For a long time, we have been using pressure washers for almost all cleaning needs. However, the vast number of people are not aware of the mechanisms and working of a pressure washer. Well, you do not need to understand in details the whole mechanisms of a pressure washer, but you should have some basic knowledge of what’s happening during the cleaning process.

Having a basic knowledge of the workings of a pressure washer means you will be able to explain and troubleshoot issues such as a drop in pressure, spark plug issues or a sudden loss in water flow. From the basic physics, a pressure washer works on the foundations of Pascal’s Law, which states that when pressure is applied at one point in a fluid that is stored in an enclosed container, the pressure gets distributed equally in all directions in contact with the fluid. This law forms the basics of fluid dynamics. When fluid is compacted in an enclosed area, and pressure is applied at that point, pressure travels through the fluid and is felt equally by every molecule of the fluid.

The Working of Pressure Washer

At the heart of every pressure washer we have an electric motor which is responsible for driving the pump system. For the pumps to work correctly, they need water, which normally comes from the garden hose. This water flows into a twin-walled container or casing around the motor to cool down before it is put under pressure. This helps in reducing noise as well as extending the run time of the device.

The motor then drives a wobble plate moving the three pistons up and down. The downward motion of the piston draws water through the suction valve into the piston chamber or cylinder. When the piston moves up again, water is pushed out of the piston chamber through a pressure valve to the side of the injector. If required, cleaning agents are then added to the injector, with water flowing out of the pump to the high pressure gun.

All these processes happens so fast and in real time such that once you have turned the device on, you can immediately press the trigger and start cleaning. Cleaning with a pressure washer saves a lot of time as well as water. While about 3500 liters of water flow through a garden hose in an hour, a pressure washer only uses about 500 liters, with the saving effect explained by the high water pressure speed.

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