Wickes 160 bar pressure washer: an update
Fred
I started a thread asking about this pressure washer back in April but
my local store never had any of the 160 bar models in stock until now.
I see that broadback posted a thread a week ago asking how to assemble
various parts of it. I quite agree with him that the instructions are
totally useless.
The strange thing is that there is "information" printed in a dozen
different languages but there is a "front page" saying "Wickes
pressure washer". Is Wickes an international brand? I didn't realise
it had stores across Europe. I just wondered why if they went to the
trouble of printing a Wickes-specific cover, they didn't customise the
rest of the leaflet and only print the English part?
The English section does not appear to be specific to this washer and
is basically safety advice, such as don't point at people, etc.
The only instructions about assembly are some hand drawn diagrams on
the last page, which again is printed with the Wickes logo. These are
incomplete and as broadback already posted, don't show you how to fit
half the parts to the machine! If you have never had a pressure washer
before, like me, then you do spend a few minutes wondering what the
bits are all for.
I think a couple of reviews on the Wickes web site complained it is a
little "unfinished" cosmetically. It is just thrown into the box
without any polystyrene packing. As a result there were a few
scratches. I know these are only cosmetic and tools get scratched in
use but when you spend over £100 on something, I think it is
reasonable to expect it to arrive in mint condition? True, it doesn't
affect the function of the machine but first impressions count when
taking your new toy out of the box.
Another review talks about the soap dispenser being fragile. Mine was
broken out of the box, hence my grumble about lack of protective
polystyrene. There is nothing in the instructions to explain that the
wire "loop" is for cleaning the nozzle, or when it needs cleaning, and
nothing to explain about the two soap dispensers.
From what I can gather there are two soap dispensers. There is a small
black tank at the base of the machine for low pressure use and the
fragile white tank that attaches directly to the lance is for high
pressure use. Have I got that right?
There is a pressure gauge on the lance which simply reads "0, 70
(bar), Max". Though I already knew that the 160 was a theoretical
figure used for marketing, the gauge implies that 70 bar is halfway
and the working maximum pressure is 140 bar.
I have borrowed a cheap £50ish Karcher with noisy, plastic, motor but
despite all the design shortcuts on that, it had an adjustable lance.
With the Wickes model it seems you get 140bar or nothing, so I am
confused about how I can use either a low pressure soap dispenser or a
high pressure one. Do I have to buy an adjustable lance separately,
and what are their definitions of low and high pressure soap sprays?
I haven't used it to wash the car because some reports say that high
pressure sprays will remove the paint. What is the best pressure for
car washing? There doesn't appear to be a warning in the instructions
and the box even shows it being used on a car.
The instructions talk about some washers having an automatic stop and
some not. Those without should not be left in "standby" for more than
two minutes. Fair enough but it says those with an automatic stop,
like this one, should not be left in standby for more than five
minutes. Why is this if the motor is not on, what damage can be done?
It also talks about a safety catch on the lance but I don't appear to
have one.
I haven't used the washer in anger so I can't honestly comment on its
performance but the instructions are truly awful and my first
impressions are that it isn't as wonderful as I had hoped for. It is
made by Lavor.
HTH
Fred
Dave Starling
> I haven't used the washer in anger so I can't honestly comment on its
> performance but the instructions are truly awful and my first
> impressions are that it isn't as wonderful as I had hoped for. It is
> made by Lavor.
putting a few more quid into the deal and buying a decent spec Karcher
with variable nozzle and other kit in the box. I've seen them sold at
Screwfix. Even the freeview shopping channels have had Karcher kits
with lots of addons included.
Dave
The Medway Handyman
<SNIP>
>
> From what I can gather there are two soap dispensers. There is a small
> black tank at the base of the machine for low pressure use and the
> fragile white tank that attaches directly to the lance is for high
> pressure use. Have I got that right?
I would think so. The internal tank will prolly only dispense soap when
there is low pressure at the nozzle. Common way of doing this is to pull
the nozzle bit & you should get low pressure. Sometimes its a twist or even
a twist & pull.
>
> There is a pressure gauge on the lance which simply reads "0, 70
> (bar), Max". Though I already knew that the 160 was a theoretical
> figure used for marketing, the gauge implies that 70 bar is halfway
> and the working maximum pressure is 140 bar.
About right.
>
> I have borrowed a cheap £50ish Karcher with noisy, plastic, motor but
> despite all the design shortcuts on that, it had an adjustable lance.
