I've been a pressure washing contractor for 23 years. A few tips for your machine; Bypass the break tank under the unit and plumb it to a garden hose with an inline water filter. Put a male and female guick disconnect on the pressure hose so that you can easily remove the wand from the hose. The valves you pulled out are called check valves. They get clogged open usually not allowing the pump to build full pressure. Pick up a bag of viton o-rings for the QDs. They wear out regularly. Your burner should not come on unless the trigger is pulled open, if it does you have a bad flow switch and that dangerous (steam explosion)!. Always run water through the system before and after running the burner. The shrader valve is probably to blow the water out of the pump and coil, better to fill with antifreeze if it can freeze. The braided hose is a pressure bypass line. When you let off the trigger it recirculates the water through the pump head so it takes pressure of the coil, hose gun. After 2-3 minutes in recirc. the water will get hot and can damage the seals in the pump. Make sure you have the correct tips in the wand. According to the gpm of the machine. You will need a low pressure soap tip with a single lance wand, it uses the venturi effect to draw soap but its always best to have the draw hose after the coil so your not running chemicals through the pump or coil. You can run diesel or kerosene in the burner tank and your right about it being like a home oil furnace. Beckett makes most of them. Good luck and be careful.
I agree I used to work for hotsy the correct tip can make or break a machine people think u can just go by tips anywhere also when ur done using heat run cold water through the coil to v oil it down and ur burner tip can usually be cleaned you want a good fine mist out of them
You ever had any experiences with steam explosions on the job? I haven't ever thought about that before but I also have only cold water pressure washed. I imagine it'd be dangerous as hell
@@JimLahey21 Yes , he does . He has even emailed me with questions about my comments . He's good that way . But the best thing about his comment section are the responses . Some really knowledgeable and experienced people watch his videos . From mechanics to techs, and engineers . I've learned a lot from reading the comments actually . Good source of knowledge .
I spent a few years repairing these, it must be set up so the burner only runs when water is flowing. Otherwise you quickly end up with a very large steam bomb. There is a vacuum switch i saw it on the unit but its not working right. I know its a video but before you run it again..please get that part fixed..id miss the sunday morning videos. Edit im 49 minutes in maybe you do fix it by end.
Another great fix without a manual , you have a very great sense of deductive reasoning , great intelligence and a pleasure to watch . Thanks for the video's you produce !
Might get a lot more pressure if you continue cleaning those valves in the pressure pump that were stuck closed. Probably a multistage pump that needs them all flowing to create max pressure.
When he didnt have the hose on you could see the water losing pressure coming out of the cupler reguraly, like how an old engine gallops due to stuck rings. I definitely think that at least one of the valves isnt free on the top.
The top valves are the inlet valves. Stuck closed and they won't let water through, stuck open and they won't make pressure. It's possible that one is stuck, probably not two and definitely not all three.
The Schrader valve is for blowing air into the coils so it doesn't freeze residue water in the coils in winter. I'm thinking the seals on the pump valve might need repacking.😊
i used to work on these pumps and it looks like a interpump pump. when you seen the water dripping from under the pump from all 3 of the pistons it means the piston seals are worn and need replacing so you get the full pumping capacity, the pistons are ceramic and the seal acts similar to a regular piston ring but is located in the bore and not the piston
really pisses me off when people watch for 5mins then stop and start making comments,do this do that.If they would watch the whole thing first they would see he covers 99% of what they are telling what to look for
I haven't finished watching the video yet, but working on a wet concrete floor with a system that has already faulted on a GFI circuit breaker 🤔, but I guess you posted the video so you made it out alive 🙄
If the burner flashes to steam may be a faulty thermostatvon the output side of the coil OR TOO SMALL A NOZZLE OEFICE. that is key to get the correct pressure and flow rate. Another thing that is hard to get the burner running right is to replace the fuel filter. 5hat has caused lots of trouble for my customers. So I replace them often to eliminate some frustration. I sell and service all makes of pressure washers for 32 years now.
Another demonstration of advanced diagnostics. There is not a chance I would ever dive into such a project; I guess that's why it's so fascinating to see someone who would. Amazing video, as-usual Mustie.
I found a Alkota hot water pressure washer at a metal recycler. 4000PSI @ 4GPM, with a 18HP Vanguard engine. After cleaning the rust out of the coil with acid and replacing the burner motor, igniter, unloader valve, muffer, and rebuilding the water pump, it works beautifully. Overall, I spent about $1000 for a unit that probably cost $12 - 14k new.
You need to make sure the burner doesn't run unless the water is flowing out of the gun. It has the potential to be a pressure vessel. The silver box you referred to as a pressure switch is a vacuum switch. It should be wired in series with the fuel solenoid so every time you let off of the trigger it stops solenoid from energizing.
I've used numerous industrial steam cleaners and all of them shut off the burner when you let off the trigger. It's exactly the same way instant water heaters work.
Sweet Jayzus that´s scary and a half. Don´t these things have an overpressure valve like the ones on Sodastream canisters to stop them from turning into a bomb? @@nellof1244
ya you should always run all the air out before turning on the burner as to not make steam and yes to cool it off you need to run it till cool water starts to come out again as to not make steam in the exchanger
Buy a good quality descaling acid and add some to the water supply reservoir, run the machine without a nozzle on the lance until you start to see black sludge appear. Once you see that sludge let the machine sit for a day to allow the acid to work. You may need to remove the low and high pressure valves when you flush the system. Also reducing the water flow using the pressure valve will increase heat if you are looking for wet steam.
