Pressure Washer gunked up again. Prevention?

[HoosierBuddy]

So, my youngest volunteered to pressure wash our deck as a Fathers' Day gift for me. Yea!

I got home last night and he'd made zero progress because our pressure washer wouldn't work. Boo!

Normally after you hook up the hose and turn it on, you can get water flow through the wand even without the engine running on the pressure washer. This time, Nada.

I took it loose from the hose and then took apart the water fittings on the inlet and outlet side of the pump. The outlet side had a bit of crud in it. The inlet side (brass fittings) was almost 100% blocked with this white chalky almost like concrete ****. I drilled it out pretty easily, rinsed out the brass fittings, reassembled and the pressure washer was back to 100%.

What did I do wrong here? I don't store it with a hose connected to the inlet side, so I'm not sure how it stayed wet and got so corroded. Does anyone use any sort of corrosion preventer in their pressure washer between uses. Ours only gets used a couple of times a year.

Thanks guys!

 

[Hooked]

Was it actually corrosion? Many times I get insect nests built in openings like this and it's pretty hard stuff but doesn't require a drill.

 

[Bucko]

When you say you don't leave the hose connected are you talking about the garden hose or the pressure hose. If the pressure hose stays connected you will get galvanic corrosion which is what the white chalky residue is a byproduct of. I disconnect the pressure hose when done and wind it up with one end on the ground so most of the water drains out.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

When you say you don't leave the hose connected are you talking about the garden hose or the pressure hose. If the pressure hose stays connected you will get galvanic corrosion which is what the white chalky residue is a byproduct of. I disconnect the pressure hose when done and wind it up with one end on the ground so most of the water drains out.

I guess I can give that a shot. The way mine is set up, the pressure hose outlet is lower than the garden hose inlet. Once I have the garden hose disconnected, you are looking into a blank hole (with a screen over it). Just behind that screen, the hole was completely clogged. Seems like any water would drain out....but you are right. The corrosion would argue otherwise. I'll try storing it with the pressure hose disconnected.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

I’m actually having a similar problem. I get a very sticky white substance on the filter of anything I hook up to my garden hose. I have determined it is coming from my hose. I am guessing is is some type of biomaterial that is growing in the hose or breakdown products of the hose itself. My hoses are all the older Craftsman black rubber hoses. I guess it is time for new hoses.

Take your hose and aim it at the driveway and see if you get a similar white substance coming out with the water.

 

[RAYJAY]

at end of season we use a product like this helps keep the seals ans winterizes the pump so no freeze

AR PW64511 Blue Clean Pump Saver 16 Oz.

Buy AR PW64511 Direct. Check the AR Blue Clean Pump Saver (16 Oz.) ratings before checking out.

www.pressurewashersdirect.com

 

[Bucko]

I guess I can give that a shot. The way mine is set up, the pressure hose outlet is lower than the garden hose inlet. Once I have the garden hose disconnected, you are looking into a blank hole (with a screen over it). Just behind that screen, the hole was completely clogged. Seems like any water would drain out....but you are right. The corrosion would argue otherwise. I'll try storing it with the pressure hose disconnected.

When I lived in a much colder climate than now I made the mistake of putting mine in the shed with the hose connected because I was planning to use in again in a few days. That did not happen but instead the trapped water froze and cracked the pot metal stub out piece that the pressure hose connected to. Now I always pull it apart even when I know it won't freeze here.

 

[RAYJAY]

thats why i use the product listed it lubes and winterizes the pump all in one

 

[billconner]

thats why i use the product listed it lubes and winterizes the pump all in one

If you use that per directions, safe to leave it in unheated garage all winter?

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've only had mine about 5 years and it lives in the shed, even during Winter. I usually run some RV anti-freeze in it before I put it away. Never had a problem till this year. Trigger on the spray gun crapped out and the turbo nozzle rusted in place I think.

I would think what you ae seeing is impurities in your water. City water or well ? Even city water can be harder than what a person might think.

 

[RAYJAY]

If you use that per directions, safe to leave it in unheated garage all winter?

my pressure washer is in the tractor barn over winter .. this is the actual one I'm using

 

[nbpt100]

I had a similar issue on my 10 or 12 yr old Pressure washer. I was only worried about freezing as you never get all of the water out. I stored it in a basement that would never get cold enough. However it started leaking and when I opened it up it was all of that white aluminum corrosion residue. I guess I got my money out of it. Not worth rebuilding as you can never get all of that stuff out and it will just come back. A new pump was about $110 and easy to replace. I will now always use some kind of winterizer- anti corrosion chemical. It is more than just an anti freeze. Cheers.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I swear it was never a problem for decades, now it’s a constant problem. I know they now use a different kind of chlorine to sanitize the city water. I wonder if that’s not the cause?

 

[RAYJAY]

I swear it was never a problem for decades, now it’s a constant problem. I know they now use a different kind of chlorine to sanitize the city water. I wonder if that’s not the cause?

I have well water ....... its the **** metal they use ...