Everyone wants to make their living place clean and beautiful, from the garden to the garage. For this, we need to do regular cleaning and proper care of the home. Cleaning can become difficult when you cannot remove stubborn dirt from the garage, doors, vehicles, outside walls, or any other place.
Here we suggest using a pressure washer perfectly to do a dirt washing job. But, many people have an air compressor in their garage. Isn’t it good to turn the compressor into a pressure washer that reduces costs? Yes, it is. So, here we will share the complete step-by-step procedure for making a pressure washer from an air compressor.
Turning air compressor to pressure washer
If you look at the air compressor, it seems like a pressure washer; you can change it into a washer by attaching a spray tool. But attaching a spray tool doesn’t mean it will provide the same results as an original pressure washer due to the difference in PSI of the washer and compressor.
Normally an air compressor consists of psi from 100 to 200, while on the other side, the washer’s pressure starts from 1300 psi which is more than double the compressor’s value.
So, after knowing the difference in pressure between an air compressor and a pressure washer, the answer is No.
Not at all; you can attach some special adapter to the air compressor, making the hose more narrow and useful for the pressure washer. Our observations show that it works with extra attachments and an adapter with an air compressor. But, still, we will not be satisfied with the performance because whatever jet pressure or extra attachments you attach with the air compressor will not produce a psi of 1300 or 14000+ as a washer pressure can produce.
You may be thinking now about where to buy those special adaptors and tools; you can buy them easily from amazon according to the requirements.
Let’s transform the compressor into a pressure washer.
5 Steps to convert an air compressor to a pressure washer
For your ease, we divided the process of using tools and adaptor with an air compressor into different steps so you can understand it easily and follow it properly to make a pressure washer.
Step 1
First of all, you have to start your air compressor. Plug it into your electrical outlet and turn it on. After that, please wait a few minutes (depending upon your compressor) and let it build pressure inside the tank. You can keep tracking psi from the gauge of the compressor.
Step 2
In the second step, you have to attach a water source with your compressor, and you can use your garden hose on one side with the compressor as a water source. In this step, ensure that the attachment between the garden hose and compressor is secure and there is no leakage between them. Because if there is leakage, you will lose pressure from the compressor.
Step 3
In the third step, the second side of your garden hose is attached to your pressure washer attachment or adapter. Until this step, you have attached your air compressor with a pressure washer gun and are ready to use it in the next steps.
Step 4
Ensure all your attachment, including the garden hose to the air compressor with the washer gun, is tightly fastened. If any attachment is loose, then tighten it to maintain pressure.
Step 5
This is the last step in which you can test your pressure washer now, which you made from the air compressor. If the pressure you see is too much low, check your attachment again because it is due to a loose attachment or leakage from the hose. But if you got pressure, it’s working fine, and now you can use your pressure washer for your desired purpose.
Safety Tips
Safety is the first thing you should consider when doing a project; it helps save you from misadventures and any trouble. So, before making a pressure washer with an air compressor, always follow some safety tips that are given below:
Always wear safety gear: You should wear safety gear like gloves, glasses, & ear protection when using an air compressor as a pressure washer. It helps prevent loud noise, high-pressure flow, and water splashes. You can do your work safely by wearing these safety equipment.
Keep a distance from the pressure stream: Do not try to contact the pressure stream directly; it may injure you. Always keep a distance from the pressure washer and then use it.
Maintain the pressure: The pressure washer may cause damage to the cleaning surface if the pressure is set too high, so keep checking the pressure and adjust it according to the task whenever using the pressure washer.
FAQs
Can I use a garden hose with a pressure washer?
Yes, you can use your garden hose with your pressure washer. For this, you can see the above steps and ensure your garden hose is in good condition; for example, there is no leakage in your garden hose, and it works fine.
Would air compressor pump oil work in a pressure washer pump?
No, it is not recommended to use compressor pump oil in the pressure washer because pump oil does not have proper filters, and impurities will affect the compressor. Moreover, we will never suggest you use an air compressor oil for high temperatures and pressure as a pressure washer is needed.
Final Verdict
You can use your air compressor as a pressure washer if you need moderate pressure and are satisfied with it. But still, if you need a high-pressure washer, you need to buy a pressure washer separately. But using an air compressor as a washer is an affordable cleaning method. I hope this article is very helpful for you in which you got knowledge about conversion of air compressor to pressure washer.