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Will a Pressure Washer Work with Gravity Fed Water?

Newton’s law of gravity says that the earth attracts everything towards its center. Because of this gravitation pull, the water comes with speed when you turn on your faucet. We use this pressure to carry the water to different sources using a pipe. If you use a pressure washer, you should have a good idea about its GPM (Gallon per Minute). It is the measurement of the amount of water that a machine will deliver in a minute. The pump needs to have sufficient water to deliver it properly through a spray gun. A budget-friendly pressure washer also needs to be fed with 1-2 gallons of water per minute.

The water pressure in your faucet varies depending on multiple factors, so the measurement also varies. If your faucet has sufficient water force to supply in the pump of your machine, then it’ll work just fine. However, when the GPM is less, the pump will not be able to generate proper pressure.

How do you add pressure to a gravity-fed water system?

There are few methods to increase the pressure to a gravity-fed water system, but the fact is that it’ll improve the pressure by a little bit. The first way is to increase the height of your water tank. When the water source goes higher, the water takes more time to reach the ground hence increases the pressure. Then, you can use it to supply an adequate amount of water to the pump.

The other way is to add another pump between the water tank and your pressure washer. In some cases, it’s very important because insufficient water will not provide a good cleaning experience. If you cannot take your water tank higher, this is the method you can use.

Will a pressure washer work with gravity fed water

The capacity and power of a pressure washer and the water force in your faucet decide whether it’ll work or not. Because of the gravitation pull, the water generates pressure when coming through the pipe. Therefore, if the measurement can satisfy the requirement of the pump in your pressure washer, it’ll function.

However, a pump cannot generate proper pressure to send it through the spray gun when less water supply. In this matter, the output spray will be less, and cleaning will be ineffective with your machine. The pump can even be damaged in such conditions.

will a pressure washer work with gravity fed water

For example, you have a pressure washer with 1.5 GPM, and the flow rate you get from your faucet is 1.25 GPM. In this case, the pump will not get sufficient water and to solve this problem; you have to increase the flow rate.

However, if you get a 1.5 or more water flow rate from your faucet, you can comfortably work with this pressure washer.

Can I run a pressure washer from a tank of water?

When you work away from home, you might need to carry a tank of water if there is no supply of water. This method will also help you running your machine and getting your cleaning work done.

You have to keep in mind a few things: one is to place the tank higher than your machine, and the second is to have a proper hose to carry sufficient water to the pump. You must keep the tank closer to your machine so that it takes less effort for the water to go to the pump from the tank.

Increased distance will slow down the water flow rate. The basic idea is that the water tank should be able to supply the proper GPM that your pressure washer requires.

Do Pressure washers need a pressurized water supply.

It’s not needed for a pressure washer to have pressurized water. A power washing machine takes regular water from a source to its pump, generates pressure on the water and sends it out through a high-pressure hose and spray gun.

A garden hose is used to carry water from the source to the pump. A machine requires only the amount of water force that is necessary to reach its pump.

Conclusion

We can use gravitation pull in many places, such as sending water from one place to another. A pressure washing machine has its specific requirement of water supply so that it can give its full performance. The faucet you want to use to supply water to your pump should have enough power to feed the pump. Less force will hamper its cleaning efficiency.


About Daniel Wood

Daniel has completed his graduation mechanical engineering from a reputed university in US. He worked as a technical engineer in a pressure washer manufacturing plant for four years. He has a great passion for mechanical devices and has opened a workshop where he does research on various machines in his leisure time. His high interest in technology made him an expert in commercial and residential pressure washers.

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