Here is more to pressure washer nozzles than mounting them on a frame with a valve and a hose outlet. It is the work of pressure washer nozzles that gets the activity started for a pressure washer. The simplest and the most important aspect of pressure washer nozzles is the line of small holes, whose size decides the amount of pressure that will flow through it. These act as a controller for the flow of water which regulates the pressure in the pump. Hence, the maximum work is in aligning these pressure points to the specifications of the pump.
The most common pressure washer nozzles are the quick disconnect one’s and the one’s that come with MEG tips. These have custom fitted nozzles that sit on the mainframe and is snapped tightly into place by specific O-rings. Each of these nozzles has a color that corresponds to a specific pattern for the water flow. For instance, the color red indicates a hole meant for a laser pointed stream of water and is best for cleaning specific tough points. For a stream of water to be fan spread, the yellow tip is useful. This is the most common of all pressure washer nozzles as it is particularly useful for tough joints. For a wider coverage area, the green tip nozzle is recommended as it makes a twenty five degree fan pattern. As the task gets lighter, so does the color. For lighter pressure and maximum coverage the white tipped nozzle is most recommended. Pressure washer nozzles are also used for chemical applications, and here is when the black tipped nozzle comes handy. This particular nozzle dissolves the chemical not inside the pump but outside it. This prevents chemical damage inside the pump.
MEG tips are a different form of pressure water nozzles and they do not function like a quick disconnect add-on. They need threaded holders and are mostly used for surface cleaning purposes.
With so much attention on the nozzles and general knowledge about hydraulic pressure, one would know that the pressure decreases with increasing distance from the surface. Hence these pressure washer nozzles are best used at a distance of four to twelve inches from the surface. One can also adjust the pressure by increasing or decreasing the size of the pressure holes.
Another thing to remember is that the constant flow of water will eventually cause a certain amount of wear and tear. Instead of buying a brand new nozzle each time, one can buy a pressure gauge so that worn out holes are not mistaken for a worn out pump. It can be a costly mistake if the pressure holes are not correctly mapped to the pressure washer nozzles. The most important technicality behind pressure washer nozzles is the PSI and GPM index. Each PSI is matched to the “gallons per minutes rating” of the different pumps available in the market, for the perfect fit.
Overall, there are a multitude of nozzles in the market ranging from the laser pointed one’s to the powerful turbo nozzles and each of these pressure washer nozzles have a distinctive purpose. It is a good idea to start with a standard set of nozzles so that one can experiment with varying lengths and pressure. A diverse industry will need one of each type and it helps to be armed with the specifics for each one of them.