yates Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 I have low water flow in my house that has a negative effect on the performance of my karcher pressure washer. When I use my neighbours tap with normal flow/pressure it works fine. I am thinking of getting the attachment where use can suck water directly from a bucket or water butt. Does anyone if this is an effective option. Cheers for any responses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 7 minutes ago, yates said: I have low water flow in my house that has a negative effect on the performance of my karcher pressure washer. When I use my neighbours tap with normal flow/pressure it works fine. I am thinking of getting the attachment where use can suck water directly from a bucket or water butt. Does anyone if this is an effective option. Cheers for any responses I would have thought that drawing water directly from a bucket wouldn't be any better than you have now. Of course, I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yates Posted February 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 8 minutes ago, steve_b_wales said: I would have thought that drawing water directly from a bucket wouldn't be any better than you have now. Of course, I could be wrong. That’s what I suspected . I don’t want to waste money if it doesn’t improve the problem. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 I agree that drawing from a bucket would seem the same as from a low flow mains. When we were moto-crossing we used the feed from 25l water containers, which we placed on top of our box trailer. That gave us decent feed pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Why is your water pressure so different from your neighbours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 6 minutes ago, Medic1281 said: Why is your water pressure so different from your neighbours? I think there lies the problem.At work we developed low pressure due to the amount of water the new houses that have been built draw.We are the end of the line and between 7 and 8 in the morning we only get a dribble.Ended up getting United utilities in.They confirmed what we thought.Need to install a big tank now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 I though it was the pressure washer that created its own pressure.......it just needed a water supply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Just now, panoma1 said: I though it was the pressure washer that created its own pressure.......it just needed a water supply? Still assisted by having a decent head of water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 hello, if your neighbours have good water pressure i cannot see any reason you should not have, are these new build houses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wascal Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 might be worth trying a stiffer hose pipe. I found that when using a water butt the suction from the pressure washer can cause a cheap hose to pinch off the water supply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 (edited) Poor water infrastructure management by by the water company allowing such a demand draw cutting your flow rate. Li know you haven't suggested it but for health safety sake, don't go fitting a booster pump on the incoming water pipe, it will cause a vacuum in the line making it possible to suck dirt from outside the pipe if leaking anywhere. I wouldn't be happy to accept a domestic CW tank in the loft space. Water gets warm in summer, yuk. Edited February 15, 2020 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 11 minutes ago, figgy said: Poor water infrastructure management by by the water company allowing such a demand draw cutting your flow rate. Li know you haven't suggested it but for health safety sake, don't go fitting a booster pump on the incoming water pipe, it will cause a vacuum in the line making it possible to suck dirt from outside the pipe if leaking anywhere. I wouldn't be happy to accept a domestic CW tank in the loft space. Water gets warm in summer, yuk. hello, your right figgy, have spent many years with a Water Company knowing how they lay water mains and domestic pipes and out side stop taps now, there may lay the problem, the only time i found houses on low pressure were situated on high ground or hill sides, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 I ran 50mm alkathene direct from a reducer to the 32mm stop tap/ water meter at drive entrance to the rear of my house. Then reduced back to 32mm to enter the house with a 32mm ball valve. Split this into two 28mm CW to serve the house, one direct to MHWC and the other to feed the CW out leats around the house. Long runs so needed volume to cut frictional loss. No worries about lack of flow even with three showers running off the MHWC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 You have 3 showers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yates Posted February 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 2 hours ago, Medic1281 said: Why is your water pressure so different from your neighbours? Comes from a different supply. Apparently many years ago the original stop cock was on my land. Previous owner did some building work and I believe damaged pipe work causing the loss of flow/pressure. The stop cock is now buried below 10 ft of soil and hardcore and will cost a fortune to dig up. Plus there is no guarantee if that is where the issue is 2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said: hello, if your neighbours have good water pressure i cannot see any reason you should not have, are these new build houses No about 40 years 2 hours ago, wascal