# Pressure Washer Outside Tap Idea



## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

I'm thinking of putting a high-pressure connector outside... This will be like an outside tap, but instead of it connecting to the water supply, it will connnect to my pressure washer, situated inside my garage. To do this I need a connector mounted outside the garage, and a hose heading inside to the pressure washer, which is a Karcher.

Something like this outside...

Anyone know what thread a karcher is ?????


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Just to clarify, what I'm trying to avoid is getting the PW out and then connecting up the water, hose and power !

I'd like to just screw in the hose attachment to the wall, then flick on the power and water, simple !

Maybe I need a threaded connector (as in the pic) AND a 1m hose with a female connector on each end... (as also seen on the end of the Karcher hose that I hold in my hand) 

I'm sure I could get one made up if I knew what size it all was !


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## Gary-360 (Apr 26, 2008)

I think the Karcher screw fitting is M22 (not sure of pitch as my gauges are at work), but I believe the thread on a standard domestic brass compression fitting is also 22mm, so you should be able to muster enough to sort you out.

22mm female to female from PW, onto pipe through garage wall, then female to male from pipe to PW hose (I think).

Sounds like a good idea but I'd tend to go for a flexi pipe from PW through wall in case of vibration/movement.

Hope this helps.

Gary


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## Gary-360 (Apr 26, 2008)

Some fittings for your perusal 

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/100122/Plumbing/Compression-Fittings;jsessionid=ZCNTGDHZZATS0CSTHZOCFFI


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

Rob, if you are doing as you suggest, you'd b better off going down the quick connect route - not the Hozelock variety, but proper HP quick connectors.
But, how do you intend to turn the pressure washer on and water to feed it, remotely?
Surely, if you think about it, as I see in my mind's eye, you're creating more hassle and things to go wrong, than simply pulling the PW out as and when needed.
It'll certainly be more costly an exercise to achieve, once you've factored in a long HP hose, plus a reel or just the hassle of having to pull it out to plug into the connector you've replicated and fitted.


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## PaulN (Jan 17, 2008)

Ive got mine fixed in the garage but all connected up..... Just have a short bit of hose from the tap to the pressure washer???????


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

PJS said:


> Rob, if you are doing as you suggest, you'd b better off going down the quick connect route - not the Hozelock variety, but proper HP quick connectors.
> But, how do you intend to turn the pressure washer on and water to feed it, remotely?
> Surely, if you think about it, as I see in my mind's eye, you're creating more hassle and things to go wrong, than simply pulling the PW out as and when needed.
> It'll certainly be more costly an exercise to achieve, once you've factored in a long HP hose, plus a reel or just the hassle of having to pull it out to plug into the connector you've replicated and fitted.


I've looked into this, and although the Karcher connector is indeed M22 thread, it is not just an M22 pipe : there are rubber seals inside, so I cannot buy M22 plumbing bits to fit.

SO
This is what I'm going to do.
The PW will sit in the corner of my garage, with a short hose-pipe feed from the nearby water tap inside the garage. The PW will also be plugged into a socket for power.

I have ordered a 3m extension hose for the PW. One end goes into the PW, and the other will go through a hole inthe wall, and will basically poke out of the hole into the drive, where I wash the car. I'll make a plate up to try to fix the end of this hose to the wall, and make it look neat.

SO to use this system, I'll just walk outside, connect up the existing 6m hose and lance, and then go inside and turn on the water and power. The 3M extension hose cost £8 delivered, on ebay, and all I need to do is drill a big hole in the wall !


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## Star2 (Aug 20, 2008)

What seller was doing them for £8, only I just had a look and couldn't see any at that price.


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Star2 said:


> What seller was doing them for £8, only I just had a look and couldn't see any at that price.


I had to ask someone who sold long ones if they could make me a special 3m one..... PM me for his details.


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## nick the fish (Apr 9, 2007)

i've got two outside taps for the pw

a) cold water

b) hot water with adjustable thermostat - max 60 degrees C - that though was not cheap as it has hot and cold feed to 'mix' the water ensuring it does not exceed 60 (basically a shower mixer valve)


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Nick
I considered a hot outside tap, but the garage is 10m away from the house - so I would waste a load of hot water in the pipes ! Good idea though.

Todays discovery was that a washing machine ball-valve (the little red or blue stop****s that live behind your washing machine) will directly connect to a gardena tap adaptor, so now I can convert from 15mm copper to a gardena hose end (which will link to my karcher via a short link of hosepipe).

I'll take a pic when I install it all, then it will make sense.


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

This is what I mean... this will go inside the garage, to connect my 15mm copper pipe to the karcher PW...


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Well - I got my extension hose in the post today - looks really nice quality.
It is actually a female to female hose (i.e. each end could connect to a karcher PW) - but one one end is a male to male brass adaptor (exactly like the brass part in post number 1 on this thread) - so that makes it into a male to female extension hose. 
(which is what I wanted.)

