home use pressure washers

[steveo3002]

any thoughts on pressure washers guys?

my 2nd has failed now ..i dont feel like ive worn it out

is it worth paying more or just get the cheapest tat and sling it once it breaks

dont need patio cleaners and all sorts of add on's , long hose would be nice

 

[car.crash]

I'm on my second karcher which has been used about 8 times and yesterday its motor died and ripped out smoke.

I personally feel their home range are abosute joke and a waste of money.

 

[brightspark]

there built to budget so u cant realy expect much of them i bought a steamer second hand for 300quid repaired it and it runs forever , the new price is £1600

 

[car.crash]

But for a £150 pressure washer to die after a few uses is not good.
It's no commercial unit I agree but its only a pump at the end if the day so it can't be difficult to make it work.
I'm slightly bitter as I just checked my receipt and I'm a month out of warranty

 

[steveo3002]

yeah im not keen on buying another karcher ..they seem to just last out the warrenty

 

[mike 109444]

Even if you are out of warrenty worth dropping then an email explaining the low milage and caerful way it's been used.... and that "being a loyal nnnn" (nnnn = insert Co name) customer you are dissapointed with the product and can they help.
Only the cost of an email (no stamp required!!) and remember warrantys are one thing but a product should be "fit for purpose" just google fit for purpose

 

[mike 109444]

ps I've had a Karcher for aprox 4 years now seams ok. One thing I did see mention of was to make sure before packing away for winter is to drain any water form the machine as if the frost freezes the internal water it may damage the pump. With the CURRENT winter that may be the cause?

 

[madkayaker]

There is a whole raft of eu regulations on howling stuff should last its your statuary rights. It's normally the length of time your offered as extended warranty

 

[zx9]

I have had a couple of sub £200 pressure washers which have been very short lived, when I was looking for a replacement I went for a Alto Poseidon 2-22. It cost about £350. It is 20 odd Kg and I figured that as all they are is a pump and a motor then a heavy one must have a heavy duty components, as it is rated up to 60 deg.C inlet water temperature hopefully it will not over heat and destroy the pump like the cheaper ones had done. Lets hope that I don't need to test the two year warranty, fingers crossed.

 

[steveo3002]

i will have the back off later...motor sounded funny then i switched it on/off and nothing

not sure winter killed it ..i used it a few weeks back after the worst of the freeze was over

 

[pedrobedro]

The bike shop used to get dearer ones for a few hundred quid and they lasted a couple of years in constant use. They bought a cheap (under £50) one for back up and when the dear one broke it was brought into use. Things were left as they often are and the cheap washer never got replaced and it lasted longer than the dear ones so now when a cheap supermarket offer comes up they just buy one in as another spare.

 

[car.crash]

I always drain it and its kept in a insulated garage in the dry.
It looks absolutely mint.
I will check the box in the hope I have a 2 year warranty but I doubt it.
I shall drop them a kind email otherwise and see if they can have any sympathy in the situation. Failing that I will just have to get another brand.

Edit.
Just checked the box and it does say 2 year warranty, what are the chances.
It also says air cooled technology and the new ones are water so I must have the outdated gash version.

 

[wheresmejumper]

i bought a 2nd hand 6.5hp honda petrol over ten years ago,just a moderate service every year or so,hasnt really missed a beat

 

[Paul99]

The bike shop used to get dearer ones for a few hundred quid and they lasted a couple of years in constant use. They bought a cheap (under £50) one for back up and when the dear one broke it was brought into use. Things were left as they often are and the cheap washer never got replaced and it lasted longer than the dear ones so now when a cheap supermarket offer comes up they just buy one in as another spare.

Our Karcher lasted just over a year Granddads Aldi one is still going 3 years later... seems not all is equal when it comes to budget stuff.

My brother opted for a cheap nasty 2 stoke petrol pressure washer for his MX bike - I think it was a nutool about £50 IIRC. It's still going after 4 years of serious abuse - for nearly 2 years he sucked dirty water straight out of a river at one track He used to get a bit of stick about his toy washer but in all the time he had it, it never let him down.

As it's aged it'll no longer self prime / suck out of a bucket/barrel/trough etc (I don't think it was ever meant to even when new TBH) which is the only reason he replaced it with a more expensive / powerful Honda clone (Loncin) based washer recently but on a mains supply that old two stoke still works fine.

 

[500e]

Had a Liddle £29 pound one for 5 years it Ate lances 5 plastic valves which split when shutting off, used to send them back to NewTool they replaced for 12 months compleat with new hoses, (I only sent handles,) not a lot of profit I would have thought still going strong with another make lance assembly

 

[Robotstar5]

I bought one of Wickes own brand about 10 years ago, still works fine apart from a leak where the front of the lance fits as I can't find an O ring the right size.

 

[brightspark]

I bought one of Wickes own brand about 10 years ago, still works fine apart from a leak where the front of the lance fits as I can't find an O ring the right size.

ever thought of getting one the same diameter but longer cut it down to size and superglue it back together i once saw a kit for making them

 

[Robotstar5]

ever thought of getting one the same diameter but longer cut it down to size and superglue it back together i once saw a kit for making them

good idea, thanks

 

[CKJDJK]

Loctite make o ring making kits. They use lace type o ring material. You cut them to size and glue with superglue. I have made 1mm cross section o ring 1.2 meters diameter down to 1mm 5mm diameter also some others up to 10 mm cross section. seam to last well. If you can find a suitable o ring but to big, cut it down and glue it. Make sure the cut is square and clean. Correctly align and hope you dont stick your fingers together. If you do then roll them apart DONT pull or you will tear the skin.

 

[graffian]

The old Hobby 88 seems a pretty good bit of kit, I bought mine[according to someone who mends them] in 1988. It's still going strong, only problem has been me forgetting to run the water out of it and it freezing, it has a little plastic pipe that splits when it does.