Pressure loss

[John Buxton]

I have a direct drive White Magic, and a 14" Butler wand. When working about 1 hour the wand trigger feels like your running out of water and the water flow is down. Today when it happened 4 times, I changed to the stair tool which worked fine, then the Butler wand would be fine for a while, but lose pressure again. The pressure at the truck is fine. Could the trigger valve be going bad, or the pump? Any ideas?

 

[Hoody]

There's usually a few o-rings that are in the trigger valve. Take it apart and see which one split.

 

[Ken Snow]

I would call Butler at 800-535-5025

 

[John Olson]

Clean the screen..If you need to rebuild the valve the Kit is RAC41 $29.99 (thats assuming you have a paraplate valve on the wand still)

 

[Joe Bristor]

John's probly right, the strainer just before your trigger valve is clogged with fine particulate.
use two crescent wrenches.
PM me if you want instructions on converting the Butler valve over to the Soft Touch.
You'll be so cool. 8)

 

[BLewis]

This happened to me a couple of times and it was the clogged filter Joe and John mentions. It doesn't happen any more cuz I maintenance my filter on the water tank along with all filters on all wands once per month.

It scared the begeebers out of me the first time it happened. Actually it was in the winter and I thought my lines were freezing.

 

[Lyman]

Save your pennies and get another wand, the head design on the butler wand is no good. There is dead spots up in the corners that collect depree and screw up vacuum.

 

[Dolly Llama]

you guys suggesting a clogged strainer.....

did you read this part;


"I changed to the stair tool which worked fine, then the Butler wand would be fine for a while, but lose pressure again."

I personally have never had a clogged strainer act like that

I'd be looking to the pump or water source to the pump.


.L.T.A.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Just to clarify my post I mean the strainer before my pump and the QD at the tank.............

I figgered

and to clarify my post, I'm referring to the "wand" strainer


..L.T.A.

 

[bob vawter]

suckin' air somewhurr.....

 

[rwcarpet]

I've got a crazy therory. I was having similar problems with the Ti and the Quad wand. It would lose pressure slowly, and I would run out to the van to make sure all was well. Here, it was my long-handled Parker shut off valve. I was bumping it slowly closed with my hip when I pulled back on the wand. I didn't realize that I was shutting off the flow at the wand shut-off valve. Sounds crazy, but if you use a longer shut off valve, that could be the simple reason it's losing pressure. Next time you lose pressure check your shut off valve at the wand (if you use one).

 

[Erik]

I remember the Powermatic had an oil cooler box with a float. The valve would not supply enough water, 40 min. of cleaning, I had to let the box play catch up.


Check feed lines, clean filters, mabe the relief valve :?

 

[Joe Bristor]

he said, no prob with stairtool so I assumed a problem with the wand. Butler has jet screens too but unlikely they'd all clog.
Yes, I've seen intermittent, gradual loss in pressure from partially clogged strainers, also debris collecting behind QDs.
It's also symptomatic of clogged filter to the pump...like the way auto fuel pump filters clog gradually ...you' usually get some warning before they shut you down completely.
I had a van once that ran fine except on the freeway. Get it up to speed and randomly it'd bog down. Overpriced Chrysler dealer mechanic couldn't figure it out but concluded, 'well' it's gotta be either fuel or electrical.'
Well, duh. What else? alignment of the stars?
Anyway, turns out it was hair in the gas tank finding its way randomly to the outlet to the fuel line... at least when I removed & flushed the gas tank it never did it again. Guess how the hair got in there?















I had used self-tapping screws to mount a hose reel a couple years earlier, had since moved the reel leaving the holes open. One screw had pierced the gas tank. I know...here's your sign dumbass.
I've learned that 95% of the problems in my life were caused by me, the other 5% will soon be discovered as mine as well. Who was it who said 'know thyself'?

 

[John Buxton]

I rebuilt the para-plate valve but still happened again today after 40 minutes of cleaning. As soon as it happened I ran to the truck and opened the convenience valve and everything seems fine, 400 psi. The pressure at the wand would go back to normal then start getting soft at the trigger like your running out of water. There is no strainer on the wand other than the screens on the jets which are clean. Weird, it's like it drops from 400 to 50 psi.

 

[Lyman]

Post a pic of the wand, all butler wands have a strainer between the quick connect and the valve.

 

[Joe Bristor]

Pull 1 jet and let it flow a minute.
Collect the water.
You might be surprised.

Is it only the Butler wand doing it?

 

[John Buxton]

I think I have got it fixed. You guys will let me know if I'm full of shit but I think the water got so hot it was turning to vaporize. I turned down the heat and no more problems, at least today. My White Magic really gets hot with the dual heat exchanger.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

You should be able to determine if your pressure and volume are normal by snapping on a bare, unattached quick connect to your pressure hose fitting. You should have great flow and pressure or else the problem is, sigh, not your wand.