Pressure washer advise.

[inkbrigade]

It's time again to buy a new pressure washer. We've done the Home Depot / lowes ones, and not going that route again.
Our last one was from northern tool. It was a 120 volt 2000psi  1.5 gpm.
It worked fine until it died.

Obviously we want to reclaim faster, so I'm thinking about going with a washer that has more gpm.

Makes sense that the more water you are pushing out the faster to reclaim and rinse.

So I guess my question for the board is anyone using any high pressure washers?
Any problem with riping screen mesh?

What about lower pressure and higher gpm?

We have a 240volt outlet by the washout booth.

Also trying to find an actual electric pressure washer is tough. We don't need something on wheels, and all the other stuff.

So I'm kinda thinking about building my own. Comet pump and a Baldor motor, and some sort of capacitor or whatever. Not sure what that part is called yet.

But it seems like the only way to get the power I want / need and for it to be affordable is to build it myself.

Thoughts?

[dirkdiggler]

after buying maybe 20 over the past 16 years, I like the ones from Northerntool, make sure it has a "cat" pump.  These last way longer than any other I have tried.

[brandon]

Hey man, great to see you on here again. This might help but probably not. Lower on the PSI but higher on the GPM.

ELECTRIC MODEL 1520
2 GPM @ 1500 PSI
Comet Direct Drive
Baldor TEFC Motor
120 Volt 20 Amp

I can send you the link if you want me to.

[inkbrigade]

Yea, that's the last one we had that just died.
I'm thinking about this one maybe:
http://m.northerntool.com/mt/www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200347872_200347872

[inkbrigade]

Hey Brandon! Hope Nola is treating you well! Yea send me the link if you can. Want to check out all my options.

[dirkdiggler]

Yea, that's the last one we had that just died.
I'm thinking about this one maybe:
http://m.northerntool.com/mt/www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200347872_200347872

Yep, that's the one.  I use it right now, I have bought 3 of them, they will last up to about 5 years generally, and that was at about 150-200 screens a day.

[GaryG]

We have had pretty much one like that for over 10 years.
Get a quality one, not year in and year out. The hi psi will
be faster with more thorough blast out too.

[gtmfg]

Check out aaladin pressure washers.  We've never had a problem with it plus the thing is totally rebuildable.

[mimosatexas]

We have been using the same $70 1.4g 1500 psi pressure washer from lowe's for almost 3 years.  No issues.

[mk162]

i have 2...

CamSpray 1500A.  Had it for about 5 years and the thing finally went out.  I called them, and shipped it to them for repair.  It came to $280 with shipping both ways for them to rebuild it.

In the mean time, I bought a new one to have as a backup, a BE 1500 PSI unit.  It's weak compared to the CamSpray.  It uses less GPM and you can really tell a difference.

I would recommend the CamSpray, it's a great unit.

[Croft]

Ive had really good luck with the smallest industrial Karcher washer , last one last 6+ years of daily use. There repairable and cost about $700 up here so probably a bit cheaper there.  I just bought my second one from a janitorial supply company.

http://www.cancleanpressurewashers.com/equipment/by-suppliers/karcher/karcher-hd-1813-c-ed/

[3Deep]

I'll toss this in, whatever you get, get a good wand, I've had the worst problems with wands going bad (plastic) get all metal if you can.

D

[alan802]

I was always a fan of the expensive Camspray models from CCI and ours finally went out a few months back.  It had over 7 HARD years on it so I went to Lowes and picked up a cheapo, got the insurance/extra warranty because I figured as much as it will be used that it won't last long.  We've rode this thing hard and it hasn't missed a beat.  The Greenworks 1700 psi, 1.4gpm for $199.

I normally don't advise going the cheap route for the pressure washer but I've gotten a solid 5 tough months out of this cheap model which is more than I thought I'd get with the abuse it takes.  It reclaims 20+ screens per day and develops the same amount along with other odd chores.  I'll get the CCI fixed and I should probably start on that this week so when the cheapo does go out I'll have the expensive one back up and ready.

[ebscreen]

They are pretty simple Jamie, but once you get down to making the frame and buying all the connections you don't
save much.

I was able to get a 3000 psi with a CAT pump, 220v for about $1k. The thing rules. Haven't ripped a screen with it yet,
but we only use the 27 degree tip.

[ZooCity]

+1 for the Camspray 1500a.  Hard to kill 'em and they have more GPM than the cheaper ones.