I've broken yet another pressure washer!

[budgie smuggler]

dhutch said:

Yes, its the same as what failed on my Nilfisk, which resulted in a free replacement under warranty, requiring a trip to Barlows in Machester where I got the advice I posted above, both on the minimum spec to get spares (which mine fell below, hence the whole unit was replaced) and on avoiding starting and stopping.

It is mad the the whole unit is replaced when the pressure switch fails, and that that they appear to be such high failure parts.

If buying again I would certainly ensure I spent enough to get one with spares available for the switch, if only on environmental ground. Plus a nicer more powerful machine to use.


Daniel

Not saying your man is wrong but I saw this online before I realised I could send my last one back

https://www.northwestpowerwashers.co.uk/product.ph...

No idea if that's the right part or not, purely guesswork from the name (I searched google for "c120 stop valve" i think).

[dhutch]

budgie smuggler said:

Not saying your man is wrong but I saw this online before I realised I could send my last one back

https://www.northwestpowerwashers.co.uk/product.ph...

No idea if that's the right part or not, purely guesswork from the name (I searched google for "c120 stop valve" i think).

I don't what mine was, as the argo recept details '1400w' rather than a model no, but as it was under warranty and i was expecting a repair I didnt look into it, as it was I got a whole machine replacement. I dont know what happened to my old machine.

[RichB]

INterested in this thread as my 3rd pressure washer has just stopped working. That means I've seen off 2 x Karchers, which were sort £75 jobs and now my Makita which cost about £120. It's a bit of a pisser as it went back to Makita to be repaired about 3 or 4 years ago. They did it free but it's hassle having to go to Milton Keynes to drop it off and collect it. I assume it's the pressure switch again as that's what went last time. I would be happy to pay £200 but I expect something to last a decent length of time, not keep conking out!

Seems like Nilfisk is out and Kranzle is in?

[V8RX7]

RichB said:

INterested in this thread as my 3rd pressure washer has just stopped working. That means I've seen off 2 x Karchers, which were sort £75 jobs and now my Makita which cost about £120. It's a bit of a pisser as it went back to Makita to be repaired about 3 or 4 years ago. They did it free but it's hassle having to go to Milton Keynes to drop it off and collect it. I assume it's the pressure switch again as that's what went last time. I would be happy to pay £200 but I expect something to last a decent length of time, not keep conking out!

Seems like Nilfisk is out and Kranzle is in?

Yep my third Nilfisk pressure switch is failing

[anonymous-user]

RichB said:

INterested in this thread as my 3rd pressure washer has just stopped working. That means I've seen off 2 x Karchers, which were sort £75 jobs and now my Makita which cost about £120. It's a bit of a pisser as it went back to Makita to be repaired about 3 or 4 years ago. They did it free but it's hassle having to go to Milton Keynes to drop it off and collect it. I assume it's the pressure switch again as that's what went last time. I would be happy to pay £200 but I expect something to last a decent length of time, not keep conking out!

Seems like Nilfisk is out and Kranzle is in?

You won't get a kranzle for £200 but if is top notch kit. Really impressed with my 1050TST.

[dhutch]

If you have a model where spares are available and can swap the switch, happy days, else it's a bit of a pisser.

Back in the old days, and to this day in industrial based machines you an unloader valve rather than a pressure switch and the motor keeps going.

The other thing is to make sure you are not blipping it on and off. They don't mine long duty cycles, so pull the trigger as few times as you can and do a good long spell.

Daniel

[Thebaggers]

+1 for the Kranzel range. Previous to Kranzel ownership I have probably filled half a skip with old pressure washers, expensive Karchers and cheaper brands aplenty. Not good environmentaly or economically.

Given I haven't bought a new one in about 8 years I am probably into profit!

[Mammasaid]

Interpump TX12-100

Industrial machine and not cheap, but have used ours for 7-8 years without issues.

https://www.superclean-pw.co.uk/electric-cold-indu...

[dhutch]

Interpump is certainly a well known pressure washer pump manufacturer, we have one on the narrowboat as a boiler feed pump.

[fido]

I have a Kranzle K1050P which is like a domestic-level model but it's been used quite bit and feels so much more solid than a Nilfisk.

[RichB]

gottans said:

RichB said:

INterested in this thread as my 3rd pressure washer has just stopped working. That means I've seen off 2 x Karchers, which were sort £75 jobs and now my Makita which cost about £120. It's a bit of a pisser as it went back to Makita to be repaired about 3 or 4 years ago. They did it free but it's hassle having to go to Milton Keynes to drop it off and collect it. I assume it's the pressure switch again as that's what went last time. I would be happy to pay £200 but I expect something to last a decent length of time, not keep conking out!

Seems like Nilfisk is out and Kranzle is in?

You won't get a kranzle for £200 but if is top notch kit. Really impressed with my 1050TST.