> With the Wickes model it seems you get 140bar or nothing, so I am
> confused about how I can use either a low pressure soap dispenser or a
> high pressure one. Do I have to buy an adjustable lance separately,
> and what are their definitions of low and high pressure soap sprays?
The plastic bottle that attaches to the lance is likely a foam sprayer.
>
> I haven't used it to wash the car because some reports say that high
> pressure sprays will remove the paint. What is the best pressure for
> car washing? There doesn't appear to be a warning in the instructions
> and the box even shows it being used on a car.
Urban myth. If the paint is sound no DIY machine could develop enough
pressure.
> The instructions talk about some washers having an automatic stop and
> some not. Those without should not be left in "standby" for more than
> two minutes. Fair enough but it says those with an automatic stop,
> like this one, should not be left in standby for more than five
> minutes. Why is this if the motor is not on, what damage can be done?
Stress on pump seals? Not heard that before.
> It also talks about a safety catch on the lance but I don't appear to
> have one.
Its normally part of the trigger gun.
Next time I'm in Wickes I'll have a look.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
The Natural Philosopher
>
> The plastic bottle that attaches to the lance is likely a foam sprayer.
>> I haven't used it to wash the car because some reports say that high
>> pressure sprays will remove the paint. What is the best pressure for
>> car washing? There doesn't appear to be a warning in the instructions
>> and the box even shows it being used on a car.
>
> Urban myth. If the paint is sound no DIY machine could develop enough
> pressure.
>
Not so. some domestic machines are very high pressure, and right in
close they WILL strip paint, cos I've done it..but held at sensible
distances they are safe enough.
Basically try ion something else before you do the car: I've found they
are magic at green slime, less successful on dead gnats. Those need
attention with alcohol and washing up liquid.
But once you have a clean, but soapy car, the washer is a miracle at
blowing the dirt off.
My technique is pressure wash first, to remove loose stuff and green
slime, then overall HAND wash with detergent and a MILD pan
scourer/sponge only using the scourer in extreme need and its the white
not green scourer...then when the whole car has been soapaed, pressure
wash it all off.
The Medway Handyman
> The Medway Handyman wrote:
>
>>
>> The plastic bottle that attaches to the lance is likely a foam
>> sprayer.
>>> I haven't used it to wash the car because some reports say that high
>>> pressure sprays will remove the paint. What is the best pressure for
>>> car washing? There doesn't appear to be a warning in the
>>> instructions and the box even shows it being used on a car.
>>
>> Urban myth. If the paint is sound no DIY machine could develop
>> enough pressure.
>>
>
> Not so. some domestic machines are very high pressure, and right in
> close they WILL strip paint, cos I've done it..but held at sensible
> distances they are safe enough.
Urban myth. I spent 30 + years selling HPC's I've sold Warwick, KEW, WAP,
Karcher & Gerni. I've done thousands of demonstrations & sold thousands of
machines.
Domeatic machines are little more than water pistols - 100bar x 6 lpm. I've
washed cars with 200 bar x 24lpm without damage. Such machines will cut a
breese block in half with the right nozzle.
Only once did I see vehicle paint removed. That was an old Lada which had
been hand painted.
If the paint is sound, no machine could possibly remove it. If the paint is
flakey or loose of course it will come off. But sound paint - no.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
>
>
js.b1
bonded glass sunroof (which can cost a few hundred to fix and the roof
steelwork on many cars are not galvanised re failed seals); can drive
water under certain thermoplastic latch-in-n-bond window seals (older
1990-2005 designs); can blast up dirt, sand, grit from driveways into
car paint causing damage.
That latter point is the real reason they say not to pressure wash
cars - very easy to blast car dirt into places you do not want it and
blast ground dirt up as an abrasive.
Broadback
are no operating instructions, so no idea how to use the two reservoirs.
The lance which is used with the small bottle can be varied from wide
fan to single jet, simply by twisting the end. However it is impossible
for an old weak man, like myself, to mount the bottle onto the lance. Or
is there a knack that I have not got?
The Medway Handyman
Can you post s photo of the lance & bottle?
Fred
wrote:
>Having assembled and used mine quite a bit I find it fine. However there
>are no operating instructions, so no idea how to use the two reservoirs.
I'm glad I'm not the only one. I've been in touch with Wickes about
the terribl;e instructions; we'll see what they say.
>The lance which is used with the small bottle can be varied from wide
>fan to single jet, simply by twisting the end.
