Anyone Know Anything About Karcher Washers?

[Topcat47]

Every pressure washer I've owned, mostly Karchers, has sooner rather than later failed to pick up from the Additive bottle/pipe. My last Karcher is working fine apart from that function which packed up in just over a year.

 

[maby]

Every pressure washer I've owned, mostly Karchers, has sooner rather than later failed to pick up from the Additive bottle/pipe. My last Karcher is working fine apart from that function which packed up in just over a year.

Do you wash out the detergent feed after use? I always drop the feed pipe into a bucket of clean water and run the machine until the spray runs without soap - never had a blockage yet.

 

[oz-1]

I bought a Lidl petrol motor powered pressure washer, ( i think it cost £139 new ), and it's been very reliable and powerfull.

 

[Hadenough]

On this subject, we over wintered in a small UK marina where between late October and late March. We virtually had the facilities to ourselves and treated them with respect. In late March when the rest of the boat owners came out of hibernation I commented to one of the marina staff (who also happened to be the cleaner) that the place was very busy. He replied 'Yes, trouble is, they can all use a pressure washer but none of them know what a bog brush is for'

 

[ip485]

They are truly dreadful - I have been through so many over the years and the quality has just got worse.

Last time I decided enough was enough, did my research and purchased and Kranzle. It is great. I reckon it will work out a great deal cheaper in the long run as well. You do sometimes get what you pay for.

 

[Medway Mudlark]

a Karcher K2 i bought in 2016 and used occasionally for the car decided to give up when i used it on the boat last weekend, there was a burning smell then it stopped.

My K2 did exactly the same whilst getting the crud out of the embossed decks while on the hard earlier this season. took back to B&Q who said it was out of warranty, despite Karcher giving 2 years, so I've had to phone them to 'get a little man out to fix it' Smoke, then flames, then it stopped

 

[Hydrozoan]

My old Karcher 520M has had a new high pressure hose (my fault: it contacted a hot car exhaust system!) but has worked well for many years, albeit for intermittent car, patio and bin cleaning. It gave up very recently with the symptoms described by the OP here and I am hopeful that a clean up as he describes will fix it: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=207&t=1112351.

I later bought a much smaller and cheaper B&Q system for the boat (though I use it rarely) and it too has been faultless.

 

[guyd]

Another ex karcher owner, several models. Now nulfisk
Have left on several times with zero water all night to no effect.

Only thing I have to fix is a tiny o ring in the Lance handle hose joint regularly.

 

[Roberto]

Have they sold all the faulty ones to the UK?
I have two Karcher, used for boat and outside house cleaning during the past few years, still well functioning: the only downside they are the small models so a dirty 40' hull takes 1.5-2hours.
Basically anyone using high pressure washing in France has Karcher, from individuals, to pleasure boat yards, to little commercial outfits. Commercial tool renting companies (from hammer to derricks) all offer Karchers. Never heard anyone complain about them, and it's a German company..

 

[Billows]

You need water running from the lance in a Karcher before you squeeze the switch to turn on the pump .Running it dry while the hose pipe fills will destroy it very quickly

 

[UK-WOOZY]

My K2 did exactly the same whilst getting the crud out of the embossed decks while on the hard earlier this season. took back to B&Q who said it was out of warranty, despite Karcher giving 2 years, so I've had to phone them to 'get a little man out to fix it' Smoke, then flames, then it stopped

I contacted Karcher via their facebook page via messenger. They are going to replace mine with a new one next week via a courier service. all free. (just had to provide proof of purchase and a photo of the serial number under the unit) so thats good customer service at least. but id expect the next one not to last long either.