Choosing a pressure cleaner starts with being clear on what you expect it to do. Two questions sort out most of the decisions: how the machine is powered, and what you are actually going to clean. Get those two right, and the rest falls into place.
Here is how we help customers pick the right machine.
Start with two questions
How is it powered? Pressure cleaners run on one of four power types: Petrol, Diesel, Electric or Hydraulic. Each suits a different kind of work, from a quick wash at home through to heavy cleaning on a mine site.
Hydraulic units run off a host machine’s own hydraulic system for specialised applications.
What are you cleaning? The job decides the machine. Washing fly screens and the car at home is a very different task to blasting caked-on grime off mining equipment, and the right pressure cleaner looks very different too.
For around the home
For domestic jobs such as homes, paving, fly screens, solar panels and cars, a small electric unit will generally do the job.
One honest word of warning, though: do not expect too much from a small electric machine. The flow is very small, and the PSI figure printed on the box is often overstated. It is fine for light work around the house, but it will not keep up with anything more demanding. The other catch is that a small machine can take many hours longer to finish the job.
For more serious cleaning: petrol
When you need more Grunt, our Honda powered PX range of petrol cleaners steps up. It runs from 3000 psi to 5000 psi, with flows from 10 to 21 litres per minute, so there is a unit to match the size of the job. We also manufacture much larger units by request.
- General clean-ups: the PX10/200, a 3000 psi unit. It is very easy to use and light enough to lift on and off the UTE or trailer.
- The popular pick: the SMART DRIVE PX15/280 Honda IGX390 E/start running 15 lpm at 4000 psi, Honda powered with our Smart Drive Patented Design. It is a favourite among contractors and across rural industry and farming. Powerful, without being more than you need.
For mine sites and heavy industry: diesel
On mine sites, diesel is the only way to go. Our diesel units are powered by Yanmar, Eurotec, Kohler and High Quality Daewoo Engines, and most operators standardize on 13 to 15 lpm 21 Lpm at 3000 to 4000 psi.
Mine sites are mindful of the Australian Standards for Class A and Class B high pressure units, and most endorse the 20 lpm at 4000 psi Class A spec for safety reasons.
For the heaviest work, go to the top spec: a Class A machine rated around 5600 bar-liters, which works out to roughly 20 lpm at 4000 psi. Our PX20/280 with the 21 hp Eurotec Diesel Engine fits the bill and will handle all the heavy cleaning on mine site equipment, especially when paired with high pressure hot water.
It is the spec trusted by the big operators, including BHP, Rio Tinto, FMG, Roy Hill and Hancock, along with many contractors.
Do not forget safety
Whatever machine you choose, always wear the right PPE, including goggles and proper footwear. High pressure water can cause blow-back, throwing the dirt and grime you are cleaning straight back at you, especially in confined spaces. Treat the machine with respect and gear up before you start.
Need a hand choosing?
Want some more help selecting the right high-pressure cleaner for your application? Call Pumps Australia on 1800 790 915 and we will match the right machine to the job.