We used this kind of pressure washers at the family winery to wash out the fermentation containers. I fixed them all the time. We had hard water and the minerals would collect along every interior water passage, especially the heating coil. Clogged like crazy.
Mustie if you get tired of burning your hands on the wand do what I did back in the day, I took 2 1x2’s the full length of the wand and carved a groove 1/2 the diameter of the pipe in each and hose clamped them around the wand, I shaved corners off the boards for comfort, great video keep em comin
Good score that one Mustie, the fuel filter is a baldwin B825 and the upper valves are the outlet valves so should not stick on you. The soap intake usually drops the pressure slightly so with it turned off you should get a better pressure, I always run the cleaner with the heat turned off until i can comfortably hold my hand on the steel part of the wand, this only takes a minute or two and cools the heating coil down enough to not cause any thermal shock if you run cold water into it
Used a Hotsy brand hot water pressure washer for years in a meat processing plant. It made cleaning up at the end of the day so much easier. You did well with this purchase.
We used a Hotsy as well, both gasoline and an electric powered at the shop. We had a a guy washing our well service trucks every night, all 26 of them, and we didn't have any problems with it at all.
We used a high pressure hose hooked to a 160+ degree hot water tank in the meat room I worked in as a young man. Hit everything with low pressure soap, blasted, then sanitizer, then blasted again.Took about 90 minutes to clean the whole room and all the equipment. Went home every night soaked. Learned a ton at that job, those guys were all nuts, in a good way LOL!!
For a little added security for your shop...park that forklift tight across the inside of the garage door! Will wake some thief up if they decide to ram the bottom of the door to get in.
You can also just put a steel beam across the door about hip high. Downside is you have to lift it on and off. My local high school has colour matched beams across the outside of the roller doors on a shed they put up for their various vehicles. I believe they're on the outside as a visible deterrent. Personally I'd put them on the inside so they can't be removed without breaking in first.
That thing works great now! I build race engines and use a spray wash tank with heat, but I’ve always wanted to try the hot pressure washer for pre washing the nasty engines that come in for rebuilds. Good job and awesome find! I’ve been watching your videos for years and will continue watching!
We used to have an industrial Karcher diesel pressure washer at one place I worked at. Every now and then we had to run some descaling fluid through it on hot wash when the pressure began to drop noticeably. Also, try to get the thermostat sorted too, as it is its more of a paint stripper than a hot washer. Gr8 vid 👍
Definitely not a bad deal for just 3 stuck intake valves. Congrats! In case you don't know, look into getting one of those rotary tips with a fine point on it. They work amazingly well for cutting through grease and nasty stuff.
My company, HOP Sales & Service was the original seller of this machine (blue & white decal on the side). This is a mid 1980s model. Great unit, though. We still carry all the parts for them. Nice work on the diag / repair.
This was a fun adventure to watch, LOL! I bought a different brand at an auction and it had the same problems. Once we got the wiring put back together we discovered it had probably been used in the oil field in Oklahoma since the heating coil was completely plugged up with what seemed to be bentonite. We took a 3/4 drill and some 3/16 cable and used it to auger out all of the clay, rebuilt the pump, got it fired up and it worked great. I recommend Stabil Pump Protector when you're going to let it sit. It keeps the corrosion out of the pump and displaces the water for cold weather.
Awesome save on the ole steam cleaner...used one back in Auto Shop back in highschool and it always made quick work breaking down the old grease and grime. Like that for a small investment and a gamble..you got a machine that will serve you well. Bravo at bringing it back 😁🇺🇸🛠️😎
In high school my friend had a job cleaning a slaughterhouse every night after school from 3-6pm. He used a similar machine to clean every service in the slaughterhouse. They also added some kind of cleaner/sanitizer. It was a very hard job, but back then it paid twice as much as retail jobs the rest of us had.
nice score with the hot water pressure washer Mustie. they are worth their weight in gold. bit temperamental at times but once you get the hang of their quirks, they arent too bad. you are on right path - descaling the coils. oughta help get rid of the muck etc
I must admit I was a bit nervous for you as I watched you troubleshoot this unit . I worked for Alkota in the late 70s and years ālater I was a mechanic for an outfit called Ben's Cleaner Sales in Seattle WA . The owners that started Aladin all worked for Alkota prior . The only thing I did not see the other experts mention is that if you want a more trouble free burner , run stove oil . Kerosene does not put out the same BTU as stove oil with the same size burner nozzle . The other thing with kerosene is if you run out , it has very little lubrication so you can damage the pump easily . Diesel #1 is a good second choice , #2 can soot up your coil . I would say a good buy .
It's been mentioned that the burner MUST shut off when you release the trigger and no water is flowing because it will quickly heat up and has the potential to become a bomb. The inlet valves often get stuck with rust, the outlet ones get forced open by pressure so don't suffer as much. You can also get bits of debris stuck in the inlet valves stopping them from closing and allowing the pressure back into the inlet pipe. Running the pump without water flow will burn out the pump seals, these have (normally) ceramic sleeved pistons running in seals which will leak if they get worn and water drips out of the holes under the pump. When you let go of the trigger the pressure builds up quickly and opens the valve allowing the water to bypass back into the tank. If there is any air in the system this valve will hunt as the pressure drops and then as pressure builds again the burner will start for a second or two. It's likely that the burner doesn't fire up properly but will squirt fuel into the bottom of the boiler so you can get a build up resulting in a fire. If I remember correctly, and these machines arelikely 70s rather than 80s, the burner nozzle would be about 1.5 0r 1.75 UK gallons per minute, Check the filter in the pump and behind the nozzle as they can block, yours burns cleanly so should be ok. Run it on cold only for a couple of minutes after switching off the heat. More modern machines switch off when you release the trigger rather than allowing water to bypass which is a safer and more economical method. High pressure hot water on car paintwork can cause damage to the paint so it's better to keep away from the bodywork and use the approriate chemical/soap.
