Mobile guys -- Electric pressure washer running off of a Generator?

[JCDetails]

I'm working on enhancing my mobile capabilities and one thing that I think would be great would be to not have to rely on customer's water or power if need be.

Harbor freight's bigger inverter generator is a great deal, on sale for 650 right now, so I'm considering grabbing it.

The next thing I'd need to upgrade is my pressure washer. I have a cheapo greenworks electric unit from lowes that I think is like 1.3gpm. It'd be nice to be able to run an electric pressure washer because it'd be one less gas engine for me to deal with, they run much quieter, and take up less space.

I contacted AR north america as I really like the looks of the AR blue clean AR630-TSS industrial washer. Electric, 1900psi, 2.1gpm, total stop system small form factor and seems to be a really solid piece for less than what Kranzle charges. Only problem is the (extremely rude) rep that emailed me back said that electric pressure washers can't be run on generators. No further explanation, no offer of a possible solution, but when pressed for further info, responded with nothing but a wikipedia link to some electrical theory dealing with generators (Gee, thanks.)

I've seen plenty of mobile guys running lots of tools off generators, standard ones nevermind inverter generators which provide much cleaner power. It is a pretty stout unit, listed at 19 amps draw. But a 120v outlet on a 3000w generator should in theory be able to support 25 amps.

So, what do you guys have as far as setups for mobile pressure washing? Obviously the easier thing to do would be just go to a gas unit, but I'm curious what others are doing.

[Tempest45]

Sun Joe makes a battery powered PW that will not run a foam Cannon but does a very good job at bugs and rinsing. I use mine with distilled water.

[JCDetails]

Sun Joe makes a battery powered PW that will not run a foam Cannon but does a very good job at bugs and rinsing. I use mine with distilled water.

that sounds cool, but sort of in the opposite direction I'm going. I'd like to stay electric but would like more pressure and GPM to be able to foam a little better than what I've got now.

[Firehouse Mike]

I've been running this ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-1-...4122/203800590 ) unit for the last two year off my Honda EU2000i with no issues at all. Great pressure, sips water (4 cars off 35 gallon tank) and has been super reliable. I did add a 50' 1/4" hose, the OEM one is junk. It does a great job with foam guns too!

Mike

[Mantilgh]

Not much help here with PW question, but I have used that HF generator numerous times and if it were mine I would have thrown it out of my vehicle at highway speeds if it was physically possible. There’s nothing worse than trying to use something important when you need it and it won’t work.

After if left me down a few times I went and bought the small Honda one posted above and have been very happy. Only issue I’ve had was mud daubers build nests in the muffler which choked it out.

[B5visser]

Sorry about the rude rep- thats never fun or acceptable.

FWIW I purchased the AR630 TSS HOT recently and its awesome. I too was between that AR unit and the kranzle 6200 (?) as I wanted something on the prosumer level that I would have for a very long time. I have it in a shop setting but it is portable enough to move around and do mobile work if need be. I can't comment much on it being compatible with a generator or not, but honestly wouldn't see the problem.

[JCDetails]

Not much help here with PW question, but I have used that HF generator numerous times and if it were mine I would have thrown it out of my vehicle at highway speeds if it was physically possible. There’s nothing worse than trying to use something important when you need it and it won’t work.

After if left me down a few times I went and bought the small Honda one posted above and have been very happy. Only issue I’ve had was mud daubers build nests in the muffler which choked it out.

I know the old ‘Buy once cry once’ adage, but 650 vs 2500 is a big jump, especially just starting out and doing part time/weekends only.


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[SWETM]

How is the specs from the HF generator? Watts and ampare?

If the pressure wash is a little under those specs and you only use the PW on it at the same time. You would be fine.

[JCDetails]

How is the specs from the HF generator? Watts and ampare?

If the pressure wash is a little under those specs and you only use the PW on it at the same time. You would be fine.

3500w starting, 3000w running on either of two 3 prong 120v outlets or a twist lock 3 prong 120.

By my math, it should supply up to 25a running and 29a starting limited by the breaker on each circuit. The standard 3 prong outlets only have 20a breakers so with the pw rated at 19a, it may pull enough on startup that it’d pop the breaker. However, I could use a pigtail and go from the 3 prong household plug on the pw to the 30a twist lock outlet and that should have no problem.

Definitely a chance that the thing is a pile but I see a lot of people using predator stuff and it runs well for quite a while. Hard to beat the hf warranty even though it’d be a pain to swap it out. Main problem is most peoples household outlets are set up for 15a circuits, and at 19a the ar630 would pop the breaker every time. That makes using house power at least for the pw a no go.


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[SWETM]

It's going to be a close call to it work. But if you now one of them useing it you maybe can get the specs from them of the electric tools they are useing. And that you get that electric power from one of the outlets alone. Is it a big difference to the PW under the one you thinking of? Maybe they have a electric tool with the specs like the PW you thinking of getting? So you can see if it would work with that generator.