Piston Pump

If you need to pump water from a tank, lake or river source for use in irrigation you will need to use some form of powered pump. When you have a well you need a submersible pump, but when you are dealing with an above ground source of water this type of pump is not practical. The most common style of pump for this application is an engine driven piston pump. Often referred to as a reciprocating plunger or piston style pump, these pumps are capable of supplying high volumes of water at high pressures. The most common application for a gasoline powered piston pump is the pressure washer. Pressure washers are now very common and the number of uses for one is almost endless. Most new and used car dealerships now have a pressure washer on their lot that they use to keep the vehicles on their lots clean. You might also find one in the mechanics shop that is used to clean under the hood before the mechanics work on the engine.

The piston pump creates a high pressure water stream by actually compressing the water within a cylinder as the piston moves upward toward the cylinder head much in the same way as the pistons in your car engine work. As the piston moves downward towards the crankshaft lower pressure water is drawn into the cylinder, as the piston moves upwards the water becomes compressed and is expelled at high pressure to the hose and out of the nozzle at the end of the wand. A single cylinder piston pump is not very useful as it may be able to produce a high pressure stream of water, but there would not be enough volume to be of any real use.

Today's modern pressure washer pumps often use three or four cylinders to be able to provide not only exceptionally high pressure water, but plenty of volume as well. If you do not have a good supply of high pressure water coming out of the pressure washer gun it will not be able to do the job you bought the pump for in the first place. If you want to buy a piston pump pressure washer you need to match the size of the pump and drive engine to the use you have in mind. Most homeowners may be able to get by with a 2 piston pump with a small gasoline engine. However, if you are planning to use the pressure washer to clean the cars on your lot frequently you may be better off with a 3 or 4 piston pump that uses a larger gas or diesel powered pump to ensure you get maximum pressure and lifespan out of your pump. If you are looking for this type of piston pump, but are not sure which size or type of pump might be best for your particular application you need to contact the experts at Earth Movement. They pride themselves on having the knowledge to help you find the right pump for your needs at the lowest possible prices.