How Does A Pressure Washer Work

How Pressure Washer WorkPressure washers help clean long-time new patios, driveways, lawn furniture, BBQ grills, cars, and everything hard enough to bear the pressure.

They are incredibly convenient and come in handy when all other cleaning methods are ineffective. The main question that comes to mind is how pressure washers work and what is the phenomenon of their working. Let’s find out.

 

Phenomenon Of pressure washer

Water is a universal cleaning agent because it has slightly charged particles that attract other particles. This attraction tends to break the molecules, and the dirt is removed. The reaction can be accelerated by using detergent and soap that increase the reactivity of water with the ground. The pressure washer comes if the stain or the dirt is too deep to be removed by a chemical reaction.

It uses the high-pressure water that hits soil surfaces with high kinetic energy forcing them to be removed. It is like a mini tsunami taking everything coming in its way. When used in the optimum range, the high kinetic energy is enough to remove the dirt but does not damage the surface. This is the basic phenomenon behind the pressure washer.

 

How Does A Pressure Washer Work

Working a pressure washer is not as complex as some people might think. The basic design of the pressure washer is just a water pump powered by an electric motor or a gasoline engine. Although the basic structure is simple, many other pressure washer attachments make it work safe and conveniently. These are the main parts of a pressure washer.

  • A water inlet connects the water supply to the pressure washer. There are some filters in the water inlet to stop the dirt and debris.
  • Electric motor or gas engine: This part is responsible for powering the pressure washer. Most household pressure washers are powered by electric motors and generate a pressure of up to 2300 psi. There are also gasoline-powered pressure washers that provide a pressure output of up to 4000 psi and are used for commercial business.
  • Water pump: This part takes the rotational motion generated by the electric motor or gas engine and uses it to throw the water at high speed. The water pumps are similar to home uses but produce way more water displacement producing a volume rate of about 1 to 4 gallons.
  • High-pressure hose: this is the specially designed hose that connects the output of the pressure washer to the spray wand. It is not an ordinary hose but is designed to withstand high pressure. The standard hose would tear apart at such high pressure, and the safety margin in the pressure hose is about 300 percent. If your pressure washer has a maximum output of 3000 psi, the high-pressure hose must be rated for 9000 psi.
  • Cleaning attachments: It is the part of the pressure washer by which the water stream is controlled. It can be equipped with many attachments based on the cleaning types. The passions include a spray wand for pressure cleaning or a rotating brush to scrub cleaning. There can be other cleaning attachments such as soap tanks.
  • Pressure Nozzle: it is the final part by which water comes out. It is used to control the stream of the water. Various pressure nozzles include broad to narrow-angle nozzles for different cleaning purposes.

 

Summary

The basic working of the pressure washer is not too complex, and it can be easily understood. First, the pressure washer is connected to the water source that provides the water. Upon turning the pressure washer on, the pump is moved by force generated by the electric motor or engine. The pump moves and creates suction at the faucet, and it goes all the way to the nozzle.

When the detergent is used, pumps also add some amount of it into high-pressure water. The water goes to the nozzle, where it is sprayed. The nozzle plays a crucial part in the stream of water, and it is essential for cleaning purposes.

 

Jose Kelly