Used to service permanently installed versions of that years ago. Drove 3hrs to service one, in a brand new fleet van just picked up, got all filters changed valves clean, pressure reset etc. Switched it on to test it using the van as a test vehicle. Blew the paint and filler out of the front wing! Turned out it had been bumped and repaired by the dealer. Cost them a new front wing and 2yrs free servicing 😅
Im sure many of us in the mechanical trade used these hot water washers, as it was usually the bottom rung of the ladder, as we learned our trade. Id say, [ without watching all the way through, ] that you don't have enough pressure, so the pump needs an overhaul. But i have fond memories of my early days, learning the ropes. Thanks for this one, brought back some happy memories.
That was a great find at that price and lucky that it was just a few stuck valves. I'm currently looking at getting one myself, fingers crossed I get as good deal.
You will get great use from this steam washer. All your projects, lawnmowers, chainsaws, VW engines and so on will benefit. To clean down grimy engines you need to spray on degreaser first. Go easy on car paintwork, it might blow the paint off. My neighbour has 28 tractors, along with dozers, loading shovels, excavators, trucks etc and he says that steam cleaning is the most important maintenance tool. You will notice leaks before they become problems. Even washing down a house, windows etc it does a super job.
If pressure washer couplers leak, it often means that the o ring inside is damaged and needs replaced. A dental pick is good to remove them, and a small straight screwdriver is useful to install them. Have replaced many of these at work in 16 years.
Never sell it. It is incredible tool to have. It takes off mold from anything, Washes interior parts and seats . And for washing greasy engines , there is no comparrison with the simple preassure washers. We cleanesd the production floor of grease production facility with one of those , it is so good of a tool.
I used one of these when I was working as a farm hand to pressure wash the tractors at the end of the year. Ours had a gas engine instead of electric but still used diesel for heating the water. They work really well when trying to remove grease and oils!
The steam genny you purchased was a super bargain. I used them in the past in a Diesel engine repair facility. It would make the most greasy engine or surrounding frame squeaky clean and then a pleasure to work on. Nice video as usual.
Capacitors on a motor won't cause the GFCI to trip. Nothing should ever leak that much power from phase to ground to trip it. the most you could see is small value filter capacitors that filter noise, but I doubt this has any, you only see them on electronic devices. There has to be a fault either between phase or more likely neutral to ground. Since it doesn't trip the overcurrent breaker my bet is on a neutral to ground fault. Your air compressor must also have a ground fault.
It seems much more like a neutral to ground fault because it tripped even when it was turned off. And it takes about a second to trip, a real line to ground fault would most likely be instant.
You will get a lot of use out of that. The hot water makes a lot of difference when cleaning. Good video, thanks !! The one thing I saw is when you went to put the tip on with your finger on the end. You quickly moved it, which was a great idea. I've heard horror stories of guys injecting themselves with water, left over pressure in the hose.
FYI, burning kerosene, especially on a machine that sits quite a bit, is a much better plan. Unfortunately, it’s expensive and not as easy to find. I work on these things for a living and it’s extremely rare for a kerosene burner to need anything more than the most basic service. Additionally, make sure your nozzles are properly sized, otherwise, pump and unloader valve damage can occur. Hopefully I don’t feel stupid after watching the video and find out you already cover this stuff. Ha.
Also diesel fuel has better lubrication for the fuel pump. A customer of mine was told to use Varsol and wore out fuel pumps in a week.. I loved the repeat service calls untill he believed me. And switchee back to diesel.
Uggg seeing that skid steer all covered in oil and a perfectly good cleaner, driving my OCD crazy, I must see it cleaned! Thanks for another great video.
I got one of these for free. I don't know if it works or not as I don't have 220 in my garage yet. I'm glad you found one so I can learn how to fix mine.
I have to say my first reaction to a GFI trip is not to ignore it and then touch metalwork that could be live. Lol. Maybe I am getting soft in my old age. Done the whole 'being thrown off my chair by electric shocks' in my early years. 😅
That is a very useful machine Mustie, I can see you cleaning up all those greasey machines before you start work on them. I suppose the only downside is that you will have to relubricate everything to stop them corroding.
The Critical thing to always remember on a steam cleaner, is to cool down the coils after every use,........... Simply shut off the burner and allow cool water to flow thru the unit, or they will crack! Most people forget, and then they have issues. I love the variety of equipment that you repair, But hey a machine is a machine, Same basic principles.
Seems to work fine as the pressure goes. Amazon sells a pressure gauge that you can hook up to the hose fittings. 3/8 size is the hose and 1/4 is the fittings size. I just replaced a cracked ceramic tube in the pump on a pressure washer i got. Went ahead and rebuilt the pump while I was in it but yours is fine. They get dry and will leak. Ive also filled some up with oil where the water inlet is and let them soak for a week. Works good for winter storage as well. Great content Sir.
You got that machine for a steal nice you got it working, I bet that would come in handy for so many cleaning projects but especially for cleaning motors and oil of the bottom of vehicles.
