Portable exterior steam cleaner for car paint...

**Lexi65** · 12-31-2013, 05:18 PM

Does anyone have an opinion about these options? Do they
degrade the LSP because of the steam temperature? How pricey are the good ones?

**TopThatDetail** · 12-31-2013, 06:46 PM

I have the vc-4000c they say you can do exterior, I have not tried it.. Price was $1054, sorry I couldn't help with more info

**AeroCleanse** · 12-31-2013, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Lexi65

Does anyone have an opinion about these options? Do they
degrade the LSP because of the steam temperature? How pricey are the good ones?

They shouldn't degrade the LSP because you can control the temp by moving it further away.

One of the good ones is the Optima steamer however they are around $5k. Just do a youtube search.

**CCC4me** · 12-31-2013, 07:15 PM

I have a Thermakleen 1000. A slightly different range than the Optima (a step up if you ask me since it will go to 1000 psi), but may be a bigger machine than you're looking for. I can transport it myself, but I'm a fairly strong guy. New, they're about $6k. I found mine used for $300

**Lexi65** · 12-31-2013, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by CCC4me

I have a Thermakleen 1000. A slightly different range than the Optima (a step up if you ask me since it will go to 1000 psi), but may be a bigger machine than you're looking for. I can transport it myself, but I'm a fairly strong guy. New, they're about $6k. I found mine used for $300

If you use it to clean exterior car paint, can you extrapolate
on your experience. Also, where did you find it that cheap? Good condition?

. Thanks!

**CCC4me** · 12-31-2013, 10:40 PM

Yes I use it on exteriors. Since the temp is adjustable, I usually use it set at about 200 degrees with my foam gun for any "maintenance wash" where I'm truly concerned about keeping a LSP intact. This unit puts out ~2.5 GPM so holding the gun further away will not lower the temp as much as more vapor oriented units. It will strip LSP if you're not careful.

Most of my work is corrective, though. Here it excels. Having 300 degree water at 1000 psi makes short work of stripping "TOGW", cleaning an engine, removing tar, and floor mats. Cranking it up to to 350 degrees will completely prep paint for a LSP after polishing without wiping it down unnecessarily.

The unit I have was discontinued a few years ago (though the parts are common with their current offerings) and I was able to score a good deal on ebay. I've seen similar deals on my local classifieds site and Craigslist though.

This is the current model (mine doesn't look any different but has a 300 psi lower rating):

And in use removing tar: