How do you protect your water blaster from excess pressure build ups? The answer is simple...by adding a relief valve in the form of an unloader or a regulator. The prime purpose of regulators and unloaders is to set and maintain consistent pressure and to provide protection from dangerous over-pressurization.
Regulators / unloaders go from being a luxury to a necessity when you fit a trigger gun (aka shut off gun) to your machine. That’s because when a trigger gun is used on a water blaster, the bypass from the regulator is returned back to the inlet of the pump creating a potential problem area. When the water blaster sits in bypass mode, the horsepower the pump uses heats the water in the bypass loop. The longer the system sits in bypass mode, the hotter the water will get. As little as three or four minutes in bypass mode can result in damage to the pump seals and packings as a result of overheating.
Whilst regulators and unloaders tend to be an optional add on when purchasing a water blaster or drain cleaner, we recommend paying that little bit extra to have one fitted as the protection they provide your pump makes them a worthwhile investment.
What’s the difference between unloaders and regulator valves? Click here to watch CAT pumps easy to understand explanation.
Kerrick carries a range of unloaders and relief valves, we can supply them direct to you or you can bring your machine in to have one fitted, adjusted or replaced.
Note: Do not leave your water blaster running with the shut off gun closed for more than 1 or 2 minutes (even if a thermal protection valve has been fitted). By pulling the trigger on the gun, cold fresh water will be introduced into the bypass loop, helping to avoid damage from heat and pressure build ups.