Power washer questions

[Innovate1]

Have a gas powered power washer. Had noticed some leakage under it and feared the pump was bad. Removed the bottom plastic cover and found a bad hose. It is attached to what appears to be the output but at the opposite end of the pump from the regular output. The end of the hose has a crimped on fitting that looks to be just a plug - there is nothing that obviously unscrews as I tried. The other end is standard pipe thread so I just put in a plug after removing the hose. Works great but left wondering why the hose to nowhere..

Also wondering if there is a way to reduce the output pressure. I have used my surface cleaner on my trex deck but it is a bit too aggressive and left some grey "dust" in the runoff. I suppose I could rig up some sort of valve on the output where the hose was to relieve some of the pressure. Since most valves aren't rated for the pressure I am not sure how to safely do this other than a non-adjustable hole in the pipe plug.

After the leaky hose fix I was using the surface cleaner on concrete and after some time the surface cleaner had a dramatic increase in speed. Thought maybe one of the jets was plugged resulting in higher speed/pressure from the other one but both seemed to be open. I unscrewed them and found a machining chip behind one but it was a twisted curl like from a drill and don't think it blocked the jet. In any case after removing that and reinstalling the jets it still sounds like it is over reving and almost wants to fly. Works great on concrete but even then it seems like something is wrong and over speed. Not sure what else to check though.

Including a couple pics of the hose.

 

[rburke65]

Could be an intake hose for soap.What. make is it? Google for parts?

 

[JOE.G]

Its called a Pulse Hose, Not sure if the one in the link will work for you but this is what it is.

Amazon.com

 

[CraigStu]

For me your pressure adjustment is done by you by how far away from the surface you hold the nozzle.

 

[FredWanaker]

the hose wore out. It acts like a shock absorber to even out the pressure spikes between pulses of the pump. Eventually the rubber hardened and broke. Kind of the same thing that will eventually happen to the supply hose.

 

[DAVE VAN]

I think your pressure has gotten too high. That hex cap sticking up is probably an adjustable pressure relief valve. Loosen the jam nut and try to back the adjustment out a little. Good luck.

 

[Innovate1]

Its called a Pulse Hose, Not sure if the one in the link will work for you but this is what it is.

Amazon.com

That probably explains which there is more vibration on the hose to the wand. Will order a replacement.

For me your pressure adjustment is done by you by how far away from the surface you hold the nozzle.

I get that. But the distance is not adjustable for a surface cleaner unless I build an adjustable wheel set for it. LOL. Would be nice to be able to adjust the pressure easily.

On adjusting the pressure. I am guessing there may be a gauge available somewhere to measure the pressure when this gets adjusted? I am also guessing the manual doesn't give any details and just gives dire warnings about adjustment.

 

[Innovate1]

One other issue... Had a lot of abrasion on the hose to the wand - down to the braid in a number of spots - and it started leaking so got a new one. Used it a couple times and didn't notice any damage to the hose. Then someone else used it one day and the hose outer braid is again down to the braid in several spots. Thought it might be rubbing on the wheels but that would be a LOT of rubbing. Maybe the hose is caught under the washer and the vibration of the frame against the hose? What is happening? Here's a pic of one section but there are some other spots.

 

[nadogail]

The person you loaned it to may not have been aware that the hose was vibrating and rubbing it's life away. This often happens when equipment is "Worked Like A Rented Mule"

As long as the borrower returns the loaned equipment in running condition, they feel like they have met their obligation.

 

[Innovate1]

The person you loaned it to may not have been aware that the hose was vibrating and rubbing it's life away. This often happens when equipment is "Worked Like A Rented Mule"

As long as the borrower returns the loaned equipment in running condition, they feel like they have met their obligation.

It wasn't loaned. It was used at my house by another family member. Kind of wish I had the old hose I threw away to experiment with and try to replicate the damage. I am guessing it happened where the hose was under the washer from the vibration of the frame but that's just a guess and I would like to know for sure how it happened. The hose vibrates quite a bit without the pulse hose (which I ordered) but I doubt it would have this concentrated damage from banging against the ground or a slab.

 

[Boilerhouse]

The only way I have ever adjusted the pressure on my washer is to adjust the wand nozzle so it fans out more and it becomes far less aggressive.

 

[Innovate1]

Here's a pic of the underside of the washer. Lots of sharp edges on the plastic and a few rounded off corners where it looks like something wore them down a bit. I think these are eating into the hose with the vibration of the washer and hose. The pictured housing is much harder plastic than the hose. Seems idiotic to make these with the sharp outside corners. Many could have been rounded with slight mold modifications. The stiffening ribs around the holes could have been put on the inside. This is on a Excell VR2522. Wonder if the current models are like this - mine is something like 10 years old. I try not to pull the hose under the unit as it just seems to make moving it later more difficult but I doubt others are as careful.

 

[Innovate1]

Found this pressure regulator. Seems like it would do what I want for the surface cleaner.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MHH458M/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[JOE.G]

Why do you drag the hose under it especially if it is tearing up the hose?

 

[Innovate1]

Why do you drag the hose under it especially if it is tearing up the hose?

I try not to and didn't realize how that was damaging the hose so I am even more careful now. But I suspect others let it get under there and it tears up the hose. Unless you work to keep it from there it seems to just get under the wheels and frame as you move around. Poor design to have sharp edges when radius edges would eliminate or at least greatly reduce this issue and be stronger - sharp corners create stress risers on inside corners and are a waste of material on outside corners.

 

[JOE.G]

Can you remove that cover? Sand done the sharp edges? I have a Honda PW and a Excel as well and do not have these issues, I did have the Pulse line go bad on the Honda.

 

[Innovate1]

Can you remove that cover? Sand done the sharp edges? I have a Honda PW and a Excel as well and do not have these issues, I did have the Pulse line go bad on the Honda.

I could round off most of the sharp edges and should do that now that I have determined that at least part of the issue.

 

[FredWanaker]

I lent an electric tool to a neighbor and the electric cord came back with electric tape on it. Oops but I am sorry I pulled it too tight around a corner. Yeah right, stupid narcissistic ***. No more tool lending. That is the problem with your hose. It isn't theirs and they felt they were doing you a favor cleaning something for you. Someone didn't care and dragged the hose around corners that were jagged. It really is that simple. They damaged your hose. Sorry but tape it or buy a new one.