Since my recent posts on pressure washer nozzles as wella as my guide to selecting a steam pressure washer, I’ve had a few comments and requests to write about the Excell line of washers. I hadn’t heard much about this particular company since my experience with pressure washers is limited to the units that friends and family have purchased, but enough people put in a request that I decided to put some research time in.
Understanding the Relevant Units of Measurement
Gallons per minute (GPM) – this number represents the water flow of the washer
Pressure per square inch (PSI) – this number represents the output pressure of Excell pressure washers
Cleaning units (CU) – a number calculated by multiplying GPM by PSI; this represents the combination of how much water comes out every minute and the pressure with which that water is expelled
Features and Functionality
I’m going to use the Excell VR2552 model as an example for typical features and functionality since it is the most popular model at the time of this writing. These facts won’t vary much from model to model, but always do your due diligence when you’re shopping around to make sure that the model you are going to buy will truly pack enough power for your intended purpose!
First, Excell washers come with a number of useful pack-ins that are pretty typical for most companies, including a spray hose (generally 25 feet worth), gun, and pressure washer wand.
In terms of raw washing capacity, the VR2552 is capable of up to 2500 PSI and 2.2 GPM operation (see description of relevant terms above). This is easily enough spraying power to handle most home applications, including washing decks, the siding on a house, as well as dirt on boats and cars. The included washer hose features an adjustable spray arc, anywhere from 0 to 40 degrees. This range of coverages will allow you to either focus all of the water flow and pressure to a single point for high blasting power or move the angle of spray continually outward for lower power / higher surface area coverage washing applications.
So what is powering all of this functionality? Excell pressure washers use Honda motors. These devices are generally small, 4 stroke motors similar to what you would find in a lawn mower (although some lawn mowers are 2 stroke, as well). Although I will dispense with a complex description of all the various parts that go into making one of these engines work, but there is one part that I especially want to draw your attention to: The “shroud.” This piece is generally a metal piece that sits around and above the motor. The shroud regulates air flow over the motor, and unlike a car which has a radiator, this piece is the motor’s only source of cooling. For this reason, you should never attempt to operate a pressure washer without the shroud intact. If you do, you risk overheating and severely damaging or destroying the motor.
As far as size goes, the Excell line features a surprisingly small footprint considering the fact that it’s a gas powered washer. Compared to other products in a comparable price and feature set, these washers are generally better than average in terms of storage footprint. All the inlets and outlets as well as storage clips for the hose and wand are placed in close proximity to unit, dispensing with any hard to manage parts that might extend out and impede movement or storage.
A video of an Excell pressure washer in action:
Operation
Operation of these units is fairly simple. Assuming you have filled the gas tank with a minimum 86 octane, unleaded fuel as well as checking the engine oil levels, you can attach the water source to the inlet valve with a hose. Be sure that the valve is free of any obstructions and that the screen filter is clean and placed correctly over the inlet (cone side out). Make sure that your water source provides at least 5 GPM at 20 PSI in order to operate the pressure washer correctly.
Now you an connect your high pressure hose to the pump outlet, making sure to heed all instructions on safely releasing any air that is already in the device. Try to start the pressure washer by pulling the starter handle. If it doesn’t start within 2 pulls, make sure to release any built up pressure by squeezing the washer handle trigger a few times. Once you have the unit started, simply pull the trigger to spray and release it to stop the flow of water.
Need More Information?
This is certainly not meant to be a comprehensive post on the Honda Excell pressure washer. The inner workings and complex maintenance of these units could be the topic of an entire book unto themselves. If you already own one of these units but are looking for Excell pressure washer parts, there are a number of reliable sources you can find all over the internet. Pressure washers are a hot topic online, so thankfully there’s no dearth of information that can be turned up by a simple Google search.
Lastly, I find that taking a brief look through the instruction manual can be very telling, giving you a look into what will be required of the consumer in terms of operation and basic knowledge. This is a quick way to find out if the device is going to be overkill for your project or if it will be just right.
Here’s a link to the Excell Pressure Washer VR2522 Manual:
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