[AJ56]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

First of all, thanks for your valuable feedback. I think I made a mistake in defining my usage properly.

Now, for the pricing mentioned in your post. I think prices have changed a lot since last you checked. These are the prices available right now during the sale.

1) Bosch Aquatak 125 - 8k on Amazon after discount.
2) Karcher K3 HR - 12050 on Flipkart after discount
3) Karcher K3 Deluxe Premium - 13050 on Moglix after discount
4) Karcher K4 Classic - 11700 on Amazon after discount (now OOS)
5) Karcher K4 Power Control without HR - 20500 on Amazon after discount
6) Karcher K5 Power Control without HR - 23000 on Amazon after discount.
7) Starq 1800 HPW - 19500 on Amazon after discount

But if they would be problematic and the Starq would be more reliable and servicable then I mighy be able to stretch that much but only if it would be worth my kind of usage. I know we get better hose with the Starq and if I were to want to convert the Karcher to universal fittings it would be costly. But I also like the performance of the Dirt Blaster from Karcher a lot.

Happy to help.

Not only are the plastic Karcher/Bosch more problematic, they cannot be repaired anywhere as easily or cheaply as modular pressure washers. Karcher does make heavy duty commercial machines which are modular and easy to repair but they are 3 phase 440V and get unnecessarily expensive.

If you’re getting a StarQ or similar, it comes with quick connects and you simply buy the dirt blaster quick connect accessory- https://www.amazon.in/STARQ-WASHER-R...7&gad_source=1

Although I find the supplied red colour zero degree nozzle as effective as a dirt blaster if you’re trying to clean mats/flooring (only for hard surfaces, do not use on cars/softer mats).

Regarding prices, I checked the Karcher India website today itself before replying to you- https://www.kaercher.com/in/home-gar...e-washers.html

Avoid buying from unknown websites, even Amazon and Industry buying have sent used/damaged machines to me in some cases. Which is why I now stick to offline buying directly from dealers for pressure washers and other heavy equipment. The support is much better.

[rdst_1]

Has anyone tried connecting a Pressure Washer gun to a normal water pump. I am tempted to try that first. Is there an adaptor available out there which will allow me to connect a PW gun with M22 thread to a 1/2 inch or a 3/4 inch garden hose?

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

Has anyone tried connecting a Pressure Washer gun to a normal water pump. I am tempted to try that first. Is there an adaptor available out there which will allow me to connect a PW gun with M22 thread to a 1/2 inch or a 3/4 inch garden hose?

Near my house one washing facility uses conventional 2HP motors with pressure based cutoff switches and do an excellent job in generating good washing pressure. But I am not sure of the specifics and comparison v/s actual pressure washers which use a piston based pump which I believe generates a lot more pressure.

[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by AJ56

StarQ and Shakti work fine and are reasonably durable with spares easily available. They’re all rebranded Chinese units but quality wise are ok for the low cost they come in at compared to a Kranzle/AR.

Just change the pump oil every 100 hours and you won’t have issues.

https://www.starq.in/products/qpt-st...her-qt-1800hpw

https://www.starq.in/products/high-p...2200-hpw-starq

Ah thank you but the ones you have linked are commercial units. I was thinking of a domestic unit since it will only be used at my home to wash my car and the tiles surrounding the house.

https://www.starq.in/products/starq-...i-red-standard

Would something like this work? The one I have currently from ResQtech is a brushed motor where I have had to replace the brush once. It worked for another 2 months and now has died again. (unsure of the reason this time)

Are there any domestic units that don't use brushes?

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

Ah thank you but the ones you have linked are commercial units. I was thinking of a domestic unit since it will only be used at my home to wash my car and the tiles surrounding the house.

https://www.starq.in/products/starq-...i-red-standard

Would something like this work? The one I have currently from ResQtech is a brushed motor where I have had to replace the brush once. It worked for another 2 months and now has died again. (unsure of the reason this time)

Are there any domestic units that don't use brushes?

That commercial label is just marketing, pay no heed. Actual heavy duty commercial units will start at 50-80k for the entry level Chinese models and most are 440V 3 phase. They are designed for long continuous operation without overheating and they use copper wire induction motors.

Both of mine use copper induction motors as well. A brushed motor just isn’t durable, will suggest you avoid any machines with a brushed motor. Also stay away from super cheap machines as the internals won’t be high quality, you can ask StarQ what motor specs their machines use but I believe they are induction as well.

Even for light domestic use, you want a machine that has at least 20-30 mins of continuous runtime with a decent quality steel braided hose and a good flow rate.

[jinojohnt]

Can a pressure hose extender be safely used without much drop in pressure? Asking since lot of forums mention that longer pressure hose will drop the pressure and even damage the motor in the long run.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

Can a pressure hose extender be safely used without much drop in pressure? Asking since lot of forums mention that longer pressure hose will drop the pressure and even damage the motor in the long run.

