Hi,

Wickes are selling a range of four pressure washers. There are two
washers with yellow bodies:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/100Bar-Press...er/invt/186896
http://www.wickes.co.uk/120Bar-Press...er/invt/186897

Based on their prices, I assume these have universal motors and
plastic parts and are best avoided but that's just an assumption based
on the prices, so I could be very wrong.

However, there are two models with blue bodies that sound much more
interesting:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/140Bar-Press...er/invt/186898
http://www.wickes.co.uk/160Bar-Press...er/invt/186899

Their descriptions explicitly mention induction motors. The 140 bar
model says it has an aluminium pump head and the 160 bar model says it
has a brass pump head.

IIRC plastic is bad, aluminium is good, and brass is best. Is that
right?

I am unsure what a "pump head" is. Is all the pump brass or just part
of it?

I would be very interested to hear if anyone has bought one of these.
I'd particularly like top hear from the Medway handyman because I know
he has many years experience of pressure washers and is a big shopper
at Wickes.

The diy faq says a cleaning effect of 2.3 is the best you can expect
from a 3kV, 230v, single phase supply.

If my maths is right: 160 * 510 /60 /600 = 2.26, which is pretty close

Of course, I know the disclaimer that the pressure stated is the
maximum. Reading the reviews, one says the machine is made by lavor
and has an operating pressure of 145 bar. If that is so, the figure
becomes: 145 * 510 /6 /600 = 2.05, and the faq says anything over two
is good.

When I have looked at pressure washers before, the 160 bar models are
always £400, so this sounds too good to be true. Is it?

Thanks in advance.

Fred wrote:
Hi,

Wickes are selling a range of four pressure washers. There are two
washers with yellow bodies:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/100Bar-Press...er/invt/186896

Half a dozen beers and you could out perform it :-) Only 3 mtrs of hose -
useless.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/120Bar-Press...er/invt/186897

Better, not brilliant though.


Based on their prices, I assume these have universal motors and
plastic parts and are best avoided but that's just an assumption based
on the prices, so I could be very wrong.

I think you are spot on.

However, there are two models with blue bodies that sound much more
interesting:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/140Bar-Press...er/invt/186898

Much better.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/160Bar-Press...er/invt/186899

Even better better :-)

Their descriptions explicitly mention induction motors. The 140 bar
model says it has an aluminium pump head and the 160 bar model says it
has a brass pump head.

IIRC plastic is bad, aluminium is good, and brass is best. Is that
right?

I am unsure what a "pump head" is. Is all the pump brass or just part
of it?

Years ago HPC's had a motor driving a pump via a vee belt. Modern machines
are 'close coupled' and have three main components, the motor, an oil filled
crankcase containing the swash/wobble plate, pistons & bearings and a 'head'
which contains the seals, inlet & outlet valves.

The crankcase is pretty much bomb proof as long as the oil is OK & it
doesn't matter what its made of.

The 'head' takes care of the water & detergent. Brass is far superior
because of its corrosion resistance.

I would be very interested to hear if anyone has bought one of these.
I'd particularly like top hear from the Medway handyman because I know
he has many years experience of pressure washers and is a big shopper
at Wickes.

I am a big shopper there, but only because its handy & carries what I want.
Wickes certainly don't make any of those machines, they are badge
engineeered. I'd guess the yellow ones are Chinese & the blue ones Italian.


The diy faq says a cleaning effect of 2.3 is the best you can expect
from a 3kV, 230v, single phase supply.

If my maths is right: 160 * 510 /60 /600 = 2.26, which is pretty close

It is. The 2.3 figure is from a quality industrial machine, but the
cleaning effect would be based on the same set of lies :-)

Of course, I know the disclaimer that the pressure stated is the
maximum. Reading the reviews, one says the machine is made by lavor
and has an operating pressure of 145 bar. If that is so, the figure
becomes: 145 * 510 /6 /600 = 2.05, and the faq says anything over two
is good.

You should base the calculation on the published figure, all makers 'lie' by
the same amount :-)

Could well be made by Lavour, long established manufacturer of lower end
machines.

When I have looked at pressure washers before, the 160 bar models are
always £400, so this sounds too good to be true. Is it?

Thanks in advance.

Seems like a fairly good deal to me, Wickes have a pretty good refund policy
if its not up to spec, but overall I'd say you won't go far wrong with it.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:56:08 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

I am a big shopper there, but only because its handy & carries what I want.
Wickes certainly don't make any of those machines, they are badge
engineeered. I'd guess the yellow ones are Chinese & the blue ones Italian.

Thanks. I only mentioned that you shopped there because I thought you
might have seen the boxes on the shelf and had a read. I shop at
Wickes a lot and for the same reasons you mention.

You should base the calculation on the published figure, all makers 'lie' by
the same amount :-)

Thanks for the clarification; I wasn't sure whether to use the 160 bar
or not. Using the 160 bar "lie" makes it sound very impressive indeed.

Could well be made by Lavour, long established manufacturer of lower end
machines.

Seems like a fairly good deal to me, Wickes have a pretty good refund policy
if its not up to spec, but overall I'd say you won't go far wrong with it.

I will try and track one down, 160 bar models seem to be three or four
hundred pounds everywhere else.

Thanks again.

On Apr 14, 8:54*pm, Fred wrote:

I will try and track one down, 160 bar models seem to be three or four
hundred pounds everywhere else.

Lidl, 15th April:

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/l...index_9677.htm

mike wrote:
On Apr 14, 8:54 pm, Fred wrote:

I will try and track one down, 160 bar models seem to be three or
four hundred pounds everywhere else.

Lidl, 15th April:

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/l...index_9677.htm

Not quite as powerful as the Wickes @150 bar x 450 l/hr and 2100w compared
to 2800w.

Pressure hose a bit short at 6m compared to the 8m on the Wickes.

But less than half the price. Hmmm.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:10:00 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/l...index_9677.htm

Not quite as powerful as the Wickes @150 bar x 450 l/hr and 2100w compared
to 2800w.

Pressure hose a bit short at 6m compared to the 8m on the Wickes.

But less than half the price. Hmmm.

I think the formula gives a cleaning effect of 1.875

Has anyone bought this washer, is it brass and induction? If so it is
a very good price. I wonder which to choose? That said, they've
probably sold out now, so I may end up with the Wickes one after all.

I see Wickes sell extension hoses, do all machines take the same hose;
if so the 6m length should not be an issue, it could be replaced if
necessary?

On 13 Apr, 19:57, Fred wrote:

Wickes are selling a range of four pressure washers.

There's a chap on eBay (seller name of "07733" or something) near
Taunton who's some sort of Karcher service agent. He sells refurbs in
boxes (minor case scratches) for extremely good prices. Not sure on
model comparisons, but I'm happy with ours.