Hey Darein. The smaĺl valve that wont shut off is the upstream sosp injector . Adjusts concentration of the sosl on the high pressure soap. You should slso find a regulator on the pump output side. May be pooched. Thfe 6 30mm valve bolts 3 on the front see inlet. The 3 on top are the high pressure. Pull them out and make sure the plastic cages and springs and ssucers are intact too. There is an o ring in the bottom of each valve that if it is split will not seal eith the hp or the intake valves. Put a short 3/8" high pressure waah hose with the gun snd PROPER NOZZLE after the regukator to verify the pump is cspable of pressure. If so then hook up tge coil. Fill the tank with diesel and see if the fanvblows air up when in burner mode. Also check for spark at the burner electrodes. The black burner transformer might be dead. These are all things I woulx do on a seevice csll and i have done plenty on diesrl hot water machines of all makes. Bill W
Just a spot of info, always let the pump continue to run for several minutes,and let the cool fresh water flush the entire system until the water coming out of thw nozzle is the same temp as what's going into the pump,and your steam cleaner will last you a lot longer and be less troublesome..
One of these used to be the bane of my life when I was a Mech/Eng Apprentice in the early 80's, I was forever disassembling/reassembling the damn thing chasing out clogs, I came to realise that my firm was using it to teach me how to fault check a system as they'd have one of the older Engineers manufacture a clog of fault and I was being marked on how long it took me to find and rectify the fault/faults. The usual job it was used for was blasting out the biological build up in marine heat exchangers using Genesol as the cleaning agent along with the hot waters mechanical action, and concentrated detergent with the hot waters mechanical action for cleaning heavily solid mechanical parts, this was long before the environmentally friendly parts washers were available.
I'm not sure about your pump but most hold a modest amount of non-detergent motor oil, synthetic motor oil, or pump oil. The idea is to avoid foaming which will kill a pump instantly. I like fully synthetic 10W-30. Regular oil level checks and changes insure that pumps run like new. Check valves and tips will often have issues with dirty water. An ordinary screen filter the antidote.
I painted used tractors for a dealer and used a steam cleaner to prep them for paint. Nothing digs into years of grease and oil build-up like one of those! Though you can come close with solvents and a regular pressure washer plus a little more elbow grease
I really enjoyed that. I've been finding a lot of use for my little Ryobi pressure washer but I dream of having a gnarly degreaser like the one you just repaired. I was super nervous when you put the impact gun on the valves.... Thanks for showing me how to do it.
Had a very similar machine,got rid of it for the same reason. Assumed in was the pump. It was in better condition than yours. Bought it new had it fou25 years. I can get it back and will remove the pistons to see if that was the problem. Great video . Power America was the name of the pressure washer
Tips clog very quick, I always took them off the gun to eliminate this.this even sounds like mine . When you let off the trigger the burner stops.great for removing off equipment and removing sand and salt off vehicles . We are in mass
I've been a pressure washing contractor for 23 years. A few tips for your machine; Bypass the break tank under the unit and plumb it to a garden hose with an inline water filter. Put a male and female guick disconnect on the pressure hose so that you can easily remove the wand from the hose. The valves you pulled out are called check valves. They get clogged open usually not allowing the pump to build full pressure. Pick up a bag of viton o-rings for the QDs. They wear out regularly. Your burner should not come on unless the trigger is pulled open, if it does you have a bad flow switch and that dangerous (steam explosion)!. Always run water through the system before and after running the burner. The shrader valve is probably to blow the water out of the pump and coil, better to fill with antifreeze if it can freeze. The braided hose is a pressure bypass line. When you let off the trigger it recirculates the water through the pump head so it takes pressure of the coil, hose gun. After 2-3 minutes in recirc. the water will get hot and can damage the seals in the pump. Make sure you have the correct tips in the wand. According to the gpm of the machine. You will need a low pressure soap tip with a single lance wand, it uses the venturi effect to draw soap but its always best to have the draw hose after the coil so your not running chemicals through the pump or coil. You can run diesel or kerosene in the burner tank and your right about it being like a home oil furnace. Beckett makes most of them. Good luck and be careful.
I agree I used to work for hotsy the correct tip can make or break a machine people think u can just go by tips anywhere also when ur done using heat run cold water through the coil to v oil it down and ur burner tip can usually be cleaned you want a good fine mist out of them
You ever had any experiences with steam explosions on the job? I haven't ever thought about that before but I also have only cold water pressure washed. I imagine it'd be dangerous as hell
He never reads comments...
Logic and common sense will always get the right result !!
@@JimLahey21 Yes , he does . He has even emailed me with questions about my comments . He's good that way . But the best thing about his comment section are the responses . Some really knowledgeable and experienced people watch his videos . From mechanics to techs, and engineers . I've learned a lot from reading the comments actually . Good source of knowledge .
I spent a few years repairing these, it must be set up so the burner only runs when water is flowing. Otherwise you quickly end up with a very large steam bomb. There is a vacuum switch i saw it on the unit but its not working right. I know its a video but before you run it again..please get that part fixed..id miss the sunday morning videos. Edit im 49 minutes in maybe you do fix it by end.
PRV bosd
Another great fix without a manual , you have a very great sense of deductive reasoning , great intelligence and a pleasure to watch . Thanks for the video's you produce !
Elementary, my dear Watson
Might get a lot more pressure if you continue cleaning those valves in the pressure pump that were stuck closed. Probably a multistage pump that needs them all flowing to create max pressure.
