Piston Pumps

One of the most common applications for powered piston pumps is the pressure washer. You see them being used at car dealerships to clean off the new and used cars on the lots, in the mechanics shop to clean under the hood and in the body shop as part of the final prep before painting. Shopping centers and many other stores use them to clean their parking lots and homeowners use pressure washers for everything from cleaning out the gutters to washing their windows and siding in the spring. However, what many people fail to realize is that these piston pumps need to be used carefully and have regular maintenance performed in order to keep them working properly. Most people assume that you simply hook up the water hose and start the gas motor and you will always have plenty of high pressure water coming out of the nozzle. Unfortunately it is not quite that simple. Without proper care and use it is easy to damage one of these pumps and render it unusable without costly repairs.

Most of the smaller piston pumps are connected directly to the power plant via one or more belts; this means that whenever the engine is running the pump is turning. The only thing that keeps the pistons inside the pump cooled down is the water flowing through the pump. These pistons are ceramic, which under normal operating conditions will withstand many years of use, however if they are allowed to overheat they will crack or shatter. Most manufacturers of piston pumps like these claim that you can leave the pump running with no water flow for as much as five or ten minutes. However they also build in a bypass so that even when the trigger is not depressed there is a small amount of water flow to help with keeping the pistons cool. If you run your pump dry for just a few minutes your chances of damaging are very high, you should always make sure that you have an adequate water supply and if there is no built in bypass turn the pump off when not using it for more than a few minutes. You should perform a regular inspection on these types of piston pumps and the hoses attached to them.

Pay particularly close attention to the intake hose, if it gets any holes in it the pump will begin to starve for water. This is just like not having an adequate water supply and can result in a burned up pump that will need rebuilt or replaced, which can be very expensive. You should also keep a close eye on the oil level in the sump of the pump and change it on a regular basis to ensure maximum life for your pressure washer. These piston pumps are among the most commonly used in the country and at the same time the most commonly abused pumps. If you need a new pump for your pressure washer or need a little help understanding what is wrong with the one you have and need expert technical advice let the professionals at Earth Movement help you out. The trained staff is available to help you with any problem or question you may have.