Tex Star Detail 14 Report post Posted March 21, 2007 OK, be easy on me! How do I set up my pressure washer to recycle water back to my tank? Not sure if my pressure washer is even capable of doing so. I will take some pics of the pump and post them up in a little while. It is a Karcher pump. (ok, I will wait while you finish laughing):lgsideway I use it for washing cars, so it does fine for that. Any help, pics, links, or advice would be appreciated! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racechaser 64 Report post Posted March 21, 2007 Here is an excerpt from ESPEC. You need to post a pic of your pump and unloader. You could also paste a link to your pressure washer if someone sells it online. Scott EnviroSpec's Technical Library Section: By-pass Configurations. Unloader Valves Pressure washers generally are manufactured with a closed loop by-pass that cycles the by-pass water in a small amount from the unloader by-pass port to the inlet port of the pump, and then back to the inlet port of the unloader. This configuration is an accident waiting to happen. Friction generated by the plungers moving against the packings generates heat that is transferred to the water. Because there is only a small amount of water the water temperature increases rapidly. When the temperature exceeds about 155 degrees, damage begins to occur to the packings. If allowed to continue, the hot water can damage the plungers in the pump, damage seals in the unloader, and destroy the hoses between the pump and the unloader. Ideally, machines would either have their by-pass plumbed differently, or have a thermal relief valve or switch installed as a safeguard against by-pass heat build-up. Because most machines are manufactured in a way that allows this damage to occur, it is wise to change the set up aftermarket. For mobile wash set-ups that are truck or trailer mounted and are supplied by a water tank, the best way to configure the by-pass is to plumb it directly back to the water tank. The benefit of plumbing the by-pass this way is that it includes the water in the supply tank in the by-pass loop. With a large amount of water in the loop, there isn’t enough heat generated to increase the water temperature enough to damage anything, no matter how long the equipment runs in by-pass. Connect a long by-pass hose from the by-pass port of the unloader, plumbed with a hose barb, and have it terminate at a barb fitting on the water tank. The water tank can be fitted with a small bulkhead fitting on the top, then plumbed with a properly sized hose barb. The by-pass hose can be reinforced chemical tubing, hi spike bypass hose, or garden hose. The diameter of the by-pass hose is determined by the flow of the pump and the type of unloader being used. For pumps that are rated below 6 GPM, a ½” ID by-pass hose is recommended when using a pressure type unloader, and a ¼ “ ID by-pass hose is recommended when using a flow actuated unloader. For a pump with a flow rating of over 6 GPM, a ¾ “ by-pass hose is recommended when using a pressure type unloader, and a ½ “ by-pass hose is recommended when using a flow actuated unloader. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Russ Johnson 141 Report post Posted March 21, 2007 The Karchers bypass internally...there's no way to reroute the bypass. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tex Star Detail 14 Report post Posted March 22, 2007 Thanks for the replies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
