It is essential that you fully understand how the fuel system works on your hot water pressure washer or steam cleaner. If you screw it up, it could catch fire, and if you’re not there to put it out, you could lose your machine. This type of equipment has been known to explode and Hydrotek of California has a video on CD Rom of a machine exploding when a fuel leak ignites just to show operators what could happen. We recommend Hydrotek hot water pressure washers. Some people prefer Landa, but we have tried them all.

If your hot water pressure washer runs on diesel then you need to replace these diesel filters. All hot water pressure washers have a burner that uses: diesel fuel, kerosene or natural gas to heat the water. If you use diesel fuel or kerosene, make sure the fuel is clean. A clogged filter will cause a blockage and shut off the burner due to lack of fuel flow. You should clean the dirt from your filter every two months.

There is a fuel pressure setting on the burner. To adjust the fuel pressure on your burner (which we do not recommend), turn the adjusting screw counterclockwise to decrease fuel flow; clockwise to increase fuel flow. Warning: Never exceed 145 pounds. fuel pressure; Doing so will create a giant flame on top of your steam cleaner. It will also burn the insulation around the coil. I’ve even set the coil on fire. I turned off the heat but the fuel continued to burn because I had soaked the insulation with diesel fuel. It also melted the paint on the coil cover, burned the transformer, and worse still, we ran out of water in the tank trying to put out the fire. So we drove down the street in flames and smoke, found a water tap and hose at someone’s house at one in the morning, turned on the hose, and put out the fire. All the neighbors woke up. Someone called the fire department and of course two police cars showed up. All this because the water was not staying hot while we were cleaning sidewalks in the middle of the night and we thought about adjusting the fuel pressure screw. Anyway, this wouldn’t have helped because we had a water flow issue that was shutting off the water before it reached the correct temperature. Please don’t touch that screw! – Call the dealer. You will see that you can really learn from our twenty years of experience. That happened fifteen years ago, but we at headquarters will never forget it.

Fuel control system

Our units use a fuel solenoid valve located on the fuel pump to control the flow of fuel to the combustion chamber. This solenoid, which is normally closed, is activated by a flow switch when water flows through it. When you release the shut-off gun trigger, the water flow through the flow switch stops cutting power to the fuel solenoid. This closes the solenoid, cutting off the fuel supply to the combustion chamber.

By controlling fuel flow in this way, our machines are unique in that they create instant burn or no burn situations. The solenoid allows us to maintain safety by removing high and low temperatures from the water. Temperatures that are too low will not clean well, and temperatures that are too high can cause an explosion, fire, or melting of machine components. We’ve also nearly eliminated the combustion smoke associated with our units by incorporating this chop gun. It also saves fuel and extends the life of the insulation. Not to mention, it doubles the time between regular descaling maintenance for Schedule 80 coils.

I recommend a periodic inspection to ensure the fuel solenoid valve is working properly. To do this, simply stand next to the coil exhaust and pull the trigger on your weapon. When it makes a thud, you know everything is working great. With this patented solenoid attached to the machine, we think it is a much safer piece of equipment.

Ignition circuit

You should periodically inspect the leads, spring contacts, and electrodes for condition, safety, and adequate clearance. To perform a transformer test, use a screwdriver (flawless) with an insulated handle. Be sure to keep your fingers away from the metal parts of the screwdriver. Place the blade across one contact and within 1/2 inch of the other contact. The transformer should arc with a small beam over the 1/2 inch distance. Be careful not to touch this because it is something like 10,000 volts.

Burner nozzles

Keep the tip of the nozzle free of deposits on the surface. Use a clean cloth saturated with solvent. Be careful not to block or enlarge the nozzle when cleaning. For maximum efficiency, replace the mouthpiece at tune-up every two to two and a half years.

Air settings

Steam cleaners are generally factory set to operate at 75 feet above sea level. If your unit is operating five hundred feet or more above sea level, you may need to make a one-time correction because the higher you are above sea level, the thinner the air will be. This fix will improve efficiency, performance, economy, and extend the life of your machines. If you notice a smoky or eye-burning exhaust from your machine, you probably need to adjust it. But first, make sure you burn clean fuel. The number one heating fuel is the best, but kerosene is fine. Diesel fuel can also be used.

A smoky, oily fire indicates a lack of air and the air band must be turned to allow air to flow through the burner. Sharp smoke that burns the eyes indicates that there is too much air flowing through the combustion chamber and unburned fuel is leaking, so turn the air band in the opposite direction.

The fuel flow to your steam cleaner is by far the most serious part of your machine, it can cause the most damage if not monitored or not working properly. If you have a trailer unit, bumps and potholes can cause problems with the system and you could find yourself trying to put out the fire in your machine. It could even explode in your face and hurt you or possibly possibly if you were unlucky enough to kill yourself. Play it safe, review it regularly, and don’t get hurt or caught in a lawsuit. Think about it.