Power Washer Recommendations

[TheGulf1]

The data sheet that came with my foam cannon said it needed 1.8 GPM. The first electric I had only was rated for 1.4 GPM and it foamed decent but not like my 2.5GPM gas unit. It produced a much more consistent foam, thicker foam with the gas unit. I'm now looking at that electric one on Amazon that was rated at 1.8GPM. I do like electric for my cars. The gas unit scares me a bit when using it on the car as it has a much higher pressure rating.

[OC ///M]

Originally Posted by flea333

This looks compact and decent. Do you have to do gas/oil mixture? How loud is it? I already bought big ass extension cord, liked the idea of electric.

It's a 4-cycle motor, so no pre-mixed fuel required-just regular gas.

Gas vs. electric depends on what your personal needs are...

I was leaning towards electric for sound reasons till I actually heard a few of them. Although most only fire the pump up when the trigger is pulled, they're not much quieter than gas units, and the unit above is actually less noisy than some of the electrics out there.

I wanted the versatility of being able to use it anywhere, in addition to other work-related tasks or jobs around the shop or house where power cords aren't an option.

I didn't like how bulky most of the electrics are, this gas unit is so compact and fits under my truck's tonneau cover and stows away easier in the shop or garage.

[flea333]

Originally Posted by TheGulf1

The data sheet that came with my foam cannon said it needed 1.8 GPM. The first electric I had only was rated for 1.4 GPM and it foamed decent but not like my 2.5GPM gas unit. It produced a much more consistent foam, thicker foam with the gas unit. I'm now looking at that electric one on Amazon that was rated at 1.8GPM. I do like electric for my cars. The gas unit scares me a bit when using it on the car as it has a much higher pressure rating.

The Sun Joe is 1.74gpm. However, if you hook up to a water filter, not sure if it will maintain that.

[flea333]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

It's a 4-cycle motor, so no pre-mixed fuel required-just regular gas.


I didn't like how bulky most of the electrics are, this gas unit is so compact and fits under my truck's tonneau cover and stows away easier in the shop or garage.

What are the measurements of this unit?

[OC ///M]

Originally Posted by flea333

What are the measurements of this unit?

I'm not at the shop right now to measure it, but approx. 16" wide x 16" deep x 22" tall.

*Edit: Ok, I finally got a chance to measure, I was close... Actual dimensions are: 15" x 15" x 20".

[Hujan]

Great thread. I'm planning on getting a Karcher power washer from Costco this weekend and getting the MTM foam cannon to go with it.

What all accessories will I need for a good foam-cannon setup?

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by Hujan

Great thread. I'm planning on getting a Karcher power washer from Costco this weekend and getting the MTM foam cannon to go with it.

What all accessories will I need for a good foam-cannon setup?

just the karcher adapter if i'm not mistaken. i can't remember if you need one or not but autogeek does sell a karcher adapter for the mtm to snap right in. you're all set besides a soap for the cannon!

[nullrouted]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

It's a 4-cycle motor, so no pre-mixed fuel required-just regular gas.

Gas vs. electric depends on what your personal needs are...

I was leaning towards electric for sound reasons till I actually heard a few of them. Although most only fire the pump up when the trigger is pulled, they're not much quieter than gas units, and the unit above is actually less noisy than some of the electrics out there.

I wanted the versatility of being able to use it anywhere, in addition to other work-related tasks or jobs around the shop or house where power cords aren't an option.

I didn't like how bulky most of the electrics are, this gas unit is so compact and fits under my truck's tonneau cover and stows away easier in the shop or garage.

Which electrics were you looking at? I recently got an ARBlue 383 and it's downright tiny, easy to move, etc. Like you said it fires up only when the trigger is pulled and I don't think it's all that loud at all. It's 1900 PSI and with the MTM Hydro it foams up really well. For $155 on Amazon I think it's a great value.

[nullrouted]

Originally Posted by rjd598

just the karcher adapter if i'm not mistaken. i can't remember if you need one or not but autogeek does sell a karcher adapter for the mtm to snap right in. you're all set besides a soap for the cannon!

Order some Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam from Amazon, gallon runs about $22 and it'll last many refills of the MTM, you dilute like 4-8oz of it with warm water in the bottle.

[OC ///M]

Originally Posted by nullrouted

...I recently got an ARBlue 383 and it's downright tiny...

Tiny? I needed something compact and easy to transport & store, not bulky like a vacuum cleaner.

Glad to hear you found something that works for you, with all of the different types on the market there's sure to be one that fits just about anyone's needs.

