Eddie Cairns Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Looking on the web there are 1) Under £100 toys you clean the windows with. 2) £100 to £350 machines the same size as a cylinder vacuum cleaner that have an electric boiler and maybe 4 bar of pressure. 3) £600 to £1,000 machines that have a small diesel tank that heats the water and they use electrics to run the pump. 4) £1,000 to £8,000 the big industrial units. Has anyone used any steam / hot water cleaners and what sort of price range do they start to work at for say engine cleaning or underbody cleaning for underseal work. I assume nearer option 4. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Zodiac Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hi, I have a secondhand LAVOR professional model that sits on 4 wheels and is the size and weight of an over loaded wheel barrow. Massive pressure, heater / steamer runs on diesel and has a fan / pump powered by 240V mains. Incredible cleaning power, maximum steam is said to be 140 degrees C........... On maximum settings it will clean to destruction anything on a TR. Obviously its possible to turn the pressure / heat down to suit the job. Just stripped a TR chassis of all crud, oil, grease in 20 minutes. Downside is, its blown all that mess everywhere...... gobs of grease and oil all over the drive.... Then had to use it to clean the drive..... If you've space to store one, they are fantastic. The wife wasn't impressed until I cleaned the upstairs windows without using a ladder. It really is that powerful. Wife now won't let me sell it ! Cost me around £600 secondhand. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Cairns Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) As long as you know your place, third to a steam cleaner at best. Edited December 1, 2015 by Eddie Cairns Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oldtuckunder Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hi, I have a secondhand LAVOR professional model that sits on 4 wheels and is the size and weight of an over loaded wheel barrow. Massive pressure, heater / steamer runs on diesel and has a fan / pump powered by 240V mains. Incredible cleaning power, maximum steam is said to be 140 degrees C........... On maximum settings it will clean to destruction anything on a TR. Obviously its possible to turn the pressure / heat down to suit the job. Just stripped a TR chassis of all crud, oil, grease in 20 minutes. Downside is, its blown all that mess everywhere...... gobs of grease and oil all over the drive.... Then had to use it to clean the drive..... If you've space to store one, they are fantastic. The wife wasn't impressed until I cleaned the upstairs windows without using a ladder. It really is that powerful. Wife now won't let me sell it ! Cost me around £600 secondhand. Steve Ditto to everything apart from the wife and the windows Had lots of smaller ones over the years, and they just don't cut it for anything serious, and then fail. Its the heat rather than ultra high pressure that seem to do the work, I have tried very high pressure cold ones and on grease and oil they just seem to push a gloopy film around rather than remove it. Ended up buying what must be a similar model to Steve S/H for a similar price, actually got it to clean a load of old timber beams when doing a conversion, but then discovered what a wonderful tool it is. At full bore, full heat it will just about strip paint. Gets a bit expensive on Diesel, I think on high heat my one burns about 4Ltrs an hour (so buy Red Diesel) But boy does it get things clean. However as Steve said allow as much time afterwards cleaning up! including youself if you havent bought wet gear and gloves PS dont be tempted to store it outside in the winter unless you drain it! fortunately I managed to weld the boiler coil after a freeze got it! Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 This cleaned 20 years' accumulation of thick gritty EP140/MS2 grease off the engine after brushing in Gunk. Obviously it doesnt have pressure to lift off underseal. £15 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008BVT24A?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Cairns Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 The Lavor range appears to be the kit to get! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.