[stuartb]

Just bought my self a new pressure washer from Streamline. Its a 16.1 ltr per minute 200bar unit. Its got a Honda 340 engine and an Interpump. Used it about eight times now but on job number 7 I felt it lost power. And on job number 8 today I wasn't sure.
Is there a reason that this could happen to a new system?

[chris scott]

Drawing air (low pressure /feed side) or a blocked inlet water  filter?

[Jettaway]

Is it constantly loosing pressure/water flow or is it pulsing?

[M W.]

could be a multitude of possibilities. water flow/feed. tired nozzeles. leaking hose. etc.
we changed a turbo nozzle recentley on a new lance, and the presure returned ??. previoous nozzle had done next to no hrs ?. new m/c your still under warranty take problem back to them.

[stuartb]

The pressure loss seemed constant. I think it returned momentarily. I cant see anything leaking anywhere. When I first used it, it seemed to deal with mossy block paving like a knife through butter, but today it seemed to take a lot of passes to get it clean. I guess if I turn the system on full revs and fill a container with an incremented amount of litres I'll be able to see its actually sucking 16.1 litres per minute. Should it pass the 16.1 through the rotary cleaner, lance or both?

[Jettaway]

Doesn't sound like an air leak.

Check nozzles and filters for blockages. A flow test wouldn't do any harm.

[stuartb]

Thanks Jettaway. I'll check it

[JSMC]

sometimes i get hose pulsing real bad. cant find any leaks either.

[stuartb]

Yeah it was a mystery. Its just worried me a lot as I'd only just bought the thing. Tested it yesterday morning though at home and I think it was ok. It did 200ltr in about 12 mins, which is about right. But I noticed something strange - a small hole underneath the whirl away. As it was running I turned the Whirlaway upside down to check for leaks. Water was squirting from the hole, not under massive pressure. Does this hole serve a purpose or is something wrong?

[BDCS]

Read the other post for the answer

[Rllewellin]

With a petrol pressure washer, the engine speed should be set at 3400rpm. At this speed the pump should produce the specified flow (litres/min)
Assuming the pump is in good condition and you had sufficient water feed - If the flow rate is down, then either the unloader bypass valve is not functioning properly and diverting some of the water back to through the pump instead of too the lance, or the nozzles size is too small.
If you have the correct flow, then the pressure is reduced because the nozzle is too big. The pump will always produce the same flow, it is the size of the nozzle that dictates the pressure. Ideally you will have a nozzle that gives maximum pressure without reducing the flow rate. If the flow rate is reduced, you need to move up a nozzle size.