Another pressure washer

[Laird]

What is it with pressure washers? After having two, a Nilfisk and then a Wolf, in 4 years, and having both give up on me after only casual use. I decided I wasn't going to throw good money after bad and I held back for 2 years on getting another one, but now have decided to try again. This time I've ordered a Qualcast after seeing my neighbor busy with one which he had just bought. I hope this time it will keep working for longer than a couple of years.
I only use the washer for occasionally washing down the car and now and again on the paving round the house.
Hopefully this one will work for more than a couple of years.

[village idiot]

If you still have the nilfisk let me know what you need

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

[Someone-Else]

I still have a karcher. I would never buy an "own brand" pressure washer.

I don't know how old it is, but after every use I tip it up at the end so the water can run out (It sits on a towel on a concrete floor) I will not use it in winter time, no matter how dirty the car is.
Oh, and yes, I always take all the hoses / pipes off. Been doing this since the first one froze.

[kellys_eye]

They're not difficult or too complicated to take apart and repair if you're of a mind.

Like s-e says, keeping it from freezing is critical to survival. Not so sure allowing all water to drain is a good idea though unless you plan to pack it away for a lengthy period. Regular use and following the manufacturers care instructions seem to be enough.

If you paid a lot for the machine you currently have then contact the seller to complain - your statutory rights allow for a 'reasonable expectation for use' from the unit and under 2 years, whilst potentially outside what the manufacturer may say is their warranty period, doesn't necessarily make it 'reasonable'. I'd expect at least 5 years life from one and would whinge like a woman if I didn't get it!

If you don't have a receipt, contact the manufacturers directly an see what they have to say.

[Cannyfixit]

I have had my Karcher for ten years,more luck than quality I think however I always run a little anti freeze through the machine before putting it away for the winter

[Laird]

Assembled and took the Qualcast out for its first run. So far so good. Now, will it last longer than a couple of years??

[Bob225]

Last use of the year I blow out my Karcher K2 with air , I usually give it a clean and pull the filter too

[Retired]

Hi,

Good luck with your Qualcast.

I've had my Nilfisk 120 bar pressure washer for over four years. I store it in the shed and have never drained it. A few weeks ago I decided to pressure wash our flagged patio and flagged paths so pulled the PW out and coupled it all up; it fired up immediately but with nothing coming out of the lance? The motor ran for a sort time before it cut out.

Not wishing to search for the instructions which came with it I browsed YouTube for information. Because the PW had been stored for a long winter without being used it only needed bleeding. I removed the pressure hose from the power unit and let mains pressure water flow through until all bubbles cleared then I coupled up the pressure hose and again let water discharge at mains pressure; it took about half an hour before the motor would fire up again but now everything was perfect and I completed the job.

You say both your previous PW's have given up on you; could the problem simply be that they required bleeding?

Kind regards, Col.

[Dave54]

I had a couple of pressure washers that packed up after a season or two despite being drained and kept frost free. I thought I'd get a Karcher.
Saw a Lidl one much cheaper with a 3 year guarantee before I got round to getting a Karcher. That's about 5 years ago.

(Sometimes I feel as if my life comes from Lidl! )

[Laird]

Bleeding might have been the remedy for the Nilfisk, I don't know, and I didn't think of it at the time, but for the Wolf it was the on/off switch, which didn't work. At the time, I didn't have the umph to start taking the thing apart and anyway having no spare parts to replace the switch, combined with being p****d off that it had given up so soon, I decided to dump it.
So, they both went to the recycling.
I had the Qualcast out again yesterday and all was good. The only pain is coiling the pressure hose after use...not a serious complaint.