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screen printing => Equipment => Topic started by: DCSP John on June 23, 2014, 08:49:57 AM
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We have been plagued with pressure washer issues.
We have gone thru (2) Cam Spray 1500 PSI Cold Water, Electric in the past 6 months.
Not the most expensive, but still not cheap at $699 each. Why they fail, I have no idea.
One day they work, the next nada.. Water flow is adequate, and they are not in constant 8 hour use.
I just bought a Kranzle Professional Grade last week. 1700 PSI, cold water @ $850
Lasted a week before water started coming out of the main housing. Scheduled to be shipped back.
No idea why this one failed. Thought is was a smart choice.
Money is not an issue. I need a reliable cold water, at least 1500 PSI electric unit to handle medium size
shop screen duties - 35-50 screens per day.
What are you guys running? I have tried to educate my self on pressure washers, but seem to have failed
to land a reliable unit on my shop. As you all know, a good pressure washer is an absolute prerequisite for running
an efficient shop. I need some advice, fellas..
Thanks. John
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Try Northern tool. They are pretty savvy on PWs
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a very good friend of mine works at a place called Lorchem in Elgin, Illinois...
they swear by the 'Landa' brand electric units.
one thing that you might want to consider trying is putting a 'whole-house' water filter before your washer... if you have bad water or particulate matter in the water for whatever reason, that can chew up the insides of the pump. $45-$50 or so at Home Depot...
our non-pressure rinse water goes through it too, and seems to have helped with making perfect/non-pinhole screens.
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i have had good luck with dultmeier.com
we have a landa pressure washer that we bought in 2003 - ive replaced the motor and just bought a new pump for it.
one thing i just learned was that the pressure is set with the nozzle size, not with the unloader.
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geez, we had a Camspray go 4 years until the pump cracked. We sent it back in and for about $200 they rebuilt it and shipped it back. We are still running our stand-in replacement...we'll switch back once this cheaper one fails...it's a BE brand..it's ok, not nearly as good.
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I just picked up one of these new Ryobi's at Home Depot for $150ish. I've only had it for about a month, but so far it kicks the hell out of the Karcher unit I was using previously and was worth every penny. The build quality on it is very solid, and it has great pressure.
https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/573 (https://www.ryobitools.com/products/details/573)
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We got this one last year, has been very good. It's a commercial unit, not the normal store type, you can't buy it in the store you have to order it and they ship it to you from the factory. Electric motor, connected to a direct drive pump, just like any of the larger ones for a lower price point.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81zy3buisYL._SL1500_.jpg)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Campbell-Hausfeld-1850-PSI-1-35-GPM-Electric-Pressure-Washer-CP5101/203243388?cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-203243388&skwcid&kwd=&ci_sku=203243388&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969 (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Campbell-Hausfeld-1850-PSI-1-35-GPM-Electric-Pressure-Washer-CP5101/203243388?cm_mmc=shopping-_-googleads-_-pla-_-203243388&skwcid&kwd=&ci_sku=203243388&ci_kw=&ci_gpa=pla&ci_src=17588969)
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the last campbell-Hausfield we had lasted about 4 years maybe 5, cost $300 plus....Have you checked your water something in the water might be eating up the seals or rubber inside the washer, leaving it on all the time with water pressure ain't good. Right now I use a Lcheapo from Lowe's cost just over $100 been using it for 2 years plus now.
Darryl
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Sounds weird to me too. We've had a number of 'gifted' employees try to start it without water going to it, as well as 'tapping' the trigger (REAL good for the unloader)
Only prob we had was with a wand that started leaking after about a year, also really good for the unloader... Got a replacement four or five years ago. Only run maybe six to eight hours a week though too.
Are these warranty issues?
Are you sure particulate isn't clogging the nozzles? (Sounds like the symptom, has happened a few times here)
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You need an Industrial level model, one that is designed for heavy daily use.
The ones from Depot, lowes and many 'cheap' ones are junk plain and simple.
A good washer is nothing more than an electric motor, 240v preferably, with a 1500-3000 PSI power head.
something like this.. it's just a picture, not a brand or anything.
(http://www.hiwtc.com/photo/products/16/00/39/3951.jpg)
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I've never had a problem with the motors going bad, but the wands and rubbers seals going bad spraying water everywhere but from the end of the wand and when that happens with the cheapo's you just as well have to bad a new one.
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the end of the wand and when that happens with the cheapo's you just as well have to bad a new one.
yep thanks to Proprietary threads and connectors.. ???
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I'm with John on this one. Those ones sell refurb kits for the pump.
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You can just buy the wand tho. I replaced the hose and wand on my harbor freight one after the first one failed. New one has been perfect.
Shockingly enough, they actually use standard connectors.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
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FWIW, there was one of those CS 1500's (or whatever they called it forty years ago) in the shop here before, crapped out after nearly thirty years--no one even knew you could change the oil in it.
Pretty sure there's something seriously wrong going on with that... or QC just disappeared. Happening everywhere else, I suppose...
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Ours is so old, I have no idea what brand it is, we picked it up used in '92. Replaced the motor and pump along the way, Grainger stuff, and yes, the nozzle is damned important. If not matched up correctly, it will back up (think "banana in the tailpipe" from Beverly Hills Cop). We've also had maybe four guns for it, also from Grainger. The point being, good parts make a good PW; I'm not the handiest guy around, but once I figured it out, it was a lot less expensive in the long run; it's been 7 or 8 years since the last repair...
Steve
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I'm not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe man...
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I'm not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe man...
We did it to a guy here the other week.. it was hilarious ;D
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Aaladin pressure washers hands down but open your wallet.
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We're running an AR Blue Clean 630 with TSS (auto on/off)
http://www.pwmall.com/p-140316-ar630_tss-ar-blue-clean-15001900-psi-electric-pressure-washer-21gpm-115v-tss.aspx (http://www.pwmall.com/p-140316-ar630_tss-ar-blue-clean-15001900-psi-electric-pressure-washer-21gpm-115v-tss.aspx)
It has been completely reliable, except for the adjustable spray wand, but that was expected to wear out with 8 hour a day abuse and we replaced it with a fixed 25 degree nozzle.
The pump is re-buildable and has a pressure adjustment. I back it off for developing and crank it up for reclaim.
Just change the oil regularly (a 5 minute operation) and it will last indefinitely.
Best $599 I've ever convinced the boss to spend.
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Oh but if money were no object: Hotsy.
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Just change the oil regularly (a 5 minute operation) and it will last indefinitely.
Bingo!
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belt drive pressure washers will last longer than direct drive - - the pump runs slower (800rpm vs 1750 or 3600rpm)
the pump from our pressure washer lasted 11 years - had maybe 20,000 hours on it.
i had to replace the pump because the oil seal gave out and the bearings seized. - its all fixable, but it was cheaper and faster to buy a $500 pump.
the new pump is rated for 4 gallons per minute and 2000 psi. i reduced the pressure to 1000 psi with a larger size nozzle - still allows for the 4.2 gpm, but wont destroy the mesh.
the pump is driven by a 5 hp, 208v electric motor - match the motor voltage to the wall voltage. twelve years ago we had a kranzle that died because the motor was 230v and the wall voltage was 208v. it lasted about a month, had it fixed under warranty, and then another month it died again.