Pressure Washer

Have you ever used an electric pressure sprayer? So it depends on what you are using it for, they don't have much force, they say 2000 psi but that's only at 1.4 gal per min rate...

Just to clarify: are you suggesting that he goes for a petrol (gas) model?

Depends on what he's going to use it for, if just for car washing and cleaning exterior of house and windows, and stuff like that then the electric should be ok...but for any real force yes you need the gasoline engine type...3500 psi and 4.5 gal a min....If you're cleaning greasy stuff like engines, then I would go for the kind with heat added...

IMHO, the more pressure, the better. Backing off from the work lowers the effective pressure and increases the area, decreasing the time needed to do the job.

I agree, all the electric ones I've seen aren't much better than a plain hose nozzle...a waste of money...

As you said in post#4, "Depends on what he's going to use it for,"

I've had an electric one for a couple of years now (1900 psi, 1.2 gpm), and have been quite happy with it, for home use. It's an order of magnitude better than any hose nozzle I've tried. As Rixter said, you can effectively adjust the pressure by controlling the distance from the nozzle to the target. For delicate stuff, that distance may be something like a foot; while an inch or two will give maximum force over a minimum area.

As I mentioned, it is for home use. I've never used it for more than a couple of hours on any given day, and do only use it occasionally.

I'm not sure if it is good or bad for pressure washing, but my tap water is naturally soft and essentially free of sediment and other contaminants.

For light cleaning I use a cleaner/water mix in a portable sprayer, let that sit for bit, then just hose it off....

Everything I've cleaned with it so far has been outside, and I don't want to contaminate the garden. the pressure washer does have a place to put detergent, but I've never used it. Only pure water.

I have had the gas powered models,and they are a lot of maintenance issues,especially with the new methanol blended gas.

For my purposes,electric is better.Not commercial needs,simply around the home.

I found a 3500 psi electric model on Amazon,it's a MrLiance 3600PSI,2.4 Gpm,with 2 year warranty.

I will probably go with this one,less than $180.00

Thanks guys.Wish I had seen this one sooner.

https://www.amazon.com/product-reviews/B08TT39HXP/ref=acr_dp_hist_1?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar

I doubt if you'll find anything which is repairable. The EU is introducing new laws to force manufacturers to make their products repairable, but, at the moment I think it's only "white" goods.

Karcher are pretty much the brand leaders, so are likely to be more expensive at any given specification.

I've got a Ryobi which I'm happy with (bought heavily discounted in a store going out of business)

I remember being impressed with the spec.s and reviews of the Wilks models

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Wilks-USA-Highest-Powered-Electric-Pressure/dp/B01ET9AZ2K/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Wilks-USA+RX550i&qid=1616084461&sr=8-1

Not sure why I can't find any Wilks models on Amazon.com (as opposed to .co.UK).

This unit cannot be operated on 120 volts it pulls 25 amps.

If It was available in 240v/60Hz it would be my choice.

The USA model is lower pressure,lower power demand.

Thanks for the link.

I had not heard of this brand before.

I have two Electric pressure washers, a K3 and the much older 330M.

The 330M is fully repairable and it is mu preference and I have done a rebuild of it once after a hundred hours and 15 years. If you can get one from a garage sale for very little then you can get a rebuild kit. The pump in these is is cast Aluminium and the pressure is more than adequate with a floor brush/rotary nozzle to remove all the grime from concrete verandas and expose the original rough surface. I use it for engines and tractors and it has a ducks foot nozzle, a jet nozzle and a turbo nozzle that swirls the jet and cuts through grease.

The K3 I bought from a dump shop for 10$. It was dumped because a wheel had broken and karcher wanted too much for new wheels but it is easy to mount motor mower wheels on the unit. I have not pulled it apart to check out the pump but it ia just as effective as the 330M.

I also have a petrol driven Spitwater brand pressure sprayer and it is higher pressure but dragging it around is a pain on uneven ground. It has 4 pneumatic wheels and always one is flat when it is brought out for use. I does not have a hose input like the electrics but a water tank with a float switch and a bypass line from the pump back to the tank. It has a triple piston like the 330M.

Now my preference is for the 330M with a 21m extension hose on the pressure line coupled up to the 10m original hose. I use this by setting the unit in the middle of a veranda and can wash from one end to the other without moving the pressure unit. The inlet is fed from a household water pressure pump supplying the house.

All manner of adapters are available to use options especially the Exceede brand of fittings. I have a rotary floor sprayer/brush, a car rotary washing brush, a 25m drain cleaner pipe, the extension hose as mentioned, detergent bottle sprayer, three assorted nozzles and I prefer it to the petrol motor driven one which has higher pressure but then the hose is shorter, less flexible and after a morning of using the lance your arms know it is not light.

Good luck with your selection but stay away from the 99$ ones they lack the design and quality to last. I have already been asked to repair two cheapies but the motor to pump drive on both had suffered a catastrophic destruction from the alloy plates shattering from poor casting leaving the plates with granular chrystalisation which shattered post warranty.

Anything is <...repairable...>. It's whether or not it is worth it that is the question.

I beg to differ, not everything is repairable, for instance a bomb, once exploded, well!

This seems like it would work, but it's a little pricey and you need a 230v 30 amp line to run it....so would have to install that....otherwise, looks good....

https://catpumpsonline.com/repair-maintenance-videos-guides/

Actually you could probably run this off your dryer plug, if it's electric...need to get plug to match the receptacle though...Probably need an extension cord as well, but it could be done....

Hello, I've used and specified purchases of a few pressure washers. There is a limit to the pressure and flow that you want.

Cleaning verandahs and such, you can strip paint from concrete or wooden decking, cleaning windows can remove putty and even if "stand back" the induced air pressure can crack windows. Cleaning cars can compromise the clear coating, especially near edges like window rubbers.

I've used Spitwater, Ryobi, Karcher and a few others. It's worthwhile getting an adjustable pressure regulator in the delivery line rather than trust yourself to stand far enough away. It's just so tempting to move in on those few tough spots!

We had the spitwater in a small shed with pipe plumbed to a washbay and then 30m of hose. Great for washing down trucks and machinery (stay away from the oil seals).

We have used them for potholing water and sewer mains in amongst service lines for electricity and communications. Excess pressure will damage the line sheaths on fibre-optic.

I find mine extremely useful for cutting postholes in even the toughest soil in one of our toughest droughts here, though at present it has been raining a bit.

I'm waiting for the first really cold night in winter. I want to try to make "snow" with it. Great for making rainbows in the summer.