Definitely discussed previously...my 15yo Stihl RE126 gave up the ghost pre Xmas and I was advised by 2 sources that it wasn’t economically repairable. One of them stripped it down to locate the fault.
I’ve a large patio area on 3 levels so need something with a bit of ooomph. About to buy a Karcher K5. Reviews speak highly of the K4 but I’m not sure if it’s quite powerful enough although the K5 has similar bar pressure to my old Stihlalthough I think the litres ph is less.
Any alternatives before I press buy ?
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Other people's mileage may vary, but the two Karcher models I've had have been made from cheese.
Quick to break, and not always easy to fix, even when the spares are available.
Current is a troublesome few year old K4 compact.
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Karcher are on the bordeline of not being repairable. The last one I tried to take apart was fitted with security screws that were impossible to access using standard security bit and extender. ( The holes are too deep and to narrow!) I could have welded the security bit to the end of a a screwdriver, but since it was not mine I gave up,
it resides in the corner of the garage on the difficult to repair pile. IF self isolation goes to 6 months I may get round to it!
Try to find a make/model that has a metal not plastic pump. Most major diy manufacturers have cost reduced everything to compete with the really cheap rubbish that is on the market.
Weight is good indicator of the pump and motor quality.
If I was in your position I think a Stihl would be worth repairing even if the cost of parts is greater than a new Karcher.
Last edited by: sherlock47 on Mon 30 Mar 20 at 18:02
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My first pressure was a Vax and was OK but the pump burnt out fairly quickly. My brother has had several NIlfisk models and speak very highly of them. On that basis I bought one a while back on a black friday deal and have been very happy with it. I think part of the trick is to get one with a metal rather than plastic pump. Also to be careful when operating it to make sure water is running through the pump as it acts to cool it and prevent burn out. I am about to dust it off to do the patio. I use swimming pool cleaner sprayed on first to loosen the dirt and it comes up very nicely.
Last edited by: Lemma on Tue 31 Mar 20 at 12:48
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Why do you want to keep washing your patios?
What do you lot get up to? The rain washes it periodically - isn't that good enough?
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>> What do you lot get up to? The rain washes it periodically - isn't that
>> good enough?
No.
Washed ours in December because it was slippery when damp and I don't want to go a over t when emptying the kitchen bin.
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A number of reviews rate the Karcher K4/5 highly. Other customer reviews of certain Stihl models are anything but good.
My extensive patios need pressure washing at least once a year....cheap multi hued Indian stone flags look a dark grey/green very quickly, one of the causes being a lack of sun I imagine as they are built into the hillside. And slippery as heck, like ice when wet & dirty. Likewise don’t want to end up on my arras when going to wheely bin.
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 31 Mar 20 at 14:48
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In the late 1980s I bought a KEW, absolutely brilliant and lasted over twenty years of quite hard regular use. I have a Karcher now, it's ok but I am in no doubt it won't last as long. It just doesn't feel as solid. However, the KEW was expensive so maybe not fair comparing the two.
KEW are now branded Nilfisk-ALTO, it might be worth seeing if their latest offerings are in your price range.
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I only have concrete paving slabs, albeit quite good ones. However I think that having pressure washed them with my Karcher a couple of times a year they now get dirty a lot quicker than before. Is this my imagination or does the wash make the surface more porous and therefore the dirt sticks?
Also I just use the standard lance and it’s very slow for my large area as the jet is quite narrow. Has anyone shelled out for a specialised patio attachment? They get favourable online reviews but I trust these less and less these days.
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My Karcher came with a patio attachment, which I use on a north facing area of stone slabs as they tend to get a bit green. It works well, certainly easier than just using the lance. Looks like this (first google image I came across...not suggesting that’s a good price, I have no idea)
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254506659436
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I find those dustbin lid type contraptions excellent for not spreading the muck everywhere, but as they've two jets they're not quite as efficient as dislodging the muck.
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I used to use my elderly Karcher on my concrete block paved drive and rear patio.
The drive is in full sun, and gets less moss in the joints than the semi shaded patio.
Last year I saw something about: www.wetandforget.co.uk/
I used this on Monday on the patio. There was a lot of green moss between the joints, but no algae.
This morning, the moss is green, and will probably brush off. It did clear the algea last year, so whether there is a long lasting effect for this, remains to be seen.
Its a lot easier and cleaner to use than a power wash, but not as instant.
