Ultimate - Comet Static 1700 Portable Solution
Along with having an entry-level and high-end pressure washer solution, I also wanted to include a mid-tier option. The Comet Static 1700 Extra Portable Solution fits perfectly in this category. This unit encompasses two necessary attributes: 1) It's reliable, and 2) It provides us with adequate flow.
Now, this is drawn from my experience and is a preference, but I would much rather have more flow than pressure for washing a car. The target is to have as much flow as possible - around 1000 PSI, but anywhere between 900 and 1200 PSI is where we want to be.
Now, don't get too hung up on the pressure number. I know we have been conditioned to think we get 2,000 or 3,000 PSI out of pressure washers, but that is not what I measure in real-world testing.
The Comet Static 1700 Extra had a few quirks, but we easily overcame them with some upgrades to the fittings and accessories included in this kit. The key is the output. I measured 975 PSI at 1.90 GPM with a 4.0 nozzle, which is darn near perfect for washing a car. The Comet is a good solution, but we needed to make a few changes to make it portable. Fast-forward to now, and we did just that.
The first issue we had was the inlet. The inlet on the pump has BSPP (British Standard Pipe Parallel) threads. It comes with an adapter that converts BSPP to GHT (Garden Hose) to accept your standard hose or one of my inlet hoses. The problem we encountered was that the adapter made the inlet too long to accept the inlet hose when the unit sits on the ground. We needed to add a 90-degree elbow so you don't have to put the pressure washer on a milk crate.
I am more than pleased with how this portable solution came out. The convenience of having a pressure washer you can pick up and move around at your discretion gives you complete control over where you want to set up shop, whether that's wall-mounted or transportable.