David wrote:
What do you think of Nilfisk models?
They seem to have a much higher spec than Karchers for a cheaper
price.
Nilfisk are pretty big in pressure washers due to acquisition. They
bought Gerni some years ag, then KEW (both large Danish
manufacturers) then WAP (number 2 in Germany after Karcher).
They have huge resources & access to plenty of technology. KEW were
always ground breakers in design, Gerni & WAP first class
engineering. Potent mix.
Good range of products & will probably get better.
Thanks Dave.
Would you say the are better than Karcher?
Impossible question. All manufacturers have great machines & terrible
machines over a period of time. Gerni for example had cold water
machines that IMO were the best in the world. Their hot water
machines sometimes left an awful lot to be desired, except one
particular model which was a world beater.
Like for like I wouldn't expect much difference TBH.
On some valeting forums, a lot of them had trouble with their
Karchers so they got a Nilfisk or Kranzle instead.
I'd suggest that car valeters are in general unlikely to be in the
best judges. Most I've met are completely clueless oiks who will buy
the cheapest ****e they can find & then complain because it isn't
100% reliable when used 24/7. DIY machines are NOT built to run more
than half an hour a day for example.
The number of 'professional' car valeters I've met in the last 30
years could be counted on the fingers of one hand - even if you had
fingers missing.
Every manufacturer makes several 'ranges' of machine. Typically they
will have a series that are desinged to run two hours a day, a range
for four hours a day & a range for 6+ hours a day.
A car valeter using a cold water pressure washer should expect to
pay well in excess of £500 for a suitable unit, or over £1500 for a
hot water unit. Almost all car valeters use cold water machines,
which are simply not correct for the job.
Kranzle are a manufacturer I have great respect for.
--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk
Thanks, most of these people are proper detailers so they know about
the equipment. They do get the commerical Karchers or Nilfisk but many
of them use Kranzle and are very happy with them.
This is a guide put together by a professional valeter:
http://www.valetpro.co.uk/Informatio...ressure-washer
This is a guide put together by a complete idiot who knows nothing about
pressure washers. He has simply been brainwashed by Kranzle. Clearly
educated beyond his natural intelligence and has no concept of how to
communicate in the English language.
To comment on his two main points;
The 1400/2800 rpm argument is common. In theory a 1400 rpm machine will
suck water better than a 2800rpm machine due to the larger piston diameter.
In practice it doesn't matter, any 2800 rpm machine will easily suck water
from a 1 metre source, which is far in excess of the requirements of a car
valeter.
If you needed to suck water from 5 metres it would make a difference.
Older plunger pumps were designed to run at 1400 rpm, modern swash plate or
axial pumps will happily run at 2800 rpm and are far more efficient in terms
of power conversion.
A lower revving motor will, again in theory, last longer and the pump seals
will last longer, but the latter cost far more. In a valeting situation it
simply isn't a consideration.
Valeting is a light duty application. It takes little time to wash a car,
much more time to move it & get the next car in. I doubt the average
valeting machine runs for more that 4 hours a day even on a manic busy car
wash site.
He clearly has no idea about generators. A 3 kva generator simply will not
run any kind of pressure washer. No chance what so f*cking ever. The start
load will stall the generator engine. You need 5 kva minimum.
He has a point about flow rate.
Other than that - 'nul points'.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk