Why is My Pressure Washer Burning?
If your household has a driveway or patio and it’s festering with unsightly green mould, a pressure washer can easily spruce up your drive. It’s the perfect cleaning solution and versatile enough to clean windows, drains, gutters and even vehicles.
A working pressure washer is a beautiful thing, revitalising dreary outdoor areas into clean and pleasant places to be in. So if your appliance is suddenly greeting you with a burning smell during operation, we’ve got the answers in this article to set everything right.
Motor
A common cause for the unexpected smoke accompanying your pressure washer during use can be due to an overheated motor. Additional heat can melt the motor windings insulation, causing the motor to partially short out. This produces extra current and could result in smoke.
Safety First! Please make sure that you have disconnected the appliance from the mains before beginning any repair.
- Remove the outer plastic housing and visually inspect the motor for damage caused by heat or smoke.
- If the motor doesn’t show signs of deterioration, check the motor run capacitor - (model dependant) and the power switches.
Having checked the motor run capacitor and power switches and they work correctly, the motor is most likely faulty and will need changing.
If the motor needs replacing don’t forget to check out our extensive range of spares to help restore your appliance.
To see us diagnosing electrical faults with your pressure washer see our video below.
Motor Capacitor
Another frequent cause of a pressure washer emitting a burning smell may be a failed motor capacitor.
Safety First! Please make sure that you have disconnected the appliance from the mains before beginning any repair.
- Remove the outer plastic housing and inspect the capacitor for visible signs of defects including smoke or heat damage.
If you suspect any damage to the capacitor, you may feel devastated but we have the replacements available here.
See how to replace the faulty motor capacitor in our video guide.