AR Blue Clean AR390SS review

A reel-and-tank package, provided the model is really AR390SS

The AR390SS is most interesting as an earlier electric package with an actual hose reel, onboard detergent tank and supplied rotary nozzle. Those are practical storage and accessory differences. They are more useful reasons to compare this model than treating its 2000 PSI headline as a complete description of performance.

Confirm the full AR390SS model name. BC390HSS and other later Blue Clean designs are separate products. A similar color, pressure number or general brand name does not establish that an offer has this machine’s hose, nozzles or electrical version.

There is a genuine technical-data conflict

The original AR390SS manual lists 120 V and 13 A, with maximum figures of 2000 PSI and 1.4 GPM. The maker’s legacy description refers to a 14 A motor, while a separate table on the same page gives substantially different pressure, flow and hose figures. Those sections cannot be combined into one reliable specification.

For electrical planning, check the actual machine plate and its applicable instructions. For performance matching, this review does not assign a working pressure-and-flow pair from the contradictory webpage table. A request for a documented minimum working output therefore needs a different confirmed reference, even though the original maximum figures remain useful for identifying this model.

The hose reel is a real feature

The manual says that the high-pressure hose is fitted to the reel and only needs to be connected to the gun during assembly. The maker’s AR390SS description explicitly lists a 30-foot hose and functioning reel. A later storage paragraph in the booklet calls the arrangement a hose hook, which appears inconsistent with both the assembly text and the maker’s model description.

For the buyer, the important point is to inspect the exact machine and the condition of that assembly. A reel keeps the hose with the washer, but does not make the water feed or electrical lead disappear. The maker description lists a 35-foot cord with GFCI protection. Choose a place to stand the washer where both supplies can be routed safely.

Useful nozzle choices, with different risks

The reviewed package includes a rotary nozzle, a 0-degree tip, a 25-degree tip and a black soap tip. These are separate applications, not four equivalent ways to clean every surface. The rotary and narrow jets concentrate their effect and should not be treated as a default for delicate coatings.

The manual warns that excessive impact can penetrate bare wood or peel paint. Start on a small hidden area and follow its nozzle, angle and distance precautions. A supplied accessory does not prove suitability for every vehicle, deck or other material; the object being cleaned also has its own restrictions.

Detergent concentration is not rinse-pressure adjustment

The onboard removable tank gives this package an included soap route. Use a properly formulated pressure-washer cleaner with the consistency required by the instructions. Thick gels can obstruct the system. The machine has a detergent concentration knob, allowing the mixture to be adjusted.

That knob controls detergent concentration, not a documented rinse-pressure regulator. The instructions describe low-pressure soap application and a subsequent rinse. Allow the cleaner to act as directed without drying on the surface, and flush the bottle and injector afterward. A tank can save handling separate containers, but it also adds a cleaning task before storage.

Power, water and putting it away

The documented setup uses a suitable 120 V outlet and clean cold pressurized garden water. Flush the garden hose, connect it to the inlet and purge air before starting. Hot water is excluded. No unpressurized bucket-draw setup is established by the garden-hose connector.

When finished, switch off, unplug, turn off the supply and release pressure before separating hoses or changing parts. Clean the inlet screen and protect the pump from freezing. The reviewed box does not include a surface cleaner.

Choose this legacy reference for its reel, supplied rotary tip and integrated soap arrangement only after confirming the exact plate and package. If a verified working-output threshold, a different electrical supply or bucket independence is essential, compare a machine documented for that particular requirement.

Sources: AR390SS original instructions and AR North America’s AR390SS legacy description.