Kanzle washers

[Vinko]

Been holding off on getting a good power washer. Using an old Generic Honda washer that finally bit the dust.

Among the things I'm going to need it for are: washing down metal cutting saws. And particularly build up of cutting fluid and chips on rollers and pans and troughs and the like. Also floors. Some of it really gunked up that I haven't had time to clean. I want it adjustable as I don't want to blow glass dials or strip paint when cleaning certain areas (or if I have someone else do it who's dumb -- a real possibility).

Would rather go electric than but a lot of the powerful ones rated for industrial machinery are 220/single phase (some are 220/3 phase) and that gives me less flexibility than the 110 on where I'm going to have it, moving it around, etc. I guess it's possible though. But I'd have to have 220 single phase outlets positioned in certain areas and that's an added expense. But not horrible.

Gas is OK but electric just seems easier.

On the Krandle website (and previous discussions here) having hot/warm water isn't necessary if you have a powerful machine but maybe it's more desirable.

Anyone have one of the Kranzles and can give me feedback and what they're using it for. Many a thread on here, I know...

I'm looking at the K270BT 3500 PSI, 4.2 GPM - cold water Gas as easiest.

http://www.kranzleusa.com/product/33-k270bt-3500-psi-4-2-gpm

Unless this 110/20 amp job will do the trick (though it's electric/cold water):

K2020T 2000 PSI, 1.9 GPM

http://www.kranzleusa.com/product/18-k2020t-2000-psi-1-9-gpm

 

[scooby074]

For that kind of money (for the k270BT) Id be looking at a Landa Hot Water instead. You c ould definitely get into their cheaper HOT series or the lower middle range of the premium PHW series if you are a good negotiator. Hot water makes all the difference, especially when greasy. Landa pressure washers are very well built and parts are easily available . Im sure Kranzle is good, being made in Germany, but they are an unknown, at least in my area, and parts/service is non-existent.

If I was going cold water, Id just look for one that had a Honda (or equivalent Marathon electric motor) engine and a Cat or Bertolini pump.

 

[SilverBulletZ06]

The guy from Obsessed Garage has a good review of it. Pricey as hell though.

 

[sberry]

Landa or Alkota hot unit. I havnt had a chance to try the Northern one but on grease there is no comparison or substitute for hot. I would run power where I needed it or pipe the water, long hose works too. You can pipe like air to some extent.
If mine bit it would have to consider 8 grand or so for a new one a size larger especially if paying labor to use it.
2 other things, you don't need adjustable pressure and it is a skilled operator tool, like welding some training is in order. I have one in a truck with its own water too.
I take wand in during cold weather, I de ice cars, use this almost every day sometimes several. I have controls outside and its simple and fast. I would quit my job if I had to do without it.
If I had to start again 1 size larger and would have LP fired. I don't have pics,,, but built about 6 portables for trucks, a couple with 900 gallons of water and 11 gpm.

 

[sberry]

Hotsy would be fine too. Cold is fine for dirt removal, hot for grease and equipment, I use hot on car grills and windshields.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

I have the Kranzle 2020T, along with a Hotsy 550B and quite honestly, I use the Kranzle 90% of the time as it has enough pressure to handle the majority of my cleaning jobs. I use it on everything from cleaning a compressor pump prior to overhaul to cleaning up my Yanmar and Caterpillar tractors. The Kranzle's are built like a tank and their weight proves it.
My 2020T is 110v, but does require a 20 amp circuit. Both the pressure hose and power cord are quite long, which gives you a lot of range without having to re-locate the power cord. I've had mine for 5 or 6 years and have not had any issues with it at all.
Yes, they are pricey, but you get what you pay for in a Kranzle.

 

[Vinko]

For that kind of money (for the k270BT) Id be looking at a Landa Hot Water instead. You c ould definitely get into their cheaper HOT series or the lower middle range of the premium PHW series if you are a good negotiator.

Thanks. Yeah, I didn't notice the cost of that particular model of Kranzle. It's a lot to spend. At this point, I envision using it once every 2 months. But when I say use it, it'd be for a through clean of several machines, surrounding areas, floors, and maybe some walls.

Hot water makes all the difference, especially when greasy. Landa pressure washers are very well built and parts are easily available . Im sure Kranzle is good, being made in Germany, but they are an unknown, at least in my area, and parts/service is non-existent.

I'll check out the Landa. Yes, some of the German stuff can be difficult to source service parts for. On the other hand, I have some German equipment that's going on 35+ years now, and sourcing parts here (there's one major distributor) or sending back to Germany for it isn't bad. But hell, few things have gone wrong so...

If I was going cold water, Id just look for one that had a Honda (or equivalent Marathon electric motor) engine and a Cat or Bertolini pump.

On the hot v cold water thing: my understanding is that cold can do the job on caked on water soluble coolant, grease, etc if you use a good degreaser first. Am I wrong?

That said, I'd imagine that the hot water works like nothing else.

 

[Vinko]

I have the Kranzle 2020T, along with a Hotsy 550B and quite honestly, I use the Kranzle 90% of the time as it has enough pressure to handle the majority of my cleaning jobs. I use it on everything from cleaning a compressor pump prior to overhaul to cleaning up my Yanmar and Caterpillar tractors. The Kranzle's are built like a tank and their weight proves it.
My 2020T is 110v, but does require a 20 amp circuit. Both the pressure hose and power cord are quite long, which gives you a lot of range without having to re-locate the power cord. I've had mine for 5 or 6 years and have not had any issues with it at all.
Yes, they are pricey, but you get what you pay for in a Kranzle.

