All,
Which pressure washer is a good one(gpm) to get that plugs in? I don't want gas
Thanks
Chris
mci5c 1978
I have an electric one, and its way underpowered, and its ELECRIC! Something about having 115 volts connected to a water pump just seems wrong.
Gas powered pressure washers are very powerful, far more powerful than youll get with anything electric. Mine has a lil 5 hp Honda, pumps about 3gpm, about 3000 psi, has wheels to roll it around, and is light enough to pick up. I borrowed it to a friend last year to clean his pool. He's have been there forever using electric.
The one thing you may want to consider is how often youll use it. How often do you have anything so crusty you need to blast it clean? How big is the project going to be? The more you would use it on small jobs with not a lot of crud, the more you might lean toward electric. As the size of the job increases, and as the amount of crud gets thicker, the more you need a powerful pressure washer.
Another nifty deal I have is a sand blasting attachment. It replaces the end of the spray wand and sucks sand through a venturi nozzle, using the high pressure water. Imagine a 3000 psi water spray mixed with sand! I took a rusty 50 year old 500 gallon propane tank with many coats of paint down to bare metal in about 15 minutes. Id probably still be there with that lil electric toy.
I'm another who is thinking the electric ones (at least the mid-priced one like I have) are too light duty. Mine will clean the green goo off my vinyl siding, but it won't do a good job of my bus.
Brian
I was planning on installing an electric one just to clean the bus with but if you need gas to clean the bus properly, I guess I should go that route.
To be honest, after saying that my $150 unit is weak I went and checked out a few on line. My local Princess Auto (kind of an upscale Harbor Freight equivalent) has an electric unit that would stand up.
http://www.princessauto.com/all-seasons/seasonal/pressure-washers/cold-water-pw/8093296-2_9-gpm-2500-psi-electric-pressure-washer (http://www.princessauto.com/all-seasons/seasonal/pressure-washers/cold-water-pw/8093296-2_9-gpm-2500-psi-electric-pressure-washer)
But it ain't cheap and you need 21 amps at 220volt for the true 5 hp motor...You'd need a 30 amp circuit.
Brian
Chris -
It all depends on what you want to DO with the pressure washer.
I use a little 1500 psi Karcher all the time cleaning pool filters, and I wear one out every season. Literally.
The 3000 psi gas units are way to strong for my use - they'll tear up the filter media to the point of requiring replacement. But they'll take the paint off an old Detroit block if you hook it to a hot water source. And the crud, of course!
So, again, it all depends on what you want to do with the unit.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Thanks for the responses,
I plan on using it for around the house and bus.
we will do more investigating
Chris
mci 5c
While 3000 psi can be excessive and damaging to paint and other items, mine and many others have a pressure regulator you can adjust to a more reasonable pressure. There are also different nozzles available that have higher and lower flow rates, allowing a further dropping of pressure if that is whats needed.
I like my gas unit, don't recall the brand but Home Depot before they changed brands. I can adjust the pressure up or down and use it to wash the boat, cars and house but it will also power wash an old engine block and works really well on scrubbing driveway grease stains. At that level though it really hurts to get near skin, don't ask me how I know that. ;D
I would just make sure to get a detachable hose and some attachments. Most hoses I think are detachable though mine was not but I just changed out the fittings.
When I was looking for one, I couldnt find one that I liked, so I made my own. ;D
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4558.jpg&hash=a91a34099b773aee1af8793368219990caa88ea3)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4559.jpg&hash=530c77768c2c772fb4dd15abe8c07d803f667cb6)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4561.jpg&hash=33e7f42bcf024e5fd3dcb0845b22c75d123a51e8)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4562.jpg&hash=b6bbffc25739cca1de553af561da93c60308b868)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4563.jpg&hash=8002e5e3549394cfae352c4d1de0d13eb731cbe3)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4565.jpg&hash=46675aea6ac6d0b7dc88c482d64a6f1df3439d85)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi36.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe27%2Fr-acer%2F245_4566.jpg&hash=60dc4495eaf600e920b8df684129b8a5d9eb4097)
What, no Power Bomb on that pipe?
Way cool my friend!
Quote from: DaveG on February 28, 2011, 08:24:34 PM
What, no Power Bomb on that pipe?
Way cool my friend!
I am currently looking for a good deal on a mega bomb on ebay that I can insert in the headder ;D
I have had one for years with a Honda gasoline motor. Works great, use it on the house, deck, concrete pool deck, lawn furniture, to clean the gas grill. Power wash the bus parts. The wand has quick connect tips that give you different spray patterns. As far as damage you need to learn how to use it. Get too close to the house siding and it will remove paint of even dig a hole into the wood. Remember to either winterize it or put it in a warm place in the winter because if any water is still in the pump you can ruin the pump.
Quote from: scanzel on March 01, 2011, 03:23:45 AM
Remember to either winterize it or put it in a warm place in the winter because if any water is still in the pump you can ruin the pump.
I let it drain good with both hoses off, then fire it up for just a few seconds to let it blow water out, top off the tank, and leave it out in the garage, storage shed, etc., for the winter. I been doing that almost 10 years now, some nights below -30. It still works great. Make darn sure you drain the hose and wand too, and seperately. You gotta hold the wand trigger open to drain it.