Want To Purchase, Electric?

T

Tom-Gonzo

Member
Owners said "OK spend our money",
I think what I'm looking for is an Electric, 110 volt, 1500 psi, @ 2gpm, mostly used for oil/grease
on a concrete parking lot, others uses will be windows and sidewalks, but mostly Parking area's at a Motel/Hotel. Is the price of $500.00 to low to get started, and is an electric the way to go?
I'm asking the "Pro's" for their experiance and knowledge,
Tom
 
Last edited:
Lets see is $500 enough? Not if you want an electric cold water
HP washer,you can get a decent 115 volt cold water electric for
around $500.

pressurewasherzone_1659_356407


Is electric the way to go? There are some Pros & Cons:
No gas needed, no maintaining of a gas engine, less noise, etc.

Usually less powerful, limited to available powersource,.

You have not asked whether or not you need a hot water pressure
washer or not!

Cold water HP washers are not very effective for cleaning oils, greases etc.
However Hot HP Washers cost a lot more.

I suggest you consider the applications, proximity of power sources, your
equipment budget etc. before making a decision, regardless of who's $
we are spending.
(your employer will appreciate your doing research before making a decision)

Call me if I can assist in the decision making process.:D
 
Keep in mind, I "am" shopping, and looking for the best possible deal, within the money availible to me.
I've found a few, within my budget, One from "Stihl" 1500psi/2gpm, National tool has the same,
But my next question is, "WHAT PUMP IS A GOOD ONE", MTM? HOTSY?,

Also, Hot water would be great, but It's obvious they won't allow that kind of investment, for thier first machine,

Anyone got a good used Hot water/portable, within
my budget, Or am I just kidding myself.

P.S. "Cool Sight",
Tom
 
Owners said "OK spend our money",


They sound not ever smart to me b/c they will have to hire some one to run it.The area you covered in its wants will cost them money in the long run b/c of the time they will have to pay for someone to run it.You can easy spend all day on a parking area with a small cold water electic play toy.It wouldn't take long in the cost of labor to pay for a pretty good one but I imagin by their small investment they also pay cheap labor.I think you need a raise b/c of the time you will spend looking to save them money and not getting paid for it.If they are paying you what your worth they can not afford to pay you to run it b/c of the long term cost.To get their investment wisely they should not look for nothing on smaller than a 2000psi,4 gpm,hotwater b/c of the uses it has around a motel/hotel
 
Tom,

Before rushing out and buying a unit, you may want to do a little more research, not just regarding what unit fits your budget, but what are your city and/or state codes regarding pressure washing. Depending on the city where you live, you may be required to recover and dispose of your wash water and not allow it to run off into the storm sewer system. Some cities also require operating permits to do pressure washing. If that is the case, it may not matter much what unit hot, cold, electric or gas that meets your budget requirements, you may not be able to do the cleaning you want without getting permits or purchasing some sort of recovery system as well, unless you want to risk being cited for being in violation of EPA requirements or city codes. Either might end up costing the owner more than if they hired the work done for several years.

As for finding a unit for $500 you have to keep in mind that will be just the start of your spending. You will need extras as well, otherwise you will be working your butt off and getting nowhere fast. Things like extra hose. Most small units only come with 30ft of hose, not near enough unless you want to spend most of your cleaning time moving your unit around. Good quality hose for your water supply and lots of it. Some units only come with a something like a 0-80 degree variable nozzle or a single fixed nozzle. Neither are adaquite for the different kinds and amount of cleaning you are looking at doing. So you will need some different kinds of nozzles, some are cheap, some are not. Saftey equipment, at minimum, good rubber boots and especially good eye protection. If you go with electric, you will need extention cords appropiatly sized for the current draw of the unit and the length of the run, otherwise the motor will overheat. You can spend a lot of money on extras alone.

Just some things to consider before rushing out and buying a unit.
 
Prior to my employment with this company, The ex-
Supervisor spent over $3000, to hire a "Profesional" to power wash the parking area, and apply a sealant, In the year I've been with the company, I've found reciepts totaling over $2000
in oil & grease cleaner, "supposedly" used in our parking lot, and these area's look as thou they have never been touched.
Thats when I came up with the idea to purchase our own powerwasher,
Keep in mind, I'm not a profesional, but I'm certainly not opposed to a job well done,
I'm simply looking for the best deal availble,
I assume most of you are true profesionals and
"ANY" help is valued and appreciated,
Thanks for reading,
Tom
 
Here's an idea for you. Most pressure washer distributors have rental units available. Rent a cold water unit and a hot water machine and see which one works best for you. You may also consider renting rather than owning if this job is occasional. That way you don't have to store it, worry about freeze ups, and all the maintenance headaches will be someone else's. I have a couple of used pieces of hot water equipment in the $900.00 range. This is also an option. Make sure the machine has been thoroughly reconditioned and comes with some kind of warranty. All our used machines come with a 90 day warranty. If I can't back the machine up after the sale, I'd just as soon part the thing out and throw away the rest.
 
This idea is on the back-burner for now,
In the near future I will spend $125.00 a day rental for a hot water unit,
Sad but true, sometimes owners have unusual ways
of spending money!
Tom
 
Considering the original poster's lack of familiarity with pressure washers, I would suggest finding a reputable dealer in your area and ask some questions.
To find a distributor, start by calling a few of the professional pressure washing contractors listed in the phone book. They will know better than anyone who can help you when you need it the most and are likely to steer you to someone who can answer your questions.
You can certainly find cheap equipment these days from a number of mail order and internet sources but you never know what you are getting. First, MiTM (you mentioned them and Hotsy) does not manufacture their own pump. They use General pumps on most of their industrial equipment, although they do label it with their own part number. Some of their smaller washers, for lighter use, use other pumps (AR Pumps comes to mind). Hotsy does use their own pump, the Hawk brand. All of these pumps are serviceable, but that is why you will want to talk to a distributor. Make sure they can get the parts or, better yet, stock them.
While an experienced power washer contractor can do a large part of their own maintenance, it is rare that someone new to the business, regardless of their mechanical knowledge, can troubleshoot and maintain a pressure washer pump immediately.
As far as electric vs. gas engine...someone already gave the pros and cons of each. Try to keep a few additional items in mind as you weigh your purchase options. For oil and grease, 3000psi of cold water won't clean nearly as well as 1000psi of hot water. Also, water volume makes up for pressure on many cleaning jobs. Don't get fooled into the all caps pressure ads.
Higher pressure doesn't mean the washer will clean better, only faster.
I seem to be running long, so I will end it there.
This is my first day to read this forum, so if you have any additional questions, post them and I will give you my best advice from 12 years of business in the pressure washing industry.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top