On our never-ending quest to improve this place by listening to feedback from the B&B, we are taking a new tack with these product posts, choosing instead to focus on items we use and have purchased with our own meagre income. After all, if we’re giving you the truth about cars, we ought to give you the truth about car accessories.
As the calendar rolls into Christmas, we’ve been publishing Stuff We Use instalments for an age, trying to ensure items covered are generally found in a gearhead’s garage. This time, we’re talking about pressure washers – and how they’re not just for cleaning bird dirt off your car for the umpteenth time.
Do any of our readers buy the myth that a clean car runs better? This writer does. Except for off-road rigs, of course – they run best when caked with a thick layer of sticky mud and dirt.
But even the gnarliest 4×4 can do with a good wash now and then. For anyone not up to speed, pressure washers are used to amplify the force of water delivered through a standard garden hose. An electric motor generally powers a pump, accelerating the H2O being delivered from a tap on the side of yer house and pushing through into a long wand (or lance, if you’re being pedantic). Pulling the wand’s trigger introduces a small rush air, creating a path through which the newly pressurized water can flow.
It’s never a bad idea to test your pressure washer on an inconspicuous area of a car’s surface before attacking the thing with vigor, helping guarantee the water force doesn’t harm the surface you’re washing. A good pressure washer can strip away flaking paint from a rusting car; given the terrible fleets of our writing staff, this is a distinct possibility. And, as always, RTFM before switching anything on.
Two distinctly different pressure washers have taken up residence in my garage over the last decade. The first was a very traditional unit, essentially just a gasoline-powered engine whose sole job was to drive a water pump which produced a satisfyingly strong stream of pressurized water. This type of washer very common and likely found in the homes of gearheads from Boston to Budapest.
Why? Complexity and cost, most likely. Or, to be accurate, a lack of either. Most pressure washers of this type can be easily found on places like eBay for anywhere between $250 and $350, representing a great value for the utility they provide. These units almost always use cold water, which is fine for the majority of jobs and is probably what is delivered to the outdoor spigot on the side of your house, anyway.
Look for a tool that includes an array of interchangeable nozzles, all of which will be labeled with some sort of degree. This number, typically anywhere between 0 and 40, refers to the spread or ‘fan’ size of water which will be delivered from the wand. The smaller the number, the more concentrated the stream (make your own infantile jokes here, please). A zero-degree nozzle will produce water sharp enough to hurt bare skin or potentially damage property, so take it easy with that one. For pressure washing a car, it is generally recommended to stick with the 40-degree nozzle as it will provide great coverage of water yet be gentle enough on the vehicle so as not to damage the paint – rust flakes notwithstanding. Break out the 25-degree one for stubborn mud and such on the underside after a day’s off-roading. It should go without saying to be careful of electrical connectors or any other Very Expensive Bits on a vehicle when using one of these things.
The strength of the pressure washer, a number generally given in psi or pounds per square inch, is also an important metric to learn before forking over cash for a new unit. A good gasoline-powered sprayer should be able to belt out over 3,000 psi but about half that number is all most mere mortals will need for cleaning the family car. Don’t get anything less than that sum, though, as you’re likely to be disappointed with the results.
Another type of pressure washer which has taken up residence at my place of late is a battery-powered one from a detail company called DK2 which specializes in all manner of residential accessories which are right up a gearhead’s alley. This one showed up with the requisite number of nozzles, a heavy-duty lance, and enough hose to reach even the furthest corners of my driveway. Maximum water pressure is an indicate 2,200 psi.
Its form factor is almost identical to a gas-powered type but swaps an engine and fuel tank for battery pack and electric motor. Your author can generally get about three good car washes out of the battery before it needs recharging, and there’s never been a problem with power delivery or reliability. The unit is exceedingly heavy, as you might expect, and it takes about 5 hours to charge a fully depleted battery. It’s a lot quieter than the gasser. My blinders once caused me to scoff at any battery-powered garage tool but technology has come a long way and I enjoy this pressure washer.
As planned, this series of posts will continue to focus on items we have actually used or bought with our own money. We hope you found this one helpful.
[Images: Sellers]
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Source: The Truth About Cars
