Generac 1539-0 Owner’s Manual

GEN RAC °]

Portable Products

Pressure Washer Owner's Manual

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Questions? Help is just a moment away!

Preguntas? La ayuda es justa un momento lejos!

Call: Generac Pressure Washer Helpline / Ltame:Linea Oirecta del

Lavador a Presi6n de Generac - 1-800-270-1408 M-F 8-5 CT

Web: www.generac-portables.com or www.briggsandstratton.com

Model No. 1539-0 (3,000 PSiHighPressure Washer) ManualNo. 187701 Revision 7 (09/19/2002)

GeneracPortableProducts3000PSIPressureWasher

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SafetyRules.................................. 2-3

Know Your PressureWasher ...................... 4

Assembly.................................... 5-7

Operation .................................. 8- I0

Product Specifications........................... I I

Maintenance ............................... I I- 13

Storage...................................... 14

Troubleshooting ............................... 15

Replacement Parts........................... 16-21

Warranty ............................... Last Page

EQUIPMENT

DESCRIPTION

Read this manual carefully and become familiar

with your pressure washer. Know its applications,
its limitations and any hazards involved.

Everyeffort has been madeto ensure that informationin

this manual is accurate and current However, Generac

reservesthe right to change,alter or otherwise improve the

product andthis document at anytime without prior notice.

WARNING

The engine exhaust from this product contains

chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

the State of California a spark arrester is required by law
Section 4442 of the California PublicResourcesCode).
)ther states may havesimilar laws.Federal lawsapplyon

Federallands.If you equip the muffler with aspark arrestel
t must be maintained ineffective working order.

WARNING

WHEN ADDING FUEL

Turnpressurewasher OFF and let it cool at [east2 minutes

before removing gascap.
Fillfuel tank outdoors.

Do not overfill tank. Allow spacefor fuel expansion.
Keep gasoline away from sparks, open flames, pilot lights, heat,

and other ignitionsources.
Do not lightacigarette or smoke.

eVHEN OPERATING EQUIPMENT

Do not tip engine or equipment at anglewhich causes
gasolineto spill

Do not sprayflammable liquids.
'HEN TRANSPORTING OR REPAIRING EQUIPMENT

Transport/repair with fuel tank EMPTY or with fuel shutoff
valve OrE

eVHEN STORING GASOLINE OR EQUIPMENT WITH

FUEL IN TANK

Store away from furnaces, stoves,water heaters, clothes
dryers or other appliancesthat havepilot lightor other

ignitionsource becausethey can ignite gasolinevapors.

WARNING

SAFETY RULES

The safety alert symbol (_.) isusedwith a signalword
(DANGER, CAUTION, WARNING), a pictorial and/or a

safety messageto alert you to hazards. DANGER
indicates a hazard which, ifnot avoided, will result in death

or serious injury.WARNING indicatesa hazardwhich, if
not avoided, couldresult in death or serious injury.
CAUTION indicates a hazard which, if not avoided, might

result in minor or moderate injury.CAUTION, when
used without the alert symbol, indicates a situation that
could result in equipment damage.Follow safety messages
to avoid or reduce the risk of injuryor death.

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Keepwater sprayawayfromelectricwiringor fatalelectric
shockmayresult.

WARNING

Never aim the spray gun at people, animalsor plants.
Do not allow CHILDREN to operate the pressure washer.
Never repair high pressure hose. Replace it.

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Generac Portable Products 3000 PSIPressureWasher

,_ WARNING

Keepspray nozzle between 8 to 24 inches away from cleaning

surface.

Beextremely careful if you must use the pressure washer from

a ladder,scaffolding or any other relatively unstable location.
The cleaning area should haveadequateslopes and drainageto

reduce the possibility of afall due to slippery surfaces.

Operate this unit on a stable surface.

,_ DANGER

,_ WARNING

Do not wear loose clothing, jewelry or anything that may be
caught in the starter or other rotating parts.

Tie up long hair and remove jewelry.

,_ WARNING

Always wear eye protection when you usethis equipment or
when you are in the vicinity where the equipment is in use.

,_ WARNING

Operate pressure washer ONLY outdoors.

Use a respirator or mask whenever there is a chance that

vapors may be inhaled.

Readall instructions with mask so you are certain the maskwill
provide the necessaryprotection againstinhaling harmful vapors.

,_ WARNING

Do not touch hot surfaces.

Allow equipment to cool before touching.

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Disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug and place
the wire where it cannot contact spark plug.

