Dead Karcher jet washer

[rossc]

I have a Karcher K 6.50 jet wash that seems to have died on me......checked the normal things, plug fuse, extension lead, sockets etc but nothing doing.

Does anyone have any idea how easy these things are to get apart and replace anything internally i.e switch possibly ? Looks to be pretty much a sealed unit which I was surprised about and I couldn't find too much on the Karcher web site. Bit annoying if it is designed to be treated as 'disposable'...

Thanks

[NicoG]

rossc said:

I have a Karcher K 6.50 jet wash that seems to have died on me......checked the normal things, plug fuse, extension lead, sockets etc but nothing doing.

Does anyone have any idea how easy these things are to get apart and replace anything internally i.e switch possibly ? Looks to be pretty much a sealed unit which I was surprised about and I couldn't find too much on the Karcher web site. Bit annoying if it is designed to be treated as 'disposable'...

Thanks

I can't comment on the ease of replacement, but after going through three karchers in 4 years, with only ''domestic use'' I am sorry to say I am firmly of the opinion that they are disposable, and I will never buy another one.

I bit the bullet this time around and went for a Kranzle B240T, it's an 11bhp petrol unit and cost 10 times as much but I have heard time and time again that Kranzle is quality and they really can be made to last forever, on account of actually being servicable. It's devastatingly powerful and I feel I have un-eclipsable pressure waser bragging rights !!

If you have a use for one regularly, seriously consider getting something decent, in the long rung it's well worth the extra outlay.

Cheers - Nick.

[parapaul]

I heard an interesting story about Karcher pressure washers from a chap at work...

He needed his repairing, so contacted the local authorised repairer, who told him off the record that Karchers are indeed disposable... Karcher expect them to receive X hours domestic use over the 12 month warranty period. Strangely enough, many of the internals are plasticky bits that just happen to fail after X+10% hours...

Also, it seems the model numbers change ever so slightly every 12 or 18 months, and they don't make or supply parts for the old models.

AND Karcher set the pricing structure for authorised repairs, making it almost as cheap to buy a new machine as to repair an old one.

[NicoG]

parapaul said:

I heard an interesting story about Karcher pressure washers from a chap at work...

He needed his repairing, so contacted the local authorised repairer, who told him off the record that Karchers are indeed disposable... Karcher expect them to receive X hours domestic use over the 12 month warranty period. Strangely enough, many of the internals are plasticky bits that just happen to fail after X+10% hours...

Also, it seems the model numbers change ever so slightly every 12 or 18 months, and they don't make or supply parts for the old models.

AND Karcher set the pricing structure for authorised repairs, making it almost as cheap to buy a new machine as to repair an old one.

All of the above would appear to be bourne-out again and again- They're utter ste. Get a kranzle.

aaaam ooot!

[Elroy Blue]

I only used my Karcher 7 or 8 times last year (from new). Always made sure the air was out of the supply hose and it was stored away from frost.

Got it out a few days ago and it's leaking water out of the bottom like a leaking thing. It sounds like a dodgy outboard motor. And yes...it is just out of warranty!

Edited by Elroy Blue on Thursday 13th May 20:12

[Dave^]

I've had my 60quid Karcher for over 3 years now, it gets used most weekends and it's never missed a beat...

And I've never really looked after it, it's always left in an unheated garage next to a gappy door...

I must be lucky... Unless I've just cursed it...

[CrashTD]

Elroy Blue said:

I only used my Karcher 7 or 8 times last year (from new). Always made sure the air was out of the supply hose and it was stored away from frost.

Got it out a few days ago and it's leaking water out of the bottom like a leaking thing.

Edited by Elroy Blue on Thursday 13th May 20:12

Took mine apart to find a o-ring had gone brittle with age.

[tommobot]

Nifsk. Can't fault mine. Struggles to get going when its really cold but apart from a split hose its been used week in week out for the last 3 or 4 years.

And it was only 30 pound!

[Bonefish Blues]

If you can't/won't repair it, I'm after a 6.50 hose cheapish if you're interested - mine split by the jet handle last weekend.

[hman]

my karcher lasted about 5 years, however the switch failed in the 2nd year so I just wired it up permantly on by joining up the cables inside. The switch at the socket became the on off switch.

The pump unit packed in which totalled it.

Had a wickes pressure washer, lasted two years.

Now I use a hose to wash the car and bike and a brush and hose for the patio.

[rossc]

Thanks all.

Will pull it apart and see if its the switch, if not then I guess its a new one (errrr non-Karcher....).

Bonefish, will let you know if its getting junked, you can have the hose.

[neilsie]

Elroy Blue said:

I only used my Karcher 7 or 8 times last year (from new). Always made sure the air was out of the supply hose and it was stored away from frost.

Got it out a few days ago and it's leaking water out of the bottom like a leaking thing. It sounds like a dodgy outboard motor. And yes...it is just out of warranty!

Edited by Elroy Blue on Thursday 13th May 20:12

exactly the same problem here.

they really are poor quality. echoed as much by their customer service who tried to claim the fault was my own due to storage and the £120 model really was "just a basic model"

[Elroy Blue]

Took mine apart and it's all rusty inside. Doesn't even fire up. Piece of junk and my new one will definitely not have the Karcher name on it!

[Bonefish Blues]

rossc said:

Thanks all.

Will pull it apart and see if its the switch, if not then I guess its a new one (errrr non-Karcher....).

Bonefish, will let you know if its getting junked, you can have the hose.

Very kind, thanks

[rossc]

No problem, might be a couple of weeks before I get around to it though so don't wait on me.

[Condi]

Pressure washers are all crap until you get to industrial models. They are all built down to the cheapest price possible and then fail just out of warranty. Sadly to get a decent one your looking at nearly a 4 figure sum.

[Dave^]

Condi said:

Pressure washers are all crap until you get to industrial models. They are all built down to the cheapest price possible and then fail just out of warranty. Sadly to get a decent one your looking at nearly a 4 figure sum.

Really?

Dave^ said:

I've had my 60quid Karcher for over 3 years now, it gets used most weekends and it's never missed a beat...

And I've never really looked after it, it's always left in an unheated garage next to a gappy door...

I must be lucky... Unless I've just cursed it...

For domestic use, I really don't see why you'd need to spend £1000...

If mine breaks now, at 3 year old (probably more to be honest, but anyway), for that grand, I could have sixteen pressure washers all lasting three years each...

Will a thousand pound p/w last 48years (with no maintenance/parts thrown at it)?

[Flintstone]

When mine froze/split/leaked I felt like a complete arse for not draining it or storing it somewhere warmish.

I see I'm in good company now

[Deva Link]

Costco sell one or two models now - if you buy from there you can get your money back for ever.

I got one with patio cleaner attachment and I must say I was dead impressed with how well it worked, and (having done it before with a borrowed pressure lance) how little mess it made.

[Elroy Blue]

Had a look at a Halfords 1500w washer for £70 or an RAC 2000W induction (which is better apparently) for £79.99.

Any comments on these makes. I don't want another Karcher with a different name. I don't use it that much, so don't want to spend a fortune.