Do you want to find out how to adjust pressure on pressure washer? In order to control the water pressure on your pressure washer, you can use an inline pressure regulator. The tip used on the nozzle also plays a huge role in the water pressure output of your machine. The pressure can also be increased or decreased depending on the distance of the surface to your pressure washer’s spray tip.
- If you find yourself reading this article, you are probably interested in knowing how you can change the pressure or power level of a pressure washer you own or borrowed. It is very important to know how to do this in order to be more versatile in the different cleaning applications that you can use your pressure washer in.
In this article, we will be talking about how much pressure should be used when it comes to using your pressure washer on different objects or surfaces to prevent damage. We will also discuss the different methods on how to adjust the pressure of a pressure washer. If any of these topics pique your interest in any way, then continue reading until the end. You surely will not regret doing so.
How Much Pressure To Use
First of all, let us discuss how much pressure do you really need when using a pressure washer. The pressure of the water from the machine is measured in the unit of psi (pounds per square inch). The higher the psi the stronger the water pressure going out of the pressure washer’s nozzle. The water pressure of your pressure washer can range from 2000 to 2800 psi if it is gasoline-powered, and around 1300 to 1800 psi if it is powered by electricity. One should know the correct amounts of water pressure to use depending on the surface that is being dealt with.
For example, if you want to clean your car with a pressure washer, you can’t use the same water pressure you used when you cleaned the driveway. This would certainly damage the surface of your car. Instead, what you want to do is adjust the water pressure output of the machine, to one suitable for cleaning your vehicle.
This applies to different things, such as washing an area rug. You want to find the sweet spot for pressure, wherein you have enough power to clean the carpet but less power to cause damage to it. It is always safer to test out or research the suggested psi for pressure washers before doing your cleaning or project.
Some recommendations include using around 3000 psi on concrete, 2500 to 4000 psi on docks and decks, 3000 to 4000 psi on ATVs or boats, asphalt surfaces, and 4000 psi when trying to strip off some paint. Lower ranges include 1200 to 1600 psi on vinyl surfaces or objects, 1200 to 1900 psi on automobiles, 1500 psi on motorcycles, bikes, and scooters. Besides psi, there are also other units to be aware of when dealing with pressure washers, and these include the GPM (Gallons Per Minute) and CU (Cleaning Units). If you want to learn more about adjusting the pressure on a pressure washer, keep reading this article.
Methods To Adjust Pressure On Pressure Washer
Finally, we will discuss the different methods of adjusting the pressure on your pressure washer. If you are uncertain about the specific psi that your pressure washer is performing on, you can use a pressure gauge attachment. This would tell you what specific pressure your machine is on, aside from the given base psi that depends on the pressure washer model. Here are the ways on how to adjust pressure on pressure washer:
Method #1. Using an inline pressure regulator
The first method is by using an inline pressure regulator. This attachment can be bought or could come with your pressure washer. All this does is become a different tunnel between the high-pressure hose and the water spray gun. This can be adjusted to alter its opening, effectively limiting the amount of water passing through. The smaller the hole, the higher the water pressure.
Method #2. Changing the nozzle tip
The most common method is just to change the tip of the spray gun. Pressure washers generally come with different nozzle tips. These tips have different angles and are designed for specific applications. The wider the tip angle, the lower the pressure, and the narrower the tip angle, the higher the pressure. It is essential to read the owner’s manual first for the instructions.
Method #3. Proper spray to surface distance
Finally, the most foolproof method is just to mind the spray tip’s distance from the target surface. It is fundamental physics; the closer the information is to the surface, the stronger the pressure, and the farther it is, the weaker the pressure. This is why if you are using your pressure washer on a surface and there is not enough power for the dirt to go, just move the spray gun closer.
It’s A Wrap!
At the end of this article, I hope you have learned how to adjust pressure on pressure washer. Thank you for reading up to this point of the article. You are a fantastic person. Keep on learning new things. Your time and effort are very much appreciated. You may also want to read about how to start a gas pressure washer and why is my pressure washer not building pressure