Electric pressure washer troubleshooting seems daunting and a lot of us prefer to call the toll-free number of the manufacturer for help. If there is no warranty period left, we call the repairman. It’s so frustrating when the pressure washer not spraying hard and these are logical steps to follow.
But all those steps require money, time, and hassle. To save yourself from all those troubles, it’s good to know some tricks when the pressure washer loses pressure when trigger pulled. This article is all about these helpful tips and tricks.
Electric Pressure Washer Troubleshooting
You gotta keep your vehicle neat and clean, but you can’t do so if the pressure washer loses pressure after a few seconds. Without doing any material change or repair to the parts, you can fix the problem yourself. This is what you will be doing mainly to fix the problem:
- Clean the clogged nozzles.
- Fix the troubled water source.
- Deal with a low water flow rate.
- Fix the restricted unloader.
- Troubleshoot the faulty inlet and discharger valves.
- Replace the worn-out O-ring.
- Install the right pressure hose.
- Seal all the leaks.
- Repair the plunger.
If the warranty period is still valid, you should not do any material repair or changes. That’s being said, this is what you should do:
- Problematic Pressure Nozzles
A pressure washer not spraying hard or no pressure at all may happen due to the faulty nozzles too. If it is clogged or worn out, you won’t get the expected pressure. But you have to first determine that this is the main culprit.
To determine whether it is clogged or not, disconnect it and clean it with any nozzles cleaning kit. Usually, the manufacturer provides the kit when you buy the pressure nozzles. If not, you can get it from your local DIY stores.
If it’s worn-out, the loss of pressure will be gradual as the holes widen over time. In this case, buy new pressure nozzles and attach it tightly. Any partially plugged nozzles won’t give you high pressure. When attaching it, make sure no water is coming out of the pressure washer itself.
- Faulty Water Source
PSI and GPM work hand to hand. And your pressure washer needs an adequate water supply. Inadequate water supply will result in low pressure. It is impractical to expect high pressure from the inadequate water supply.
If there is nothing wrong with the water source or supply, the problem might be in the old pump. In that case, changing the pump will fix the problem.
- Low Water Flow
In addition to the water source issue, low water flow might be another reason. If the pump itself is not getting enough flow, the washer will lose pressure too. To check the water flow rate, turn on the pump and check the rate. If there is a low water flow rate, there is probably debris on the water path.
Besides, damaged hose with kinks and cuts will restrict the water flow. As soon as you figure out the root cause of low water flow, you can fix the problem in no time.
- Damaged/Restricted Unloader
The damaged unloader will not only cause low water pressure but also can damage your pressure washer too. There is a serious safety concern as well. The unloader is there to prevent any water wastage.
So, it’s very important to regularly maintain it and replace it as soon as it is damaged. Trust me, it’s often got restricted and the pressure washer loses pressure when trigger pulled! But how should you check it?
Well, disconnect it from the washer with a screwdriver and wrench. Now, check the piston. If the disc does not move freely due to grime and dirt, you will get disrupted the water pressure rate. Remove the disc from the washer and clean the grime and dirt to solve the problem.
- Faulty Valves
The water enters the engine through the inlet valves and releases through the discharge valves. The inlet valves protect the inlet from exterior debris and the discharger valves keep the exhaustion area and the discharger debris-free.
Both the inlet and discharge valves are prone to dirt build-up and corrosion over time. Wear and tear is a common thing for them too. As a result, the water flow rate is reduced greatly.
Get rid of this dirt from the valves with rubbing alcohol and dampened cloths. Replace the valves if they are not fixable or already corroded. If these valves are okay, then check the valve springs too. The need some occasional cleaning and repair too.
- Worn-out O-ring
You may know it as the seal. You get good pressure only when the O-ring seals the oiling properly. Like the many parts, the O-ring deteriorates over time. Once it is worn-out, it can’t make proper the oiling properly, hence result in low pressure.
To have high pressure constantly, you need to replace such worn-out O-ring with the exact same new one when the pressure washer not spraying hard.
- Wrong Pressure Hose
A high-pressure hose does not guarantee higher water pressure if it is a wrong one for your washer. It is sometimes unlikely, but there are several incidents I have encountered where people have bought the wrong wider hose that was not compatible with their models. Even a slight difference in the diameter of the washer and the hose will result in low pressure.
- Check For Leaks
Any leaks on the service gun or water source will have a negative impact on the water supply. Let me remind you again, low water supply results in low water pressure too.
- Plunger Condition
You already tried a lot of options. But if the condition still exists where the pressure washer loses pressure after a few seconds, it’s time to check the plunger condition. You will be surprised how many people forget to check this tiny issue but very important for electric pressure washer troubleshooting.
Just like every worn-out part of your pressure washer, replace any worn-out plunger too. Instead of trying to get the spare parts of the plunger from your local store, try to get it from the manufacturer directly to avoid any mismatch.
Summing Up
I believe you got the solution to fix the problem when pressure washer loses pressure when trigger pulled, right? The whole step by step checkup system won’t take much time but there is no greater satisfaction than fixing such problems yourself. It takes nothing but willpower and effort from your end.
