The Big Mistake to Avoid when Using your Pressure Washer

[@kevinconway1232]

Good tip BT, changed mine over as soon as I watched your video. Many thanks.

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks Kevin. I'm glad you found the video useful 🙂

[@arob802]

I have a Karcher 4 pressure washer . Will be buying the flow valve to replace the Hozelock . Thanks for the informative video

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks. I'm glad that you found the video helpful 🙂

[@javidavi]

This is great info, thanks! Something that was not clear to me, can I still use an AquaStop to connect the hose to the tap? (provided that the hose is at least 10m long). Thank you.

[@bigtedshome]

Yes, using your aquastop fitting at the tap end of the hose will be fine.

[@javidavi]

@@bigtedshome thanks a lot!!!

[@JohnSmith-mt5ok]

Awesome guide works a treat, just waiting for rain, thank you

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks John. Looks like it will be a good day tomorrow 😃

[@me1234-d7d]

very interesting, i missed that in the manual too.

[@bigtedshome]

Most instruction manuals contain so many warnings that it's easy to miss things like this.

[@lockdownlover73]

Great advice, thanks. I didn't quite get the bit about the "gardena inline tap" where exactly do you fit this? at the end of the hose (just before it connects to the machine. or at the tap end) ?

[@bigtedshome]

If you put an inline tap on the end of the hose where it connects to the pressure washer, you can have your outdoor tap turned on but the inline tap turned off. No water will flow while you set up and then you can turn the inline tap on when you are ready. It saves you having to go back to the outdoor tap (mine is by the back door and I normally use the pressure washer on the drive at the front of the house). I hope this makes sense 😀

[@lockdownlover73]

😃@@bigtedshome

[@muharremata]

@@bigtedshome Hello, doesn't the pressure remain in the machine in both connectors? I think both connectors will cause the same problem. Am I wrong? I couldn't understand the difference

[@bigtedshome]

@muharremata When the pressure washer is operating, the hose supplies water at approx 3 bar pressure and this is increased to over 100 bar by the pump. When you release the trigger on the lance, the water that has been pressurised is trapped in the system. If you are using standard connector, the pressurised water can effectively flow back into the much larger volume of the hose and pressure will equalise at a relatively low level. With an aquastop connector, the water cannot flow back down the supply hose and the high pressure water is trapped in the internal piping of the machine until the pressure is released (either by using the lance again or disconnecting the hose). I hope this makes sense 🙂

[@hemibell]

Thanks for the good advice! Should i not use aquastop anywhere in the chain? I have long hose coil from the tap, and a short hose from that coil to my pressure washer. Should there not be aquastop anywhere in that link? Many thanks

[@bigtedshome]

Good question. It will depend how long the short hose is. Karcher state a minimum hose length of 8 m but I would have thought that if your short hose is more than 3 m/10 ft then the volume of this hose would probably be greater than the internal volume of the pipework/pump inside the pressure washer and you could probably get away with an aquastop connector on the end of the long hose.

[@xlfive]

good explaination ive used aqua stop for years so maybe I've been lucky,time to swap it out I think

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks, I've been using aquastop for years as well but I won't be again!

[@user-rc4qg9fb2q]

Awesome channel mate! Really useful info. Well done 👍🏾

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks for the great feedback 🙂

[@JidoSoju]

I have the karcher 2 and the yellow bit to the hose and the pressure washer it just keeps shooting out any help?

[@dedmeetbruh]

cheers big ted

[@bigtedshome]

Cheers 🍻

[@2namtaB]

Very interesting Ted. I had to change my valve for my hose a few months ago as it was cracked and leaking water. Anyway while I was at B&Q I did notice the Aqua Valve, but wasn't sure what it was for. Thought it sounded something for a pond or something, so bought the standard one again. Sounds like I dodged a bullet now. Thanks for the heads up. By the way did you get a lance for your stubby gun? I've used mine a couple of times now and won't be without one again. Very useful for out of reach areas like roof or under wheel arches.

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks for reminding me about the lance. I've just ordered one 😀

[@alancaldwell6343]

Great advice

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks Alan. I'm glad you found the video useful 👍

[@andreawilks4405]

So confused. Just ordered a Karecher hose set that comes with Aqua stop and instructions do not explain what to do and tiny images appear to show Aqua stop connected to the machine

[@bigtedshome]

That sounds crazy, selling a hose kit that contradicts the manual. Are you sure it's an aqaustop connector?If it is, personally, I would take it off and use either a normal connector or one with a control valve as shown in the video

[@andreawilks4405]

​@@bigtedshomeSo many reviews mention this confusion. One reviewer actually advised doing what you say not to do. In the end I chopped up my old hozelock that I thought was ready for the bin due to kinks and got it to work. I have basicaaly got a spare garden hose now. 3:45

[@arminius4986]

So what should i use

[@bigtedshome]

@arminius4986 You can use a standard hose end connector or one with a control valve like the Gardena connector shown in the video.

[@DinoSpumoni213]

Is it OK to use a magic hose?

[@bigtedshome]

@DinoSpumoni213 Good question! I've never used a magic hose but this link suggests that they are not suitable for use with pressure washers: www.detailingworld.co.uk/threads/expanding-hose-pipes.431913/

[@Pete.Ty1]

👍👍👍.Thanks

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks Pete 😁

[@cliver8881]

I don't understand why they say Aquastop prevents back flow into the hose when it's connected to the machine. Surely the valve is open when connected?

[@bigtedshome]

This is the best explanation I can find: support.avaofnorway.com/hc/en-gb/articles/7752127550738-Why-should-I-not-use-an-water-stop-system-Aquastop-with-my-low-pressure-hose-connection

[@IM35461]

The low pressure hose feeding the machine does not and could not act as an expansion device and would never take the output pressure of the machine. Also of course if your garden tap is professionally installed it will be fed from a double check valve to prevent backflow of water into the drinking water network. I can understand some hose fittings may reduce the flow so I don't use them and the K7 180 Bar requires quite a high flow rate 10 Litres per minute with a lesser value for the smaller machines. If the inlet parts of the machine do keep failing it is probably due to poor design / user misuse. Hozelock Aquastop fittings also do not act as non return valve either, they are physically held open when the are put on to the male fitting.

[@bigtedshome]

support.avaofnorway.com/hc/en-gb/articles/7752127550738-Why-should-I-not-use-an-water-stop-system-Aquastop-with-my-low-pressure-hose-connection

[@robberesford4741]

@@bigtedshome Since when has aquastop been a non return valve? The point of aquastop is to stop water flow when nothing is connected to the aquastop connector. When connected, water can flow in both directions so it is not a non return valve. This leaves the question, how are they damaging pressure washers? BTW, this isn't an opinion. I asked myself this same question so decided to test it. Obviously, to block the flow of water, it has to be at the device end as the valve closes when disconnected but when connected, orientation makes no difference, flow continues in either orientation so no non return component. The link you've shared seems to be sharing alternative facts

[@daktadre]

Brilliant, I thought my last pressure washer died because of the hose

[@bigtedshome]

Thanks for the great feedback. This and storing the machine in sub zero temperatures are two easily avoidable causes of pressure washer failure.

[@cung43]

You can used Aquastop on the water tap but not on the hose.

[@bigtedshome]

You're right, you can but there doesn't seem to be much point when you can just turn the tap on or off.

[@cung43]

@@bigtedshome agreed