Have I killed my cheap PERFORMANCE POWER pressure washer ?

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toolsntat

Yep, I collect tools and tat
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Any pointers please?
Power force brand. EDIT it's a PERFORMANCE POWER
The sort you pull trigger first and then switch on and switch off before you stop.
That's my problem, left it running with trigger off.
Hard to say how long but about 10 or 15ish seconds. :oops: #-o
Now it just buzzes instead of going to pressure mode with water on, trigger pulled and flicking the switch.
Cheers Andy
 
I think its gone on.

A pressure washer is just an electric motor driving a pump with a high compression cylinder. From the way you describe the operation of yours the pump isnt all that robust, its basically a booster pump rather than a pressure pump.

Youve overloaded the pump by not allowing water to pass, that would put a massive strain on the motor. If youre lucky, its a capacitor gone. If youre not lucky youve cooked the windings.

Get the cover off and have a sniff around, burnt motor windings are a very distinctive smell.
 
I had a cheap washer years ago. The motor spins a wedge shaped disc which pushes pistons up tubes, for want of a better way to explain. A sort of rotary engine. It requires water flow to keep it cool. Seized solid in absence of water, like you probably under 30 seconds.

Stripped it, beyond economic repair. Salvaged some parts for the oddments box, the roller bearings are now in the base of my crane lamp and some of the stiff tubing and connector forms a drip waterer in my salad trough.
 
FWIW, I think it's gone too.

I don't know the Power Force brand you mention, but for mine (a Kaercher) there's a bit in the Instructions which specifically tells you not to run the thing dry, not even for a short time. I think that basically, all the pressure washers are much the same, and I THINK that if you do run the thing dry then you'll burst the seal/diaphragm (or melt the swash plate?) on the pressure cylinder which is driven by the motor (my Instructions don't say why not). But it's all "plastic" stuff so I GUESS dry running = too hot/no lubricant/coolant = seized.

I'm NOT sure that sunnybob is right about "burning out" the motor as you only ran it dry for 10-15 secs (surely the motor should withstand that OK bob?), but either way, as these things are so cheap I doubt it's worth worrying about too much. And from time to time both Lidl and Aldi have their own badge items for sale. My neighbour has one which as far as I can see is much the same - it certainly does the same job as mine for about quarter the price.
 
From the original description, I take it as to not have "run dry".
He says he has to open the water valve before turning on the motor.
By leaving the motor running but not allowing the water to flow, the motor is trying to push mohammed to the mountain.
 
Have you tried just leaving it to cool, then having another go ? I bought a very cheap pressure washer from B&Q years ago. If I run it as you describe without water flowing, it quickly overheats and shuts down. A few minutes rest and it is good to go again. On the other hand, cost saving pressures may mean that modern pressure washers come without a thermal cutout.
 
sunnybob":1f0xq3ie said:
From the original description, I take it as to not have "run dry".
He says he has to open the water valve before turning on the motor.
By leaving the motor running but not allowing the water to flow, the motor is trying to push mohammed to the mountain.
Yes this is the case, but I seem to remember being able to do this on previous occasions and it worked after switching off and then back on again.
I don't think it is a thermal cutout due to motor starting .
It was a freebie but I don't want to throw in the towel yet, I'll try it again and then dismantle if no joy (hammer)
Cheers for all your input folks.
Andy
 
If it was a thermal cutout, there would be no hum.
Like I said; either the capacitor (cheap) or the windings (dump it)
 
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