When he didnt have the hose on you could see the water losing pressure coming out of the cupler reguraly, like how an old engine gallops due to stuck rings. I definitely think that at least one of the valves isnt free on the top.
The top valves are the inlet valves. Stuck closed and they won't let water through, stuck open and they won't make pressure. It's possible that one is stuck, probably not two and definitely not all three.
Yes I will say it didn't have the right water pressure. I hope he makes a follow up video were he improves it.
He didn't have the pressure dial turned up until he put the knob on at the end. Pressure is probably fine.
Possibly the first-ever pressure washer that puts dirt onto the item you're trying to wash. :)
Helps get the paint off when you add the heat and some "grit".
The Schrader valve is for blowing air into the coils so it
doesn't freeze residue water in the coils in winter. I'm thinking the seals on the pump valve might need repacking.😊
Everything you work on I learn something new. Thank you so much for making these videos.
i used to work on these pumps and it looks like a interpump pump. when you seen the water dripping from under the pump from all 3 of the pistons it means the piston seals are worn and need replacing so you get the full pumping capacity, the pistons are ceramic and the seal acts similar to a regular piston ring but is located in the bore and not the piston
Thanks mustie another happy Sunday 😊😊😊😊
really pisses me off when people watch for 5mins then stop and start making comments,do this do that.If they would watch the whole thing first they would see he covers 99% of what they are telling what to look for
That is an awesome looking hot water pressure washer.
I haven't finished watching the video yet, but working on a wet concrete floor with a system that has already faulted on a GFI circuit breaker 🤔, but I guess you posted the video so you made it out alive 🙄
Nice find!
If the burner flashes to steam may be a faulty thermostatvon the output side of the coil OR TOO SMALL A NOZZLE OEFICE.
that is key to get the correct pressure and flow rate.
Another thing that is hard to get the burner running right is to replace the fuel filter. 5hat has caused lots of trouble for my customers. So I replace them often to eliminate some frustration. I sell and service all makes of pressure washers for 32 years now.
Another demonstration of advanced diagnostics. There is not a chance I would ever dive into such a project; I guess that's why it's so fascinating to see someone who would. Amazing video, as-usual Mustie.
I found a Alkota hot water pressure washer at a metal recycler. 4000PSI @ 4GPM, with a 18HP Vanguard engine. After cleaning the rust out of the coil with acid and replacing the burner motor, igniter, unloader valve, muffer, and rebuilding the water pump, it works beautifully. Overall, I spent about $1000 for a unit that probably cost $12 - 14k new.
12k. LMAO.
Eh. A Northern Tool hot water pressure washer of similar capacity and style is $9k, and there's no Alkota dealers in my area to check prices.
It is a professional tool thay double or triple the price for those
You need to make sure the burner doesn't run unless the water is flowing out of the gun. It has the potential to be a pressure vessel. The silver box you referred to as a pressure switch is a vacuum switch. It should be wired in series with the fuel solenoid so every time you let off of the trigger it stops solenoid from energizing.
He said in the video that it was shutting the burner down when he stopped pulling the trigger.
he read the instruction to do that and ignored it!
I've used numerous industrial steam cleaners and all of them shut off the burner when you let off the trigger. It's exactly the same way instant water heaters work.
I purchased a used one of these machines years ago someone bypassed that switch. thank God I caught it
Sweet Jayzus that´s scary and a half. Don´t these things have an overpressure valve like the ones on Sodastream canisters to stop them from turning into a bomb? @@nellof1244
@Mustie1 Awesome video, when you will save a trailer? Thank you.👍👍👍
ya you should always run all the air out before turning on the burner as to not make steam and yes to cool it off you need to run it till cool water starts to come out again as to not make steam in the exchanger
Buy a good quality descaling acid and add some to the water supply reservoir, run the machine without a nozzle on the lance until you start to see black sludge appear. Once you see that sludge let the machine sit for a day to allow the acid to work. You may need to remove the low and high pressure valves when you flush the system. Also reducing the water flow using the pressure valve will increase heat if you are looking for wet steam.
Always a good feeling when you fix something, and bring it back to life.
We used this kind of pressure washers at the family winery to wash out the fermentation containers. I fixed them all the time. We had hard water and the minerals would collect along every interior water passage, especially the heating coil. Clogged like crazy.
Mustie if you get tired of burning your hands on the wand do what I did back in the day, I took 2 1x2’s the full length of the wand and carved a groove 1/2 the diameter of the pipe in each and hose clamped them around the wand, I shaved corners off the boards for comfort, great video keep em comin
Good score that one Mustie, the fuel filter is a baldwin B825 and the upper valves are the outlet valves so should not stick on you. The soap intake usually drops the pressure slightly so with it turned off you should get a better pressure, I always run the cleaner with the heat turned off until i can comfortably hold my hand on the steel part of the wand, this only takes a minute or two and cools the heating coil down enough to not cause any thermal shock if you run cold water into it
You had the best explanation of GFCI I've ever heard. Thanks for teaching me something new!
Used a Hotsy brand hot water pressure washer for years in a meat processing plant. It made cleaning up at the end of the day so much easier. You did well with this purchase.
We have a couple of those spread across the adm plant I work at and I’ll use them as pumps to wash ac coils if they’re really dirty
We used a Hotsy as well, both gasoline and an electric powered at the shop. We had a a guy washing our well service trucks every night, all 26 of them, and we didn't have any problems with it at all.
