min. hp, psi and gpm for an all purpose pressure washers

16 years ago

Hi, new to the forum. It looks like this site has all the bases covered for the homeowners and small business operator. My question is: I'm looking for a really good pressure washer that will do just about any job I may have that requires a pressure washer to accomplish a given task thoroughly without frustrating me because of it's being underpowered or lacking reliability if maintained properly. The jobs I have in mind are for example: concrete Walks and driveway (under trees that drop stuff and stain the concrete surfaces badly), wooden dock, brick patio's and porches and washing down the stucco house, car and boat from time to time.

I used my son's Craftsman 6.5 hp, 2.3gpm, 2400 psi washer last week on the drive and walks and it took for ever and barly had the umph to get it done half way and I'm still going to have to go over it again to get it really nice.

I'm considering an All Pro Washer with a General pump, 13hp Honda GCX series engine, 4000 psi and 4 GPM rating, EZ Start unloader, 100' hose, etc. for $1050 + taxes. I know thats a lot of washer for a homeowner, but at least I won't catch myself wishing for more power.

My question.....what do you think?

Thanks,

JimK

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Comments (7)

lbpod
16 years ago
I have an electric power washer with only about 1800 PSI
and I have great success. However, I apply the correct
chemical cleaners, using a pump up garden sprayer, to
the area being cleaned. With pressures up near 4000,
you have to be very careful. A friend of mine blew a
good sized hole in his blacktop drive, using a washer
with nowhere near 4000 PSI.
rcmoser
16 years ago
I got the 3 1/2 HP cheapo at sears 2000 PSI one, it's got all the pressure I'll even need. before I had 1300 PSI elect. one for a very long time, but I got tire of unwinding cords. I also like the fact that it they didn't require a large amount of water vs. the 4000 psi one. IMO for home use a $200 dollar one will work just fine. 4000 PSI is overkill and not needed around the house, I agree you will probably tear Shyt up with it. I have to be careful with the 2000 psi one and make sure I have it adjusted on wide spary or it will blow paint off.

