Problem with pressure washer

[asalcedo]

I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an apparent
fault:

When using the Vario Lance that came with the unit, as soon as I turn
the pressure above 3/4 of the max, the unit starts to pulsate, i.e. it
works in fits and starts, works fine for a few seconds, then it stops,
and starts working fine for a few seconds again.


It works fine if instead of the Vario Lance I use the Dirt Blaster
(rotary pencil jet)

The closest reference in the Manual is:

"Strong Pressure Fluctuations: Clean high-pressure nozzle: Remove dirt
and debris from the nozzle bore, using a needle and rinse through with
water
from the front".


But, in my case, there was no dirt in the nozzle.


The unit has been used little. It worked fine a few months ago.

Thanks,

Antonio




--
asalcedo

[Tim Downie]

I would check for a problem with the supply first. If the supply hose is
kinked or your supply flow is poor then the pump will pulsate like this.

Tim

[Geoff Pearson]

"asalcedo" <asalcedo...@diybanter.com> wrote in message
news:asalcedo...@diybanter.com...

But it is all a delusion - lighting takes less than 10% of most household
electricity consumption. Tumble dryer, washing machine, cooker?

[Andy Burns]

Geoff Pearson wrote:

> lighting takes less than 10% of most household electricity
> consumption. Tumble dryer, washing machine, cooker?

I'd imagine fridges and freezers account for a fair old wedge.

[Dave Liquorice]

On Sun, 3 Jun 2012 12:12:20 +0100, Geoff Pearson wrote:

>> I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an
>> apparent fault:
>

> But it is all a delusion - lighting takes less than 10% of most
> household electricity consumption. Tumble dryer, washing machine,
> cooker?

I can't see a link between the problem raised and the answer given.
B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

[The Medway Handyman]

On 02/06/2012 21:26, asalcedo wrote:
> I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an apparent
> fault:
>
> When using the Vario Lance that came with the unit, as soon as I turn
> the pressure above 3/4 of the max, the unit starts to pulsate, i.e. it
> works in fits and starts, works fine for a few seconds, then it stops,
> and starts working fine for a few seconds again.

When you say "turn the pressure above 3/4 of the max" do you mean that
you turn the vario nozzle from fan to pencil jet?

Vario jets don't alter the pressure from the machine, they simply alter
the impact pressure on the surface to be cleaned - by altering the spray
angle.

>
>
> It works fine if instead of the Vario Lance I use the Dirt Blaster
> (rotary pencil jet)

That indicates a fault with the vario nozzle.

>
> The closest reference in the Manual is:
>
> "Strong Pressure Fluctuations: Clean high-pressure nozzle: Remove dirt
> and debris from the nozzle bore, using a needle and rinse through with
> water
> from the front".

That's exactly what I would have suggested.

>
>
> But, in my case, there was no dirt in the nozzle.

Are you absolutely certain? It only takes a tiny speck of dirt or swarf
to bugger a HP nozzle. 0.05 of a mm could do it.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[The Medway Handyman]

But then it wouldn't work OK with the other lance either.

[Tim Downie]

I bow to your greater knowledge of lances. I just know that with mine, if
it's on a high flow setting, if the tap isn't turned on fully, the pump
pulses as the input pressure drops below the minimum required.

Tim

[The Medway Handyman]

Oh it will, but then all lances would display the same fault.

[Tim]

Only if they allowed the same volume of water through. If there were small
differences then a "high flow" lance might cause pulsing whilst a low flow
one wouldn't .

Tim

[asalcedo]

The Medway Handyman;2871463 Wrote:
> On 02/06/2012 21:26, asalcedo wrote:-

> I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an
> apparent
> fault:
>
> When using the Vario Lance that came with the unit, as soon as I turn
> the pressure above 3/4 of the max, the unit starts to pulsate, i.e. it
> works in fits and starts, works fine for a few seconds, then it stops,

> and starts working fine for a few seconds again.-

>
> When you say "turn the pressure above 3/4 of the max" do you mean that
> you turn the vario nozzle from fan to pencil jet?
>
> Vario jets don't alter the pressure from the machine, they simply alter
> the impact pressure on the surface to be cleaned - by altering the spray
>

