Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by tedious on 09/05/14 - 6:49 AM

I have a gas-powered washer for home use, and it works very well. However, I'm getting tired of lugging it back and forth to our vacation spot, so I am thinking about a dedicated one to leave there for cleaning boats at the end of the year, and other occasional jobs.

Would one of the high-power electrics work OK? I see Karcher makes a 2000 PSI one, and it seems to get good reviews. They're a bit cheaper than the gas washers, and it's one less motor to maintain, but I'm concerned that I'd be disappointed in the power.

Thanks for filling me in on any experiences you have had.

Tim

Posted by dougt on 09/05/14 - 7:21 AM

They are making some fine electric ones now-a-days.
I've never owned one, but they have one at our condo we purchased last year. Does a great job for 99% of the stuff I use them for.
I still have a gas one at home, but won't hesitate to purchase an electric one. Several of my old school buddies have come to same conclusion as we are all starting to duplicate tools in winter homes.

Doug

Posted by gchuba on 09/05/14 - 7:41 AM

I borrowed one from a friend and worth every penny. Not as powerful as a gas but plug it in and go. I will be purchasing one.

Garris

Posted by dan757 on 09/05/14 - 11:26 AM

I had the Karcher a few years ago think it was 1800 but still powerful enough for my purposes. It did die after 2 years but we used it quite a bit. I replaced it with a gas one. But if you are going to be leaving it for long periods
I would definately go electric....we all know how gas is after sitting.

Posted by wing15601 on 09/05/14 - 1:12 PM

I think the secret with these electric pressure washers is to make sure all the water is removed and spray the pump with WD-40 when putting it away. I had several and now have a really cheap one from Costco which is going on 3 years but I wouldn't reccomend this one because it just doesn't have the power.

Posted by Walt Krafft on 09/06/14 - 4:53 AM

I have a Karcher that I got back in the early '90's. It is used every year to clean my farm equipment at the end of the season. It will work fine for cleaning boats. Gas motors all have issues when not used regularly. I store mine in the shop where it won't freeze in the winter. Other than that I have done zip maint on it.

Posted by butchdavis on 09/06/14 - 6:49 AM

Not much downside to electric washers. Lower pressure is one and lack of portability another. I would do a search of commercial suppliers for a higher pressure electric washer than the big box stores offer.

Another consideration when selecting any electrical device is the amperage requirement to start the device. Check the breaker capacity for the outlet you intend to use before buying. Newer outdoor service outlets will all be GCI protected so it can be frustrating to have the breaker operate numerous times when using extension cords. Dry days are best.