Pressure Washers?

[Billc]

Cowboydoc, great signature! But might that throw be a bit embelished? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Bill Cook

 

[Billc]

One other comment about Honda vs any other engine.

When we sold a Honda Mower we had to take the mower out front and show the customer how to start and operate it. As I walked with the customer out front I'ld say, "This mower will start on the 3rd pull. You will see some blue smoke come out. That's caused my some extra oil on the cylinder. It will burn off within 2 minutes." On the third pull the mower would start, just about every time. Then we had to go through a check list with the customer that Honda made us do. Pretty smart, I thought.

I put myself through school selling Electolux vacuums door-to-door. After graduating I stayed with them for another 14 years. Why? Back then they were the best vac on the market and worth the extra money. This made them easy to sell. They sold themselves. I think the same way about a Honda engine. They are priced higher, but cost a lot less over time.

Bill Cook

 

[markcg2000]

You MUST (for safety's sake) have a GFI somewhere in the line! Our code says that any outdoor outlets or switches require GFI. If you've got one available, thats great.
You could create one with a regular extension cord:

Cut the female end off, replace it with an outdoor-class box and install a GFI outlet inside. I always buy the 20 Amp GFI because they are not much more than the 15 Amp. As long as you are doing this, make sure you get a good extension cord, like 10 or 12 gauge.

An added advantage to the outlet is that,if it does trip, it's right there so you can reset it... a circuit breaker is much more expensive and a lot bigger hassle ( at least, for me it is 'cause my panel is in the basement/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)

<font color=green>mark</font color=green>

 

[Bird]

Mark, maybe M.Sullivan lives in an area like mine. Once you leave the meter and master panel, there are NO codes out here in the country; just do whatever you want to, and you wouldn't believe some of the things the prior owner did here./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Bird

 

[markcg2000]

Bird,
I live in the "country" part of town. We definately have codes, but noone comes by to check them, unless you get a contractor to do the job. I do my own, and I always try to be intelligent, which seems to cover the code fairly closely, so far.

<font color=green>mark</font color=green>

 

[GlennT]

A trip down Memory Lane? I can't resist it even if I'm going against the grain. When I lived in Wisconsin I had a 2-stage, self-propelled, 8-horsepower snowblower with a Tecumseh engine for several years and it worked great. I sold it to a friend and he's still using it. It was especially designed for winter use--special carb and shrouds, electric start (plug it in the 110 volt socket) and such. However, I've also had lawnmowers with Techumseh engines and they were a pain. The carbs had so much tin and wire on them that something was always bending, breaking, or falling off (Just try to figure out where that dinky piece of wire goes!). Regarding power washers. I have had an electric one from K-Mart for many years and I've been amazed that it just keeps going. The only constructive advice I can give is BE CAREFUL! These things will remove paint, etch wood siding, and put water in unbelieveably inaccessible places.

 

[Monte]

I bought a reconditioned processure washer this weekend at the Power Show in Columbus, OH. It's a 5 HP Honda engine and is supposed to provice 2200 PSI at 3 GPM... $390 with warrantee... Guess I won't buy the one on the internet!

Monte [image]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=495196&a=11224089&p=39301020[/image]

 

[JATO_RaT]

Mark, your code probably says even more then that. Garage plugs, bath and kitchen plugs within 6' of a sink, spas, pools, etc are all part of the NEC. I used to hate GFI's that would trip in the early morning dew on the construction site. Since then, they have not only gotten better, but now I feel vulnerable without them, and my profession is an electrician. Remember, the GFI will not trip if you simply grab the hot and neutral wire and are not grounded. For example, if you have in one hand, a hot wire, and in the other hand the neutral (not ground), you will at the very least get a tingle and at the worst cardiac arrest. Just to let you know that you can't get lazy when dealing with electricity. Rat...

P.S. the electric power washers can also be a great way to go, I've used a 1.5 hp, but would recommend a 3 hp which means a 240V 30 amp circuit. They are nice and quiet and always start.

 

[shade2u2]

Ohio Power show

How was the power show? I wanted to go, but had conflicting family commitments...

 

[DaleW]

Just a word of caution on electric codes. It is ok for a homeowner to do whatever he or she wants in their own house without anyone checking for code compliance BUT and this is a big BUT.....If there is ever a fire due to the enhancements made by the homeowner and it did not comply with the codes, the insurance company may not have to pay the claim. In addition, should you ever want to sell your home, the prospective buyers mortgage company will request an inspection which will include a board of fire underwriters certification (This is the electrical inspector).
If there are code violations or work done without a permit there is a good chance that the buyer can opt out of the deal unless you fix the violations.
This may not be the way it is all over the country but here in NY state they are pretty strick about it. I know....I put in a swimming pool and all the electric for it without a permit or inspection ( Everything was to code) and when I went to sell the house I had to get a permit and an inspection before the buyers mortgage company would grant a mortgage.

 

[Bird]

You're absolutely right, DaleW, and of course my place would pass a code inspection NOW, but I sure had to do a lot of work, spend a lot of money, and replace breaker boxes, wiring, etc. after I bought it.

Bird

 

[fishman]

My wife bought a $99 wonder of a lawnmower 5 years ago while I was away on a business trip. When I got back she had it mostly assembled and it had, you guessed it, a 3.5 hp Tecumseh on it. No throttle even, just on or off. Amazingly, it still starts on the first or second pull every time, and I have had no problems with it. I didn't even bother to change the oil in it for the first three years, because I didn't think it would last. Most recently I used it to mow around my rock and re-bar infested property I just bought. It is currently on loan to a friend. Maybe the lack of a variable throttle has made it last, but I have no complaints at all. Occasionally one gets lucky.

 

[JATO_RaT]

Glenn, no doubt that Tecumseh had various quality engines available. I tend to think that in the end, with some very notable exceptions, folks who do the required maintanence such as removing the gas from the bowl before storing the engine for winter and then changing oil and cleaning air filter etc. can expect a reasonable life from their engines. Hondas just seem to be able to deal with these abuses better then others. One thing I really like about Honda over B&S is the rope start mechanism. For years B&S used a BS system of bending metal tabs over to hold the pulley assembly. When the rope broke as they all do, you needed to bend the tabs up, and then back down after you repaired it. 2 or 3 times of this and the tabs broke off forcing you to either buy another cover or rigging up whatever you could to make it work. My 3 cents, again. Rat...

 

[cowboydoc]

Well you ever been to the Pendleton roundup or Cheyenne? Have to throw a pretty long rope there. But yea in all seriousness it is. I thought it was pretty good though. My wife drew that and put it on for me.

 

[Monte]

Re: Ohio Power show

The Power Show was fun. My wife grew up in the suburbs and wanted to go. We found lots of things we "need". 2 dealers had windmills for pond aeration... Really cool...

Monte [image]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=495196&a=11224089&p=39301020[/image]

 

[ScottF]

M.Sullivan:
If you want a portable GFI for your washer I would suggest buying a GFI extension cord (or making one as Mark suggested)

Scott

 

[Billc]

Yea, Richard, we go out to Cheyenne every year for the Daddy. Best rodeo in the world. You're right, there are some long throws there.

Bill Cook