> angle.-

>
>
> It works fine if instead of the Vario Lance I use the Dirt Blaster

> (rotary pencil jet)-
>
> That indicates a fault with the vario nozzle.-

>
> The closest reference in the Manual is:
>
> "Strong Pressure Fluctuations: Clean high-pressure nozzle: Remove dirt
> and debris from the nozzle bore, using a needle and rinse through with
> water

> from the front".-
>
> That's exactly what I would have suggested.-
>
>
> But, in my case, there was no dirt in the nozzle.-

>
> Are you absolutely certain? It only takes a tiny speck of dirt or swarf
>
> to bugger a HP nozzle. 0.05 of a mm could do it.
>
>
> --

> Dave - The Medway Handyman 'the medway handyman for all those little
> jobs that need to be done' (http://www.medwayhandyman.co.uk)

First, the water supply is not the problem. I did think it could be that
but, after trying three different water supplies, all in perfect
condition, the problem persists.

Second: Yes, when I say "turn the pressure above 3/4 of the max" I mean
that I turn the vario nozzle from fan to pencil jet.
The problem starts at about 3/4 of the full range of turn and I never
get to see the pencil jet. Perhaps the pencil jet is the problem.

Third: I don't see any dirt at the end of the nozzle, even a needle goes
in without obstruction. However, I wonder if any blockage, especially of
that very small dimension that you mention, is hidden somewhere.

What is the best way to clean the nozzle?

Is it safe, useful, to unscrew the small torx screws to open the end of
the lance?


Thanks.




--
asalcedo

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

On Sun, 03 Jun 2012 12:37:45 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
<allsortsn...@howhill.co.uk> wrote:

>>> I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an
>>> apparent fault:
>>
>> But it is all a delusion - lighting takes less than 10% of most
>> household electricity consumption. Tumble dryer, washing machine,
>> cooker?
>
>I can't see a link between the problem raised and the answer given.
>B-)

diy banter.com is the problem, I think.

[Tim]

asalcedo <asalcedo...@diybanter.com> wrote:

> First, the water supply is not the problem. I did think it could be that
> but, after trying three different water supplies, all in perfect
> condition, the problem persists.

Or is that one water supply at three different taps in your house?

If your incoming mains tap has been partially closed (to reduce
over-exuberant flow from taps perhaps) it's possible that all supplies from
taps in your house will cause the same problem.

Dave is the pressure washer expert but you've not convinced me that poor
supply flow *isn't* the problem.

Tim

[Dave Liquorice]

On Sun, 03 Jun 2012 21:19:22 +0100, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

>>>> I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an
>>>> apparent fault:
>>>
>>> But it is all a delusion - lighting takes less than 10% of most
>>> household electricity consumption. Tumble dryer, washing
machine,
>>> cooker?
>>
>> I can't see a link between the problem raised and the answer
given.
>

> diy banter.com is the problem, I think.

Ah, you mean some one so dumb they can't even use a website properly.

--
Cheers
Dave.

[The Medway Handyman]

HPC's use a positive displacement pump. The flow rate is fixed.


A lance can only affect the pressure, not the flow.

[The Medway Handyman]

As I said, it doesn't take much. On commercial machines for example
fitting an '045' nozzle to a machine that needs an '06' nozzle will
cause exactly the problem you have.

An '045' is 1.40mm and an '06' is 1.72mm. Only 0.32mm difference.

>
> What is the best way to clean the nozzle?

Compressed air from the nozzle back.

>
> Is it safe, useful, to unscrew the small torx screws to open the end of
> the lance?

Try the airline first. These things contain a lot of 'pingfuckits'.



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

[asalcedo]

The Medway Handyman;2871959 Wrote:
> On 03/06/2012 15:32, asalcedo wrote:-
> The Medway Handyman;2871463 Wrote:-

> jobs that need to be done' ('the medway handyman for all those little
> jobs that need to be done' (http://www.medwayhandyman.co.uk))-

>
> First, the water supply is not the problem. I did think it could be
> that
> but, after trying three different water supplies, all in perfect
> condition, the problem persists.
>
> Second: Yes, when I say "turn the pressure above 3/4 of the max" I
> mean
> that I turn the vario nozzle from fan to pencil jet.
> The problem starts at about 3/4 of the full range of turn and I never
> get to see the pencil jet. Perhaps the pencil jet is the problem.
>
> Third: I don't see any dirt at the end of the nozzle, even a needle
> goes
> in without obstruction. However, I wonder if any blockage, especially
> of

