Clean County PW
Active member
This excerpt came from Hydrotek. They apparently think that 110/120 volt powerwashers are more reliable then 12 volt even though 12 volts have made improvements over the years.
Here's the excerpt:
The "commercial" customer that uses the washer 10 to 15 hours per week will require a 2,000-hour machine. The pump could be high rpm direct drive but with a brass head, stainless steel valves, and a quality unloader that has been tested to endure at least 50,000 cycles. Gas engines should be labeled industrial/commercial and have overhead valve and cast-iron bore.
The "industrial" customer probably uses the pressure washer 20 to 40 hours per week and requires at least a 3000-hour machine. The pump life is extended with a lower speed design (1,750RPM or less) and unloader and burner controls tested to over 88,000 cycles. There are only a few high-speed pumps that can last up to 3,000 hours. The electric motor should be high efficiency/low amp draw and drive the pump through gear reduction or belts if it is high speed. Gas engines should be industrial/commercial and may power the burner system through a high-amp, 12-volt charging system and power the pump with belts, which transfer less engine heat and vibration to the pump.
The "professional" contract cleaner and other heavy users can require a machine that runs more than 40 hours per week or over 2,000 hours per year. Only the premium quality pumps that are used in applications like coin-op car washes are designed for this kind of life. Belt drive is a must for extended life and serviceability. Heavy-duty designs require all components to be top quality. Heat exchanger coils should be a minimum schedule 80 pipe. The electric motor should be not only high efficiency but should also have reserve power or a service factor of 115%. If gasoline-powered, twin-cylinder pressure lubricated engines are preferred, they should be rated to produce 50% more power than the load. Water-cooled gas and diesel engines also provide
extended life. Diesel burner systems that are 12 volt have recently become more reliable, but the proven 110-volt systems are a better bet especially when heating over 4 gpm of water and 350,000 BTU's. Life expectancies of over two years in harsh environments require quality powder-coated finish or extensive use of less corrosive materials such as stainless steel and polyethylene.
Customers may not always fit into the categories that we have placed them in. A homeowner may wish to purchase a machine that lasts longer than two years and may not mind spending a bit more upfront to get a commercial or even industrial machine that will be less expensive in the long run. A tradesman or an industrial/commercial user may anticipate using the pressure washer many additional hours per week or may not want to replace the pressure washer every few years. A washer designed for over 40 hours of use per week would double the life span if it were only used 20 hours per week.
Here's the excerpt:
The "commercial" customer that uses the washer 10 to 15 hours per week will require a 2,000-hour machine. The pump could be high rpm direct drive but with a brass head, stainless steel valves, and a quality unloader that has been tested to endure at least 50,000 cycles. Gas engines should be labeled industrial/commercial and have overhead valve and cast-iron bore.
The "industrial" customer probably uses the pressure washer 20 to 40 hours per week and requires at least a 3000-hour machine. The pump life is extended with a lower speed design (1,750RPM or less) and unloader and burner controls tested to over 88,000 cycles. There are only a few high-speed pumps that can last up to 3,000 hours. The electric motor should be high efficiency/low amp draw and drive the pump through gear reduction or belts if it is high speed. Gas engines should be industrial/commercial and may power the burner system through a high-amp, 12-volt charging system and power the pump with belts, which transfer less engine heat and vibration to the pump.
The "professional" contract cleaner and other heavy users can require a machine that runs more than 40 hours per week or over 2,000 hours per year. Only the premium quality pumps that are used in applications like coin-op car washes are designed for this kind of life. Belt drive is a must for extended life and serviceability. Heavy-duty designs require all components to be top quality. Heat exchanger coils should be a minimum schedule 80 pipe. The electric motor should be not only high efficiency but should also have reserve power or a service factor of 115%. If gasoline-powered, twin-cylinder pressure lubricated engines are preferred, they should be rated to produce 50% more power than the load. Water-cooled gas and diesel engines also provide
extended life. Diesel burner systems that are 12 volt have recently become more reliable, but the proven 110-volt systems are a better bet especially when heating over 4 gpm of water and 350,000 BTU's. Life expectancies of over two years in harsh environments require quality powder-coated finish or extensive use of less corrosive materials such as stainless steel and polyethylene.
Customers may not always fit into the categories that we have placed them in. A homeowner may wish to purchase a machine that lasts longer than two years and may not mind spending a bit more upfront to get a commercial or even industrial machine that will be less expensive in the long run. A tradesman or an industrial/commercial user may anticipate using the pressure washer many additional hours per week or may not want to replace the pressure washer every few years. A washer designed for over 40 hours of use per week would double the life span if it were only used 20 hours per week.
