Electric pressure washers

Marshall · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 7:57 pm Post subject: Electric pressure washers

I'm interested in one of these gadgets and was wondering if anyone has had some first-hand experience with them? I want to use it primarily for cleaning algae off the concrete patio, driveway, and walks plus the vinyl siding on the ends of the house. Home Depot has a Husky 1600psi model; for 199 and on the same frame as the gas powered models.

Poohbear · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 9:07 pm Post subject:

Marshall; IWe have a husky I think an 1800 in Fla. it is electric, we have had it for 4 years I think now. We have aluminium siding on the house, I use it on the Car port and driveway and it does a very good job. We do ours and Wormy's place andhave done a couple of others as well. If you don't watch and turn the wand down I have had it take paint off. After 4 years, I had to order a new off switch as it wouldn't turn off, you had to pull the plug. After a while using it if the pressure is on high the spring in the handle doesn't seem to be strong enough to shut the wand off. I may look for a heavier spring this year. I didn't know they made them on a gas frame but as I say ours is 4 years old, it is pretty nice it stands upright. I think I gave a little over $ 100.00 for it, Cool

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Marshall · Posted: Sun May 23, 2010 9:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks - here's the one I'm looking at and it's a Homelite, not Husky. But the carton it comes in says Husky.
http://www.homelite.com/catalog/pressure_washers/HL80220

Poohbear's Honey · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 6:35 am Post subject:

This is Poohbear; Hummmm, I wonder why it is in a Husky box, The only electric ones that I have seen in HD. is the 1800 and a smaller one in the Husky brand most of them are gas models that look like that. I'll have to look the next time I'm out there.
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Ruth Ann · Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 429

JD borrowed one yesterday to pressure wash patio stones prior to painting them them with Rust-oleum 'stone effects'. Even with scrubbing with a stiff bristled brush, then power washing it did not take off the algae from the stones along the garden, he had to get a washing prep for that Marshall.

Poohbear's Honey · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 1:22 pm Post subject:

Bleach would probably work for that.
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Ruth Ann · Joined: 12 Feb 2008 Posts: 429

I agree PBH but what he got was biodegradable and the bleach would have rinsed off into the garden and I didn't want that.

Marshall · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject:

I went back and checked on the sprayer in question again today and sure 'nough - a Homelite sprayer in a Husky box. And no one could tell me why. And Husky doesn't list this sprayer on their website either. But I may go ahead and get it anyway.

RalphVa · Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 742 Location: Central Va

Marshall,

I'd never buy one. I rented one once and borrowed one from my neighbor in Baton Rouge one.

All the rental places have them.

I'd never use them on the house siding. Any time I wanted to remove stuff from siding, I'd just mix up a Jomax solution and spray with a pump up sprayer. Think these are way too high pressure to be spraying on siding. Could easily get underneath. Ditto for using them on your car or other engines. Engine gasketry just aren't designed to stand up to 3,000 psi pressure.

The one I borrowed from my neighbor was used to clean concrete. Bleach in a pump up sprayer just won't do much on concrete.
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Poohbear · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 8:39 am Post subject:

I was out to HD. yesterday and looked at the electric power washers, they sure don't look anything like mine in Fla. All they had four years ago were electric ones now they have gas too. Mine is an upright one they have one now no taller than about eight or ten inches. I saw the one you were looking at Marshall and it has a Husky lable on it. Quite a change. Cool

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Marshall · Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 10:35 pm Post subject:

Poohbear - any opinions on what you saw?

Poohbear · Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 8:36 pm Post subject:

Marshall; The small one looked like more of a vacuum type sweeper to me, I would have to see it in action to see if it would do the job, like the one you were looking at I was more impress with for an electric. I haven't had any trouble with mine only I had to order an off switch last year and this year I am going to look for a stronger spring for the trigger on the wand if you use the high pressure stage sometimes after using it for awhile it wants to stick, put it on a lower pressure it is OK. If I can get a spring it would save buying a new wand.A neighbor in Fla. bought a Craftsman about three years ago (gas) he was washing houses with it the second year the motor blew from too much use, he bought a larger Dewalt and is still using it if you just do yours and maybe a neighbor's place an electric one is good, I wouldn't use it for commercial though the small one might be OK. for lawn furniture. Rolling Eyes

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Marshall · Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:42 pm Post subject:

Bought a Husky 2500psi 2.3gpm gas model with a B&S motor. Works well on the flat concrete surfaces which are in dire need of cleaning.