I am new and have been reading and researching a bit over the past few weeks.
I originally purchased the Champion 4200/4 from Amazon for $729 but cancelled it before delivery after somebody mentioning a belt driven would be better.
I’m currently on pressurewashersdirect and these 3 are at the top:
Is there a major difference between the $1614 and the higher ones?
$2,098.00
Pressure-Pro Professional 4000 PSI (Gas-Cold Water) Belt-Drive Aluminum Frame Pressure Washer w/ Electric Start Honda GX Engine [Won’t let me link 3rd link]
I will want to do concrete, driveways, brick, and houses.
I will get a downstream injector and extra tips to lower the PSI (have not looked much in to the tips to lower PSI but I do have some resources and videos open in other tabs currently)
If at all possible, go ahead and spend the money on a 5.5/3500 belt machine even if you have to put it on the credit card. It’ll be quite a bit better than a 4gpm unit on concrete, very versatile.
It won’t be a GX390 engine, will be at least a v-twin of some flavor.
I used a 4gpm / 4,000 psi for my first setup.
It let me figure things out and get my feet wet.
If you’re not sure this is for you, this allows you a low investment. You can always sell and upgrade later. But if you’re all in and ready to go, start with a 5.5 at least.
I am in the same boat as the OP. Qons, you mentioned you started with a 4/4k. What were the limitations for you on this machine? This is where I plan to start as well and wondered about the short-comings of something like this. I plan to do DS and also drives, brick and sidewalks. THANKS!
@Deeman The key limitation is speed. I have it on my trailer as a second machine which my helper uses. I had to use it on Monday and just about started crying because I had to go so slow.
It works fine but at the end of the day, we all crunch our numbers and like to focus, in part, on what we make per hour. I can move quicker and faster with the 8gpm. That either means I can do more jobs (and thus make more) or I can do the same number of jobs and have more time off.
Reliability might be an additional limitation depending on what kind of drive you get. Avoid a direct drive and you’ll be ok.
Additionally, you will at some point run into a house that has low water pressure. It happened to me twice with the 4/4. It starts pulsating. That can ruin the pump. A buffer tank would make that a moot point since you’d be drawing from the tank. Plus, with a bypass connected, you wouldn’t have to squeeze the trigger every minute or so to keep the pump from overheating.
