Noob, trying to get advise on equipment

Supplies & Equipment
1

Hello everyone, just found this community yesterday and have been combing thru it all, still soaking it all in. I’m looking to to getting a power washer, bought a Costco Electric Powerstroke unit and had a pump issue even with bleeding the line and having good flow. Then went ahead and got a gas Powerstroke with a Yamaha motor from Costco, left wheel was bent and pinned on the frame and the damn electric start would not start the unit, needless to say it went back to Costco.

Here I am now, I’ve got a Lowe’s Card and about $1k available. I’ve been reading all the reviews on Home Depot & Lowe’s on Simpson Power Washers and seem like good units. Now of course after reading here, I’ve learned that the AAA pumps aren’t the greatest. Unfortunately, Lowe’s is my only option to get something for now. I’m hoping to now get a unit not only to wash our own vehicles with, but also use a foam canon with it, also clean around the house etc. I currently work 2 jobs, 1 full time and 1 part time and also have a side business which makes hardly any income for now. I’m hoping I could use one of these power washers to make money and use it to power washer others properties/homes etc.

Anyhow, here we go, I’m hoping these units can do all of the above, I can always earn up the funds later after using the unit to buy a more efficient and better unit down the road after this investment has paid off for itself.

Simpson PS60841

Simpson PS60842

The two above units are really what I feel comfortable spending at this point as I’m hoping I use these to start up and then use funds to get a better unit, then I can just retire this unit for my home personal use. And plan on going to Lowe’s tomorrow morning and getting of the above two.

I’d rather stay at that price point above with the first two machines, but if either of these below would make more sense by being a little more expensive, but an actual better unit I could get them instead, would have to order them and wait for them to get to the actual store.

Simpson PS60919

Simpson PS4240

Simpson PS60918

Simpson ALK4033

Guess that’s enough out of me for now. I hope some of you all can chime in here, in the next few hours as I’ll be at Lowe’s in about 13 hr’s when they open up after I get off of my 2 jobs tonight.

Appreciate all the help I’ve read so far, great community and hoping for direct advise on my current topic.

2

do more searching and when you do google search try commercial grade pressure washers. use the little magnifying glass top right corner.dont buy any of those washers unless you wanna replace them sooner then you need…you need to do a lot more research…there are many vendors who sell similar products. LOwes and Home depot not a good place to buy a washer you gonna want start you business ventures with unless that’s all you can afford.guys have read countless hours and did a ton of research before buying a machine. I would suggest you do the same. good luck

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3

Sadly, I have no capital to invest and my credit isn’t the greatest, so I’m left with using my Lowe’s card and was hoping at least one of the above would be able to get me started. I’ve read and I haven’t found anything positive about Simpsons AAA pumps, only thing I could hope for is that Simpson actually honors their warranty during my ownership of their equipment.

4

I can relate to you. I been there and you have to go with what you can get, I wouldn’t feel right telling you not to or feel right telling you to do . at the end of the day if it is making you money and you can get a return on your investment that will be great.

5

Don’t go less than 4gpm. Don’t get hung up on psi. Gpm is what matters. I say get what you can and get working.

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6

Could you go out and start a lawn care business with a limited budget of $500 and get a Husqvarna 21 inch cut self propelled decent mower? Sure. But you’re limited in what you can do compared to someone else who can go buy a commercial zero turn machine.

Tinkering around the house those big box store washers will be fine although those direct drive pumps on those washers are trash. At least go to Northern Tool and get a gx Honda motor with a CAT pump for $900-1000 and you’ll have a decent machine for the house. But if you want to start doing work on the side with your PW then you have a lot more research and reading to do. Proper way to wash houses, nozzles and orifice sizes, SH mix ratios, chemical injectors and how they work, surfactants, oxidation on siding and gutters, fallout, etc, etc.

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7

Ive got the 60842, and its done great, lived up to its specifications. You dont need anything CARB. With several hundred more you can get a really good machine, one that been in recent threads. Ill likely only build my own from now on.the 60842 can throw some streams with the 2nd story nozzles.

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8

Redjess, How long have you had yours and any issues at this point?

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1yr. No problems whatsoever. I even use a 18in surface cleaner with it, which is double as fast as a wand and not as physical as using a wand of course. Id get the 4gpm 4000psi if those are my only options.

10

Id have to look what part# the tips are.

11

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-Honda-GX390-4-200-PSI-4-GPM-Belt-Drive-Gas-Pressure-Washer-DH4240B/202066580

This is going to be your best bet.
4gpm
Belt driven
Genarel pump

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12

Needs to be lowes

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https://m.lowes.com/pd/Karcher-K2-Chk-1600-PSI-1-25-Gallon-GPM-Cold-Water-Electric-Pressure-Washer/1000040705

Surface cleaner
Trigger gun
Turbo wand
Soap wand

14

Thanks Grizz, my understanding is Dewalts are basically a really a Simpson unit per their licensing agreement with Simpson.

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15

Pretty much. But i was looking at all the lowes pressure washers and they didnt say nothing about the manufacturer of the pump. first review i read was this

Screenshot_2018-09-23-21-27-25
Screenshot_2018-09-23-21-27-251080×2160 225 KB

16

Im sure they sell them. If i was you id be looking for nothing less than a 4 gpm with a genaral pump or cat pump. Preferably a belt drive

17

Yeah Grizz, apparently their customer service for a valid warranty claim are hard to come by unless you write a negative review under Lowe’s after you experience whatever issue you have and then Simpson replies back with contact us here via email to whatever contact name they give you to their generic support email, which isn’t great customer service.

18

I see Simpson using both Kohler and Honda motors, anyone here use either or any of the above models besides Red?

19

There are people on here that started out pressure washing by lining up 2 or 3 jobs for a day and renting a pressure washer form home depot for a day.

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20

Buying just the basic pw is just the start. It’s about 1/2 of what you’ll need. I’d say, keep your powder dry, keep reading for 6 months. You’re already working 2 jobs, when are you going to have time for this. Save up your money for 6 months or a year. Why go deeper in debt into a business you know nothing about when you already have one side business. Focus on it and get it profitable first.

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