[flea333]

Originally Posted by nullrouted

Which electrics were you looking at? I recently got an ARBlue 383 and it's downright tiny, easy to move, etc. Like you said it fires up only when the trigger is pulled and I don't think it's all that loud at all. It's 1900 PSI and with the MTM Hydro it foams up really well. For $155 on Amazon I think it's a great value.

I ended up ordering the Snow Sun Joe. I liked that it has the highest flow rate 1.74gpm and highest pressure, 2030psi for an electric I've seen. Also has two detergent containers with flow control and a metal sprayer hose.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ag=leessite-20

I get it tomorrow and I have the MTM foam cannon. Going to start out with my existing car wash stuff and test from there. Also plan to look into using a shower filter on it and Jet Dry detergent for spot free rinsing.

I'll keep posted here the results.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

Tiny? I needed something compact and easy to transport & store, not bulky like a vacuum cleaner.

Glad to hear you found something that works for you, with all of the different types on the market there's sure to be one that fits just about anyone's needs.

Ar118

[OC ///M]

Originally Posted by rjd598

Ar118

^less than ideal flow rates per the MTM manual and needs a wall outlet or generator to run...no thanks, but good for somebody.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

^less than ideal flow rates per the MTM manual and needs a wall outlet or generator to run...no thanks, but good for somebody.

It's not less than ideal. It is enough to create a nice layer that covers the surface. If you are worried about getting "shaving cream" foam then just buy a gas system and add an insane amount of soap. Also of course it requires a wall outlet how else would one get it working? Generator? Lol why would you need that

[skins333]

Originally Posted by rjd598

just the karcher adapter if i'm not mistaken. i can't remember if you need one or not but autogeek does sell a karcher adapter for the mtm to snap right in. you're all set besides a soap for the cannon!

Yeah, I just bought the MTM foam cannon for my Karcher K series power washer and because it uses a special "T connector" to attach things to spray gun looks like I need to order the following:

http://www.autogeek.net/karcher-k-se...m_campaign=CSE

It's $14.95 + $6.95 for flat rate shipping. If you are planning to buy powerwasher and MTM cannon at same time, would consider the connections required beforehand. Can either pick up MTM cannon that includes K series adaptor (now see these advertised) or pick up a powerwasher that doesn't require wasting money on an adaptor. Btw, different Karcher models may require different adaptors.

[OC ///M]

Originally Posted by rjd598

It's not less than ideal...of course it requires a wall outlet how else would one get it working? Generator? Lol why would you need that

Genius questions!

What if you owned a boat and wanted to wash it, but there were no outlets in the boat storage yard? What if you wanted to clean something that was further than a few extension cords away from your garage? ...or use it for work sites?

The MTM Cannon Manual states 1.8 gpm min. is req'd for ideal operation. The AR unit captioned above is only 1.2 gpm.

As I stated earlier, it's great that there are so many different types that will work for any application. If you only wash your car with it and you live in an apt or track home, an electric is perfect for you.

A compact gas-powered unit works best for my needs, since it will be used for more than just washing a car and in areas where there are no outlets available.



PS- You have it backwards, gas-powered units create MORE foam using LESS soap, as opposed to a conventional electric.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

Genius questions!

What if you owned a boat and wanted to wash it, but there were no outlets in the boat storage yard? What if you wanted to clean something that was further than a few extension cords away from your garage? ...or use it for work sites?

The MTM Cannon Manual states 1.8 gpm min. is req'd for ideal operation. The AR unit captioned above is only 1.2 gpm.

As I stated earlier, it's great that there are so many different types that will work for any application. If you only wash your car with it and you live in an apt or track home, an electric is perfect for you.

A compact gas-powered unit works best for my needs, since it will be used for more than just washing a car and in areas where there are no outlets available.



PS- You have it backwards, gas-powered units create MORE foam using LESS soap, as opposed to a conventional electric.

For the purposes of this forum, op, and the general detailing public I wouldn't assume they would need it to wash at work or a boat yard. I bet most of the weekend warriors do it in their garage and for the people who do need it for those purposes are most likely professionals who have the better answer anyway. As for the gpm requirement, I know the manual says 1.8 but my point here was not to try and persuade you to buy the ar118 because it clearly doesn't fit your needs. My point was that there does in fact exist a portable system for $100 that can be used with the mtm. Just because you have thick foam doesn't mean it is cleaning better than another soap that goes on thin or watery. There is a video on youtbe of someone using the ar118 and the mtm with cg cwg with a modest amount of soap IIRC. Yes the soap does go on thin but it covers the entire surface of the car. Also I never said gas NEEDS more soap than an electric. I was saying if you want crazy shaving cream foam like the numerous chemical guy's videos, get a gas powered system then add a lot of soap. I guess I shouldn't have directed the information towards you as it doesn't apply to you but I meant it to be info for everyone. Just informing

[OC ///M]

^ No one on the forum, the OP, or the general detailing public owns a boat, would use it for work, or outside of their garage....GOT IT!