Don’t use an extender as you’re just creating more points of failure/leaks. Switch to a longer hose.

I’ve tested upto 20m/66ft, on machines that came with a 10m stock hose, there was near zero drop in pressure/flow rate. Above 150ft you may experience a small drop. Can’t speak to motor damage as I’ve only used 15m/50ft over the years, upto 100ft I don’t think you’ll damage anything. This helps clarify the same-

https://youtu.be/C9cMVYzHgDg

Also, don’t ignore hose diameter. You want the right diameter with the right machine, washers around 4-5hp go best with a 9.5mm hose diameter (also called 3/8 inch). Smaller units will use a 6.35mm or 1/4 inch hose.

[G-Drive]

Dear AJ56, I am buying a new car and have also installed a roof top solar. I was looking for a portable pressure washer to wash the car as well as periodically clean the solar panels on the terrace. Since I have to lift the washer up the stairs, the commercial washers would be too heavy I think. Would you recommend the below portable one? The pressure is listed as 250 bar on this product from StarQ and you had mentioned that car paints can take up to 165 bar.

https://www.starq.in/products/starq-...i-red-standard

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by G-Drive

Since I have to lift the washer up the stairs, the commercial washers would be too heavy I think. Would you recommend the below portable one? The pressure is listed as 250 bar on this product from StarQ and you had mentioned that car paints can take up to 165 bar.

Like I’ve said earlier, don’t go by their numbers. 9L/min at 250 bar (3,625 psi) needs a massive motor. For reference, a 4hp unit that is over twice the size of this one barely puts out 10L/min at 140 bar.

Going by the video reviews of this machine on YouTube I wouldn’t suggest as flow rate is very low, see for yourself-

https://youtu.be/HAwXt58u1Ks

You can get better machines that are equally portable and light, something like this- https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=...ECAcQDA&adurl=

Again, ignore the quoted numbers. Although this one will give around 7L/min at 100 bar+ which is much better than the red W3A above.

Will make a small note about the ‘commercial’ tag used by brands for marketing. There is no difference between a so called commercial or domestic pressure washer in terms of features or principal of operation.

Pressure washers should be classified based on power, ie; flow rate and pressure (also referred to as cleaning units by some.) Also, their duty cycle - how long a machine can run continuously without overheating at the claimed pressure and flow rate.

It’s a bit like a car mfg. claiming every car above 300hp say is for racing only and not for civilian road use. We’d all agree on the absurdity of such a claim.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by AJ56

Again, ignore the quoted numbers. Although this one will give around 7L/min at 100 bar+ which is much better than the red W3A above.

Will make a small note about the ‘commercial’ tag used by brands for marketing. There is no difference between a so called commercial or domestic pressure washer in terms of features or principal of operation.

Pressure washers should be classified based on power, ie; flow rate and pressure (also referred to as cleaning units by some.) Also, their duty cycle - how long a machine can run continuously without overheating at the claimed pressure and flow rate.

Pumps generate flow and not pressure. Pressure is generated by reducing the orifice at the end of the gun which makes the motor to work harder to generate the specified flow.

So, If I understand you correctly, a way to measure the flow rate of a pressure washer is just to run it with bare gun for a minute into a bucket and measure the amount of water collected in the bucket, right?

Do reputed brands like Karcher and Bosch also overquote the flow rate?

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Pumps generate flow and not pressure. Pressure is generated by reducing the orifice at the end of the gun which makes the motor to work harder to generate the specified flow.

So, If I understand you correctly, a way to measure the flow rate of a pressure washer is just to run it with bare gun for a minute into a bucket and measure the amount of water collected in the bucket, right?

Do reputed brands like Karcher and Bosch also overquote the flow rate?

Yes, the pump houses the pistons/plungers which are driven by the motor and exert a force on the water, which doesn’t compress so there is a buildup of pressure when flow is restricted by a narrow orifice. The larger the pump, the bigger the plungers, the higher the fluid volume they can move.
(This is for plunger pumps, there are wobble plate and other pump configurations as well certain pressure washers use.)

The pump needs to be rated for the correct pressure the motor is capable of generating, going over the rated pressure will blow seals on any pump, so it’s very much pressure sensitive just like the hose and gun.

No, the correct method is to attach your preferred nozzle (25/45 degrees) to the gun and then spray into the bucket for 30 seconds with a stopwatch.

An easy tip is to simply weigh the bucket empty and then weigh with the water collected, as 1L of water = 1kg (at 4 degrees Celsius but we can ignore the very slight volume variation here.)
Subtract the weight of the bucket and you have the litres per half minute, double it to get your flow rate.