We used a high pressure hose hooked to a 160+ degree hot water tank in the meat room I worked in as a young man. Hit everything with low pressure soap, blasted, then sanitizer, then blasted again.Took about 90 minutes to clean the whole room and all the equipment. Went home every night soaked. Learned a ton at that job, those guys were all nuts, in a good way LOL!!
For a little added security for your shop...park that forklift tight across the inside of the garage door! Will wake some thief up if they decide to ram the bottom of the door to get in.
You can also just put a steel beam across the door about hip high. Downside is you have to lift it on and off.
My local high school has colour matched beams across the outside of the roller doors on a shed they put up for their various vehicles. I believe they're on the outside as a visible deterrent. Personally I'd put them on the inside so they can't be removed without breaking in first.
That thing works great now! I build race engines and use a spray wash tank with heat, but I’ve always wanted to try the hot pressure washer for pre washing the nasty engines that come in for rebuilds. Good job and awesome find! I’ve been watching your videos for years and will continue watching!
I use a carpet cleaner with heat I've run a little bit of vinegar through it every now and then to clean out the scale.
I'm glad the pump wasn't roached! Fun to learn about a new kind of machine!!!
We used to have an industrial Karcher diesel pressure washer at one place I worked at.
Every now and then we had to run some descaling fluid through it on hot wash when the pressure began to drop noticeably.
Also, try to get the thermostat sorted too, as it is its more of a paint stripper than a hot washer.
Gr8 vid 👍
Definitely not a bad deal for just 3 stuck intake valves. Congrats! In case you don't know, look into getting one of those rotary tips with a fine point on it. They work amazingly well for cutting through grease and nasty stuff.
You should also adjust your temp so that the burner is not running constantly.
I worked as a detailer in the late 1980s and used a kerosene powered pressure washer. It was a labor saver for sure.
Good afternoon everyone watching from Lincolnshire UK 🇬🇧
Hello from Columbus Ohio USA 👍
$300 and it now runs fine. ..... That sounds like a win in my book.
My company, HOP Sales & Service was the original seller of this machine (blue & white decal on the side). This is a mid 1980s model. Great unit, though. We still carry all the parts for them. Nice work on the diag / repair.
I have an alkota machine. I use the air chuck to blow the water from the coil so it doesn't freeze up in the winter.
You are a man after my own heart, operating a steam Jenny with short pants. You the man.
This was a fun adventure to watch, LOL! I bought a different brand at an auction and it had the same problems. Once we got the wiring put back together we discovered it had probably been used in the oil field in Oklahoma since the heating coil was completely plugged up with what seemed to be bentonite. We took a 3/4 drill and some 3/16 cable and used it to auger out all of the clay, rebuilt the pump, got it fired up and it worked great. I recommend Stabil Pump Protector when you're going to let it sit. It keeps the corrosion out of the pump and displaces the water for cold weather.
The 90 degree angled nozzle looked home made. I hadn't seen that before. Thanks for the cool video.
Awesome save on the ole steam cleaner...used one back in Auto Shop back in highschool and it always made quick work breaking down the old grease and grime. Like that for a small investment and a gamble..you got a machine that will serve you well. Bravo at bringing it back 😁🇺🇸🛠️😎
In high school my friend had a job cleaning a slaughterhouse every night after school from 3-6pm. He used a similar machine to clean every service in the slaughterhouse. They also added some kind of cleaner/sanitizer. It was a very hard job, but back then it paid twice as much as retail jobs the rest of us had.
nice score with the hot water pressure washer Mustie. they are worth their weight in gold. bit temperamental at times but once you get the hang of their quirks, they arent too bad. you are on right path - descaling the coils. oughta help get rid of the muck etc
The lift at the end. I still remember you fixing that distributor. It was a brilliant video. Thank you.
I must admit I was a bit nervous for you as I watched you troubleshoot this unit . I worked for Alkota in the late 70s and years ālater I was a mechanic for an outfit called Ben's Cleaner Sales in Seattle WA . The owners that started Aladin all worked for Alkota prior . The only thing I did not see the other experts mention is that if you want a more trouble free burner , run stove oil . Kerosene does not put out the same BTU as stove oil with the same size burner nozzle . The other thing with kerosene is if you run out , it has very little lubrication so you can damage the pump easily . Diesel #1 is a good second choice , #2 can soot up your coil . I would say a good buy .
Wow! Fire, electricity, water and high pressure steam. You outdid yourself this time. Be careful!
The "tire valve" is for blowing the water out for winter storage. You need out flow for the pump to engage.
Another nice win, I love to watch you figure out machines on the fly! Thanks for the fun.
Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening, Mustonians, & Happy Sunday!
mustonians, 😂 I love it, we should start a Mustie 1 fan club.
It's been mentioned that the burner MUST shut off when you release the trigger and no water is flowing because it will quickly heat up and has the potential to become a bomb.
The inlet valves often get stuck with rust, the outlet ones get forced open by pressure so don't suffer as much. You can also get bits of debris stuck in the inlet valves stopping them from closing and allowing the pressure back into the inlet pipe.
Running the pump without water flow will burn out the pump seals, these have (normally) ceramic sleeved pistons running in seals which will leak if they get worn and water drips out of the holes under the pump.
When you let go of the trigger the pressure builds up quickly and opens the valve allowing the water to bypass back into the tank. If there is any air in the system this valve will hunt as the pressure drops and then as pressure builds again the burner will start for a second or two. It's likely that the burner doesn't fire up properly but will squirt fuel into the bottom of the boiler so you can get a build up resulting in a fire. If I remember correctly, and these machines arelikely 70s rather than 80s, the burner nozzle would be about 1.5 0r 1.75 UK gallons per minute, Check the filter in the pump and behind the nozzle as they can block, yours burns cleanly so should be ok.
