Pressure washer leakage problem
 

When I switched on my (Karcher KB 9030) pressure washer for the first
time this year there was no pressure and water was gushing out of the
casing. I opened it up and found that the plastic elbow (connecting the
high pressure hose to the compressor) was cracked. So I Googled the part
number, ordered a new part, fitted it. Easy.

I guess the frost must have got to it.

Then after a few minutes, use another leak started, identical to the
first, but on the inlet side this time. No problem it was only a fine
spray and it didn't seem to have any effect on the performance.

Then after about half-an-hour's use bugger me it developed yet another
leak. This time it's a fairly major leak where the second inlet elbow
joins onto the compressor.

Photo:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak1.jpg

Slightly better close-up of leak 3:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak2.jpg

The result of the leak is that when the outlet is closed the motor
starts and stops about once a second, and water leaks out of the casing.
When the outlet is open everything seems to work fine.

I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

Anyone got any experience of this?

--
Mike Barnes

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

"Mike Barnes" wrote in message .

I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

Anyone got any experience of this?

--
Mike Barnes

So whats the alternative or what have you got to lose?

When a pressure washer has not been used for sometime? the idea is to hold
the lance in one hand ready to operate the trigger and turn on the water
with less force then switch on the PW and operate the lance trigger in short
burst till the jet builds up pressure,then open the tap more for more force.

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

In article ,
Mike Barnes writes:
When I switched on my (Karcher KB 9030) pressure washer for the first
time this year there was no pressure and water was gushing out of the
casing. I opened it up and found that the plastic elbow (connecting the
high pressure hose to the compressor) was cracked. So I Googled the part
number, ordered a new part, fitted it. Easy.

I guess the frost must have got to it.

Then after a few minutes, use another leak started, identical to the
first, but on the inlet side this time. No problem it was only a fine
spray and it didn't seem to have any effect on the performance.

Then after about half-an-hour's use bugger me it developed yet another
leak. This time it's a fairly major leak where the second inlet elbow
joins onto the compressor.

Photo:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak1.jpg

Slightly better close-up of leak 3:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak2.jpg

The result of the leak is that when the outlet is closed the motor
starts and stops about once a second, and water leaks out of the casing.
When the outlet is open everything seems to work fine.

I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

Anyone got any experience of this?

Sounds like the plastic has all rotted.
Have you ever used it with any chemicals?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message

Sounds like the plastic has all rotted.
Have you ever used it with any chemicals?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Or used hot water?

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Mike Barnes writes:
When I switched on my (Karcher KB 9030) pressure washer for the first
time this year there was no pressure and water was gushing out of the
casing. I opened it up and found that the plastic elbow (connecting the
high pressure hose to the compressor) was cracked. So I Googled the part
number, ordered a new part, fitted it. Easy.

I guess the frost must have got to it.

Then after a few minutes, use another leak started, identical to the
first, but on the inlet side this time. No problem it was only a fine
spray and it didn't seem to have any effect on the performance.

Then after about half-an-hour's use bugger me it developed yet another
leak. This time it's a fairly major leak where the second inlet elbow
joins onto the compressor.

Photo:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak1.jpg

Slightly better close-up of leak 3:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak2.jpg

The result of the leak is that when the outlet is closed the motor
starts and stops about once a second, and water leaks out of the casing.
When the outlet is open everything seems to work fine.

I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

Anyone got any experience of this?

Sounds like the plastic has all rotted.
Have you ever used it with any chemicals?

Seems to be grasping at unlikely explanations! 3 leaks all more or less at
once round the joints after winter - surely the OP's original suggestion of
frost damage is the most likely??


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

In uk.d-i-y, George wrote:

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message

Sounds like the plastic has all rotted.
Have you ever used it with any chemicals?

Or used hot water?

No and no.

Has anyone here taken the metal housing off one of these (or similar),
and if so, is it easy to put back together gain?

--
Mike Barnes

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

In uk.d-i-y, George wrote:

"Mike Barnes" wrote in message .

I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

Anyone got any experience of this?

--
Mike Barnes

So whats the alternative or what have you got to lose?

The alternatives are (1) try to repair it, and risk not being able to
reassemble it - unless anyone here can help with information, which is
why I'm asking, and (2) carry on using it and put up with the noise and
leakage when the output is switched off.

When a pressure washer has not been used for sometime? the idea is to hold
the lance in one hand ready to operate the trigger and turn on the water
with less force then switch on the PW and operate the lance trigger in short
burst till the jet builds up pressure,then open the tap more for more force.

I've not head that before. I do make sure that water is flowing before I
turn the electricity on.

--
Mike Barnes

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

Mike Barnes wrote:
When I switched on my (Karcher KB 9030) pressure washer for the first
time this year there was no pressure and water was gushing out of the
casing. I opened it up and found that the plastic elbow (connecting
the high pressure hose to the compressor) was cracked. So I Googled
the part number, ordered a new part, fitted it. Easy.

I guess the frost must have got to it.

Highly likely.


Then after a few minutes, use another leak started, identical to the
first, but on the inlet side this time. No problem it was only a fine
spray and it didn't seem to have any effect on the performance.

Then after about half-an-hour's use bugger me it developed yet another
leak. This time it's a fairly major leak where the second inlet elbow
joins onto the compressor.

Photo:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak1.jpg

Slightly better close-up of leak 3:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak2.jpg

The result of the leak is that when the outlet is closed the motor
starts and stops about once a second, and water leaks out of the
casing. When the outlet is open everything seems to work fine.

