RedM Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 I've been thinking about getting one of these and I'll go and have a look at some this weekend but, in order not to waste my time, can I check how they work with a knowledgeable bod from here. I ahve no way of connecting a water hose to a pressure washer. Am I doomed from the start or ccan I get one that I can fill with water and then use. Also, I'm assuming you have to plug these in somewhere to power the motors. Safe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 from my knowledge you have to have a constant water feed to them when in use. So a hose would be needed. And yes they are plugged in to the mains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUPRALOOPY Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 without a constant water supply you are doomed, unless they do a fukcin big one wich will be very expensive.. they do plug into the mains but i would recommend using a circuit breaker in between the plug and the wall socket!! bloke at work fried himself steaming the showroom floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merckx Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 I think with some you can use a bucket of water to feed them. We've got a middle of the range one, they're crap. Good for blasting the patio but no good for the car. Even when using the special detergent they don't get the car clean, this is the normal cold water feed type. You can buy the hot water ones, they're more expensive but should give similar performance to the commercials machines at the filling stations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 Yeah the hot water ones normally run with diesel to heat the water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted September 1, 2005 Author Share Posted September 1, 2005 Damn, I was hoping to find a way out of my usual routine of driving the twomiles to the nearest petrol stations, blasting most of the crap off, driving back carefully and then doing the routine I wrote about above. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael parker Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 Yeah you need a outside tap!!! why don't ya get one plummed in??? surely only cost about £50, you'll save that on washes at petrol stations in 6 month!! there's a pressure washer at wickes half price for £24.99 iirc, can't beat using your own px washer, no time limits etc!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl0s Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 Mine works quite well. It worked exceptionally well when the plumbers goofed up and connected the hot water to the outside tap. Unfortunately my mother ordered them to make it cold again. The one I have is adequately powerful. In my eyes it's really quite powerful, but even so they never clean the car. You *have* to use a sponge, so there's little point. I really just use mine for cleaning the soapsuds off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garetheves Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 we got a decent one off ebay. 99quid, cold water fed one that plugs into the mains and hose pipe. Awsome piece of kit. Brilliant to giving the car a once over before attacking it with th sponge. Gets all the larger bits of dirt off easily. In fact if the car is well waxed ive found that more often than not, after power washing it i dont need to wash with the sponge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 This is a topic close to my heart lol. I used to wash and polish my car every week without fail. The problem with garage ones and the more expensive home products are that they are very powerfull. If you get the jet too close to the paintwork and theres a stone chip it can lift up to a square inch of paint off as happened to a mates MX3. There is no substitute for elbow grease when it comes to car husbandry. The lower power karcher's are very good for shifting bugs and crap without shifting paint. OK you really aren't getting anywhere without electricity. If your wash area is a long way from a power point then consider a cheap petrol generator have a look in freeads or buy one from B&Q about £90 should get one. Water only needs a positive feed which can be gravity fed. If you can rig up a container about shoulder height that should feed enough positive pressure to feed a pressure washer as to a certain degree it will suck the water up. You can either bucket fill the feed container or have it rain filled. I would put a strainer in the line before washer though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted September 2, 2005 Author Share Posted September 2, 2005 What a good idea. Now need to find a huge buckety thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 2, 2005 Share Posted September 2, 2005 What a good idea. Now need to find a huge buckety thing! A plastic chemical barrel or a common or garden water butt mate. A water butt should allready have a tap on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted September 3, 2005 Share Posted September 3, 2005 The karcscher pressure washer i bought came with a little options brochure and they had an attachement to suck up water from an external source, as DB says buy a water butt, then let it fill with rain water and use that to supply the water for your pressure washer, the suction part has a filter on it. I personally wouldn't use a pressure washer for anything more than alloy wheels and wheel arches. I bought mine a year ago and only use it in winter for the above areas.The best tools are sponge and bucket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.