Gas vs electric power washer

Looking at power/pressure washers gas or electric?

Depends. The electric units are very convenient, quieter, and no mess of gas/oil or exhaust. They can be quite effective, especially with a turbo nozzle. And if you have limited GPM's, (like we do), an electric generally uses less water than the smallest gas units.

With a gas unit, you're not limited to having to be in range of an outlet, but still have to be within range of a pressurized water source. Generally can do more work than the electric units, but use more water, usually a bit more pressure up to 5,000 PSI, and generally get the job done a bit faster than electric units.

We've had a Karcher (electric) unit for nearly 10 years and haven't had any problems, other than having to replace the turbo nozzle. Was actually about the same cost to replace the entire hose/wand assembly. Oh, electric units also generally have only 25' hose, while gas units are easy to add extensions to. There are also extensions for electric, but don't usually see them for sale.

For ALL pressure washers, is also very important to keep the water clean! If you ever get sand, rust or other debris through your faucet, you'll have problems whether electric or gas.

Electric are limited by electrical consumption. 15 Amps is about the limit. Can only get so much water and pressure out of that. and yes, pressure and water volume are important. Gas units come in larger sizes, and can provide significantly more wash power. money not an object, I would choose a larger gas unit every time. Buy a good brand of motor. My 5.5hp Honda has been a real winner for power and reliability for a number of years. Study the specs before you buy.

All depends on your needs. Years ago I went with the largest 115 V machine Hotsy made at that time. I did not want yet another gas engine to maintain. Did not want 220 V as then you could not just plug in anywhere. The unlimited supply of HOT water is what really helps clean off greasy tractors. It has enough power you still have to be a little careful around belts and wiring. The real high pressure ones can ruin paint and belts and wiring. Now if your needs is to strip paint then get the really high pressure ones.
The little cheap ones sold everywhere for $ 100.00 more or less really do a nice job for what they are to clean and maintain stuff that is not real dirty. Real easy to move around.

Can't remember the brand name but the township road commissioner had an electric pressure washer, he bought bags of soap we added to the water. Washer had a soap&water tank, maybe held 3-4 gallons that the washer pump injected into the high pressure water stream, still had to have water hose and 120V 15A power to the washer. The trucks, backhoe, and grader if used had to be clean on Friday nights and if any soap left me and my work buddy washed our cars too.

Too many drive-thru car washes on my first car blasted off all the paint from the rocker panels, the higher pressure on gas powered pressure washers can do lots and lots of damage to whatever your washing.
Got in an argument with a guy on another forum years ago about damaging stuff with pressure washers. I asked him how HE protected stuff he pressure washed, never answered my question just proving what a dumb jazz he really was.

I gave my son a 10 hp Honda 4000 psi washer. It was too much for my arthritic arms.

I use a 6.5 hp Briggs mostly to apply bleach to siding and wood decks. So for me having lots of pressure doesn't matter. If needed I apply another application of bleach and let it dry. Let chemicals do the work, not pressure.
Pressure washer works great for rinsing if necessary.

Personally I don't like the idea of electricity and water.

If the pressure washer sits in one place in the shop electric is more convenient. Just flip the switch and go. The portability of a gasser is a given. We have a gas powered washer in the shop simply because we got it cheap and at the time we got it we did not have 240V run to the shop yet. It has a GX390 Honda engine and delivers 3800 psi at 4 GPM so it is on the higher end size wise. For washing semi trailers like we do I wouldnt want anything smaller but that is just our situation. One benefit to a gasser is it can throttled down if we want less pressure. In fact, I do not run it wide open all that often since most times I dont want that much pressure. The Honda usually starts on the first pull and that is a big plus for a gasser. For hot water I fell upon a used stand alone diesel fuel burning heater made by a local company. Again it was real cheap. I had to replace an expensive thermostat on it but otherwise the heater has been maintenance free. When I want to clean up an old tractor that has 70 year old dried on 90wt around the seams and seals the high pressure with very hot water and a rotary nozzle cleans it up. Of course water gets in and on everywhere including me but the end result is a clean tractor. On a side note if the water is very hot, near boiling you will be replacing Orings in the quick connectors more often but it sure does clean up the grease.