This one? Seems I can find that for around £425 with a few tools & accessories.

https://kranzle-pressure-washers.co.uk/products/kr...

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Even the really old Kranzle washers are brilliant. The actual pump design hasn't changed in 30+ years (OK, that's a guess...but they certainly look the same). I have a Kranzle 105 which was given to me by a neighbour years ago. Apart from regular oil changes and some replacement water seals it's been perfect.
Keep looking on eBay or FB Marketplace...they often come up for sale.

[anonymous-user]

RichB said:

gottans said:

RichB said:

INterested in this thread as my 3rd pressure washer has just stopped working. That means I've seen off 2 x Karchers, which were sort £75 jobs and now my Makita which cost about £120. It's a bit of a pisser as it went back to Makita to be repaired about 3 or 4 years ago. They did it free but it's hassle having to go to Milton Keynes to drop it off and collect it. I assume it's the pressure switch again as that's what went last time. I would be happy to pay £200 but I expect something to last a decent length of time, not keep conking out!

Seems like Nilfisk is out and Kranzle is in?

You won't get a kranzle for £200 but if is top notch kit. Really impressed with my 1050TST.

This one? Seems I can find that for around £425 with a few tools & accessories.

https://kranzle-pressure-washers.co.uk/products/kr...

This one https://kranzle-pressure-washers.co.uk/collections...

I chose the the 1050 series as they are not so demanding on water flow as they are 7.5l per minute demand. Always check your water supply flow before buying.

Did look at the K2160 but water demand is higher, still only use it for washing the cars so works fine.

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 24th August 18:09

[dhutch]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

Even the really old Kranzle washers are brilliant.
Keep looking on eBay or FB Marketplace...they often come up for sale.

Something quite nice about the design isnt there; motor+pump+handle.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kranzle-HD10-120-portab...


Daniel

[pmanson]

I got one of these a couple of weeks ago:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08B88W3P7?ref=ppx_pop...

Fittings are M22 thread. Seems well made and flexible to use with the extra long hose

[NS400R]

Mort7 said:

Have you got an AquaStop connector fitted on the connection from the hose to the pressure washer, which allows you to disconnect the hose without turning off the tap (like this sort of thing https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-AquaStop-Connect... If so, remove it.

Pressure washers relieve some of the internal pressure by allowing flow back into the hose. An AquaStop prevents this from happening, so the internal seals take the pressure, and will eventually burst. I had this happen in spectacular fashion with my last Karcher. I was using it at full pressure, released the trigger to stop the flow, and the washer exploded with a bang, and water started leaking from inside.

I think you'll find the instructions say not to use an AquaStop.

Too late for me, but you've made me realise what went wrong so thanks for pointing this out and preventing me making the same mistake twice..... Instead of the seals going, the main inlet/cylinder ally casting fractured. It has written off a 12 year old K7 sadly. I replaced the hose connector maybe 2 weeks ago!

[98elise]

monkfish1 said:

alorotom said:

But an industrial unit

Or more accurately one with a metal pump casing rather than plastic.

I think most "domestic" stuff is plastic these dayys.

Ive got an old kew one, but it is more than twenty years old. Certainly not a plastic one. I use it with hot water too

Agreed. I binned a cheapo washer I'd had for years when I "upgraded" to my Karcher. Its failed after a couple of hours use (cleaning my decking twice). The plastic pump needs replacing and it will cost about half the purchase price of a new unit.

[QuickQuack]

When my last Kärcher self destructed a few months ago, after only a few hours of use over a couple of years, I gave up on them and while reading up reviews on Nilfisk and comparing prices, had the idea to google petrol pressure washers. After a bit of reading, I ended buying this:

https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/petrol-pressure-jet-...

I've had it a couple of months now and it's pretty powerful and feels absolutely indestructible. It was on offer when I bought it so it was less than £300 and that made it cheaper than the Nilfisk I was looking at.

[dhutch]

Mort7 said:

Have you got an AquaStop connector fitted on the connection from the hose to the pressure washer, .....

Pressure washers relieve some of the internal pressure by allowing flow back into the hose. An AquaStop prevents this from happening, so the internal seals take the pressure, and will eventually burst.

Seems really fairly unlikely, and the stop-ends do not prevent back flow of water, although they provide some restriction to flow I would expect it's unlikely to cause the failure you had. Certainly I've been using my little £30 K2 mini plastic pump karcher with one fine for years. Ditto my £75 metal pump Nilfisk.

Main thing with all these switch operated, rather than unloader valve, models is just to reduce the number of time you start/stop the washer to an absolute minimum.

[dhutch]

QuickQuack said:

... had the idea to google petrol pressure washers. After a bit of reading, I ended buying this:

https://www.parkerbrand.co.uk/petrol-pressure-jet-...

I've had it a couple of months now and it's pretty powerful and feels absolutely indestructible. It was on offer when I bought it so it was less than £300

Is it not really fairly loud all the time?