First of the week, I bought off CL a pressure washer (Kracher 2400) with Honda motor. Carb needed cleaning, which I did, Motor ran great, but unit didn't develop pressure. Went on line and searched this model. This is a "common problem" with this particular model, but most likely occurs in other brands / models also. Unloader valve was stuck. Took valve out and cleaned, then lubed with plumbers silicon grease. Unit works great now. So when your PW suddenly, or after being stored doesn't develop pressure, before trashing unit, check unloader valve. For winter storage, you can run a 50 /50 mixture of RV antifreeze and mineral oil thru pump. Only take a couple ounces.
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Each year that I can remember it, I put an adapter on the water intake that will allow me to blow out any water in the pump, preventing freezing. Another critical issue with PWs is clean water. If the ceramic valve seats in the unit become pitted with trash they will not seal and pressure won't build. Keep that screen on the intake. :icon_thum
Don't have a PW, but have researched a little about them online just out of curiosity. The guys that powerwashed the house this past spring had a problem with the "bleach" in-feed valve when they switched nozzles to feed and soak before rinsing.
I discovered that there were two types of feed-valves which are commonly used; one is in-line BEFORE the pump and the other is downstream AFTER the pump. The former is much more prone to cause pump malfunction problems.
What's this unit have? Could that be part of the problem? :icon_scra
I discovered that there were two types of feed-valves which are commonly used; one is in-line BEFORE the pump and the other is downstream AFTER the pump. The former is much more prone to cause pump malfunction problems.
What's this unit have? Could that be part of the problem? :icon_scra
I have three pressure washers (edit: four) (edit #2: five) with 13 - 15 HP engines putting out 4000 psi at 4 - 5 gallons per minute. I've bought them off of craigslist for fractions of a penny on the dollar. Direct drive and belt driven pumps, General, AR, Comet, and CAT pumps. In addition to the unloader, the packing kits sometimes need to be re-seated, and there are inlet and outlet valves for each piston which need to be cleaned.
Clean inlet water is a must: get a good inlet filter from your local pressure washer supply house, not just the little mesh screen that fits in the water hose. You can get a great filter for less than ten dollars.
Chemical injection after the pump is best. Many people think that high pressure is good, but honestly anyone that makes a comfortable living off of pressure washing will tell you that Gallons Per Minute is much more important. Hitting a house with 4000 PSI is asking for trouble, plus you have to be really close to do it, and cleaning the side of a house would take for ever if you keep the tip inches away from the cleaning surface.
Use large orifice tips to reduce pressure and create a fatter stream of water to shoot much higher. For my pressure washers, a #30 tip will open up the chemical injector, but a #25 tip won't, so I use a #30 for applying chemicals, and a #25 for high rinsing. My #25 tip is actually just a 1/8" hose barb screwed onto a NPT fitting that fits my pressure washer wand. With these two I can soap and rinse even some three story houses without my feet ever leaving the ground.
I'm a novice woodworker, but pretty knowledgeable about pressure washing if anyone ever needs advice, etc
Clean inlet water is a must: get a good inlet filter from your local pressure washer supply house, not just the little mesh screen that fits in the water hose. You can get a great filter for less than ten dollars.
Chemical injection after the pump is best. Many people think that high pressure is good, but honestly anyone that makes a comfortable living off of pressure washing will tell you that Gallons Per Minute is much more important. Hitting a house with 4000 PSI is asking for trouble, plus you have to be really close to do it, and cleaning the side of a house would take for ever if you keep the tip inches away from the cleaning surface.
Use large orifice tips to reduce pressure and create a fatter stream of water to shoot much higher. For my pressure washers, a #30 tip will open up the chemical injector, but a #25 tip won't, so I use a #30 for applying chemicals, and a #25 for high rinsing. My #25 tip is actually just a 1/8" hose barb screwed onto a NPT fitting that fits my pressure washer wand. With these two I can soap and rinse even some three story houses without my feet ever leaving the ground.
I'm a novice woodworker, but pretty knowledgeable about pressure washing if anyone ever needs advice, etc
I have three pressure washers (edit: four) (edit #2: five) with 13 - 15 HP engines putting out 4000 psi at 4 - 5 gallons per minute. I've bought them off of craigslist for fractions of a penny on the dollar. Direct drive and belt driven pumps, General, AR, Comet, and CAT pumps. In addition to the unloader, the packing kits sometimes need to be re-seated, and there are inlet and outlet valves for each piston which need to be cleaned.
Clean inlet water is a must: get a good inlet filter from your local pressure washer supply house, not just the little mesh screen that fits in the water hose. You can get a great filter for less than ten dollars.
Chemical injection after the pump is best. Many people think that high pressure is good, but honestly anyone that makes a comfortable living off of pressure washing will tell you that Gallons Per Minute is much more important. Hitting a house with 4000 PSI is asking for trouble, plus you have to be really close to do it, and cleaning the side of a house would take for ever if you keep the tip inches away from the cleaning surface.
Use large orifice tips to reduce pressure and create a fatter stream of water to shoot much higher. For my pressure washers, a #30 tip will open up the chemical injector, but a #25 tip won't, so I use a #30 for applying chemicals, and a #25 for high rinsing. My #25 tip is actually just a 1/8" hose barb screwed onto a NPT fitting that fits my pressure washer wand. With these two I can soap and rinse even some three story houses without my feet ever leaving the ground.
I'm a novice woodworker, but pretty knowledgeable about pressure washing if anyone ever needs advice, etc
You shoulda been around about 11 years ago when a contractor on a job next to mine rented a pressure washer & hired a high school boy to wash a bank.
Lots of EIFS need to be repaired...............
I wonder if he saved any $$?
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