Pressure washer questions...

[BioHazard]

I have a cheap little "Excell" brand pressure washer with a 5.5hp Honda that puts out 2.6GPM @ 2600PSI. I have no idea what type or brand of pump it has. Only a few years old with probably less than 30 hours on it.

Two questions....

1. Can I run hot water through this thing? I know they make hot water pressure washers, but this isn't one of them...

2. It came with a suction hose for soap and a wand with 4 nozzles. One of them says "soap", and when you use it, it simply sprays everything with a wide, LOW PRESSURE stream of soapy water. It won't send soapy water out at high pressure. Is there a reason for this? Is there anything I can do to change that?

 

[PassnThru]

I also have an Excell pressure washer with a Honda engine. To answer your questions:
1. No reason you can't run hot water through it - but why? You won't gain that much by running hot water through it - it's a pressure washer - not a steam cleaner. And where are you going to get that much hot water??
2. The soaps that you buy for a pressure washer are meant to coat the surface of what you are cleaning before you pressure wash it. If you throw the soap on at high pressure then it doesn't have a chance to do its job.

 

[metal1313]

if you need to reach higher up, look for an extension wand, northern has a bunch, from cheap to more than your machine cost

 

[sberry]

Some of them allow hot water to be ran thru them, limited to about 140 and hot adds a lot to the cleaning power. I disregard the soap injection and get a garden sprayer, small pump up unit and apply soap with it.
Your owners manual may say something about it.

 

[JD6619A]

the seals in the pump will melt if you use water that is too hot, check your manual that came with your unit. your best to use water that is no hotter then luke warm, the water going thru your pump acts as a coolant as well. The soap nozzle will give you better control when soaping up things like siding, cars or whatever, its basically just to apply the soap or soloution, to let it soak and then switch tips and wash off what you have applied soap to. the soap is basically there to loosen whatever you want to wash away, the pressurized water washes it away.

 

[Az Scooter]

I have owned a pressure washing business for the last 20 years. I think I know a thing or two about pressure washers.
You can run hot water through your pressure washer. They are typically rated at 140 degrees. If your hot water heater is properly maintained, it can supply hot water for you, for a long time, say 20 to 30 minutes if you just use the clean out or drain at the bottom of the hot water heater. Most people have their heater set somewhere under 125 degrees.
Hot water will always clean better than cold water. I am pretty certain that no one on here takes a cold shower, to get clean, or washes their dishes in cold water. The soap also reacts better with hot water, and requires less of it with hot water. That is just basic chemistry.
The soap injector works on a venturi system. When you put the black soap nozzle in it lowers the line pressure, and opens the soap injector. If you put your finger over the tip of the injector, where the soap goes in, you should feel some suction on your finger. The reason that the soap is not at the tip instantly is because it has to travel all the way through the pressure hose to get to the tip. I use 150 feet or more of hose, and it takes about 30 seconds at 6 gallons per minute. With a lower volume pump, it should take at least that long through a 50 foot hose. If you have a 25 foot hose, it will take 15 seconds, unless you are using 1/4 inch hose, then it will be a little faster.
After you use the the soap injector, you should rinse the injector, because soap can coagulate in them and block them.
If the injector is blocked, you can take it apart carefully, paying attention to not lose the check ball or spring and clean it out. Just use a really fine pick, or the end of a small straightened paper clip to clean out any orifices.

 

[BioHazard]

but why? You won't gain that much by running hot water through it - it's a pressure washer - not a steam cleaner. And where are you going to get that much hot water??

Have you ever tried to clean the engine on a 30 year old Chevy you found out in a field?

I think there's a lot of people here that like to use warm water to wash their cars. I have a dedicated 40gal water heater for my shop, it's set at about 135 degrees. Right now my only option is to hook a hose to the faucet on my big tub sink, but I want to install an outdoor hot/cold mixer for the hose eventually.

I'll have to try and find the manual online, although I'm sure it says something like "cold water only". I guess we all have a definition of hot...I use a big sprinkler pump to power my hose when I'm not using the pressure washer, it says "Do not use with hot water" but then says 140F is the max temp. I consider that pretty hot. I guess ~200+ degree water is something different...

I definately need to get a longer hose, mine's only 25', I thought Hondas were supposed to be quiet?! The damn engine is at least twice as loud as a lawnmower....

 

[Az Scooter]

You can use a short hose to connect to the water heater drain. It will supply more water for you. That is what I would do.
And if you think that Honda is loud, try a Briggs or Tecumsah

 

[BioHazard]

Some jackass conveniently mounted my water heater directly on the roof of my shop bathroom, so that it's impossible to hook a hose up to the drain. I would try to fix it but the heater has already been that way for 15 years, so I might as well leave well enough alone. It can't possibly live that much longer...

And if you think that Honda is loud, try a Briggs or Tecumsah

No, this thing is horrible. It's the "homeowner" model, GC160? I think. I'm always at the end of my 25' hose with the muffler pointed at the neighbor I don't like, and it still makes my ears ring when I'm done. My cheap-o Briggs lawnmower doesn't do that. Hell, even my chainsaw doesn't do that. I wonder if there's something wrong with the muffler....

 

[nehog]

Do NOT run hot water, it will damage the pump's seals. Sure, warm water is OK, but not hot water.

My pressure washer (when it runs, it's a Sears...) also unloads as the OP describes. Caused by the soap injector very slightly leaking, you didn't notice it leaked when the little hose was stuck in water or soap, but when sitting on the ground you'd see a small flow of water.

 

[Joe B.]

Do NOT run hot water, it will damage the pump's seals. Sure, warm water is OK, but not hot water.

I ruined a similar pressure washer by running hot water through it. The pumps on these consumer grade pressure washers can't handle hot water. Look at the manual.

 

[Az Scooter]

Do NOT run hot water, it will damage the pump's seals. Sure, warm water is OK, but not hot water.

My pressure washer (when it runs, it's a Sears...) also unloads as the OP describes. Caused by the soap injector very slightly leaking, you didn't notice it leaked when the little hose was stuck in water or soap, but when sitting on the ground you'd see a small flow of water.

There is something caught in the check valve of the soap injector.

 

[sberry]

You could get a real one. If I had to replace it I would go to LP for shop use. I built a couple big units with million BTU+ burners, 11gpm with 2 wands, 900 gallon tanks on the trucks. Used in the oil patch mostly. This one has been a good unit though, 25 yrs old and I mount the controls outside.

 

[metal1313]

umm bit excessive for homeowner use dont ya think

 

[Jack90210]

I have a Karcher 4000psi 13.5hp unit. Max water input temp is 104* (IIRC) because the water is what cools the pump (you can feel it get quite warm during operation).

 

[larry4406]

My brother distroyed his pressure washer by running hot water thru it - pump siezed in short order.

 

[Graham08]

On commercial grade pressure washers, you can usually get special packing to run hot water through the pump. My dad was in that business for about 10 years, and he had a few customers (mostly butcher shops, IIRC) that did this. But, you need a LOT of hot water to supply a pressure washer with a reasonable pump on it.

On commercial hot water/steam machines, the heating coil is after the pump.

 

[buening]

They make high pressure soap injectors as well but it feeds the soap through your pump. It basically mixes with the water prior to your pump, rather than using the venturi system after the pump.

 

[Vinko]

I want one of those Krandle jobs. But will be borrowing a Harbor Freight Special soon