Replacement Power Washer Hose? Size? Type?

[HandyFS]

My power washer hose finally broke after 15+ years of ownership, it owes me nothing. It was a 30ft hose and I always wished it was just a little longer, so a 50' hose is what I'm after. Looking at a replacement parts site, it shows it was a 1/4". I hose that came with the machine was stiff, barely uncoiled nicely, and I was constantly fighting it, so I'm hoping for something a little more flexible. It WAS durable though, I'll give it that lasting all this time.

Machine Specs:
Ridgid 3000 PSI / 2.6 GPM

Option Paralysis/Choice Paralysis/Decision Paralysis has set in as I hopped on Amazon to find a replacement. Lots of hoses making bold claims of no kinking, only for the reviews to show otherwise.

Flexzilla hoses seem to be a higher end name brand one, but I don't know much about them.

50 feet. 1/4" size (I suppose 3/8" if anyone suggests it based on 3000psi/2.6GPM). Decent flexibility so its not a nightmare to use.

Anyone buy a hose recently they are happy with? I'm using this machine a handful of times a year, not out washing the car with it every day so it doesn't need to be the very best, but I want it to last. I power wash the house, the fence, the patio, a vehicle here or there. Some years I don't do any of those things. So I want something that will just be there ready to go as I need it.

 

[Stelzer]

3/8" hose is pretty standard. We use them on all our rigs that are under 8GPM. Gray non-marring. Doesn't have to be this brand, though PressurePro does make quality PW stuff. If you really want to mitigate kinking, add a live swivel & whip between the gun & hose. "Live" is the key, as most swivels won't rotate well under pressure. Your whip doesn't need to be more than 3'. Mosmatic makes the best swivels we've used.

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcTsDEAnzYsP-kPwAcOFnUbu3jMu111_IQRiWRHpGTo67WoVex7_WshmIIm2oDYnEpFdUUgKVYwkh7u970wu50FNphtz8GmF6m5ATZlWXoQ

 

[Bert_]

3/8 hydraulic hose is the standard. Maybe you could use 1/4 on a small unit

 

[Steel_Rain]

Doesn't have to be this brand, though PressurePro does make quality PW stuff.

+1 for PressurePro stuff. I replace the horrible OE Simpson hose on mine with a PressurePro and it’s been much much better.

I also have had good luck with “SurfaceMaxx” products. The wands/guns and surface cleaners appear high quality and work well for a home gamer at least.

 

[HandyFS]

Thanks all! Now that I think of it, it may be 3/8" since 1/4 does seem kind of small. Those hoses look pretty good. Going to check them out and throw them into the mix.

 

[Stelzer]

+1 for PressurePro stuff. I replace the horrible OE Simpson hose on mine with a PressurePro and it’s been much much better.

I also have had good luck with “SurfaceMaxx” products. The wands/guns and surface cleaners appear high quality and work well for a home gamer at least.

All of our guns are Sutner, either Easy Pull or Relaxed Action. Seem to get the most longevity from those, (but there are times where we're washing 50k-100k sq.ft/wk), so I'm sure there's plenty of offerings that'd work. If you downstream, best to get the highest rated GPM gun you can though to avoid issues. Even when we're just washing with a 6GPM rig, the guns are rated for 10-12GPM. If you're not downstreaming using a soap injector or Xjet though, I imagine most guns would suffice. As far as wands, I get em from my Landa supplier and have no idea what brand they are, (probably not Landa though). Most guns have no more than 18" wands unless we're doing concrete or stripping stain. Still manage to get 40'-50' vertically with a lazer stream using Guy Blackmon's Original Shooter Tip, (still the best around, and is a fellow pressure washer from forums back when PW forums first began).

 

[fatfillup]

3/8 hydraulic hose is the standard. Maybe you could use 1/4 on a small unit

Hydraulic hose is similar but not the same as pressure washer hose. The inner tube is different.

Pressure Pro was destroyed by a hurricane in Fla. They are no longer building or shipping parts or machines and likely won't be for a long time. The hose they sold was fine.

Definitely go with 3/8 x 50 ft one wire hose. Beware, it is heavy compared to 1/4"
Gray non marking would be better for residential use compared to black.
Do not buy the 3/8 hose at the box store that has the clear outer covering, it won't last.
You might look at Northern's hose, they normally sell decent products or go to a pressure washer distributor
Good luck

 

[Bert_]

Hydraulic hose is similar but not the same as pressure washer hose. The inner tube is different.

Pressure Pro was destroyed by a hurricane in Fla. They are no longer building or shipping parts or machines and likely won't be for a long time. The hose they sold was fine.

Definitely go with 3/8 x 50 ft one wire hose. Beware, it is heavy compared to 1/4"
Gray non marking would be better for residential use compared to black.
Do not buy the 3/8 hose at the box store that has the clear outer covering, it won't last.
You might look at Northern's hose, they normally sell decent products or go to a pressure washer distributor
Good luck

It's what most use here.

 

[HandyFS]

Quick Update: I was in a pinch and needed a hose ASAP the next day and none of the brands mentioned I could get my hands on that quickly, so I grabbed this one off Amazon:

50' 3/8 Power Washer Hose

My power washer was already set up with a 3/8" fitting even though the hose was 1/4 from what I could tell, so it was plug and play to my existing setup, I didn't need to use any adapters which was nice.

So far I've used this hose for about 4 hours total in (4) 1 hour sessions and its working well. It definitely is heavy/tough and needs to manually be uncoiled from its shape, but I don't mind since it moves around nicely once its laid out flat.

I only use my power washer about 1-4 times a year. So hopefully this one doesn't deteriorate and leave me stranded after being in storage most of the time.

No clue on longevity, hoping it lasts a good few years.