Thanks, I didn't know that. I hadn't even looked at that lance.
> However it is impossible
>for an old weak man, like myself, to mount the bottle onto the lance. Or
>is there a knack that I have not got?
I don't know as my bottle arrived broken. It looks as though there are
clips on the back of the bottle that push onto the lance but the
reviews at wickes.co.uk suggest that pushing the bottle on too
forcefully may cause the clips to break. The break on mine is at the
base of a clip so they are certainly a weak point.
There is something hidden in the "wrong place" on the instructions.
Have a hunt for it. Is it on the other side? I think it's in the
Italian section. I think it suggests warming the parts with a hair
drier to make them more flexible and easier to assemble.
My concern is what if you knock it and break it in the future, will
spares be available? I'm expecting there are no spares and they will
have to open another box to get me a replacement part.
I've never seen lance-mounted bottles before. Are they a common
feature?
Thanks.
Fred
<davi...@no-spam-blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>Can you post s photo of the lance & bottle?
It seems you can buy it separately from Wickes:
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Foaming-Lance/invt/186909
HTH
The Medway Handyman
>
> I've never seen lance-mounted bottles before. Are they a common
> feature?
They are fairly common on DIY machines. The idea is to (a) generate foan &
(b) keep chemicals away from the pump to avoid corrosion.
The Medway Handyman
>
> I've never seen lance-mounted bottles before. Are they a common
> feature?
They are fairly common on DIY machines. The idea is to (a) generate foan &
(b) keep chemicals away from the pump to avoid corrosion.
Broadback
> Fred wrote:
>
>>
>> I've never seen lance-mounted bottles before. Are they a common
>> feature?
>
> They are fairly common on DIY machines. The idea is to (a) generate foan&
> (b) keep chemicals away from the pump to avoid corrosion.
>
>
they recommend heating the bottle to get it onto the wand. This I did,
it was still a struggle, but I have got it on, and there it will stay!
Dave Starling
> If all else fails read the manual! After carefully reading the manual
> they recommend heating the bottle to get it onto the wand. This I did,
> it was still a struggle, but I have got it on, and there it will stay!
For anyone else in the market for a pressure washer - on Freeview
Idealworld.tv this morning they have a special deal pack on a
karcher ; K3150, vario lance, T-Racer, Dirtblaster, 2 x extension
lances, car cleaning wash brush, 2 x detergent packs for £176 product
code 166082. http://www.idealworld.tv but their website seems to be
down atm.
Dave.
Fred
wrote:
>If all else fails read the manual! After carefully reading the manual
>they recommend heating the bottle to get it onto the wand. This I did,
>it was still a struggle, but I have got it on, and there it will stay!
I am glad you have managed to put it all together. The instructions
are useless aren't they?
Have you used your washer much? What do you think of it?
On mine the pressure quickly drops; the little gauge in the handle
shows about halfway, 70 bars. However I do have a poor flow from the
outside tap, so I hope it is that rather than the washer. I am hoping
to plumb a new tap at the weekend to see if that cures it.
The Medway Handyman
You don't have enough water to supply the machine. HPC pumps are fixed
displacement. Try sucking water from a tub/bucket/container.
Fred
<davi...@no-spam-blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>You don't have enough water to supply the machine. HPC pumps are fixed
>displacement. Try sucking water from a tub/bucket/container.
Thanks. I am going to re-plumb the outside tap very soon; hopefully
that will cure it. Would it have done any damage connecting the pump
to an inadequate supply? Does it rely on water for cooling?
Thanks.
The Medway Handyman
No, but prolonged use could lead to cavitation. The pump sucks in a mixture
of water/air due to the lack of supply & when it tries to pressurise it, the
air bubbles collapse causing a shock wave - similar to 'catching a crab'
when rowing IYSWIM.
Can damage pistons & seal - but only over a prolonged period of time. Don't
worry.
Fred
<davi...@no-spam-blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
>No, but prolonged use could lead to cavitation. The pump sucks in a mixture
>of water/air due to the lack of supply & when it tries to pressurise it, the
>air bubbles collapse causing a shock wave - similar to 'catching a crab'
>when rowing IYSWIM.
>Can damage pistons & seal - but only over a prolonged period of time. Don't
>worry.
The bit about crabs and rowing went woosh, over my head, but as long
as the washer is fine that's all that matters. Thanks for the
reassurance.