,_ CAUTION

Do not tamper with governed speed.
Do not operate the pressure washer above the rated pressure.

CAUTION

Do not point spray gun at glasswhen in the jet spray mode.
Never aim the spraygun at plants.

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Generac Portable Products 3000 PSIPressureWasher

KNOW YOUR PRESSURE WASHER

Read this owner's manual and safety rules before operating your high pressure washer.

Compare the illustrations with your high pressure washer to familiarize yourself with the locations of various controls and

adjustments. Savethis manual for future reference.

Nozzle Extension with GasTank Throttle Lever

Quick Connect Choke Lever

Pressure _ FuelValve

Control Knob \. Starter

(on front of engine)

Air Filter

Spray

High Pressure Hose

Pump equipped with

Automatic Coot Down System

Chemical Injection Siphon/Filter

Air Filter -- Protects engine by filtering dust and debris out

of intake air.

Automatic Cool Down System -- Cycles water through

pump when water reaches 125°-155°F. Warm water will

discharge from pump onto ground. This system prevents

internal pump damage.

Chemical Injection Siphon/Filter -- Use to siphon

detergent or other pressure washer chemicals into the low

pressure stream.

Choke Lever -- Prepares a cold engine for starting.

Fuel Valve -- Used to turn fuel on and off to engine.

Gas Tank -- Fill tank with regular unleaded gasoline. Always

leave room for fuel expansion.

High Pressure Hose -- Connect one end to the water

pump and the other end to the spray gun.

High Pressure Outlet with Quick Connect -- To

connect high pressure hose.

Oil Fill Cap

High Pressure Outlet
with Quick Connect

Water Inlet

Nozzle Extension with Quick Connect -- Allows you to

switch between four different spray nozzles.
Oil Fill Cap -- Fill engine with oil here.

Pressure Control Knob -- Varies the pressure of the high

pressure spray.

Pump -- Develops high pressure.

Recoil Starter -- Use for starting the engine manually.

Spray Gun -- Controls the application of water onto

cleaning surface with trigger device. Includes safety latch.
Spray Nozzles -- Chemical injection (25°), 0°, t5°, 25°, and

40°: for various cleaning applications.
Throttle Lever--Sets engine in starting mode for recoil

starter and stops a running engine.
Water Inlet -- Connect garden hose here.

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Generac Portable Products 3000 PSIPressureWasher

IMPORTANT: Read entire owner's manual before you PREPARING PRESSURE

attemptto assembleor operateyournew pressurewasher,

WASHER FOR USE

REMOVE PRESSURE

If you haveany problems with the assemblyof your

WASHER FROM

pressure washer or if parts are missingor damaged,call the
pressure washer helpllne at 1-800-270-1408.

CARTON

To prepare your pressure washer for operation, you

• Removethe high pressure hose, handle,and parts box

inctuded with pressure washer.

• Slicetwo corners at the end of carton from top to

bottom so the panelcan be folded down fiat, then

remove all packing material.

• Roll pressure w_her out of carton.

Carton Contents

Items in the carton include:

• Main unit

• High pressure hose

• Handle

• Pump oil dipstick (hanging on pump)

• Accessory box (includes the following):

(2) bottles of engineoil
Owner's registration card
Safetygoggles

Bagcontaining 5 multi-colored quick connect nozzles
Maintenancekit

Owner's manual

Enginemanual
Enginewarranty card

Emissionscontrol warranty card
Spark arrestor screen
Spraygun with quick connect fitting

Nozzle extension with quick connect fitting

Handle hardware, including 4 carriage bolts and

4 flange nuts

If any of the above parts are missing or damaged,call the

pressure washer helpline at 1-800-270-1408.

will need to perform these tasks:

• Fill out and send in the registration card.

• Attach the handle to the main unit.

• Add oil to the engine.

• Add fuel to the fuel tank.

• Connect the high pressure hoseto the spray gun and the
pump.

• Connect the water supply to the pump.

• Connect nozzle extension to spray gun.

• Selectand installdesired nozzle.

Attach Handle to the Pressure

Washer

Use either a 13ramor adjustable wrench to attach the
handle to the pressure washer.

To attach handle to the pressure washer:

• Slowly tip the pressure washer forward and let it gently
rest on the front bumper.

• Align the holes on the handle with the holes on the base.

• Insert the carriage bolts provided to hold the handlein
place (Figure I).

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GeneracPortableProducts3000PSIPressureWasher

• Securehandletothepressurewasherusingthefour
providedflangenuts.

