Pressure Washer Help

[SMLWinds]

I am in the market for a pressure washer. I do want a hot water washer but as I thought about it, I also have need for more easy transport and mobility for jobs where hot water is not required. Thus, I am not planning on just buying 2 of them--one really nice hot water unit and an upper end cold water unit that will be somewhat more portable.

I have the hot unit researched and picked out but have not looked the cold water units. Can someone please let me know the best brands/models out there? I do want to maintain some level of portability, although I think most of the cold water units are plenty portable (correct me if I am wrong).

I do not do this for a living but typically do buy commercial machines and tools. Money really isn't a factor so don't worry about that--I am looking for the best unit regardless of price. I had looked at the Pressure Pro E4040HC unit. Is that a good one? Are there better ones? What would be the competitors I should consider?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!

 

[sberry]

I havnt looked at many new models, Northern has a couple hot engine drives. Alkota, Landa, Hitsy may still be in biz? Aladin too but I have Alkota and a belt drive pump.
There is another steamer pro on here maybe he will look in. Steamer is a slang term for hot hi pressure wash.
I built a half a dozen on trucks, I don't have a portable and after the last couple winters I am putting it on my short list. With a real truck water can be carried. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,
These are measured in cleaning units. GPM x pressure + temp. There are a lot of factors but, bigger is usually better. More water makes it easier to wash away, from a garden hose faucet or a hi pressure wash so don't get fixed on pressure. My unit at 1500 seems anemic but it isn't, at5 5 gpm it cleans well and makes it super hot for cold weather work, de icing and cutting grease or oil.
Personally if I was both in shop and portable and money wasn't a real tight problem would look at 2 units, it may be cheaper anyway.

 

[sberry]

Mine is electric and I was influenced when I bought it with portable thoughts and I did rig up a couple deals but I was learning and then had a bud go in to the biz so I had access to units on trucks.
If I was paying men to run this every day it would be one size larger. I never move mine, I have it plumbed in like a car wash. We had a picnic yesterday and used it half a dozen times,,, ha but its one of my most used tools. I wash something besides a car every day and live on dirt roads, many days its a couple cars and in winter its cutting ice and road grime.
A bud used mine yesterday and wouldn't be surprised if he isn't down this week looking at them. He would be in the 4K range but,,,, depreciation on a new truck is that in a year, one truck, even avg Joe of modest means could find a payback if he looked hard enough but to anyone with assets there is no better way or more profitable tool than one of these.
In my own shop if I was to do this again would have LP fired unit. I have this, it works. I have outdoor switching, put hose thru the wall in winter and connect wand. In summer it remains connected, throw switch.

 

[sberry]

I built this a long time ago so,,,, I realize the panel should have been moved or the unit, its a sub, this all could be changed and may if I replace it. You need to post location, climate has a lot to do with it, the intended uses everything and about like any technical matter "research" does not always lead to a good conclusion. Someone that is very familiar, a value added salesman is well worth the effort here, someone with experience to go along with it.
There is a lot to know about it, there are uses both of us havnt even thought of. I see this winter there has bees some turn over in help at the steamer companies, even they don't realize they don't know etc. I outright train my men on it similar to welding lessons.

 

[Tim37]

If you don't need to use both washers at the same time just turn off the heater for cold water. Or buy a add on heater unit and use quick connects to attach the pressure washer I would find something with a Honda or atlest a name brand engine I can get parts for and I also like belt driven pumps that way if the pump or engine goes south its easier to replace.

Stay away from offbrand Chinese stuff for some reason they insist on buying that **** where I work I have a couple that have been scrapped because I couldn't get parts

 

[Farmall450]

I'd get a cold water one powered by a Honda motor. Quiet and fuel efficient.

 

[IndyGarage]

If you want one to last, get a name brand pump with a Honda GX engine.

If you just want something that works, get one with a Honda GC engine and use it until the pump dies - then buy a replacement pump. The GC engines are almost foolproof to start - normally on the first pull. Most of the Chinese pumps these days are sealed - they don't even have access to the oil. They work fine for awhile, but they will eventually break.

 

[sberry]

I thought about this yesterday and this thread was enuf push to call a bud and score some use parts to be delivered this week.

 

[sberry]

Those look ok, I am a fan of belt drive also. I might keep looking. They don't list the price on the hot models, it look similar to the Northern one. 4 gpm is fairly respectable.

 

[BUDSVTX]

Check out Water Cannon.com, I got my washer from them years ago and going strong. I will purchase from them again, had no issues.

BUD

 

[RM209]

Recommend that you PM fatfillup for his suggestions; not sure whether he's still active on the GJ board, but he's got a lot of experience selling and servicing commercial grade pressure washers.

RM209

 

[sberry]

For giggles I looked at that site, very well done. They mention they have a skid mount hot engine drive, if I was on the move its a unit I would consider. The ideal world has 2 units, one shop and one portable.

 

[the gypsy]

IMHO it is preferable to get the belt drive like mentioned a few time in the previous posts. and NOT the direct drive.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[SMLWinds]

Thanks for the responses. For a hot water, I was planing to get the Northern Tool NorthStar one. I always buy top of the line even if it is extremely expensive but the Northern unit has great reviews, I haven't heard anything bad about it, and it is literally half of a comparable unit from top end brands.

My goal in buying another "cold" water washer was to have one that was more portable. Even though a lot of them are "portable," I want them to be easily portable so I can take them down the stairs to my dock, easily load them in and out of a truck etc.

What can I buy that will be easily transportable without much trouble? I don't need hot on that washer and price doesn't matter, but size and weight do.

Thanks!

 

[SMLWinds]

The NorthStar machines have Honda engines and are very reasonably priced. Does anyone have an issue with them? I can't see paying double price for a Hotsy or similar unit when the NorthStar has good reviews, Honda engine, and is half price.

 

[SMLWinds]

Also, if you have a machine that weighs like 150 pounds and has the large pneumatic tires, will that be terribly difficult to get up and down outside stairs?

I am trying to get the strongest unit I can get but still remain portable enough to load into a pick up truck and go up and down stairs.