The leak is on the high pressure side of the pump head and is causing the
auto stop start to get confused. Long term use like this will cause damage.

I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be anything
else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram

http://www.espares.co.uk/diagram/pre...507566?ed=2832

Removing the pressure (26 on the diagram) by undoing the bolts (27) should
reveal a gasket which has probably gone. Should be simple to do, just make
sure you don't lose any o rings. Shouldn't be any ping****its. Don't
attempt to remove the crank/housing 2 because you probably need special
tools to get it back.

HTH



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

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

In uk.d-i-y, The Medway Handyman wrote:


Mike Barnes wrote:
When I switched on my (Karcher KB 9030) pressure washer for the first
time this year there was no pressure and water was gushing out of the
casing. I opened it up and found that the plastic elbow (connecting
the high pressure hose to the compressor) was cracked. So I Googled
the part number, ordered a new part, fitted it. Easy.

I guess the frost must have got to it.

Highly likely.


Then after a few minutes, use another leak started, identical to the
first, but on the inlet side this time. No problem it was only a fine
spray and it didn't seem to have any effect on the performance.

Then after about half-an-hour's use bugger me it developed yet another
leak. This time it's a fairly major leak where the second inlet elbow
joins onto the compressor.

Photo:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak1.jpg

Slightly better close-up of leak 3:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/leak2.jpg

The result of the leak is that when the outlet is closed the motor
starts and stops about once a second, and water leaks out of the
casing. When the outlet is open everything seems to work fine.

The leak is on the high pressure side of the pump head and is causing the
auto stop start to get confused.

Actually I'm pretty sure it's on the low pressure side but the effect
seems to be the same.

Long term use like this will cause damage.

That's what I was afraid of.


I'm not so keen to tackle this problem because it looks like I'll have
to remove the metal cover and I suspect it won't be quite so easy to
reassemble.

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be anything
else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram

http://www.espares.co.uk/diagram/pre.../kb9030/p/1315
/877/75/507566?ed=2832

Removing the pressure (26 on the diagram) by undoing the bolts (27) should
reveal a gasket which has probably gone. Should be simple to do, just make
sure you don't lose any o rings. Shouldn't be any ping****its. Don't
attempt to remove the crank/housing 2 because you probably need special
tools to get it back.

HTH

Yes, thanks. I'll finish the current batch of jobs, strip it down, and
see what I find. I suspect a new part 8 is required, or (if I'm really
lucky) just its O-ring.

--
Mike Barnes

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be anything
else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram


WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds need
to know.

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be anything
else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the head, the
pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram


WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds need
to know.



A lovely little animation of how they work:

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/swashpla.htm

(A former life with anorak friends and a certain interest in diesel
hyrdaulic locomotives equipped me with the basic idea. But Google was
need for anything more.)

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

On 2008-05-17 09:51:49 +0100, Rod said:

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be anything
else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram


WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds need
to know.



A lovely little animation of how they work:

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/swashpla.htm

(A former life with anorak friends and a certain interest in diesel
hyrdaulic locomotives equipped me with the basic idea. But Google was
need for anything more.)

That's clever. I've never seen it before.

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be
anything else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the
head, the pressure head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on
this diagram


WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds
need to know.

Early high pressure pumps like the American CAT or the German Speck work by
having pistons driven by a crankshaft, rahther like a car engine. They were
extreemly durable, but best run at around 1400rpm, and expensive to make.
http://www.catpumps.com/pages/aboutus_work.html

The swash plate or axial pump can be run faster, so can use a cheaper 2800
rpm motor and are much cheaper to manufacture. They also have the advantage
that performance can be changed just by altering the swash plate angle, so
you make one pump and have 6 swash plates.

Three piston swash plate pumps are the norm, two piston really need a
pulsation damper, four piston are a bit of overkill.

Good picture here http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/wobble.htm This
shows the valves integral with the pistons, they are usually in the head
casting.

HTH



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

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

Rod wrote:
Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be
anything else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the
head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram


WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds
need to know.



A lovely little animation of how they work:

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/swashpla.htm

(A former life with anorak friends and a certain interest in diesel
hyrdaulic locomotives equipped me with the basic idea. But Google was
need for anything more.)

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

Rod wrote:
Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be
anything else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the
head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram


WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds
need to know.



A lovely little animation of how they work:

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/swashpla.htm

(A former life with anorak friends and a certain interest in diesel
hyrdaulic locomotives equipped me with the basic idea. But Google was
need for anything more.)

Seems to be a difference in terminology here. What the pressure washer
industry would call a swash plate pump is described as a wobble plate pump
on this site. http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/wobble.htm


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

Pressure washer leakage problem
 

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Rod wrote:
Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-05-16 17:52:44 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:
I'm assuming this machine has a swash plate pump, unlikely to be
anything else (just looked & it does). There are two parts to the
head, the pressure
head & the crank, called housing 1 & housing 2 on this diagram

WHat is a swash plate pump and how does it work? Enquiring minds
need to know.


A lovely little animation of how they work:

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/swashpla.htm

(A former life with anorak friends and a certain interest in diesel
hyrdaulic locomotives equipped me with the basic idea. But Google was
need for anything more.)

Seems to be a difference in terminology here. What the pressure washer
industry would call a swash plate pump is described as a wobble plate pump
on this site. http://www.animatedsoftware.com/pumpglos/wobble.htm



Very similar at heart.

Let's throw the helicopter version in as well:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swashplate_(helicopter)

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org