[nathankaye]

Ive posted several post on here about my tap fed pressure washer and how im saving for a big boy machine, which is the main aim. (So please no messages about changing my machine, thats obvious guys just not do able at this moment in time for many variable reasons)

I quite like however my ickle machine for the jobs i do. But my main problem is tap pressure. Only on 1 job did i have full tap n machine pressure and it took no time to do the job. So im thinking of a buffer tank from that to a self priming 12lpm pump to feed into my 8lpm machine, ran of a 12v lesuire bat. So that my pressure  is constant. A little faff to se up but thinking it might be a good idea. Any thoughts on this?

[chris scott]

Household tap into a buffer tank. Feed your pressure washer from a feed from the bottom of the buffer tank  (gravity fed not suction...call me if you need this explaining) . I cannot really see the need for the booster pump.

[nathankaye]

Household tap into a buffer tank. Feed your pressure washer from a feed from the bottom of the buffer tank  (gravity fed not suction...call me if you need this explaining) . I cannot really see the need for the booster pump.

Maybe i need a bigger buffer tank. I practised with a 100l water butt gravity fed into p/washer but i felt it didnt give better pressure than tap pressure. (Tho i did practise this at home, so that may play a part as i have good tap pressure). So im thinking if i have water going in quicker than the need of 8lpm outage it should meet the demand and supply me the maximum inlet pressure possible?

I'll do a retest,

[Smurf]

Have you been playing with the unloader valve?
Do you have any leaking hoses/connectors?
Have you check inline filters to see if they are restricted?
Are you using the correct size tips /turbo nozzle for that spec washer
What washer are you using?

[Don Kee]

Genuine question from guy that knows nothing about pressure washing and has no interest in taking it up!

Out of pure interest, do you need a minimum inlet pressure to feed your machines?
I would have thought the pumps in the machine create the pressure and so inlet flow is more important than the pressure its going in at?

By reading between the lines in this thread, maybe tap fed pressure washers need a decent inlet pressure to help 'prime' the pumps..?

Or do we mean flow in this instance and I'm being pedantic over terminology...?

[Mike Halliday]

A machine will pull water out of a container so theoretically will work under a negative pressure.

But I think they work better when they don have an inlet pressure as I have seen air bubble stop the machine priming.  some pumps also specify a maximum inlet pressure,

[chris scott]

Household tap into a buffer tank. Feed your pressure washer from a feed from the bottom of the buffer tank  (gravity fed not suction...call me if you need this explaining) . I cannot really see the need for the booster pump.

Maybe i need a bigger buffer tank. I practised with a 100l water butt gravity fed into p/washer but i felt it didnt give better pressure than tap pressure. (Tho i did practise this at home, so that may play a part as i have good tap pressure). So im thinking if i have water going in quicker than the need of 8lpm outage it should meet the demand and supply me the maximum inlet pressure possible?

I'll do a retest,

Hosepipe/hozelock fittings only work under pressure. You will draw air if you try to "suck" with them.