Gas units can have the pressure regulated down. Electric units are too limiting and don't produce enough volume. The ratings on all electric units are a complete lie.

I think the gas have more snot, but you have another engine to maintain.

I have a Karcher electric and a B&S gasser. I prefer the electric for convenience (no gas, no oil, no spark plug, no air filter, etc) . After I finished planting I went to work washing the dirt off everything (planter, field cult, 3 tractors, J&M crumbler, etc) I discovered I'd lost the connection on the Karcher so I got out the gasser which hadn't been run in about 10 years. I put a new spark plug in it, fresh gas, checked the oil level and in 3 pulls it was running. From then on it started with just one or two pulls. Gasser will put out more pressure but I didn't take the paint off anything. As far as pressure goes, the electric will supply enough to write your name in concrete.

I've had both.The electric is no maintenance. The gas motor needed a tune up in a few years. The electric stays pretty much ready to go > Pressure was about the same for each.

(quoted from post at 13:36:41 07/04/19) Looking at power/pressure washers gas or electric?

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I've had a homeowner grade Karcher with a 5 hp Honda for about 10 years. Bought it used for $50. Have replaced the pump twice because it sits around a lot and the unloader gets stuck. I only use it a few times a year and it always starts and runs as it should.

I had a small electric washer bought used. Estimate pressure at 1,500#. I would not have wanted more as even with the lower pressure you get where the water blows back from what you are washing you still get hit hard by the water. And the way your hand would feel if got in front of the spray at that pressure I would think the higher pressure units could actually put the water thru your skin into your blood supply. And possibly tear off your skin. I know the one I had hurt big time if you got infront of the nossel. And we are talking about a machine that would have been made in the early 80's or possibly even the 70's and they were not making the different higher pressure washers then. I would say that for a 3,000# or higher washer you would need a protective suit to keep from damageing your body even from sprayback. Personally I would not want a high pressure unit for normal tractor type cleaning. The yigher pressure units could blow all wires off tractor. And at times that low pressure unit would take paint off.

And I used water from the heater in the house to wash things that were greasy. And power was always at hand.

A couple of years ago, I bought a decent electric pressure washer mostly for washing the car at spring wash/wax. I never go to automatic car washes.

It was Lowes top of the line electric unit at the time and on clearance. IIRC, I paid $160 and tax.

Breaking with convention, I bought the three year extended "warranty," because these things are notoriously unreliable.

I don't use it much but so far so good.

Dean

Bought this North Star electric pressure washer from Northern Tool several years ago.
2 hp, 20 amp, 2000 psi, 1.5 gpm, has a Cat pump and will handle hot water. If your not near a good power source you can run it with a 5000 watt genset.
It's not as fast or powerful as the bigger gas units but does a good job and is a lot better than the cheap box store electric models.
It's not so overpowered that I have to worry about bending the fins when cleaning a radiator and coolers or stripping paint, but is still a nice sized machine.
Hoses and nozzles for the smaller gas models will work on this unit.

I cannot think of a single job on a farm that you should use over a 2,000# unit. That excess pressure will do dammage to more than you think it will. Even that 2,000# will take siding off of a house depending on how good it was applyed. My unit was a used when bought from the local elevator-feed store back in the at least early 80's, last ysed probably 6-7 years ago and never had a pump problem, early on had the valve go bad and replaced. I never used that part just plain water and not the low pressure soap way. Motor gave out about 10 years ago and just put pump on a different motor I had, 1/2 HP. Left it when I mover as no use foe it any more and no place in small apartment to keep. I don't think I used it after my sick spell back in 11 but got used hard when was farming. Don't know about new but that 30+ year old pump never gave a single problem, just gave it a shot of grease probably every spring.