Run it on cold only for a couple of minutes after switching off the heat.
More modern machines switch off when you release the trigger rather than allowing water to bypass which is a safer and more economical method.
High pressure hot water on car paintwork can cause damage to the paint so it's better to keep away from the bodywork and use the approriate chemical/soap.
Yet again, another in-depth education on something I didn't realize I needed an education on. NOW, I need one of those things! Thanks Mustie!
Used to service permanently installed versions of that years ago. Drove 3hrs to service one, in a brand new fleet van just picked up, got all filters changed valves clean, pressure reset etc. Switched it on to test it using the van as a test vehicle. Blew the paint and filler out of the front wing! Turned out it had been bumped and repaired by the dealer.
Cost them a new front wing and 2yrs free servicing 😅
Im sure many of us in the mechanical trade used these hot water washers, as it was usually the bottom rung of the ladder, as we learned our trade.
Id say, [ without watching all the way through, ] that you don't have enough pressure, so the pump needs an overhaul.
But i have fond memories of my early days, learning the ropes.
Thanks for this one, brought back some happy memories.
That was a great find at that price and lucky that it was just a few stuck valves. I'm currently looking at getting one myself, fingers crossed I get as good deal.
Nice score and no personal injury
getting it going!
You will get great use from this steam washer. All your projects, lawnmowers, chainsaws, VW engines and so on will benefit. To clean down grimy engines you need to spray on degreaser first. Go easy on car paintwork, it might blow the paint off. My neighbour has 28 tractors, along with dozers, loading shovels, excavators, trucks etc and he says that steam cleaning is the most important maintenance tool. You will notice leaks before they become problems. Even washing down a house, windows etc it does a super job.
If pressure washer couplers leak, it often means that the o ring inside is damaged and needs replaced. A dental pick is good to remove them, and a small straight screwdriver is useful to install them. Have replaced many of these at work in 16 years.
You are absolutely lucky. You stole that .now don't let it freeze. I'm so jealous. In a good way 😊
1:09:37 remember to grease the chains again!
Never sell it. It is incredible tool to have. It takes off mold from anything, Washes interior parts and seats . And for washing greasy engines , there is no comparrison with the simple preassure washers. We cleanesd the production floor of grease production facility with one of those , it is so good of a tool.
I couldn't really tell with his quick demonstration. But is there a clear advantage with the heated water as apposed to just pressurized water alone?
With all the projects he gets this machine is perfect. Like that old bicycle he fixed.
Lots of gooey material will soften an melt with hot water, making it easier to remove.
I used one of these when I was working as a farm hand to pressure wash the tractors at the end of the year. Ours had a gas engine instead of electric but still used diesel for heating the water. They work really well when trying to remove grease and oils!
The steam genny you purchased was a super bargain. I used them in the past in a Diesel engine repair facility. It would make the most greasy engine or surrounding frame squeaky clean and then a pleasure to work on. Nice video as usual.
Capacitors on a motor won't cause the GFCI to trip. Nothing should ever leak that much power from phase to ground to trip it. the most you could see is small value filter capacitors that filter noise, but I doubt this has any, you only see them on electronic devices. There has to be a fault either between phase or more likely neutral to ground. Since it doesn't trip the overcurrent breaker my bet is on a neutral to ground fault. Your air compressor must also have a ground fault.
It seems much more like a neutral to ground fault because it tripped even when it was turned off. And it takes about a second to trip, a real line to ground fault would most likely be instant.
You will get a lot of use out of that. The hot water makes a lot of difference when cleaning. Good video, thanks !!
The one thing I saw is when you went to put the tip on with your finger on the end. You quickly moved it, which was a great idea. I've heard horror stories of guys injecting themselves with water, left over pressure in the hose.
FYI, burning kerosene, especially on a machine that sits quite a bit, is a much better plan. Unfortunately, it’s expensive and not as easy to find. I work on these things for a living and it’s extremely rare for a kerosene burner to need anything more than the most basic service.
Additionally, make sure your nozzles are properly sized, otherwise, pump and unloader valve damage can occur.
Hopefully I don’t feel stupid after watching the video and find out you already cover this stuff. Ha.
will running pump without water hurt the pump
Another advantage to burning kerosene is that you can use diesel fuel in it, which is much easier to find.
No problem getting kerosene in his area
@@nedasher116 right? Where is he at that kerosene isnt easy to find?
Also diesel fuel has better lubrication for the fuel pump. A customer of mine was told to use Varsol and wore out fuel pumps in a week.. I loved the repeat service calls untill he believed me. And switchee back to diesel.
Id say that was a good purchase. Nice work on fixing the intake valves which was probably the main issue.
Uggg seeing that skid steer all covered in oil and a perfectly good cleaner, driving my OCD crazy, I must see it cleaned! Thanks for another great video.
Yet another great job. I would have had no idea whatsoever where to start.
Aeems like this would be a great addition to your garage to clean your projects before you work on them.
Thanks!
I got one of these for free. I don't know if it works or not as I don't have 220 in my garage yet. I'm glad you found one so I can learn how to fix mine.
The gamble pays off! Nice machine well worth investing a few dollars to make it a long term shop tool.
This will bring clean up to the next level.
Glad you bought this Darren.
