Quiet Pressure Washer for Detailing?

[drp087]

So after years of washing my car in a coin op (All using my own brushes/microfibers/chemicals), I am finally moving into a townhome with a garage that I plan to wash my car in. Because its a pretty tightly spaced building with two adjacent units and a couple units within ~50 ft, I have concerns with the noise from getting a pressure washer, and even more so the Ego blower that I regularly use. (Not to mention the exhaust)

I want to keep the whole budget (after new guns, fittings) at around $600, so my top pick was the Active 2.0. However, with my townhome situation, I am worried the noise will be a bit too much. Then came the new Ego Pressure washer. From various internet sources it looks like the Ego is at around 67 db, Active 2.0 at around 80. I would have to get the Ego's whole battery kit at $800, but the Ego stock gun and fittings look like something I get get by with (maybe swap out later).

I know Active will perform better at a fraction of the cost, but maybe the quiet Ego might be worth it? Anyone with similar use cases? Any other ways to insulate the Active 2.0?

[greyspoke]

I have the Active 2.0. I'm not in a townhome situation so the noise is not of a great concern, but I don't find it overly loud. The big thing that I noticed when I got it was by switching to electric from gas the noise isn't constant. I think that helps a lot when you are concerned about the noise. Mine stays on the bottom shelf of a Harbor Freight metal cart.

[louielouie]

For $800, you might as well spend a, "little" more and get a Krazle.

Active 2.0 or Karcher 1700 are probably the move.

I went with a 2GPM Greenworks and regret it due to the ramp up pressure but that's supposed to preserve the motor. Got a good discount with 3 year warranty but man the 3 sec ramp up kills me.

[cozye]

active 2.0

[disintegrator66]

Why wash your car in the garage? Too confined IMO. If you don't have HOA restrictions I'd wash it outside with the pressure washer either in the garage or a room adjacent to the garage. I have zero noise concerns, but this is what I did as I didnt want my pressure washer in the garage due to possible freezing in the winter months here in the North East. My pressure washer is mounted to a cart with a 75' hose on a hose reel. I run the hose through the basement-to-garage door, through the garage bay out to the driveway. If I really want to reduce the noice I can also close the garage door, but I don't find it nesessary. Buy the 2.0 and good luck!

[drp087]

Sorry I meant in garage as in garage+driveway, but given the 3-story layout of the townhouse, the only adjacent room is the front door.

I did look at the Karcher K1700 cube as well because they were so damn cheap, but you can tell even in just the videos the GPM is noticeably lower than Active, plus it doesnt sound any quieter.

Any thoughts on putting the pressure washer inside a custom sound insulated box? I'd have to cut out holes for power and hoses but thought it might help?

Probably overthinking all this but just nice to have some ideas ready!

[Onizukachan]

Run an extension hose for the nozzle and leave the pressure washer in the garage itself. If you feel it is too loud (it isn’t) then close the garage door behind you.

[disintegrator66]

Originally Posted by drp087

Sorry I meant in garage as in garage+driveway, but given the 3-story layout of the townhouse, the only adjacent room is the front door.

I did look at the Karcher K1700 cube as well because they were so damn cheap, but you can tell even in just the videos the GPM is noticeably lower than Active, plus it doesnt sound any quieter.

Any thoughts on putting the pressure washer inside a custom sound insulated box? I'd have to cut out holes for power and hoses but thought it might help?

Probably overthinking all this but just nice to have some ideas ready!

Add four sides to this and you're done. Enclosed and mobile!

https://www.amazon.com/WEN-73009-500...26&sr=8-7&th=1

[louielouie]

Originally Posted by drp087

Sorry I meant in garage as in garage+driveway, but given the 3-story layout of the townhouse, the only adjacent room is the front door.

I did look at the Karcher K1700 cube as well because they were so damn cheap, but you can tell even in just the videos the GPM is noticeably lower than Active, plus it doesnt sound any quieter.