Using the gun without the nozzle attached will give you a higher volume by 20-30%. What we want to measure is the flow rate that’s actually hitting our paint as that’s what matters in how quickly and easily a job is completed.

Karcher loves lying and over quoting their flow rates, although they’re not off by 200% like the Chinese. Bosch is surprisingly quite accurate but they are optimistic by 15-20%.

[shreyak_ss]

Originally Posted by AJ56

Like I’ve said earlier, don’t go by their numbers. 9L/min at 250 bar (3,625 psi) needs a massive motor. For reference, a 4hp unit that is over twice the size of this one barely puts out 10L/min at 140 bar.
.

Thanks for sharing your insights on this thread and others. We are look to upgrade a Bosch AQT (10y/o) which is currently having leaking and overheating issues to a more suitable pressure washer. There are 2 starq models which I like though the other one is just priced 2x the former. Kindly share your thoughts if the cheaper one would suffice for regular car washing (2-3/ day), porch, driveway, terrace and other outdoor spaces cleaning.

Starq QT 20
https://amzn.in/d/hUrMfEt

Starq QT1800
https://amzn.in/d/b3oMWpt

Also which decent air blower would do the job for car drying and leaves collection

[NPV]

I’m looking to buy a pressure washer, but after reading the last few pages with so much of the science explained, I can feel the pressure in my head, just kidding!

I’m looking for a pressure washer to primarily wash our cars at home, a Harrier and Wagon R and the odd usage to clean the flooring of our car portico or the terrace surface of the house. What matters to me:
1. Decent build quality, reliability, service and spares availability
2. Easy to connect to a water source at home (tap?), easy to use (no complex connections)
3. Not too heavy (so that it can moved around the house or to the terrace)
4. Does not cost an arm and a leg! Can stretch to about 12k, ideally under 10k

I’m happy to buy from dealers and avoid buying online

Please suggest the brands and models that I can consider.

[Mortis]

@rdst_1 : You also get brush head attachments for pressure washers. Maybe one of those with a regular pressure washer will make your task easier or faster.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by shreyak_ss

There are 2 starq models which I like though the other one is just priced 2x the former. Kindly share your thoughts if the cheaper one would suffice for regular car washing (2-3/ day), porch, driveway, terrace and other outdoor spaces cleaning.

Starq QT 20
https://amzn.in/d/hUrMfEt

Starq QT1800
https://amzn.in/d/b3oMWpt

Also which decent air blower would do the job for car drying and leaves collection

Personally I’d go with the 1800 as it has a larger motor with much better flow (flow rate is what really determines how quickly and easily we can rinse off a car/any large surface area.)

You can get away with the smaller one but it will take longer and your foam cannon won’t perform as well (foam cannons again need at least 8L/min for thick foam).

If you plan to use in the open, skip the smaller one as they take long enough for water to start drying on certain panels and leave water spots. Larger machines are much quicker and you won’t have this problem.

You also get a 10m hose with the 1800 vs 8m with the smaller one. Avoid doing all 3 cars in a row as the 1800 is a relatively small motor compared to heavier washers which have much longer continuous runtimes.

8m is not enough to do a car comfortably without having to constantly move the machine or risk getting it wet (never let pressure washers get even slightly wet.) upgrading the hose to 10m will add at least 3-4k to your cost further reducing the price difference between the two machines.

Leaf blower-

https://www.industrybuying.com/cordl....ELE.64605882/ https://www.industrybuying.com/cordl...lGxtbE1EMAfDEj

Originally Posted by NPV

I’m looking for a pressure washer to primarily wash our cars at home, a Harrier and Wagon R and the odd usage to clean the flooring of our car portico or the terrace surface of the house. What matters to me:
1. Decent build quality, reliability, service and spares availability
2. Easy to connect to a water source at home (tap?), easy to use (no complex connections)
3. Not too heavy (so that it can moved around the house or to the terrace)
4. Does not cost an arm and a leg! Can stretch to about 12k, ideally under 10k

I’m happy to buy from dealers and avoid buying online

2) You can get quick connect adapters for most machines, making connections very easy and simple.

3) Look at trolley options as lifting and carrying even 20kg repeatedly isn’t ideal.

1) and 4) are in direct conflict with each other. It’s just like with cars, we can optimise for any two out of the three- low cost, reliability and performance.

To me, if I spend 20-24k but the machine lasts years with only basic oil changes then it’s actually cheaper than a 8-12k machine that fails/needs multiple repairs after only a few months say.

In my experience reliability wise Chinese washers offer great value as they’re much more reliable and better built than plastic body domestic Karcher/Bosch but they’re obviously nowhere near the build quality of a high quality washer like a Kranzle or AR/Bertolini or Karcher commercial.

Given the massive price delta between Chinese and the high quality big name washers above, under 80k I’ll suggest the former.