Budget Pressure Washers

I am in the process of importing products from all over the world either for projects or for resale and from time to time I will give you my own view on a product.  The below product, a no-name budget pressure washer sold through various resellers in South Africa caught my eye because of it’s price.  Could it be modified for other usage?

The South African manufacturing dream

Living in South Africa means that imports are expensive due to the exchange rate between the Rand and the U$D. One solution would be local manufacturing; however, when the workforce is not available, importing becomes necessary. The Chinese export market is often turned to as a solution. 

Overseas low end, South African mid-end

Years ago, I had a repair shop where I encountered a mid-level Betamax video machine by Sanyo, which in the UK was considered entry-level. High-end products from the UK are often unaffordable in South Africa. In Mozambique during the early 80s, stevedores in Beira visited a tax-free shop but could not afford the FM radios displayed there because the cost was equivalent to their monthly earnings of $22.00. This situation reflects the economic challenges faced in South Africa.

Over ten years ago, I purchased a pressure washer from K’Archer which presented issues from the start. Due to infrequent use, I did not return it to the store. Upon inspection, I found a seal was improperly installed during manufacture. After approximately 10 hours of use, the coupling between the motor and pump broke, leading to the unit being discarded, though I kept the motor.

Additionally, an 18V Li-Ion Ryobi incurred faults with its Eco-Normal control soon after purchase. Both the Ryobi and K’Archer cost around R5000.00 combined, which is about $250.00 at the current exchange rate.

A Steco unit was acquired from Mica at a cost of R1 600.00 ($80.00). The device includes a two-year warranty and offers improved performance compared to the previous model, K’Archer, which had a power rating of 1.8kW. Further details regarding the Steco will be discussed subsequently; however, the current emphasis is on this product:

as advertised in South Africa:

Why this article: 

I was surprised by the high ratings for a product costing only R300.00 or $15.00. I suspected issues with either pricing or quality, so I bought one. Impressed, I bought another (from Takealot’s marketplace).

Teardown – curious about the low price, I checked inside the unit without worrying about the warranty.

The unit claims to have a 48V battery, but it actually contains 5 x 2100mA Lithium Ion batteries.

Therefore this battery pack output voltage would be about 20V at 3.7V per cell. Capacity about 25W/Hr.

The Battery Management System – BMS

Although I didn’t check the other components, the connections for B+/B- and B1 to B4 are in place for a 5S BMS. This should prevent any fire hazards. (crossing fingers).  The charger has a red light while charging and turns green when fully charged.

What about the motor and pump?

I can’t provide more details about the motor, which isn’t a 540, 550, or 775. The model number on the casing didn’t appear in my searches; perhaps a reader can help in the comments section.

The Pump Assembly – a two piston approach

There are two pistons, coupled 180 degrees apart.

Some things to note.

This is not strictly a pressure washer. It is effective for spraying soap on vehicles, washing windows, or watering plants but will not clean stained patios or remove mud from cars. While some have complained about water pressure, at R300.00, it is not comparable to brands like K’Archer or Bosch, which are much pricier.