So - I'll get to the plumbers merchants tonight to try to get something to get through my wall , so I can wall-mount a 22mm thread on my outside wall.

Don't worry - it will be clearer when I take some pics of the finished article.


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## ade33 (Jun 4, 2008)

Sounds like a good plan, the HP hose on my PW isn't long enough to reach all the way round my car so I might end up doing something similar to you. It's a pain having to get it all out, then shift it around the car as I'm going - I'd rather have it all fitted up in the garage and just have a loooooong hose and not have to worry. Looking forward to the finished pics. :wave:


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## jayt (Aug 14, 2006)

i wanted an extension for my pw and i decided to use airlines with the snap fittings just cut the original hose and clipped on the air suzi, and then snap them on and off as i want to use it. basically like pjs suggested. they work well considering the pressure some of the air compressers chuck out only thing is the fittings do rust a little but i just squirt them with some wd40 when im finished to stop that.


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Well I did some amateur plumbing last night.

Originally, I had a water pipe coming out of a duct into the garage, with a tap on it. I then added a cut-off valve (so I could work on it) - and branched off to two outside taps (with a second cut off valve, so I could turn off the outside taps in case Mr Chav decides to turn one on for the evening).

Yesterday I removed one of the outside taps, and added an outlet for my PW. This is a washing machine shut-off valve (silver with a blue tap) which fits nicely to a gardena hosepipe fitting. (hozelock didn't fit right - it obscured the tap). I then connected my PW to this gardena fitting, and positioned the PW on the garage floor. My new 3m extension hose comes out of the PW, and currently hangs down on the right of the picture. I will hire a HUGE drill on the weekend to poke a 40mm hole in the wall, for this to pass though.

I plan to make up a plate for the outside, to hold the PW hose, so I can just screw onto it.

Here is a pic of the plumbing inside the garage. 

Once the PW hose is poking outside, it should be an easy job to wash the car. I'll just fit the lance hose to the outside connector, and turn on the power and water inside, and I'm good to go.


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Here is a bigger pic.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2821/pipes2aq1.gif


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Hired a huge hammer drill on the weekend, along with a 40mm masonry bit. Took about 30 seconds to drill a huge hole in a double-skin brick wall, so now I have my high-pressure outside pressure washer outlet - works a treat !

Just gotta get a metal plate made up now to permanently fix the outlet to the outside of the wall.


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## PaulN (Jan 17, 2008)

Sorry I see what you've done but i cant really undertand why you haven't just gone from the Tap to the Pressure washer via a small bit of hose pipe? All this holes and metal plate???? Just open the door un hook the high pressure hose out to the car??

Am i missing something here? Basically you want the Pressure washer in the garage and be able to use it without moving evertime.....

Cheers

PaulN


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## Estoril-5 (Mar 8, 2007)

sounds like youre making progress mate!

i understand your idea and was thinking something along the same lines.

it might cost a bit and probably does not add much to practicality but it is cool as **** imo.

garage doors closed, no PW in sight, i like it!


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

PaulN said:


> Sorry I see what you've done but i cant really undertand why you haven't just gone from the Tap to the Pressure washer via a small bit of hose pipe? ....
> PaulN


Hi
I got sick of getting it out / putting it away !
And it looks cool


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Estoril-5 said:


> it might cost a bit and probably does not add much to practicality but it is cool as **** imo.....


Extension hose : £8 
plumbing bits : £5
hire big drill £15
smile on my face: PRICELESS


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## LukeA (Oct 6, 2008)

Love the idea. Any outside pics whilst using?


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Currently, the pressure washer extension hose is poking out of a hole inthe front of the garage. To use it, I just connect the 6m hose to this outlet, and turn on the water and power.

I'm waiting for my bro to make me a metal plate to hold the hose on the garage wall, like an outside tap bracket. (instead of just poking through).

Once this is fitted (next week ?) I'll post pics of the finished product.

bob


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## gt5500 (Aug 6, 2008)

Why didn't you just connect the long extension pipe to the PW that way you could leave the PW in the garage connected and have a pipe long enough to run out from the garage to the car


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

gt5500 said:


> Why didn't you just connect the long extension pipe to the PW that way you could leave the PW in the garage connected and have a pipe long enough to run out from the garage to the car


I just think it is neater this way.

Anyway, you remember that the 3m extension hose was female to female, with a male-male brass adaptor ?
And you recall that the PW is inside the garage, with the extension hose poking out of a hole inthe wall ? Time to finish this off properly.
So, I got 2 plates made up. One has a hex hole, to fit the adaptor inside, and the other has a slightly smaller round hole. When these are next to each other, and the pipe is screwed onto the back, the result is that the brass adapor cannot turn, or be pulled out. (cos it is held in by the plate with the round hole.