Any thoughts on putting the pressure washer inside a custom sound insulated box? I'd have to cut out holes for power and hoses but thought it might help?

Probably overthinking all this but just nice to have some ideas ready!

$250 savings on the unit (Karcher is $100 on sale) could go towards a DI setup. I straight up could never go back to regular water rinse - huge time saver and no risk of another step for paint marring. I can't count the amount of times I foamed with Bilt Hamber and just DI rinsed the car for a quick 10 min wash.

[Nyyrule]

Also live in a townhouse and have a full pressure washer setup with the active 2.0.




I generally shut the garage door with plenty of slack on the hose and that makes it significantly quieter. But even when I don't, I haven't had any neighbors complain about the noise. As long as you're not washing super early in the morning or crazy late at night, I don't imagine you'll get any complaints. Realistically, I'm probably only running the pressure washer for 15 minutes during a wash(rinse, foam, rinse, foam, contact wash, rinse).

I love the active 2.0, but the new EGO batter pressure washer seems pretty awesome so I don't think you can go wrong here. I think if you value the mobility and plan to use your unit for other things around the house, the EGO is your best bet. For overall value though the Active 2.0 is the best unit you can buy.

[drp087]

Originally Posted by Nyyrule

Also live in a townhouse and have a full pressure washer setup with the active 2.0.


I generally shut the garage door with plenty of slack on the hose and that makes it significantly quieter. But even when I don't, I haven't had any neighbors complain about the noise. As long as you're not washing super early in the morning or crazy late at night, I don't imagine you'll get any complaints. Realistically, I'm probably only running the pressure washer for 15 minutes during a wash(rinse, foam, rinse, foam, contact wash, rinse).

I love the active 2.0, but the new EGO batter pressure washer seems pretty awesome so I don't think you can go wrong here. I think if you value the mobility and plan to use your unit for other things around the house, the EGO is your best bet. For overall value though the Active 2.0 is the best unit you can buy.

Thanks, I would shut the garage door but the unit has directly adjacent neighbors that share walls so I guess I just gotta try. Yea if I had a single family home with more pressure washer duty all around, Ego would have been my decision. For a townhome with no yard, I'm gonna follow most of the advice here with the Active 2.0, maybe build a sound insulating cart like mentioned above!

[MAN]

I bought the Chemical Guys pressure washer recently - to me, it is quiet. I had it sitting just outside my garage. I've used it elsewhere to help clean a cargo trailer with very good results.

https://www.chemicalguys.com/product...ressure-washer

I also bought their foam cannon - they have a sale for it and the snubby handle - the washer comes with the longer handle.

https://www.chemicalguys.com/product...ng-starter-kit

Yes, I know - some will consider it a "starter or amateur" system, but I think it will work well for me for quite some time.

[Nyyrule]

Originally Posted by drp087

Thanks, I would shut the garage door but the unit has directly adjacent neighbors that share walls so I guess I just gotta try. Yea if I had a single family home with more pressure washer duty all around, Ego would have been my decision. For a townhome with no yard, I'm gonna follow most of the advice here with the Active 2.0, maybe build a sound insulating cart like mentioned above!

Yea that wall I have the unit on is the shared wall. Ideally I would have it on the other side(we're an end unit), but our hose spigot is on the shared side so whatever.

I've asked that neighbor if the noise is a problem and they say they don't really notice it - so yea you won't really know until you try.

But seriously yea this was my biggest concern, I didn't want to be that neighbor with the noisy pressure washer! I probably do a full pressure washer wash once a month and do a rinse less wash every week.

[arsunic]

Originally Posted by louielouie

$250 savings on the unit (Karcher is $100 on sale) could go towards a DI setup. I straight up could never go back to regular water rinse - huge time saver and no risk of another step for paint marring. I can't count the amount of times I foamed with Bilt Hamber and just DI rinsed the car for a quick 10 min wash.

BILT hamber touch less and spotfree rinse has been a game changer. I'll use carpro reset or a rinse less wash as well but for maintenance wash on 4 cars, I have saved so much time