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but it's really all about what you need it to do. For my needs, the Karcher works very well. Last summer I used it to power off the old paint on my deck and it did a fine job. In one day I cleaned the deck and repainted/sealed it.

If you want something electric, check out Northern Tool. They are even having some sort of sale, according to the new catalog I just received. Here's one that "might" intgerested you...

luck!

[hex]

Hmmmm.. some (most?) of the larger electric units do NOT automagically turn-off.

When in doubt pick out a unit with a CAT pump -- a) dependable, b) parts are available and c) pump is worth rebuilding. The pump will probably increase the cost by around a hundred bucks compared to an el-cheapo.

Also, if possible, HOT water works best though some pumps aren't built to handle really hot water.

While I'm not going to say you need 10HP as some others have said, I have never used a pump pushing less than about 2.5 gpm @ 2500 psi that was worth the effort. That puts you either near the high end of electrics or well into the gas powered lines.

hex

-30-

[PopS]

Not true, but you do have to use the right nozzle and forget about pencil streams especially. Also if it's a gas model, you can throttle it down, as I do. The right tool for the job.

Pop

[gfretwell]

Thanks Casper. I just bought that one. It is internet order only, the local stores probably won't have it and they didn't seem to anxious to order me one. I ended up about $900 in it with shipping and an extra 50' hose. This sombitch is as powerful than any of the gas ones I have used.

2.5 GPM @ 2700 PSI and it looks like it can really deliver that. Side by side with my neighbor's 6HP Honda it looks like it is blowing harder. It certainly will "git 'er done" I immediately cut the 6-30 plug off and installed a 10-30 "dryer plug" so it was more portable. (both are 240v 30a rated so it is legal). Most people have a dryer outlet. I use that style for my welder so I have a couple outlets already. I doubt I will be welding and pressure cleaning at the same time.