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Any tips on dysfunctional pressure washer

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Comments

  • chris_n
    chris_n Posts: 632 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper
    Open the stopcock fully and try it again, it sounds like not enough flow to me.
    Living the dream in the Austrian Alps.
  • Nobbie1967
    Nobbie1967 Posts: 1,614 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    35har1old said:
    twopenny said:
    I bought this many years ago but it's never worked properly. I perpetually think it must be me.
    Its a Qualcast 1400w High Pressure Washer

    The problem has always been that the pressure is rarely good and it spends most of it's time with a weak stream of water, sort of pulsating but not in my favour.
    Last house had good pressure from the tap, this one not good. I've read the instructions about distance from ground, angles etc which at 5'2" is awkward but not impossible. No kinks in hoses, good connection, relatively small area of paving

    Having read the instructions again it says call an electrician, part not working but it's been the same from the word go. I just put it back in the box for years.

    Our local cheapie diy store has Karachi (?) for £45 but before I give in for new (which may have the same prob if its water pressure) has anyone any ideas to get more than a narrow stream of water rather than a pressured spray?
    Frankly it's easier and quicker with a bucket and brush at the mo.

    Tomorrow I'll stick a pin in as specified but it's not worked well enough or on anything that would block the nozzle - and run without pressure hose to see if there are bubbles but I think it's just a friday made machine.
    You need at least a karcher 4
    Why? I’ve used the Karcher 4 and I’ve found it no better than the £50 one. In fact I prefer the £50 one as it is easier to move around.
  • ThisIsWeird
    ThisIsWeird Posts: 7,583 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    sk2402005 said:
    I had a problam a while back with my fairly powerfull 2500w pressure washer, where it comes with turbo nozzel and patio cleaner.

    The performance of both was rubbish, and i couldnt work out why.

    I solved it by removing the hose water stop connector and also usinng as short a lengh of hose as i could (so not using the whole 30m on the reel)

    Its now brilliant.

    a quick test on flow would be to find a bucket that you know the capacity of (fill it with jugs of water if you need to)
    remove the hose at the point where it connects to the pressure washer, then time how long it takes to fill the bucket.

    your pressure washer will want probably 300l/hr, so a miniumum flow of 5l/min

    The more powerfull the pressure washer, the more water it will need (mine needs >500l/hr)


    These are good logical steps to take, and was mentioned by someone else too.

    First thing, 2'penny, disconnect the hose from where it joins your p' washer. Stick the end in a bucket, count to 10, remove it, measure the number of litres in t'bucket, and times that by 6. Please let us know the sum.

    Use the exact same hose for this as is used with the washer.

    I understand your model outputs around 5lpm, which is not a lot in the scheme of things. 

    Next, see if you can undo the hose connector on the washer. See if there's a filter behind it. See if it's clean.
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 6,804 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Lovely advice. Today life took over my wish to get this right, maybe tomorrow too. Appts etc that have been delayed due to pandemic.
    But I have a whole host of things to try, which is what I asked for  :)
    I'll get onto it as soon as possible and post the results.

    It's not a huge area to do so would rather get this to work than fork out for another.

    I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!

    viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on

    The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well


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