Nilfisk Power washer - strange issue

JoeA3

Hey guys
Figured I’d ask this here as I know some of you have similar washers.
I have one of the Nilfisk power washers. Bought it in Argos about 18 months ago and until recently has been a great tool.
Just recently I noticed something odd. I pull the trigger on the lance and it was taking 3-4 seconds for the motor to kick in and get pressured water through the lance.
Unfortunately it’s got worse. Used it yesterday and it was taking ages - 15, maybe 20 seconds after pulling the trigger to actually getting it to kick in! Bit frustrating! Once it’s running it’s working perfectly but if I release the trigger it takes time to get it going again.
I thought it might be dirt in the lance / hose but it seems to be clear.

Anyone have an issue like this before?

eddiem74

JoeA3 wrote: »

Hey guys
Figured I’d ask this here as I know some of you have similar washers.
I have one of the Nilfisk power washers. Bought it in Argos about 18 months ago and until recently has been a great tool.
Just recently I noticed something odd. I pull the trigger on the lance and it was taking 3-4 seconds for the motor to kick in and get pressured water through the lance.
Unfortunately it’s got worse. Used it yesterday and it was taking ages - 15, maybe 20 seconds after pulling the trigger to actually getting it to kick in! Bit frustrating! Once it’s running it’s working perfectly but if I release the trigger it takes time to get it going again.
I thought it might be dirt in the lance / hose but it seems to be clear.

Anyone have an issue like this before?

Have had that when water pressure is affected e.g. Washing machine and/or dishwasher is on at same time.

Curran

On my C120 if I pull the trigger, release it, and quickly pull the trigger again the machine never gains pressure. Its like it needs at least a second to build up pressure. Which might be similar to your initially issue. But the longer delay definitely sounds like a water pressure issue. Tap fully open? No kinks, even not a full kink can restrict it enough? An air lock? Attach the hose without the gun/lance on the back of the washer and let water run out the machine for a few seconds and then put it on, power up and try it.

JoeA3

Thanks lads, I'll try some of those things. The water pressure is generally very good - but the garden hose isn't the best (prone to kinking) and the attachment on the tap is a bit leaky. Even still, with those problems, the water coming through the hose is strongish. I'll get those things sorted though and see if it helps!

RickyP

I had exactly the same thing happen to my Nikfisk (C130)over the weekend. I used it last about 4 weeks ago and it had the 2 or 3 second delay from pulling the trigger to getting going. At the time I put it down to other appliances running at the same time.

This weekend it was worse, the delay was more like 20 to 30 seconds. There was no other appliances running. My water is from a pumped well and I have never had issues with pressure before. I bought the Power Washer in March and its been trouble free until this.

Did you get yours sorted Joe?

JoeA3

RickyP wrote: »

I had exactly the same thing happen to my Nikfisk (C130)over the weekend. I used it last about 4 weeks ago and it had the 2 or 3 second delay from pulling the trigger to getting going. At the time I put it down to other appliances running at the same time.

This weekend it was worse, the delay was more like 20 to 30 seconds. There was no other appliances running. My water is from a pumped well and I have never had issues with pressure before. I bought the Power Washer in March and its been trouble free until this.

Did you get yours sorted Joe?

I haven't used it since! I'll try it again next weekend and see. I did get a new hoze-lock attachment for the tap-to-hose which should help improve water flow (old one was leaking), but like you, I have a feeling the water pressure is not the issue.

What I did find a help was detaching the top part of the lance and then pull the trigger. The delay was shorter then. Then once its going, reattach the top of the lance again. A pain in the ass....

MetzgerMeister

I often find that it takes a few seconds for the pressure to build up in my Karcher K5. As mentioned it happens when the washing machine and/or dishwasher is on. We also have our own well and water pump so that can be strained too.

punisher5112

Run it without power first to release any air.

I do this before power and also when finished and run water through it.

RickyP

Just an update on this. I spoke to the shop I bought it from- they had seen a few instances of it before- Apparently its a sticky spring in the pressure switch.

Mine is working fine now again. I have left the hose attached for a few minutes before powering it up and it seems to help.

JoeA3

Mine seems to have mostly fixed itself too. Not sure how. The only thing I changed was the Hoze-lock connector on the tap, as the old one was a bit leaky (but the water pressure coming into the machine was still good, despite that leak). Anyway - its much better now, it kicks in within 2-3 seconds of pulling the trigger.