You shouldn’t touch the unloader once properly set. You adjust pressure by selecting the proper nozzles not by turning the unloader.
I have read that on here multiple times… Is there a reason that the owner’s manual gives instructions on turning down unloader? What are they thinking?
Only reason I went 4400psi rated unit was I got it for $735 delivered… Could have done what I believe is identical DeWalt (rated 4000 or 4200 psi , don’t remember offhand) for $999 plus tax at home depot.
Not sure I will ever need 4000+ psi… Was more looking for 4gpm rating and not break the bank on what will start out as a side hustle to replace my #2 job on the ambulance… Thinking turn it down a bit and leave it there… Gotta test what the turn down does , will it severely lower gpm?
Turning down the unloader a little will only decrease flow at high pressure. That still isn’t the correct way to lower pressure though.
So turning down unloader only reduces flow? I thought it was a pressure activated spring dump…to save your pump when you release trigger so pressure has somewhere to go… Now I am really confused… I figured I would lose some flow…but could take pressure down. And maybe? Pump won’t be working so hard?
Look, forget the unloader. Don’t touch it. Get the proper nozzles and go from there.
Ok…would still like to know the theory behind not touching it and the instructions telling me I can…
I can experiment and do flow tests and pressure gauge readings and figure out what happens… But definitely easier to have veterans explain what is going on…and why or why not an adjustment handle is on an unloader? My Generac machine has no handle on unloader, but may be worn out as unit stalls when trigger released. But that may also be a worn gun issue too as with hosepipe on and unit not running I get water spraying out the tip…
Are they trying to get me to touch it and blow up pump so I buy a new unit or parts? Or is it a fine tune adjustment to not tear up a deck or strip cream off cement as needed. I can always change tips or back away a bit to adjust things also. Just trying to learn what’s going on…guess I am a “why” learner.
Because it’s a homeowner machine and they assume John Smith on Maple Lane won’t be using a surface cleaner or Jrod with exchangeable nozzles…
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So your telling me there’s a chance…LOL
Yup homeowner machine, but not a $299 Ryobi either… Gotta start somewhere… I will experiment tommorow and get a better understanding… I totally expect to find turned all the way down will be 3500/3.5… and nothing drastic like 2000/2 which would definitely lead me to why nozzle swaps are the answer
The unloader is a safety device. I’ll link the thread discussing it in detail in a bit. But manufacturers recommend never adjusting it after setting it.
Do whatever you want. It’s is your equiptment. Everyone has given you sound advice. You can choose to not listen to them.
Adjusting your unloader isn’t the solution but the good news is you’re probably not going to hurt yourself or anyone else.
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This thread talks about in the 2 posts above this one and there are links to two articles. Turning down pressure using unloader instead of nozzles - #75 by TexasPressureWashing
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Thanks for this! Very informative. I think it even proved to me that my Generac, needs a new unloader… ( Pressure chokes engine off if trigger released) not bypassing. It’s actually a fire department community unit given free by Lowe’s, I will have city shop order parts and fix.
I am tempted to call Simpson and get explanation of the turn down ability on my unit if it seems reality is don’t touch it,. But last person I talked to there didn’t even know there were supposed to be 4 handle knob sets and in the box to assemble cart. LOL
I just read the manual on the Simpson 4400/4, and it looks like that unloader is built with “stops” that will prevent you from over-adjusting. It does have a lot of safety warnings surrounding it, but the manual also describes it as a way to adjust the pressure. The first method they described was to change tips.
I think the “don’t use your unloader to adjust pressure” advice is more for people running a bypass tank, hose reels, DS injectors, etc. We have to go through a process in which we adjust our unloader valves pretty carefully to get the perfect amount of bypass water flowing and get our system running well. Then we change the tips out on our attachments to achieve the desired PSI without having to readjust the unloader for each attachment.
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I read all that… Didn’t explain what to expect at low stop, or in middle… And like I said Simpson customer service didn’t even know unit needs 4 knobs to assemble, it only came with 2, and couldn’t figure out why they would be on back order… So didn’t want to call and ask a hard question
I think there are a lot of people on here a lot nicer and I’m 100% sure more patient than I am, especially this time of the year. Got to love it when a homeowner comes on here and 10 people bend over backward to help and then they don’t believe you or want to to disagree. I’m now exercising one of the absolutely best features of this forum and blocking this thread from my feed.
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I also want to say I’m 100% in the “please don’t use your unloader to adjust pressure” camp, mostly because I trust the opinion of the professionals on this board that have been in the industry years and years and years. They typically don’t waste their time giving bad advice
U don’t own a home??? I am planning on starting on driveways in my neighborhood and expand from there and asking some questions to learn… But lots of kinda d bag comments… about that’s a home owner or home owner machine, or here is the search link you noob…if u too busy this time of year… don’t come on here… Imagine if I treated my fire recruits like this…LOL… “Yes the house is on fire…go check the search function” " you won’t put fire out with that noobie helmet" don’t worry I won’t be asking anymore questions… So the princesses can concentrate on the busy season.
Thanks to the folks who answered with answers or links to an article… And offered more than the don’t bug us noob and because I said so type answers…
Par for the course. We all go through the hazing, just laugh it off and read as much as you can.
Weird. I never went through any “hazing” when I first joined. However, I also didn’t argue with professionals when they gave me sound advice. Instead, I read, listened and learned. I seem to remember you being very defiant and now that you’ve got a bit of experience under your belt you’re learning that everything you were told you were doing wrong was in fact wrong. Kinda funny how that works, huh?
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Who argued?? I asked why manufacturer says I can adjust and what to expect… and was told because I said so and you just don’t touch it. Some folks need to remember where they came from. There are some things that can be learned here and pit falls to avoid because others have had the issue before…kinda the point of a forum. But let’s be real. It’s water with high pressure or without and pool shock and soap… ( Well it’s a bunch more than that but that’s the basics) we ain’t strapping folks in a rocket and putting them on the moon.
