Pressure Washer Wand won’t Shut off-SOLVED

The most common problem that we have been experiencing lately is pressure washer wand won’t shut off. This is dangerous and may produce a lethal accident. We shouldn’t work with a power washer having this trouble. Any machine be it a power washer or weed eater may encounter difficulties in running. But, we should fix it as soon as possible before it creates any hazard.

Well, in this article we are going to make you a pro to rectify this particular discrepancy. All you need is to follow the steps to avoid unnecessary trouble. Before you start your troubleshooting, it would be great if you know the working principle of your trigger wand.

 

pressure washer wand won't shut off

How Does A Pressure Washer Wand Work?

The power washer wand or trigger wand gets the water spike from the power pump through the power hose. The trigger delivers the water through a standard nozzle or a high speedy rotary turbo nozzle. There is a washer/seal inside the wand that holds and dispatches the water flow. When you press the trigger, the seal unblocks and lets the water flow through it.

On the other hand, when you release the trigger, the seal blocks the water flow and commands the unloader valve to take back the water flow. When the unloader valve, wand, or both fail to do their assigned tasks, your pressure washer wand won’t shut off. So, the unloader valve and the wand itself are responsible for causing your problem.

 

Steps of Correction when Your Pressure Washer Wand doesn’t Shut off

To keep the troubleshooting process simpler and convenient for you, we have subdivided it into two separate yet interlinked steps. We recommend that you stick to these steps and don’t try to improvise anything.

 

Step – (1) Problem with the Unloader Valve

When you press the trigger gun, your pressure washer generates extra power inside the water pump. After that, the pump creates a water spike. Then the unloader valve gathers the water spike and supplies it to the wand. When you release your trigger wand, the unloader valve of your power washer bypasses the water spike into the inlet valve.
Now, if the unloader valve is not in working condition, it won’t be able to bypass the pressurized water. What happens then? Well, the high-pressure water creates force and flows through your trigger wand. Thus, your trigger wand may be damaged or cracked. It is no wonder that a damaged wand leaks water flow and can’t contain the pressurized water.
What to do now? Well, you shouldn’t spray with this faulty wand anymore. If you can’t stop your wand, just stop the engine of the power washer. Take out the unloader valve and inspect whether it is in good working condition. If it is serviceable, then place it back to its bay and move on to the next step. But, if you think the unloader valve is not functioning, do not hesitate to buy a new one and replace the faulty one.

 

Step – (2) Problem with the Gun/Trigger Wand

Well, now we are clear that there is no issue with the unloader valve. But, if the pressure wand continues to flow water spike and dines to shut off, the problem is the wand itself!

Here comes the function of the washer/seal of the trigger wand. The purpose of the seal is to block the water spike and communicate with the unloader valve to take the water back. When the washer/seal becomes deteriorated or worn out, it cannot perform its assigned task. As a result, the seal fails to communicate with the unloader valve. So, the unloader valve doesn’t get any command to bypass the water flow.

What happens then? The unloader valve keeps supplying the water spike and the wand becomes bound to flow the water. Even if the pressure washer is in high rpm, the extra kinetic force of the water may break the wand and make the wand flow the spike.

What to do now? You have to change the seal of the water wand. But, what if the seals are fine but still the wand leaking?

The wand itself is the culprit now. It may be out of the working condition due to several reasons. Such as:
  • You have used the bleaching solution several times with your power washer. The bleaching solution corrodes almost every part of the washer, let alone the trigger wand.
  • The service life (around 250 hours) of the wand has been extinguished. Sir, it is time to change your wand.
  • You may have purchased a low-quality wand spare and now getting the consequences. Buy the original and official wand from the reputed brands.
Warning! You are strictly discouraged to use any defective trigger wand. The defective wand is not capable of restricting the high-pressure water flow. As a result, using the faulty wand may produce an unacceptable and dangerous situation.

 

Conclusion

Any discrepancy with the pressure washer should be addressed with due importance. The wand of a pressure washer is the busiest part of your cleaning. So, you shouldn’t mess up with the trigger gun. If possible, always try to buy the best pressure washer and the best attachments. Do not hesitate to invest in the best power washer turbo nozzle, when you buy one. These small parts together make your power washer a sound one. We hope that our coverage on “pressure washer wand won’t shut off” was helpful for you.

3 thoughts on “Pressure Washer Wand won’t Shut off-SOLVED”

  1. I have a homdox pressure washer from Amazon .. the gun will not shut off . . Cannot find a parts list for a direct replacement gun or any parts . . This unit has been used very little . .

  2. Still no fix for Homdox pressure washer gun . . . They first sent a replacement wand which I didn’t need . . Told them it was the gun that would not shut off water flow even with the washer switched off . . Today 6-24-2021 I received a new gun . . You guessed it . . Wrong gun . . The wand I previously received will not connect nor will my other wand . . My homdox quick connect hose will not work with new gun (Bad Leak) . . Bad experience with Homdox . .

  3. I received a new wand for my Homdox washer recently . . The wand was not the problem . . I told them I need the gun . . . Yesterday I received a new gun but it is the wrong gun , probably for another Homdox model as there are many models. . . Pretty sure the guns are different on some models . .

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *