Raising Pressure

[superclean 14]

I have a job tomorrow that I need more pressure for. I have a 3500psi at 5.6 gal unit. When adjusting the unloader I am at about 4000 in bypass and 2800 with trigger on. That is reading pressure at my gun with 100 ft. hose. I would like to bump the pressure up but I don't want it to go much higher than 4000 when in bypass mode. How can I raise it? Should I just get a smaller orifice. Would putting a smaller orifice damage the pump in any way?

[Anthony G 14]

I am sure that some of the guys with pump experience will chime in shortly but I would not recommend going much above the rated capacity of the pump. It would also void your warranty if you still have one.

[John Orr 206]

What tip are you using?

[superclean 14]

What tip are you using?

1506

2506

[PressurePros 249]

whatcha cleaning that requires more than 3500psi?

[superclean 14]

Cleaning epoxy flooring. My pressure is about 2800psi not 3500. If I can get it to 3500 at the gun I would be in good shape. Does anyone know if going down in orifice size would put back pressure on the pump and potentially harm it?

[plainpainter 217]

I would think not many people actually check the pressure at the gun - there are pressure losses you know. The only place that makes sense is to check the pressure after the pump. Why don't you try a larger ID hose? That will reduce the pressure losses.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Epoxy?...cleaning epoxy flooring doesn't need hardly any pressure as it is a smooth top film. If it is dirty greased then you just need a little chemical and a tad bit of heat otherwise you can surely ruin it. If it is dirty greased that is penetrated then you and customer in a world of hurt already as it is failed and likelky chipping?....Almost have to assume your actually wanting to rip it off, if that case then walk away.

You could use a fresh turbo nozzle with the 0 degree orifice to do some damage though if your inclined.. :)

Personally I grab the autoscrubber for epoxy flooring.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Exceeding the pumps pressure rating can harm the packings and seals. This can lead to water in the pump housing where the oil is and once hot enough to generate steam it can blow the crankcase too.

This is all obvious to most but for the sake of sighting the potentials...since the question was posed.

Rod!~

[superclean 14]

Thanks to all who answered my original question.

Epoxy?...cleaning epoxy flooring doesn't need hardly any pressure as it is a smooth top film. If it is dirty greased then you just need a little chemical and a tad bit of heat otherwise you can surely ruin it. If it is dirty greased that is penetrated then you and customer in a world of hurt already as it is failed and likelky chipping?....Almost have to assume your actually wanting to rip it off, if that case then walk away.

You could use a fresh turbo nozzle with the 0 degree orifice to do some damage though if your inclined.. :)

Personally I grab the autoscrubber for epoxy flooring.

No harm meant but....

I asked a question if you know the answer and want to share feel free. Don't turn around and ask me questions and then tell me what I need or how to do a job you have never seen. I asked a simple question if putting a smaller orifice on would back up the pump and harm it. Why did you need to know what I was cleaning to answer that? By the way the flooring has an anti slip surface and is in a commercial car detailing shop. This stuff was very thick and durable not someones epoxy painted garage floor. The grease and dirt was very tough to remove. I tried straight mariatic acid, a general degreaser, and some of their engine cleaner and all of them did absolutely nothing to it. It had to be blasted inch by inch at about 3000psi with 200 degree water. The flooring held up fine.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

"How can I raise it? Should I just get a smaller orifice. Would putting a smaller orifice damage the pump in any way?"

Tip pressure is result of flow through an orifice. It has to go somewhere and so the more flow the more pressure up until bypass setting or your horsepower and pump setup limits respectfully. Changing tip size does nothing to change your end amount of pressure to be bypassed when trigger is closed off.

So to answer questions: Tighten down your unloader too much and things will break as Rod said. Make sure you have no blockages upstream or downstream and use smaller tip size to match your pumps specs.

As to asking you question..I wasn't really asking as Ken had already asked you what it was you were cleaning and I only responding to your answer for the benefit of both you and future visitors to this thread.

"Why did you need to know what I was cleaning to answer that?"

Didn't need to know what you were cleaning to answer you. You already know that I was confused by your posing dual machinery questions and besides you have plenty of help attending here on the machinery aspect.

But in case you want to know why I offered epoxy info is because part of what we do here is to help others do things most efficient without damage..that is not to say your situation was such but that perhaps it not best to recommend epoxy needing 3500 psi to every persons situation..it needed elaboration for all...at your expense?. of course not..if you felt otherwise,sorry about that..:)

"It had to be blasted inch by inch at about 3000psi with 200 degree water. The flooring held up fine." ..Glad to hear you did not need higher than the amount I said..(edit-oops sorry, never did say how much but that 3k is what I would go)

BTW for future reference, muriatic (hydrochloric acid) or other acids are not usually used for grease or dirt but for mineral deposits or etching of bare concrete. The end result on bare crete is often a look of cleanliness due to the eating away of the top layer. Acids are however used to prepare metal and glass at times in industry..

[mas3372 14]

Superclean

Perhaps questions were asked so that they could answer your question the best way possible. We are all professionals on this board and come here to help each other out. It is possible that perhaps someone has a great deal of experience in what you are tryng to accomplish and could offer you advice beyond your expectations. Or better yet, perhaps someone is trying to learn from what you are trying to clean and by knowing what you are cleaning with what pressure and what soaps could certainly teach them something.

If want to ask a question, you need to keep and open mind. This board is for everyone.

[superclean 14]

MMI I wish you would have responded with the first paragraph of your last post to begin with. I was just frustrated b/c I have been so busy lately I don't have time to keep coming on here and answering questions. I put the thread up and was trying to get a response to my question quickly. The next thing I know I am the one being questioned and the thread was kind of getting off topic. Anyways thanks for the info on the acid. I don't use it much, but I had it on my trailer so I figured I would try it.

[Deck Guy 14]

Superclean,

I hope this not off topic, but I think you missed the point.

If the floor could withstand 3500PSI inch by inch, it might have withstood a capably strong and well-suited chem mix which you could have simply applied and rinsed. That results in huge time savings, and time is money. Chems aren't free, so you just as well could have lit a pile of dollar bills on the floor to see if the heat would help clean it.

The fact that you tried chems in no way suited to your needs only makes it clearer that you could benefit from staying here, letting your hackles down, and taking some advice from people who are willing to share years (in some cases decades) of experience for free. Hell, I'm still learning about caustics, butyls, SH, percarb, TSP, degreasers, and everything else discussed here freely, and I check in almost every day.

For the time you spend here, you will be repaid tenfold. I guarantee it.

[PWkid 79]

Why not try a turbo tip. I'll almost guarentee that if 3500 psi of hot water and good chems won't clean it then nothing will. If you put on a smaller tip, you will bypass the extra water. Your pump and horsepower of your motor will only put out what it is rated for.

[moorepowerwash 14]

From my point, as someone new on this forum any and all questions that I ask for help with are open to anyone who has the answers. If you guys ask for more info its only to give a more detailed and precise answer, and for that I would like to thank every professional that takes the time to help beginners like myself to also become a professional in this field.I don't know of many places that you can come and ask professional people that have so much hard earned knowledge that most of you when you started did not have an avenue like this forum to come to and get answers to.Thank you BETH and ROD and every one else that make this forum what it is. A PLACE WITH A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE THAT MOST OF THE TIME I CAN COME HERE WITH A QUESTION AN IF I SEARCH I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO POST THE QUESTION. THANX ALL.