If a green-and-black PowRyte electric pressure washer ended up in your trailer or shop after an online deal, federal safety regulators want it out of service. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning Oct. 22 telling people to stop using the machines right away because they can shock or electrocute the user (via CPSC).
The problem is the plug end. According to the CPSC, these washers don't have a ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, built in on or near the power plug. That's the device that's supposed to cut power in a fraction of a second when current leaks to ground, which is exactly the situation you're in when you're standing in water spraying a deck or driveway.
The washers were sold on Amazon and eBay for between $92 and $320. They're green with black trim and came with a hose, several quick-connect nozzles and a foam cannon. The CPSC didn't list model numbers or sale dates. The agency says it knows of one incident involving a unit without a GFCI and didn't describe any injuries.
This isn't a recall. The CPSC says the maker, Powell Works Inc. of China, hasn't responded to its requests to recall the washers. That means there's no refund program. The agency's instructions are to stop using the washer, then destroy it by unplugging it, cutting the power cord and throwing it away. It also says not to sell or give the machines to anyone else, and to report any incidents at SaferProducts.gov.
PowRyte is the latest in a run of cheap online pressure washers the CPSC has flagged for the same missing-GFCI problem this year. In September, the agency issued a similar stop-using warning for FOTING washers sold on Amazon, Walmart, Temu and other sites, and announced a recall of LANCHEZ washers that also lacked a GFCI and had cords too short for safe use. In those cases, the CPSC said the short cords could push users toward extension cords, adding to the shock risk.
Why it matters for Contractors
Pressure washers are everyday gear for painters, deck builders, roofers and remodelers, and a lot of small shops buy the cheaper electric units online for prep work. If you own a PowRyte, take it out of service today and follow the CPSC's instructions. Check any other off-brand electric washers you bought online, too: look for a GFCI device on or near the plug. If there isn't one, don't use it.
There's a jobsite rule in play as well. OSHA's construction electrical standard requires GFCI protection for 120-volt, 15- and 20-amp temporary receptacle outlets used by workers on construction sites, unless the employer runs an assured equipment grounding conductor program instead. A GFCI at the outlet or on a portable GFCI cord helps, but it's no excuse to keep running a washer the CPSC has told people to destroy. Pull it, replace it with a listed unit, and make sure your crew knows why.