Let's talk pressure washers

[Dennis McCullen]

I'm another one in the electric camp. I just bought my first one a Blue - something or other, 1900 psi, made in Italy that gets good reviews on Amazon. Regardless how careful I think I'm being, the powerful gas ones that I've rented end up with me having to repair or paint something that did not really need it (yet). I've used this one a few times and it cleaned really dirty concrete slabs, and a metal roof, albeit rather slowly. You can run this pretty close to the surface at this limited pressure and maybe only clean a 3" swath, so it's slow. But when you're done, there's no repair or painting. I simply felt I could borrow or rent a big machine if needed. If you go gas, here's a tip that you no doubt already heard - BUY ETHANOL FREE GAS, ADD STABIL RIGHT AWAY. My yard and garden tools, mowers, chain saws, trimmers, mini-tillers, have performed flawlessly even after sitting for months by going through the trouble to find the right fuel.

[Chris Padilla]

Looks like I have both the water filter (screen) and the thermal plug.

20150327_082939.jpg

[Tom M King]

To freezeproof the pressure washer, you don't even have to start the motor. I put a gallon of RV antifreeze in an empty water hose, hook the hose up to the washer, and a hydrant. Turn the water on at the hydrant, hold the trigger open, and when you see pink come out the end, release the trigger-you have to run the water on something light colored like concrete to be able to see when it changes color. Disconnect the hose from both ends and you're done.

I have too much equipment to store it all in a heated space, and this has worked fine all the years I've had the pressure washer.

[Jesse Busenitz]

We have a washer with a Honda engine that works great, but we also just got an electric Hotsy, with a 5hp Baldor. Needless to say we use a power washer quite often on the farm.

[Rich Riddle]

I have a Honda powered unit with solid brass fittings under it that power the pressure component. Works just like it should. Run it out of gas every year when putting it away. When starting it up, just put in new gas it it fires just like it should. Last year it didn't even get used. After nearly two years of sitting, it started on the first pull.

[Ole Anderson]

Pump gas (10% ethanol) on all of my power equipment for years and never a problem, saws, trimmers, blowers (all Stihl). And my JD Zero Turn and my Toro blower as well as the pressure washer, generator and snow blower. I know it can cause problems in certain equipment, just not mine so far. I do put Stabil in at the end of the year on the bigger engines including my MI boat. And last fall I tried the Stabil ethanol version. My FL outboard does get non-ethanol gas just because that is what is at the marina pumps.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Pump gas (10% ethanol) on all of my power equipment for years and never a problem, saws, trimmers, blowers (all Stihl). And my JD Zero Turn and my Toro blower as well as the pressure washer, generator and snow blower. I know it can cause problems in certain equipment, just not mine so far. I do put Stabil in at the end of the year on the bigger engines including my MI boat. And last fall I tried the Stabil ethanol version. My FL outboard does get non-ethanol gas just because that is what is at the marina pumps.

Same results as you here, Ole. Ethanol gets a bad rap or no good reason. It can theoretically absorb moisture from the air, but why is your tank open to the air??? Ever see the varnish that old gas leaves? Bottom line, just take care of gas engines like you should, and they will work fine with gas or ethanol blends.

[Dan Friedrichs]

To freezeproof the pressure washer,

Dumb thought I keep having: do you really need to freezeproof a pressure washer? I mean, if the water in it freezes, doesn't that just increase the pressure inside the pump? And this is a machine designed to withstand high pressure, anyways? As the pressure increases from some water freezing, the freezing temperature goes down, so is some equilibrium reached at under the ~2,000 psi the pump is rated for?

[Dan Friedrichs]

Not to hijack the thread, but this was my solution - built my own 5HP, 240V electric unit with a ceramic triplex pump. I feed it hot water from my domestic hot water heater. 100' hose. I'm happy

[Rick Moyer]

Dumb thought I keep having: do you really need to freezeproof a pressure washer? I mean, if the water in it freezes, doesn't that just increase the pressure inside the pump? And this is a machine designed to withstand high pressure, anyways? As the pressure increases from some water freezing, the freezing temperature goes down, so is some equilibrium reached at under the ~2,000 psi the pump is rated for?

Yes, I had a fitting crack. There are places where water freezing will cause a problem. I see your point about the pump but I don't know that answer.

[Jason Roehl]

Dumb thought I keep having: do you really need to freezeproof a pressure washer? I mean, if the water in it freezes, doesn't that just increase the pressure inside the pump? And this is a machine designed to withstand high pressure, anyways? As the pressure increases from some water freezing, the freezing temperature goes down, so is some equilibrium reached at under the ~2,000 psi the pump is rated for?

Well, I can't speak to the why, but I have had a pressure washer freeze. The pump is still going, years later, but the thermal overload had to be replaced. I had 500' of black supply line hooked up to the pump with very cold temps expected, but I physically couldn't put it all up that night. So I left the water trickling. Someone else came along after I left and thought they would be helpful by shutting off the water...

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Dumb thought I keep having: do you really need to freezeproof a pressure washer? I mean, if the water in it freezes, doesn't that just increase the pressure inside the pump? And this is a machine designed to withstand high pressure, anyways? As the pressure increases from some water freezing, the freezing temperature goes down, so is some equilibrium reached at under the ~2,000 psi the pump is rated for?

Yes, the pump is made for high pressures, like 1000-2000 psi maybe. Ice is much stronger than that, according to the website below, capable of exerting 43,511 psi before becoming a different form of ice. Not much is holding that, especially something with moving parts and clearances that must be maintained.

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index....nt-expand-ice/