Most pressure washers can be set up to run off a water butt or water tank if they are connected up correctly. In this article, we’ll explain how you can set up your pressure washer to run off a water butt or water tank, and what you need to do to be able to do this.

How to set up your pressure washer to run from a water butt/water tank

Firstly, the tank or water butt you want to use must be fitted with a bottom outlet. It’s not as simple as just throwing a hose over the top into a bucket of water.

Next, you need to connect the machine to the bottom outlet of the tank, and then bleed the air out of the pipe. This can be done by running the machine without the high-pressure hose, gun & lance connected. This enables any air lodged in the pipe or pump to be pushed out without the restrictions caused by couplings and nozzles.

Once you have a steady stream of water coming out of the pump, you can then refit the hose, gun and lance and use your pressure washer as normal.

What pressure washer is best when using a water tank or water butt to run it?

Some pressure washers are better suited to this task. Such as the Kiam KM3700PR Petrol High Pressure Washer Jet Cleaner and the Kiam KM3600DXR Diesel Pressure Washer which are both fitted with a 2-1 reduction gearbox. This gearbox means that the pump runs at a much slower speed of 1450rpm (not 3000 rpm). This allows the water to be more easily grabbed by the valves and sucked into the pump as well as pressurised and pumped out at pressure too.

2-1 Reduction Gearbox

The pump is also slightly bigger than normal and has 18mm valves (not the smaller 15mm). The 2-1 reduction gearbox also means that the pump should last a lot longer than a standard 3000 rpm pump too.

What water tank should I use?

Finally, we recommend using a big a tank as possible. We do supply 1000 litre IBC tanks that are already fitted with bottom outlets (with brass taps available too) that are perfect for the job.

IBC tank

Still need help? Contact one of our experts!

You can browse our range of pressure washers on site now. We also sell a wide range of pressure washer accessories, hoses and spare parts – everything you need to get started. For more information, or further advice on choosing the right pressure washer for your needs or how to use your pressure washer, get in touch with one of our experts today. Call us on 0151 548 5500, or drop us an email at contact@equip2clean.co.uk. Our team of friendly experts are ready and waiting to help.