Thinking of getting a small pressure washer. I only wash my car and family once in a while. I would probably also use it to clean around my house and the parents. I'm looking at either the Kranzle K1600 or the Cam Spray 1500A. I do understand the Cam Spray uses 20 amp outlets. In my garage I can use a heavy duty extension cord to which I believe is a 20 amp outlet for my washer and dryer in my utility room. I'm not sure if my parents house has 20 amp outlets. Also I've read that the Kranzle needs new gaskets all of the time. Does anyone have experience with both and what do you all recommend? Thanks
I am still looking myself but never heard the comments about the Kranzle. Where are you getting those reviews? I think portability (having a 15A machine vs 20A machine) has some inherent advantages despite a possible reduction in performance.
I searched kranzle on Detailing World in the tools section. They talk about getting milky oil. The ones they have are the K7 which look like the K1600. I'm assuming it's the same.
Yes, I own a K1120T that is a housed and accessorized version of the Kranzle model you are interested in. I have inquired—in depth, but do not yet own—the Cam Spray 1500A model. Let's start with the Kranzle: Pros: German engineered and made. The available accessories are top-shelf. All of their lances/nozzles are well-made. When it works it works very well. Parts are stocked for it. Cons: German engineered and made. My wife and I are quite familiar with higher-end German products as our kitchen and laundry rooms are equipped with Miele. If you encounter an issue that is an engineering or design flaw you are better off bludgeoning your head quickly (just to get it over with) than you are contesting the German manufacturers as you will receive statements such as "You are not using it correctly." blah, blah, blah, until you are blue in the face or worse: passed-out. Until others with the same issue start expressing the same concerns and after they too have passed-out, you might get a resolve; German resolves are along the lines of when Apple screws-up: they rarely admit to them. There is only one distributor of parts in the United States. Now to address the seals (gaskets) and the milky oil. What happens is that the pressure plungers eventually rust; when they rust they expand; when they expand they cause chips in the ceramic sleeving; when the ceramic sleeving chips it is pulverized and jettisoned out the end of the lance as whatever pressure you've assigned the pressure washer; pulverized ceramic directed against any surface is an abrasive medium that, in the case, of any automobile, can lead to paint damage. The milky oil is a sign that you have a failed ceramic sleeve(s) or a worn-out seal(s) thereby allowing water to contaminate the oil reservoir—not good and synonymous to radiator fluid entering a car engine oil. Signs of failing seals, valves, or ceramic sleeves will be a lack of pressure that you once had at the same pressure assignment and milky looking oil. At this point the pump assembly requires a rebuild and the oil needs changing— a wee bit of a time consuming and costly ordeal. When the pressure plungers rust they mushroom at the ends of their shaft from to the top to approximately 1/2" along the shaft. This requires you to cut the snap-ring on the end off so that you can pull the pressure plungers out as they cannot be pushed through the pump assembly as when new. Some of the seals are pain to both remove and install; seal tools (both for extraction and installing) go a long way here in aiding seal replacement. Cam Spray 1500A: I've spent a great deal of time researching this model, speaking with the manufacturer's service/part department. Their units are designed and assembled in US and sources from around the world. The pump assemblies are Italian (if they are anything like my Dupray Hill Injection steam cleaner, then I will have no complaints as the Dupray is an Italian stallion and a helluva unit). The Kranzle you are interested in, as it my unit, uses a wobble plate on drive the plungers versus Cam Spray that uses a cam. The Cam Spray plungers are full ceramic versus the sleeved ceramic on the Kranzle. Parts are available from several Cam Spray distributors versus the sole US distributor for Kranzle. Rebuilding: If you were to replace all three pressure plungers, seals, and valves in both it will run approximately $200. The seals and valves are less expensive for the Cam Spray, but the plungers being full ceramic are most expensive. However, full ceramic pressure plungers should not encounter the issues that I have with a composite pressure plunger of stainless steel and ceramic (yes, stainless steel can rust depending on the grade). The photographs below are captioned as to their relevance. An actual example of chipped ceramic pressure plunger sleeve. An actual example of a rusted and corroded pressure plunger end. The pressure plunger design that you should have in the Kranzle unit you purchase. Older style pressure plunger can yield the results I mentioned in the body of this post above.
Wow, thanks for the response. You have me leaning toward the cam spray now. By the way the pictures are showing up for me.
You're welcome. If you are referring to the photographs not showing, I believe you have to be logged in. If they are still not showing for you, please go to my forum album where you find them. Also, I've made a host of corrections and added some more...I was rushed when I did the initial post, sorry. I'll likely purchase a Cam Spray too. I haven't used my Kranzle since I've rebuilt it.
I had Cam Spray for 1 year and love it. They are decently priced ($650 if you shop around) and worth every penny. Very sturdy machine, the only complaint I have is I wish it had wheels, as it is 70 lbs, so as long as the wight is not an issue you are fine. Also, I'm running it through 15A fuze, and only triggered it once, when I used a cheap extension cord, otherwise it is fine, as long as you are not running anything else that takes a lot of power at the same time through that fuse (fridge, hoover, steamer).