said: might be worth trying a stiffer hose pipe. I found that when using a water butt the suction from the pressure washer can cause a cheap hose to pinch off the water supply Cheers 1 hour ago, figgy said: Poor water infrastructure management by by the water company allowing such a demand draw cutting your flow rate. Li know you haven't suggested it but for health safety sake, don't go fitting a booster pump on the incoming water pipe, it will cause a vacuum in the line making it possible to suck dirt from outside the pipe if leaking anywhere. I wouldn't be happy to accept a domestic CW tank in the loft space. Water gets warm in summer, yuk. Cheers. I’ll avoid that option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 hello, do you know where the mains pipe is that your supply comes from, also where it goes into the house, ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Is there not by law, a minimum domestic water pressure the water authority must ensure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 13 minutes ago, panoma1 said: Is there not by law, a minimum domestic water pressure the water authority must ensure? Yes, but they (Your Water Supplier) will come and check, make suggestions and if the problem is on your part of the system they will bill you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 To answer to your question... Yes, I can run my Nilfisk pressure washer from the 210 litre water butt. The butt is raised just far enough to get a watering can under the tap so not much of a head. The pressure is pretty low from the butt that but it's the rate of flow that really matters. Any kinks in the hose though and it doesn't go too well. I do it quite often this time of year because I frequently get in from shooting on a Sunday with the car covered in mud and using the butt saves on the water bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Correct - you are responsible for the supply when it crosses the boundary onto your property. As you have suggested that there has been damage to the supply on your land - you would foot the bill whether you dug up the stop cock or the Utility Company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 2 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: You have 3 showers? Yes self build timber eco home, still had two at home so made sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yates Posted February 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Just now, Gordon R said: Correct - you are responsible for the supply when it crosses the boundary onto your property. As you have suggested that there has been damage to the supply on your land - you would foot the bill whether you dug up the stop cock or the Utility Company. Yes you right. I had Yorkshire water out when we first moved in seven years ago. They located the stop cock under the soil and rubble on my land. They put another stop cock under the pavement on the other side of the wall. This is the only feed to my house. All other properties have other feeds. They have informed me that if I dig a hole they will fix the problem. But if the problem is not the stop cock on my land there is another 30 foot of pipe work to excavate and I will have to remove the Apple and pears that have grown over a the area. It takes forever to fill a bath and the shower is slow but that is something we got used to. The problem I have is that I cannot clean the patio slabs as the washer keeps cutting out due to the pressure issue. My neighbours are great but I don’t like to keep asking for favours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good shot? Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 (edited) Pressure washer should work fine sucking from a big bucket once you have primed it, I would advise using a non return filter on the end of the hose and you can then prime the washer pump by pumping the filter up and down in the water initially at start up. Edited February 15, 2020 by Good shot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Get a water butt or do what I did. All it does is give you a head of pressure rather than the jet washer sucking it out of a bucket. They all claim to suck from a bucket, but very few do it quickly or ruin seals - and I have had a fair number, including petrol versions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 (edited) 13 minutes ago, yates said: Yes you right. I had Yorkshire water out when we first moved in seven years ago. They located the stop cock under the soil and rubble on my land. They put another stop cock under the pavement on the other side of the wall. This is the only feed to my house. All other properties have other feeds. They have informed me that if I dig a hole they will fix the problem. But if the problem is not the stop cock on my land there is another 30 foot of pipe work to excavate and I will have to remove the Apple and pears that have grown over a the area. It takes forever to fill a bath and the shower is slow but that is something we got used to. The problem I have is that I cannot clean the patio slabs as the washer keeps cutting out due to the pressure issue. My neighbours are great but I don’t like to keep asking for favours , hello, i have come across this before in the Vale, if you have a newish stop cock dig down and locate the pipe your side of wall then dig a new trench to the house and lay a new length of plastic blue water pipe, trench 2ft 6 inch, pipe in pea gravel, connector for pipe near house, you can lay pipe around the trees, Edited February 15, 2020 by oldypigeonpopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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