I know all the quality buyers are going to say, don't go cheap and low psi they won't last. well, my elect. one lasted 8 years for 69 bucks and I sold it at a garage sale for 40 bucks. The cheapo gas one has lasted 6 years without a hicup. Now if I used one everday all day long then I would consider the top of the line 1000 to 10,000 models.
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Spacemule.......... I want to thank you for posting the link to Pressure Washer Supply. I have a Craftsman washer which has done yeoman duty for me for years. The pump finally gave up the ghost from corrosion. It was my own fault for not thoroughly flushing soap out of the system. It was so corroded I couldn't disassemble it. Kind of like an old outboard motor that's been used in salt water and put away for the winter. Frank at PWS helped me out with suggestions on how to remove the old pump and then selected a new pump to fit. I'll end up spending under $150 instead of laying out $400 for a new unit. I owe you a cold one! :) Rich
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One thing you have to understand is the GPM of the washer is just as important as the PSI. Remember, you can never have too much pressure or GPM in a PW per se meaning you can always throttle it back to reduce the pressure. The GPM is what decreases the time to wash, not just the pressure. The higher the GPM the faster the washing. Also, the farther the tip from the surface, the lower the effective pressure is. A tip 12" away from the surface at 4000psi can do less damage than a tip 2" away at 2500psi, although a lower psi PW will have a less likely chance of accidentally causing damage. The advantage of a higher pressure PW is if you need it, it's there. I'm one of those people who would rather pay a higher price for quality initially and features knowing I will have fewer problems down the road. But you still have to live within your budget. Don't buy something based on price only to find out for a few dollars more, you could have bought a much better machine which in turn will do a better job cleaning and provide better service in the long run. As far as the PW itself, the pump is the most important piece with the engine coming in a close second. Personally, I would stay away from an AR pump (Annovi Reverberi) and stick with CAT, Comet, or General pumps along with a Honda GX engine, but make sure of the model number of the pump, not just the brand name. HD, Lowes, and the like, will put the cheapest "brand name" pump on a PW to meet a price point to sell more washers (ex: CAT 67DX39 vs a 66DX40 pump. Both are closely rated but a cost difference of around $125). Each brand pump has a high level and low level pump. You have to decide which is more important: quality or price. What you may find is once you have a PW, you will be amazed as to how many jobs you will find a use for it other than the yearly deck and driveway cleaning which can justify the initial cost. If you want to clean concrete driveways, I would invest in a good "turbo rotating nozzle." This will reduce the cleaning time by 1/2 over a "fan tip" nozzle. An industrial type will run around $100 but you can get them for as little as $30. These nozzles will eliminate the "striping" effect you get with fan spray tips. Also, when you replace tips, make sure you replace it with the correct psi/gpm that the washer is rated for. One other VERY IMPORTANT feature is the unloader valve and temperature release valve. NEVER EVER let your PW run for more than 2-3 minutes without running water through the gun/pump. If so, you can damage the pump!!! You MUST keep the pump from overheating which results in blown seals and part damage. These features increase the cost but can save hundreds down the road if the pump should overheat. http://www.ultimatewasher.com/pressure-regulator-unloader-valves.htm Also remember to keep the engine and pump oil changed frequently. These parts run at high RPMs constantly usually at a high ambient temperature which can cause the oil to break down quicker. Use the oil recommended by the pump manufacturer and a good high quality motor oil (I use Amsoil 4 stroke synthetic oil). It's a bit more but worth the reduced wear and tear on the engine.
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Harbor Freight had complete pressure washers, gasoline powered, for sale, for less than the cost of a replacement pump!
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Hi all, am new here after Googling problems on Karcher 2400 HH purchased at Costco about 5 years ago. Having the same pressure problems as many. I have broken the attachment fitting off the end of my trigger gun and am awaiting the arrival of a new one that I ordered from PressureParts.com. They informed me of this unloader problem. So I get to it and can't get it out either. Couldn't get any tool in with that cross member in the way. Naturally I hadn't got here yet before loosening the pump front and spilling oil. Doh!So pulled the whole thing off from engine and struggled but got the spill valve out with needle nose vice grips. Not really caked up at all but O rings were brittle and beat up looking. So I'll get some new o rings and get it it greased up while waiting for the new trigger gun. As well as getting some of this unobtainium oil and either topping up or replacing. Like others have mentioned it doesn't look as good as one would hope it might. Apparently a lot of these guns broke like mine (where the tube is soldered to the threaded fitting) and they have redesigned the plastic housing to better support that joint. Hope to have some good news in a week or so and share any thoughts and experience as many of you have done. Thanks to all!
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jimk68
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks guy's for your opinins. I appreciate it and must say I'm rather surprised as well. However, to each his own....I to have a little Coleman 1300 psi electric for twenty years and it's still going strong. It's a nice little washer for what it's intended and that is....small tasks (washing off lawn and patio furniture, etc.). As I mentioned I tried out my son's new Craftsman BS7hp, 2500 psi with 2.3gpm machine and wasn't that impressed with it's performance.
If your friend drilled a hole in his asphalt drive he muct have become intranced from watching the spray and forgot he had to move that wand around alittle and check out which nozzle was mounted in the wand.
I purchased the new All Pro with 13hp Honda, 4000psi and 4 gpm capabilities and can't wait to use it in the morning. My experience as a woodworker and homeowner for over 45 years has proven time and time again that when it comes to power tools more power is always more desirable than not enough. IMO it's always worth the extra money + it makes for a much more pleasant experience.lol
Again, thanks for your input.
JimK
canguy
16 years ago
I wonder if your sons machine is putting out full pressure and volume, it should be more than enough for home use.
You are likely going to find that big unit tiring to use, unless you have a very strong wrist.
jimk68
Original Author
16 years ago
Good morning, I hooked up the new All Pro 4K washer yesterday morning and washed the cement walks and drive that were really dirty from the accumulation or oak trees dropping their stuff, mildew/mold and all the other stuff that gets on sidewalks and drivway over 4-6 months. I was able to get my home done in a third of the time it took me to do my sons walks and drive with his smaller unit. Today is my garage floor (3 car garage) and maybe the boat dock if I have enough time.
The 4K washer is a brut and for a man or woman thats too old and not in shape you should consider a smaller unit. But, I'm a retired systems engineer having a bunch of fun in my retirement and still much too young a guy at only 68 to start worring about getting tired or sore muscles (I work out). lol
[IMG]http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i138/JimK60/JimK67.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i138/JimK60/InLove2.jpg[/IMG]

Best,
JimK
canguy
16 years ago
Your link did not work. Glad you are happy with the machine.
jimk68
Original Author
16 years ago
Sorry about the mess up.....I was trying to insert a couple pic's of my pal wanting to make sure he wasn't left behind if I was going out in the boat and one of the new All Pro PW. Can you insert pic's in your posts on this forums?
Thanks,
JimK

min. hp, psi and gpm for an all purpose pressure washers

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lbpod

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min. hp, psi and gpm for an all purpose pressure washers

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lbpod

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