Pressure washer plumbing

[derek_gardner]

I have a question about plumbing a pressure washer. I have the one below in the picture. I wanted to run some sort of line, like the black piping used for natural gas, through my garage, approx 45’ with three 90 degree turns and through the wall to the backyard. I want to have have a quick connect outside in the backyard near my deck. Is this possible to do with this pressure washer? Would I lose a lot of pressure, or any?
thank you!

 

[nadogail]

Your Pressure Washer will potentially be developing approximately 2000 pounds per square inch of pressure, I have not checked the pressure rating of the pipe and fittings you intend to use, off the top of my head I am sure that the pipe and fittings sold at hardware stores are not tested to that pressure.

 

[derek_gardner]

Your Pressure Washer will potentially be developing approximately 2000 pounds per square inch of pressure, I have not checked the pressure rating of the pipe and fittings you intend to use, off the top of my head I am sure that the pipe and fittings sold at hardware stores are not tested to that pressure.

Ok thanks, let’s say I could get the pipes and fittings. Would what I want work?

 

[nadogail]

I would check with a shop that deals with high pressure fluids, maybe there is a pressure washer or hydraulic shop in your area.

 

[The Cobbler]

you will need high pressure pipe & fittings, or a longer hose . what about just getting a longer hose on a reel for when you want to use it out there

 

[Youngandfree]

Just buy pressure washer hose. You can get it in 50 or 100ft lengths. Run it where you want.

 

[Az Scooter]

That is actually a decent washer. For every hundred feet of hose you will lose about 25psi through hose friction loss. You would robably be best off just getting a reel and putting a hose on it. I think any piping would be prohibitively expensive.

 

[stevied916]

Why not just use a long pressure washer hose?

 

[scooby074]

Youll lose a lot of flow (pressure) plus standard black pipe cant take the pressure.

Id run 3/4 copper to the back yard area and plumb in the washer there. Then a short stub of high pressure tube through the wall to outside the building for your QC.

 

[andyvh1959]

Use a hose rated for cold water pressure at 200 psi. Only use a quality hose with an EPDM inner tube. Neoprene or nitrile (synthetic rubber ) inner tube hose will work, for a while. But the oxygen in the water will degrade/harden the synthetic rubber over time and it will crack the inner tube.

Standard, quality forged brass fittings and adapters are pressure rated up to 1,000 psi depending on the size. Check with a local hydraulics suppy distributor, or Parker store to get the quality fittings to use. All Parker brass fittings are 4:1 safety rated, well within the pressure range capability of your pressure washer.

Typ L 1/2" copper pipe has a pressure rating of 1200 psi. Just make sure you use the right wall thickness to get the pressure rating.

 

[Youngandfree]

Use a hose rated for cold water pressure at 200 psi. Only use a quality hose with an EPDM inner tube. Neoprene or nitrile (synthetic rubber ) inner tube hose will work, for a while. But the oxygen in the water will degrade/harden the synthetic rubber over time and it will crack the inner tube.

Standard, quality forged brass fittings and adapters are pressure rated up to 1,000 psi depending on the size. Check with a local hydraulics suppy distributor, or Parker store to get the quality fittings to use. All Parker brass fittings are 4:1 safety rated, well within the pressure range capability of your pressure washer.

Typ L 1/2" copper pipe has a pressure rating of 1200 psi. Just make sure you use the right wall thickness to get the pressure rating.

200PSI?

 

[MileHighRover]

Youll lose a lot of flow (pressure) plus standard black pipe cant take the pressure.

Id run 3/4 copper to the back yard area and plumb in the washer there. Then a short stub of high pressure tube through the wall to outside the building for your QC.

He'll lose less than 25psi over that run with 3 90s. I wouldn't call that a lot. He'd lose more pressure from a 100 foot hose than steel or copper line. Still negligible.

Water line pressure drop
Resistance of valves and fittings
Hose friction loss


Black piping is not the way to go, though.

 

[scooby074]

He'll lose less than 25psi over that run with 3 90s. I wouldn't call that a lot. He'd lose more pressure from a 100 foot hose than steel or copper line. Still negligible.

Water line pressure drop
Resistance of valves and fittings
Hose friction loss


Black piping is not the way to go, though.

He'll lose 25 on the supply side by putting the pump near the end use, but he'll have full pressure (and more importantly flow) on the pressure side. I think maxing his pressure/flow is what his end goal is?

 

[Walkers]

If you can, just make whatever you want out of pvc, use sweeps instead of elbows, then run the PW hose through it.

 

[Dig Doug]

I would just make a cart, store everything on the cart and haul the PW cart to where you want to use it. Keep the soap, soap cannon, sprays & tips etc extension cord and garden hose all together….

black pipe wont work
PVC won’t work
Copper won’t work

long hose maybe larger diameter like a 1/2” hose then coupled down to the Gun size or a short wand hose( Gun hose )

the other issue would be rust , minerals - hard water clogging the system

depending what type of high pressure pipe you use, a hose you can easily drain the line

 

[Youngandfree]

I would just make a cart, store everything on the cart and haul the PW cart to where you want to use it. Keep the soap, soap cannon, sprays & tips etc extension cord and garden hose all together….

black pipe wont work
PVC won’t work
Copper won’t work

long hose maybe larger diameter like a 1/2” hose then coupled down to the Gun size or a short wand hose( Gun hose )

the other issue would be rust , minerals - hard water clogging the system

depending what type of high pressure pipe you use, a hose you can easily drain the line

Just make a QC fitting that you can put your air hose on it to blow it out.

 

[consti2tion]

If you can justify the cost of it, you can use 3/8" or 1/2" stainless tubing with compression fittings.

WEBCO 3ADD1 Coil Tubing: 304 SS, 50 ft Tube Lg, 0.0319 in Inside Dia., 3/8 in OD | eBay

<p>Location 72B</p><br /><p>WEBCO 3ADD1 Coil Tubing: 304 SS, 50 ft Tube Lg, 0.028 in Inside Dia., 3/8 in OD.</p>

www.ebay.com

This roll of 50' is rated for 2,380 PSI at 72 degrees, 3/8 stainless tubing ID is large enough that there should be minimal pressure drop at the end of the run. Most pressure washer hose is 1/4" ID

After typing all of this, would just be easier and much cheaper to get a 3/8" 50' pressure washer hose and use insulated straps to attach it to wall/ceiling and run across the garage area.

 

[Skooterj]

1/2 inch galvanized schedule 40 pipe is rated at 2300 PSI working and 15600 PSI Burst strength and be easily found. Schedule 80 is even greater and can usually be ordered pretty easily. Stop by a do it yourself, multi-bay car wash and ask to look at their set up.