Help finding a power washer pump that isn't too expensive

[mikester]

7 years, I believe I did well for a cheapo HF unit.

Yes you did well!

I'm on my second cheapo 2,500 psi Karcher which is now operating no better than a garden hose nozzle now after 5 years. My 20 year old 4,500 psi commercial gas powered unit still removes paint on 150 feet of hose. Get what you pay for. The wife wanted the cheapo unit to make it easier for cleaning windows and screens on the house.

 

[5030]

In my opinion (which you can question and I won't take offense) there are only a couple pump manufacturers that make good PW pumps. Cat (which are super expensive) and AR which aren't and what I have and whatever PW pump you buy, make sure you can change the oil in it. The one I had and the replacement pump I purchased have oil filled crankcases with fill and drain plugs and they all take 30 weight non detergent oil.

All of them are rebuildable (AR and Cat) but as cheap as the one I have is, I just replaced the pump and landfilled the used one.

If it was a CAT triplex, I would have rebuilt it. Mine is an AR axial flow. besides, 7 years and it served me well.

The difference between an axial flow and a triplex is a triplex pump has a crankshaft and the pump head mounts to the side (3 ceramic plunger pumps) with a manifold. An axial flow pump uses a wobble plate to actuate the pump heads which mount on the front. Both do the same thing but the axial flow is much cheaper to manufacture.

Dang Predator engine just keeps on chugging along. Probably outlast this replacement pump too.

 

[5030]

Yes you did well!

I'm on my second cheapo 2,500 psi Karcher which is now operating no better than a garden hose nozzle now after 5 years. My 20 year old 4,500 psi commercial gas powered unit still removes paint on 150 feet of hose. Get what you pay for. The wife wanted the cheapo unit to make it easier for cleaning windows and screens on the house.

Years ago I had a 4500 psi plus MTM unit with a CAT triplex pump that you could cut a 2x4 with. Just way too much power. I don't need to peel paint so I sold it and bought the HF unit and put some jack in my pocket. The 1500 psi HF unit is plenty enough for my needs.

 

[WranglerX]

The China made electric power washers have now become the main staple going forwards. The gas engine ones are just too pricey and have fallen out of favor in the market.

1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer

Amazing deals on this 1750Psi 1.3Gpm Electric Pressure Washer at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

View attachment 787214

But do you have long enough extension cord(s) or a generator to run it.....

 

[5030]

But do you have long enough extension cord(s) or a generator to run it.....

Don't forget about the water hose either... Most all PW pumps won't draw from anything other than a pressurized water hose. Myself, I use a pair of 350 gallon IBC totes hooked up to the rain gutters on the shop and wash with that water but I also have a small 110 volt pump on the PW cart that supplies sufficient pressure to keep the PW pump supplied with water. That came from HF as well.

 

[r8f1k]

I should clarify that I wanted the stainless steel motor to use in my cider making operation. It is also a wash down motor, so it should handle the environment well. Once upon a time, I saw one with a pump very similar to this.

I don't really need it for too much grime removal or heavy cleaning. More for sanitizing, washing pomace down the drain and rinsing the equipment. I can swap it over to 220 pretty easy, so that is an option, but overall, I wanted to get a small yet reliable pressure washer that I can run inside.

 

[r8f1k]

Googled this

“1 HP motor 56C 1750 RPM 5/8" shaft pressure washer pump”

Found this

https://www.amazon.com/CANPUMP-Direct-Hollow-Pressure-Washer/dp/B07V2BG92C

What I am afraid of with this pump, is it shows 2-3hp. Does that mean that's what it needs? Or is that it's capacity?