I painted the plates with POR-15 rust treatment, so they should last a while.

Looks good - I enjoyed this little project ! :thumb:


















One plate is 6mm, the other is 1.5mm.









The finished article !!!


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

Hi All

Andy has asked me for some more info, so here it is.

Firstly, I had a water supply in the garage, and I teed off with 15mm copper pipe into a washing machine connector, which had a blue shutoff valve on it. This had a hozelock connector on it, and then there was a bit of hosepipe off to the Karcher pressure washer. This fed water to the pressure washer.

Connectors used here :

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5115&d=1222460772

Then, for the high pressure side of the pressure washer, I bought a 3m pressure washer extension hose (I had to ask for a 3m one, as he usually sells longer ones) , which was actually the same on each end. Each end had a female connector on it.

This is what I mean... (pic is on an american site, but it is exactly what I am talking about.)

http://www.pressurewashersdirect.com/images.php?products_id=1392

One end screwed straight onto my karcher, situated on the floor inside the garage.
The other end poked though a hole in the garage wall, and poked outside.

This outside end had a small brass male-male connector on it, meaning that the end of this rig was now the same as the end on the pressure washer. Therefore, I could screw on my existing pressure washer hose.

I finished the job by adding a pair of metal plates outside the garage, to hold the brass connector still, so I could screw the hose on with one hand.

I bought the 3m extension hose from ebay...

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/directhose

And the metal plates I made up myself.

Final pic here...

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2821/pipes2aq1.gif

On the pic, you can see the water coming in from under the floor, and heading up to the original tap. I then teed off into a valve, and then teed off downwards towards the washing machine valve (blue) which fed the pressure washer. Out of the PW is a black hose,which is shown lying on the floor. This now pokes outside, with the plate on the end.

The remaining copper pipe inside goes horizontally round the wall to the new outside tap - handy for filling buckets up.

So, I now just take my PW hose and gun outside, screw it into the socket on the wall, flick the power and water on and I'm good to go. No plugging in the PW into the mains (it is always plugged in) - no connecting up the hosepipe (it is always ready). I can pull the hose outside, and the PW does not fall over / get dragged along. It works really well.

The finished article !!!









Hope that helps,
bob


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## TurbochargedJJ (Dec 10, 2009)

really neat job, nice!!


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## 3dr (Mar 1, 2008)

could you not of just got a longer PW hose and flicked the power and water on as you walked past? it's a glory hole for your pressure washer! you've still got to go and get your hose, then go back in and switch your PW off and turn the water off before taking the hose off haven't you? it just seems you've added a fancy extention that goes through the wall? or am i missing something?


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## Select Detailing (Feb 19, 2009)

From looking at your set up, cracking work and have to say like the idea of not lugging the machine outside all the time.
Thanks for taking the time to post up all the info and links.

Pleasure to read.

Gareth


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## uberwax (Feb 14, 2006)

Ive got a similar set up, but have my pressure washer feeding a rectractable hose reel.


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## amiller (Jan 1, 2009)

uberwax said:


> Ive got a similar set up, but have my pressure washer feeding a rectractable hose reel.


Exactly what I'm about to set up! :thumb:

Any pics?


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## robertbentley (Sep 17, 2007)

uberwax said:


> Ive got a similar set up, but have my pressure washer feeding a rectractable hose reel.


I did look into that, but I couldn't find a reasonably priced one. I'd love to see a pic of it though !


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## pr100 (Feb 7, 2010)

How difficult is it to move the pressure washer to the other side of the house to clean the patio? Or do you need another pressure washer for all the other cleaning jobs?


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## uberwax (Feb 14, 2006)

Here are the pics finally guys, sorry kept forgetting about this doh.

Here is the pressure washer inside the garage (yes i must make a bette ventilation for it doh)










There is a hose pipe and a pressure washer pipe you can see going to this.

Basically becuase there isnt a water tap near the garage i have a retractabel reel which comes out and goes and connects to the tap. This then ts off, one side going to a reverse osmosis unit which is great for final rinse. The other side goes to a junction box prior to the pressure washer, as with this i can then select which water to use, and also have a bucket feed in the garage,










From this it goes to the pressure washer, up to a reel which comes out int he main part of the garage:










Then here is the hose and also pressure washer outlet:


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## abd1973 (Aug 27, 2007)

^^^^^ NIce set up.


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## liam99 (Dec 29, 2009)

Nice work.


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## paranoid73 (Aug 5, 2009)

That's not the brightest of ideas having a hose real suspended over a 240v socket! :doublesho


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## andy monty (Dec 29, 2007)

Not a problem unless it leaks Same in most houses behind the washing machine/ dishwasher Hose and electric socket close to each other 


Op goggle MK masterseal if your worried they do some solid waterproof switches and sockets


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