I shared the information about the gas unit to inform the community about other options compatible with the MTM Foam Cannon, not to engage in any sort of sophmoric one-upmanship. The fact remains that the MTM Manual states that "...a minimum 1.8 gpm...is required for the product to operate correctly." That AR unit doesn't meet their requirement, so I was, how do you say? " Just informing."

My advice: Don't assume anything!

[flea333]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

^ No one on the forum, the OP, or the general detailing public owns a boat, would use it for work, or outside of their garage....GOT IT!

I shared the information about the gas unit to inform the community about other options compatible with the MTM Foam Cannon, not to engage in any sort of sophmoric one-upmanship. The fact remains that the MTM Manual states that "...a minimum 1.8 gpm...is required for the product to operate correctly." That AR unit doesn't meet their requirement, so I was, how do you say? " Just informing."

My advice: Don't assume anything!

Alright guys let's share our experiences instead...

I tried my setup this Sat and let's just say it worked pretty good, but I can see it could be better with higher flow to the foam cannon. I did find I had to fill up with a ton of my cleaning product to get good foam and the spray was a little uneven mostly on the edges of the spray (see action pic). Once the foam started flowing it was plenty throughout the spray and you coat the car quick. I think I did 4-5 coatings just cause I was experimenting and added foam for each time I wiped down with my Chemical Guys MF cloth (thanks to rjd598 for recommending, very nice soft cloths). I had to set the thing to max foam to get it thick enough to stick to the car, otherwise the water made it slide off quick. But the tank burned through quick at that setting.

I am pretty unhappy about lugging this 100ft extension cord out of my place across the walkway way out to the parking. For that reason I'm thinking of looking into that small gas unit - or similar as long as it has the flow rate needed. I'd still need another 50ft cord to get where I need to in my parking lot and I found the pump shutting off frequently - I don't know if it was because the water supply or electrical supply, the water is pretty darn good so I don't know.

One thing that was nice was that I hooked up a shower filter to the input and had no difference in performance, as I expected because the shower filters have 2.5gpm flow. I didn't towel dry the car at all to prevent scratching and to test effectiveness against water marks. There were a few light water marks, but really nothing, I was impressed. I need to do it again to be sure cause I drove it right after washing and so dirty water shot up on my side panels -- down side to not drying. Once I get my blower I should end that and towel the rest.

Here's the pic I got with the Sunjoe SPX3000 electric power washer which claims (maximum) 2030 PSI and 1.76 GPM.

[flea333]

Originally Posted by nullrouted

Order some Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam from Amazon, gallon runs about $22 and it'll last many refills of the MTM, you dilute like 4-8oz of it with warm water in the bottle.

So you're saying it takes 1/2-1 CUP of this detergent for the foam cannon?! That has to be wrong. I poured in like 1/4 cup, maybe 1/3, in my MTM and it foamed up. Anything less wasn't enough.

[flea333]

Originally Posted by Hujan

Great thread. I'm planning on getting a Karcher power washer from Costco this weekend and getting the MTM foam cannon to go with it.

What all accessories will I need for a good foam-cannon setup?

Man you're lucky your costco has an electric unit there! Mine only has a huge gas one... Don't know if I'll be able to return this thing to Amazon if I switch to gas..

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by OC ///M

^ No one on the forum, the OP, or the general detailing public owns a boat, would use it for work, or outside of their garage....GOT IT!

I shared the information about the gas unit to inform the community about other options compatible with the MTM Foam Cannon, not to engage in any sort of sophmoric one-upmanship. The fact remains that the MTM Manual states that "...a minimum 1.8 gpm...is required for the product to operate correctly." That AR unit doesn't meet their requirement, so I was, how do you say? " Just informing."

My advice: Don't assume anything!

I didn't assume anything. You still missed my point I acknowledge the fact that that the manual has a requirement but it doesn't mean it's not a fact when I inform people that if they don't want to spend more money and want a portable unit that there is such a thing and even though it doesn't meet the requirements of the "manual" it will still do the job properly. Like I said it doesn't matter how thick the foam is but how well your soap can cover the surface and how well it
can clean.