been wanting a way to wash my bike before coming home from rides and ordered a 12v “pressure washer” from eBay. Now I knew it wouldn’t have any real pressure but I hoped it might clean my bike. However it barely has the ability to suck water up the pipe!
Second it arrived and good pump was written on the pump I doubted it’s ability!
I have only wasted a tenner but I still want something that works. Is there a pump I can buy that actually works? Have thought about putting a leisure battery in the van so I could maybe use that to power something. What you guys using?
Worx hydroshot
Bit more than £10 though.
Could get a winscreen washer pump, some tubing and a spray nozzle for a car and DIY it.
I like the idea of a semi permanent system installed, carry water for work quite a lot so something that I can just pull the hose out and switch it on would be ideal, that hydro shot looks ok but would prefer something that runs off my van that’s bolted in if that makes sense
I got one that plugs into mains and can deliver 360 L per hour. It's really easy to clean bikes with it just want to avoid spraying high pressure water right into bearings and such.
Got a link to the one you ordered?
Mine was a measly £22 or something and it's dope!
Are the cheap 12V things much better than a hand-pumped system?
I use the cheap hand pressurised garden spray jobs.
Not too powerful, cheap and you just buy the water capacity size you want/need.
No don’t have a link, it was just a kit from eBay for £12 ish, red hose. Trigger spray thing. Water will come out of it but cleaning a bike would take a while with it! I will give it a go at the weekend. Maybe just a pre wash kind of deal.
the Caravan pump looks tiny! Would be ideal though. going for the leisure battery I reckon and maybe try and get something like that
We just knocked up a pump with a 10 litre water barrel, with a sprayer on the end, you do need to find a decent spray head that allows the pressure to build up.
The pumps are a few quid on eBay.
These are what we use.
My kit was like this.
I built a box for it to go in to but it's brilliant once it fires up.
Just powerful enough to clean when used after your ride but not so powerful it'll blast out your bearings.
Just thinking, Will engine being on versus just ignition on make a difference?
That kit looks similar to mine, maybe I’m just expecting too much!
Voltage will be slightly higher with engine running.
Can't fault my Dirtworker. Previous Mobi one died, stuck a wanted on here for a Dirtworker, someone replied 'Got a brand new one, unwanted prize. Just down the road so can drop it at yours. £50?' How high up your arm shall I bite?
Had it about 10yrs now, one very minor fault was a split pipe, replaced with a piece of old camelback tube.
If you don't want to spend big money get a second hand posh one, better than a new less posh one. Only one Dirtworker on ebay at present but keep an eye out.
I built a box for it to go in to but it’s brilliant once it fires up.
Just powerful enough to clean when used after your ride but not so powerful it’ll blast out your bearings.
Pah ... built a box ... nah! Gaffa tape is your friend. Mine cost £24 to build. £16 pump and £7 water container - (15 litres I think) and about a quids worth of tape.
I had one of the 12v ones for a couple of years, was brilliant. It recently died so bought another one but this appears to be drawing too much power and starts to melt the cigarette power adapter which isn’t good! Tried a couple of different power adapters and happened to both. Any ideas why this is happeneing apart from being cheap tat that can be prone to not working (but brilliant when it does)?
For that price everything needing power is going to be bobbins. Get a 10ltr hand pump bottle from a garden shop.
i mean they are all a total waste of money arent they.
I have one of the £25ish pumps off ebay like above where you just stick the hose into a 15 Litre of water. It's fantastic and the power is far more that adequate to clean off the bike before it goes into the van. I've used the hand pumps before and this is like Niagara Falls in comparison!
Op, are you hearing the pump kick in when you pull the trigger? It always takes a while for it to work through.
I find sometimes with mine I have to plug it in to the pump, then into the 12v socket, turn ignition on but sometimes have to pull out the 12v and put it back in again to get it to start.
Brilliant when it's going though. I still think eventually the hydroshot one is the dream though as it's more compact.
My box works well though.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4918/46163517022_c5925d205c_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4918/46163517022_c5925d205c_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2dkj6ih ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/79912681@N06/ ] kayak23[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4890/46163518352_ad7a2ecbec_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4890/46163518352_ad7a2ecbec_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2dkj6Gd ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/79912681@N06/ ]kayak23[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4901/44397012700_37378ebec5_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4901/44397012700_37378ebec5_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2aDdi7d ]Untitled[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/79912681@N06/ ] kayak23[/url], on Flickr
Fits behind me driver's seat an ting.
OP - you've picked up the cheap one that aint great, me and riding buddy had the same thing, I picked up the £25 one he picked up the £12, his has barely any power, mine isn't pressure washer powerful more hose on tap but it does the job fine.
.... ordered a 12v “pressure washer” from eBay
.... knew it wouldn’t have any real pressure
[img] 
[/img]
I've also got one of the ~£20 ebay jobs and a 25l drum. It's very good for the money - enough to get the mud off, not powerful enough to get into bearings and seals. Probably would struggle if the mud's dried on, but if it's dry I don't really care. I wouldn't use it without the engine running as I'm not sure how much it would run the battery down doing a couple of bikes. I would expect the pump motor is quite sensitive to voltage, so perhaps try with the engine on before writing it off completely.
Saw a guy at a cross race once using a fire extinguisher. Brilliant. If you've got the kit to recharge it.
Op, are you hearing the pump kick in when you pull the trigger? It always takes a while for it to work through.
It has a switch that once turned on the pump just runs rather than cuts off like a compressor. Had the pump mounted in my van 6 inches above the 25ltr water container and it took at least a minute to pull the water up the hose into the pump. Put the pump on top of the bottle and it wasn’t much cop. Like has been said I will try with the engine running.
I always thought those worx power tools were a bit cheap. Like buying a non brand drill but maybe I’m wrong!
I always thought those worx power tools were a bit cheap. Like buying a non brand drill but maybe I’m wrong!
They are generally (although not terrible by any means), but they've hit a new market with this one and everyone seems to love them.
I've got one of these, only used it a few times, but great so far! £17.
I bought a dirworker second hand years ago. i dont use it loads as i`m lazy but it was awesome in wales last weekend.
just the right pressure. the homebrew thing above - the kit looks virtually identical. i could do with a new lever so i might investogate that
Saw a guy at a cross race once using a fire extinguisher. Brilliant. If you’ve got the kit to recharge it.
A standard stored pressure 9litre fire extinguisher can be refilled easily at home.
Use a rubber mallet or hand to knock the handle anti clockwise, unscrew the valve assembly , fill with water.
Track pump will pressurise it, if there’s not a valve you can attach the pump to the outlet and hold the handle down whilst you pump it up. I use a cable tie and slide it off the handle when it’s done.