Hot pressure washer opinions?

[TonyG]

I'm currently looking for an electric hot pressure washer. If the heating element is diesel, that would be ok, but I'd still want a electric driven one.

-PSI: 1500 to 2200 range
-GPM: 2-4 range
-soap injectiom
-mobile
-$1500-$3000
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What's out there new or used that isn't Harbor Freight quality? Usage will be just 2-3 times per month only, I just don't want low quality, I'd simply prefer better quality. All electric would be my No.1 option, but 'll listen to all of the opinions.

 

[Provincial]

I have an older Landa electric pump and diesel fired. It runs about 1200 psi and 2 GPM. I use it hot to clean oil and grease from vehicles and machinery. It will clean the outside of a vehicle or wash down the concrete pad on cold, but for washing a house or a bigger job I break out my 4000 psi/4 GPM gas powered rig. For really heavy mud I park in a spot that needs the fill and use my 120 psi/25 GPM forestry fire rig!

You don't need as much pressure or volume for oil and grease. It is the heat that does the work. Hit it with just hot water first and remove the bulk of the deposits. Then apply detergent (with your injector or from a bug sprayer) and let it work a few minutes before rinsing off with more hot water. That removes the residual oil film.

The soap injector system is really handy in tight spaces or when you are washing a sensitive area. With the suction line removed from the soap source, crack the injector valve to vary the force and volume of the nozzle. It works like a variable displacement/pressure pump!

 

[Provincial]

Double Post

 

[TonyG]

Pro...Landa over Hotsy? Horizontal over vertical?

 

[sberry]

Northern Hyd has one, about 4 grand I think. This is a place its well worth it to spend some coin. You will forget how much it cost in a year or 2. You can do a lot with hot and the more the better. If you are in a climate with snow and ice lots of hot cleans fast. The Northern one is smaller than mine but you are not as cold there.
I have an old one in an insulated truck body too with 500 gallons of water on board. There shop is electric motor, diesel fuel,,, if I had to do it again would be LP but its ok. I have hole in the wall and outside switching, can clean in cold weather without opening the doors.
Outdoor pic is old, air reel since moved inside. I put a new hose on last fall.

 

[sberry]

The best Northern one is kind of small, would trade some more water and a bigger burner for some pressure though.

 

[Milton Shaw]

When I was a teenager I worked in a welding shop one summer break. A pressure washer rig came in that is still the biggest I have ever seen. It had a V8 Ford industrial engine to drive the pump then two sets of step down multi-belt pulleys to get to the pump. It pumped something like 20,000 psi and 7 gallons a minute. Two men on one gun to control it would last about 30 minutes before they were worn out. The diamond nozzle had to be changed every 30 minutes anyway to keep pressure up. That was a pressure washer. It was used to clean paint booths of buildup and would remove 3 inches or so of built up paint off metal framework.

 

[TonyG]

Bump!

 

[sberry]

I have used big ones on ships, they were rentals.

 

[one9gt]

Karcher or hotsy


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[aczr2k]

Bought a Karcher HDS3.0/2.0 this spring, works very well. Soap under pressure and the pump stops when you let off the trigger. Only thing I'd do different is buy the larger class machine but it was $1600 more.

 

[LXCam]

I've had my landa 2000 psi electric / diesel heater one for ~15yrs. It's never given me one once of problems ever and works like a rock star cleaning **** up. And yes it has the soap injection system.

 

[Iroc-Z]

Hotsy is my recommendation. Neighbor bought an Easy Kleen gas model. Pos imo. I have done nothing but help him constantly fix things on it. Motor is a knock off honda and the unloaded valve is constantly being s pain.

 

[sberry]

Alkota also. I don't use soap injection but a weed sprayer and sometimes a brush and pail of soap. A hot washer is a whole different tool than a simple pressure washer. There are so many things you can do with it. I use it almost every day and sometimes several. I cleaned a dirty travel trailer yesterday, about 30 minutes.

 

[fatfillup]

First you need to decide how to power it. 110 volt will give you 2 gpm at 1600 psi or 3 gpm at 1100 psi. If you want bigger, you need to go to 220 volt. If you want electrically heated you need to go to 3 phase 80 plus amps.

Brand? I have worked on most all of them. I prefer Alkota, but Aaladin, Landa, Hotsy all make some decent equipment. They will only be available new through a distributor so price will not be cheap. If you go used, stick with one of the above brands or PM me if you find something you are interested in and I will advise you. Note, hot water pressure washers can require a fair amount of maintenance so you want something you can get parts for easily.

I would not buy a Karcher unless you have a local Karcher distributor. They have mainly proprietary parts and many distributors won't mess with them. Its not that they are bad, they are different. I know we don't take them in for repair.

Easy Klean are kinda of the Harbor Freight of washers, I would avoid.

Northern machines are not great and but not junk.

My best advice is if you are going to use it a lot, buy if from a local distributor. If it is light duty use, your options open up.

I see you are in PA. Don't know what area but if you are close to Md, I may be able to help you. We get some used washers from time to time. Feel free to PM me

 

[bobcatdan]

For your use, northern is probably the best choice. Hot pressure washers aren't cheap. Work just spent $13,000 on new one.