> that very small dimension that you mention, is hidden somewhere.-

>
> As I said, it doesn't take much. On commercial machines for example
> fitting an '045' nozzle to a machine that needs an '06' nozzle will
> cause exactly the problem you have.
>

> An '045' is 1.40mm and an '06' is 1.72mm. Only 0.32mm difference.-
>
> What is the best way to clean the nozzle?-
>
> Compressed air from the nozzle back.-

>
> Is it safe, useful, to unscrew the small torx screws to open the end
> of

> the lance?-
>
> Try the airline first. These things contain a lot of 'ping****its'.
>
>
>
> --

> Dave - The Medway Handyman 'the medway handyman for all those little
> jobs that need to be done' (http://www.medwayhandyman.co.uk)

Hi Dave,

Problem solved.

I did not have compressed air, but I had water, I did the following:

I switched the water supply to softened water (since the blockage might
have been caused by limescale deposits, given the hard water here)

Then I operated the lance for a few minutes and then turned the lance a
notch higher. I repeated this until the lance pulsated.

Then I started again from the last working level. I noticed that each
time I had to stop I had reached a higher pulsating level.


In the end, after about 10 minutes I was able to use the lance at Max
blast.

Likely the water has cleaned any debris inside.

Many thanks.




--
asalcedo

[ghal...@gmail.com]

I also have the same issue using the durt blaster its a Beast but the issue layed with the variable lance so i contacted Karcher who sent me another on min setting/mix there is no fine mist as it shows in the Videos it looks like a water fountain but the soup does come out eventually now the replacement was the same on the mix setting but on turning you can see how it works all it does is restrict the flow of water which means the pump works to force the water out at the same time it decreases the angle my previous K2 had a better version on wide it was at 22 degrees a fine mist and on Max it was like a pencil jet
Also my neighbour up the road has the K6 same lance and that is the same as mine except he has had a rep round and he said there all like this so the detergent comes out, on max there is more air to water and on min there is is more water to air hence more detergent
I have checked both power settings using the durt balster and that works on full it cut through a weed i think the vario lance is a poor design one that just changed the angle but retaining the power is much better

[Brian Gaff]

There we are 2012 rides again. I blame Google.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
<ghal...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:f8d43527-e94f-499a...@googlegroups.com...

[The Other John]

On Thu, 20 Mar 2014 05:56:28 -0700, ghale1971 wrote:

--------------Snip All!----------

Just to let you know your full stop button isn't working! ;)

--

TOJ.

[ag...@btinternet.com]

On Saturday, 2 June 2012 21:26:23 UTC+1, asalcedo wrote:

Did you ever get this fixed as I have the exact same problem.

[Capitol]

IME this is caused by the input flow being too low. Happens when my
water company reduces the supply pressure.

[Another John]

In article <5b40f1d5-383e-4dfe...@googlegroups.com>,

ag...@btinternet.com wrote:

> On Saturday, 2 June 2012 21:26:23 UTC+1, asalcedo wrote:
> > I have a Karcher K 6.85 M pressure washer that has developed an apparent
> > fault:
> > When using the Vario Lance that came with the unit, as soon as I turn
> > the pressure above 3/4 of the max, the unit starts to pulsate, i.e. it
> > works in fits and starts, works fine for a few seconds, then it stops,
> > and starts working fine for a few seconds again.
> > It works fine if instead of the Vario Lance I use the Dirt Blaster
> > (rotary pencil jet)
> > The closest reference in the Manual is:
> > "Strong Pressure Fluctuations: Clean high-pressure nozzle: Remove dirt
> > and debris from the nozzle bore, using a needle and rinse through with
> > water from the front".
> >
> > But, in my case, there was no dirt in the nozzle.
> > The unit has been used little. It worked fine a few months ago.
>

> Did you ever get this fixed as I have the exact same problem.

I had a similar problem on mine. After much investigation on my part, I
came to this Group (UK.D-I-Y) who diagnised the problem as a faulty
O-ring inside the machine (causing a tiny leakage in the pressurised
water course inside the machine).

Replacement of the O-ring proved to be impossible, and I bought a new
pressure washer: I had reached the tipping point between "cost of a new
one" and "hours that have already been spent, and may yet need to be
spent, trying to fix this".

J.