I bet the lady who sold it wished you worked for her.
I have to say my first reaction to a GFI trip is not to ignore it and then touch metalwork that could be live. Lol. Maybe I am getting soft in my old age. Done the whole 'being thrown off my chair by electric shocks' in my early years. 😅
That is a very useful machine Mustie, I can see you cleaning up all those greasey machines before you start work on them. I suppose the only downside is that you will have to relubricate everything to stop them corroding.
I would put some Lime-Away in that water tank and let it suck that through the system - that would help eliminate lime scale buildup too.
Thanks for the shop time Mustie1! Great save on the washer! Steam cleaning is handy to have.
Awesome barn find. You now have a bargain steam geni. Congrats
The Critical thing to always remember on a steam cleaner, is to cool down the coils after every use,........... Simply shut off the burner and allow cool water to flow thru the unit, or they will crack! Most people forget, and then they have issues. I love the variety of equipment that you repair, But hey a machine is a machine, Same basic principles.
Preasur washers are amazing on their own.....you add hot water to that they are incredible cleaning machines for oily projects.
Seems to work fine as the pressure goes. Amazon sells a pressure gauge that you can hook up to the hose fittings. 3/8 size is the hose and 1/4 is the fittings size. I just replaced a cracked ceramic tube in the pump on a pressure washer i got. Went ahead and rebuilt the pump while I was in it but yours is fine. They get dry and will leak. Ive also filled some up with oil where the water inlet is and let them soak for a week. Works good for winter storage as well. Great content Sir.
Mustie 1, I know absolutely nothing about these machines and I don't need one here in S.C. but, that was so cool to watch. God bless and stay safe.
You got that machine for a steal nice you got it working, I bet that would come in handy for so many cleaning projects but especially for cleaning motors and oil of the bottom of vehicles.
I have no idea what is going on in your world, but it is great to hear you laugh again. Keep up the good work.
Hey Darein.
The smaĺl valve that wont shut off is the upstream sosp injector . Adjusts concentration of the sosl on the high pressure soap. You should slso find a regulator on the pump output side. May be pooched. Thfe 6 30mm valve bolts 3 on the front see inlet. The 3 on top are the high pressure. Pull them out and make sure the plastic cages and springs and ssucers are intact too. There is an o ring in the bottom of each valve that if it is split will not seal eith the hp or the intake valves.
Put a short 3/8" high pressure waah hose with the gun snd PROPER NOZZLE after the regukator to verify the pump is cspable of pressure. If so then hook up tge coil. Fill the tank with diesel and see if the fanvblows air up when in burner mode. Also check for spark at the burner electrodes. The black burner transformer might be dead.
These are all things I woulx do on a seevice csll and i have done plenty on diesrl hot water machines of all makes.
Bill W
A steam cleaner is the best purchase ever for you, Mustie, to clean up nasty rusty mook ... great buy , great fix.
Yes it's great for taking out those tar matts on VDub's Floors and make those running boards look new again!!!; )
Just a spot of info, always let the pump continue to run for several minutes,and let the cool fresh water flush the entire system until the water coming out of thw nozzle is the same temp as what's going into the pump,and your steam cleaner will last you a lot longer and be less troublesome..
One of these used to be the bane of my life when I was a Mech/Eng Apprentice in the early 80's, I was forever disassembling/reassembling the damn thing chasing out clogs, I came to realise that my firm was using it to teach me how to fault check a system as they'd have one of the older Engineers manufacture a clog of fault and I was being marked on how long it took me to find and rectify the fault/faults. The usual job it was used for was blasting out the biological build up in marine heat exchangers using Genesol as the cleaning agent along with the hot waters mechanical action, and concentrated detergent with the hot waters mechanical action for cleaning heavily solid mechanical parts, this was long before the environmentally friendly parts washers were available.
cars and bikes are nice but other things very interesting love it thanks...
I'm not sure about your pump but most hold a modest amount of non-detergent motor oil, synthetic motor oil, or pump oil. The idea is to avoid foaming which will kill a pump instantly. I like fully synthetic 10W-30. Regular oil level checks and changes insure that pumps run like new. Check valves and tips will often have issues with dirty water. An ordinary screen filter the antidote.
I painted used tractors for a dealer and used a steam cleaner to prep them for paint. Nothing digs into years of grease and oil build-up like one of those! Though you can come close with solvents and a regular pressure washer plus a little more elbow grease
This was definitely worth 300 dollars good save sir six stars brother
Yes the key to it all is the hose hooked up always wen running
Forklift engine now looks like it got a craiglist rebuild. Good find really interesting investigation and fix.
You Scored big on this one... You're gonna love having that thing around
Looks like it was a easy fix and a great gift for your collection …..
Awesome as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along
I really enjoyed that. I've been finding a lot of use for my little Ryobi pressure washer but I dream of having a gnarly degreaser like the one you just repaired.
I was super nervous when you put the impact gun on the valves.... Thanks for showing me how to do it.
Had a very similar machine,got rid of it for the same reason. Assumed in was the pump. It was in better condition than yours. Bought it new had it fou25 years. I can get it back and will remove the pistons to see if that was the problem. Great video . Power America was the name of the pressure washer
Tips clog very quick, I always took them off the gun to eliminate this.this even sounds like mine . When you let off the trigger the burner stops.great for removing off equipment and removing sand and salt off vehicles . We are in mass
You also need a twenty amp circuit. I cut the ground fault cord off.
This turned into ASMR power washing at the end and I'm all for it, nice save!