• Slowlytipthepressurewasherbackinplaceandinsert
themulti-colorednozzlesinthespacesprovidedinthe

handle.

Install Oil Dipstick on Pump

CAUTION! You MUST remove the pump'sshipping cap

and installthe oil dipstick. Failure to do so will void the
warranty and damagethe pump.

To install the oil dipstick:

• Make sure your unit is on a level surface.

• Remove and discard the shipping cap located on the
pump (Figure 2).

NOTE: Check oil often during engine break-in. Refer to
engine owner's manual for recommendations.

Add Gasoline

_IL WARNING! Never fill fuel tank indoors. Never

fill fuel tank when engine is running or hot. Do Not

smoke when filling fuel tank.

_IL ARNING! Never fill fuel tank completely full.

Provide spacefor fuel expansion. Wipe awayany

fuel spillagefrom engine and equipment before

starting.

• Use clean regular unleadedfuel and store inapproved
clean covered containers. Use cleanfill funnels. Never

use "stale" gasoline left over from last season or gasoline
stored for long periods.

• Clean the area around the fuel fill cap, remove the cap.
Slowly fill tank to the bottom of the filler neck (Figure 3).

__ Maximum Fuel Level

Pump Oil

Dipstick

• Install the oil dipstick.

Add Engine Oil

IMPORTANT: Any attempt to crankor start the engine

before it hasbeen properly serviced with the
recommended oil may result in anengine failure.

• Placepressure washer on a levelsurface.

• Refer to the engine owners manual to add recommended
oil to engine.

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Install the fuel cap and wipe up any spilled gasoline.

Connect Hose and Water Supply to

Pump

IMPORTANT: Youmust attach all hoses before you start
the engine. Starting engine without all hoses connected and
water supplied willdamage the pump.

• Uncoil high pressure hose and attach quick connect end
of hose to the baseof the spraygun (Figure 4). Pull
down on the collar of the quick connect, slide onto the
spray gun and let go of collar. Tug on hoseto be sure of
a tight connection.

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GeneracPortableProducts3000PSIPressureWasher

IMPORTANT: Do Not siphon standing water for the
water supply.Use ONLY coldwater (tessthan 100°F).

• Connect the garden hose to the water inlet.Tighten by

hand (Figure 5).

_ here.

• Similarly, attach the other end of the high pressure hose
to the high pressure outlet on the pump. Pull clown on
the collar of the quick connect, slide onto the pump and
let go of collar. Pull on hose to be sure of a tight

connection.

• Before you connect your garden hoseto the water inlet,
inspect the inlet screen (Figure 5). Clean the screen if it
contains debris, replace if damaged.DO NOT RUN THE

PRESSUREWASHER IFTHE SCREENIS DAMAGED.

Inspectinlet

screen. Do Not
useif damaged;

cleanif dirty.

• Runwater through your garden hose for 30 seconds to PressureWasher" before usingthe pressure washer.
clean out anydebris. Turn off water.

CAUTION! There MUST be at leastten feet of
unrestricted garden hose between the pressure washer

inletand any flow shut off device,such as a'Y' shut-off

connector or other convenience-type water shut-o_ valve.

Damage to pressurewasher resulting from disregarding this
warning wilt not becovered by the warranty.

• Turn ON the water and squeezethe trigger on the gun
to purge the pump system of air and debris.

_ AUTION! Before starting the pressure washer,

be sure you are wearing adequate eyeprotection.

Checklist Before Starting Engine

Review the unit's assemblyto confirm you have performed
all of the following:

• Makesure the handle is secure.

• Check for properly tightened hose connections.

• Check to make sure that there are no kinks, cuts, or
damageto the high pressure hose.

• Check that oil hasbeen added to the proper level in the
engine crankcase.

• Add the proper gasoline to fuel tank.

• Provide a proper water supply (not to exceed 100°F)at
a minimum flow of 3.3 gallons per minute.

• Besure to read "Safety Rules" and "How To Use Your

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Generac Portable Products 3000 PSIPressureWasher

HOW TO USE YOUR

PRESSURE WASH ER

If you have any problems operating your pressure washer,

pleasecall the pressure washer helpline at

1-800-270-1408.

Off

How to Start Your Engine

The best way to start your pressure washer for the first
time isto follow these instructionsstep-by-step. This

starting informationalso appliesif havelet the pressure
washer sit idlefor at least a day.

• Placethe pressure washer in anarea close enough to an
outside water source that can flow at a rate of

3.3 gallons per minute or more.

• Make sure the unit isin a level position.