Thanks, the 2020T is a lot less expensive than a 2708. Did the 2020T clean up the tractors with a lot of gunk on them? How serious was the cleaning job? Because I don't think I have anything as bad as what a few tractors can get

 

[Vinko]

2 other things, you don't need adjustable pressure and it is a skilled operator tool, like welding some training is in order. I have one in a truck with its own water too.

Thanks sberry -- always reading good info from you. I knew the more powerful machines definitely require someone who knows what the hell they're doing. Didn't know that you don't need adjustable pressure. I've adjusted pressure on a few units I've used (a gas/hot) and a cheapie "SnapOn" branded machine that someone picked up at Costco.

 

[sberry]

Pressure adjustment and distance do the same thing. I have all the tips but never really change them, a couple I never even used. This is a case as they say, no replacement for displacement, no substitute for horsepower. The smaller machines arte simply so limited by the 120 20A circuit. Very similar to air comps.
This is a machine you may find way more use for than you think, it really can do a lot of things. Hot is good for molds and I wash a lot of stuff, the solvent tank still looks fresh a year later, I really rarely use it. I should have had a pic of a wheel brg on a tractor axle I cleaned the other day, would have been a real job vs the couple mins it was. Hot is expensive though in comparison.
My Dad came in with this disk wrapped up the other day, was going to knife it out, I told him, get a coffee and I blasted the dirt out and took but a minute to cut after. My shop machine is plumbed on, all switched deal and on demand, replaces hours of work if that is an issue. Turns hours of hard labor to easy minutes.
I have a lot of application though, live on 2 miles of dirt road, wash a car or 2 on most days.

 

[sberry]

I assume Kanzle is a premium washer. This may be important in a commercial app, hundreds of hours a year where a single downtime incident may pay the juice but for example my Bud bought one with a Brigs and a couple extra HP and a better pump. It worked great, way better than the 5 hp Honda with "better " engine and still lasted him the rest of his life and the thing still works.
This is a case I may look at cheaper and more power rather than long life and worry if parts are there for some proprietary gizmo decades down the line while costing 2x up front, maybe more?

 

[scooby074]

Hot V Cold. Nothing is like a hot water washer for grease/oil IMHO. Its quicker and better, and you can do more with less damaging PSI. There are good degreasers out there that work with cold water, but its nothing like hot water with degreaser. Hot water tends to wash grease, cold water tends to smear.

You can certainly get by with cold water and degreaser, but its a lot like comparing a Chevette and a Porsche. Both will get you there, but one is a heck of a lot quicker and easier.

IMHO you wouldnt make a mistake with Landa. I dont own one but have used many of their hot and their cold units. True industrial grade stuff. Landa is now part of Karcher for maybe 10 yrs now, as are Hotsy, so lots of dealers out there (plus that German connection)

One other thing is dont ignore GPM and focus only on PSI. More GPM can make for a better wash (once you are above 2200-2500PSI) particularly when using hot water

 

[sberry]

Mine is 1500# but 5 gpm. Its a lot of hot, it's a good amount of water and really cleans well. Really removes dirt fast. The amount of hot is good for grease but really shines for deicing. I do a fair amount of cars in winter, frozen salt and dirt. I cut big chunks and melt some.

 

[scooby074]

Hot water makes the difference. IIRC the ones I used were in the mid 2k PSI and around 3-4gpm.

5gpm is indeed a lot of hot water. That would be like a hot water firehose lol

 

[mshell56118]

www.rpsihot.com

 

[Trey T]

I have a Mi-t-m 1400psi @2gpm electric setup for car washing, driveway washing, and tile grout cleaning. The unit comes w/ commercial type pump, a triplex pump, for higher duty tasks.

The Kranzle has a lot of gizmo but you're primarily buying the "made in germany" name tag. The unit comes w/ a homeowner type pump, an axial pump, for lower duty tasks.

For me, I prefer electric over gas. I know, they cost about twice the gas type but for me it's more versatile.

 

[sberry]

My Bud got one for dirt bike. The mud was such an issue it was a constant process. He shopped used and got a 13 hp with 4 gpm for like 800 in nice shape. Nice unit. A real machine. It would have been hard not to buy at that.

 

[sberry]

A hot washer is quite an investment. Due to the nature of the amount of stuff I got and where I live it was worth it and would need to be replaced if it was the case. There is the outright use, work saving and depreciation saving on autos and almost everything else. Nothing is as fast effecting value as a good washing and it doesn't get done like it should if it is too difficult, there is no excuse not to and the ease of throwing a switch or 2 makes it a deal.
Its a little like a hoist, way more PM and maintenance is done with one vs crawling around. Even big jobs, taking a trans out just isn't a problem, neither is tire rotation.
People seem to pay for a snowmobile or motorcycle but really pinch one off when it comes to some equipment. Today there is used shopping although new can be good too.
There is lots of equipment talk here, if a guy lived on good road in a nice climate it would change things but most could benefit from a pressure washer, maybe even hot, wire welder, torch set, even a modest plasma and an air comp. We could add car hoist to this if much auto was in play.
Other stuff is ok, lathe, mill, other machine tools and ok for business but for maintenance parts have got so much better and not so much is job shop built anymore that I can do without it.

 

[sberry]

Mine was maybe 3500 or so in the early 80's, did a couple minor repairs to it but the thing is still usable and not out of date, still works and actually is still worth a bit used but has worked near every day since then. Cost maybe 25 cents a job machine cost. Less than the electric or fuel. I washed maybe 6 or 8 thousand cars, some of them winter which takes longer. Probably that many more other various jobs.