As a side effect, older members may remember my request for methods of cleaning the rag top on my SAAB which was mossy.
Wet and Forget cleared this as well, with just a little brushing.
8o)
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>> This morning, the moss is green
Doh!
The Moss is BROWN now.
80(
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 1 Apr 20 at 18:35
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Uses much less water too, if you're on a meter
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I use a patio cleaner similar to the one Peter linked to for use with my 17 year old Karcher pressure washer.
The patio cleaner does a much better job of cleaning patio slabs than just using the lance. It uses less water too.
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Probably fine using the patio cleaner attachment if the slabs/ stone are uniformly even...aka concrete slabs etc. My Indian stones ones aren’t. I borrowed one such attachment and it wasn’t a success. Had to go back to the circulating nozzle attachment.
Last edited by: legacylad on Wed 1 Apr 20 at 17:34
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>> Probably fine using the patio cleaner attachment if the slabs/ stone are uniformly even...aka concrete
>> slabs etc. My Indian stones ones aren’t. I borrowed one such attachment and it wasn’t
>> a success. Had to go back to the circulating nozzle attachment.
>>
Mines Indian stone,and reasonably uniform though far from perfectly flat and it works fine. I do use a cleaning fluid as well...connects to the attachment in the Karcher, but until I go back out to the shed I couldn’t tell you what it is!
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>..the two Karcher models I've had have been made from cheese.
I've had a couple of Karcher models and wouldn't touch another. The first one failed the second time it was used. Water poured out of the casing as soon as the inlet hose was attached. Just out of warranty naturally.
The second one was also just out of warranty when the threaded outlet from the pump to attach the high pressure hose cracked and just sprayed water everywhere. The outlet was made of cheap, nasty cast metal that kids toy guns were made from years ago. It was designed to break.
As Sherlock says they are also designed to thwart DIY repair with security fastenings located down deep and very narrow holes in the casing. The prices charged by Karcher's official repair centres make them totally uneconomical to repair.
I now have a Nilfisk that I bought about 10yrs ago and is still working fine.
Last year after blasting I sprayed the patio with "Simply Spray and Walk Away" and it's done a brilliant job. It takes a while for any remaining algae to wash off naturally but I won't need to clean it at all this year.
Last edited by: Kevin on Wed 1 Apr 20 at 20:01
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>> As Sherlock says they are also designed to thwart DIY repair with security fastenings located
>> down deep and very narrow holes in the casing.
>>
TBH, on my current K4 compact that isn't a great issue. Whilst the case screws are down deep cavities, there are only 6, they're standard smallish torx heads, and one of my exchangeable bit screwdrivers fits perfectly.
The innards, however, are not secured to anything, they are simply retained between the two halves of the case by an interference fit. Unless you're very careful pulling the case apart, you're in great danger of damaging something inside as it moves around.
The plastic used inside is of appallingly brittle quality, and the method of assembly (largely by clipping together with what are inevitably one-shot lugs) means you break other parts whilst trying to get at the originally failing bit.
Mine took some (non-fatal) damage to the switch assembly, but the main issue is that it simply fails to start after any lay-up. I've come to the conclusion that it is an air lock, and the pump requires water pressure before it will cut in. On the last couple of occasions of use I've resorted to a messy (read wet) way of starting it by leaving it switched on, with no gun attached, and using a short hose to maximise input pressure. It tends to start, and shoots water all around. Online reviews seem to support the air-lock theory.
I shan't buy another Karcher when this one (inevitably) fails.
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Started on the patio this afternoon. I do it over two days to ease the strain on my shoulders, being well over 6 ft. Having done it for several years now and with a mild winter it was not that bad. I always use sodium hypochlorite, swimming pool cleaner, applied with a small garden sprayer. I buy it on eBay and dilute the 15% product about 1 in 5 or 6. Leave it for twenty minutes to do its work and then pressure wash away. Today the Indian sandstone came up very nicely with minimal effort and a very marked before and after. Looking forward to finishing it off tomorrow.
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I buy "Wet & Forget". (I buy Costco when on offer £20+ ish)
Dilute 5:1 and use a garden sprayer to cover the concrete, slabs etc with a mist.
Apply in dry but not in direct sun.
Once dry the rain & sun does the magic and the green slime etc etc.
No smells and pet safe.
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Pressure washers - tyrednemotional