• Check that the high pressure hose is connected to the
spray gun and to the pump. See"Preparing Pressure
Washer for Use" on page5.

• Connect the garden hose to the water inlet on the
pressure washer pump and turn on the water.

CAUTION! Do Not run the pump without the water
supply connected and turned on. You must follow this

caution or the pump will be damaged.

• Squeezethe trigger on the spray gunto relieve the air
pressure caused by turning ON the water. Water will

discharge from the spray gun in a thin stream. Hold the
trigger until a steady stream of water appears. This will

make it easier to putl start the engine. Releasethe
trigger.

• Apply the safety latch to the spray gun trigger (Figure 6).

• Move the throttle leverto the "Fast" position
(Figure8).

• To start a cold engine, move the choke leverto the
"Closed" position. To restart a warm engine, leave
the choke lever in the "Open" position (Figure9).

Closed

• Setthe engine switch to the "On" position (Figure 10).

EngineSwitch

J

• Move the fuel valve to the "On" position (Figure 7).

Grasp starter grip and pull slowly until you feel some
resistance. Then pull cord out with rapid full arm stroke.
Let rope return slowly. Do Not let rope "snap back"
against starter.

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Generac Portable Products 3000 PSIPressureWasher

• Ifthe choke lever has been moved to the "Closed"
position to start the engine,gradually move it to the

"Open" position as the enginewarms up.

• Attach the nozzle extension to the spray gun.Tighten by
hand (Figure I I).

• Selectthe desired quick connect nozzle and insert it into
the end of the nozzle extension (see "How To Use the

Nozzles").

• Disengagethe safety latch on the spraygun.

How to Stop Your Pressure Washer

• Move the throttle lever to the "Slow" position.

• Move the fuel valve to the "Off" position.

• Wait for the engine to idledown.

• Move the engineswitch to the "Off" position.

• Simplyshutting off the engine will not release pressure in
the system. Squeeze trigger on the spray gun to
relieve pressure in the hose.

Flow to Use the Nozzles

_ CAUTION! Never exchange nozzleswithout

lockingthe safety latchon the trigger.

The quick-connect on the nozzle extension allows you to
switch between five different nozzles.The nozzles vary the
spray pattern asshown below (Figure 12).

Follow these instructions to change nozzles:

• Engagethe safety latch on the spray gun.

•Putl backthe collar on the quick-connect and pult the
current nozzle off. Store the nozzle in the space provided

on the handlesstorage panel.

NOTE: For a more gentle rinse, select the white 40° or
green 25° nozzle. To scour the surface, select the yellow

15° or red 0° nozzle. To applychemical, select the black

nozzle.

•Putl backon the collar, insert the new nozzle and release
the collar. Tug on the nozzle to make sure it is securely

in place.

• For most effective cleaning,keep the spray nozzle
between B to 24 inchesawayfrom the cleaningsurface. If
you get the spray nozzle too close, you maydamage the
cleaningsurface.

apply

chemical

Low Pressure

Black

25 °

High Pressure

White Green Yellow Red

40° 25° 15° 0°

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Generac Portable Products 3000 PSIPressureWasher

Cleaning and Applying Chemical

CAUTION! You must attach all hoses before you

start the engine. Starting the enginewithout all the hoses
connected and without the water turned ON wilt damage

the pump.

IMPORTANT: Use soaps designed specifically for
pressure washers. Household detergents could damage

the pump.

To apply detergent follow these steps:

• Reviewthe useof the nozzles.

• Preparethe detergent solution as required by the
manufacturer.

• Placethe chemical injectionsiphon/fitter into the

detergent container.

CAUTION! Keep the chemical injection tube from

coming in contact with the hot muffler.

• Make sure the black nozzle is installed.

NOTE: Detergent cannotbe appliedwith the high

pressure nozzles (White, Green, Yellow, or Red).

• Makesure the garden hose isconnected to the water
inlet.Check that the high pressure hose isconnected to

the spraygun and the pump and start the engine.

• Apply the detergent to adry surface, starting at lower
portion of area to be washed and work upward, using

long,even, overlapping strokes. Do Not allow the

detergent to dry on (prevents streaking).

• Allow the detergent to soak in between 3-5 minutes
before washing and rinsing. Reapplyas needed to prevent

surface from drying.

After you have applied detergent, scour the surface
and rinse it clean as follows:

• Apply safety latch to spray gun.

• Remove the black chemical nozzle from the nozzle
extension.

• Select and installthe desired high pressure nozzle
following the instructions"How to Use the Nozzles" on

page9.

• Keepthe spray gun a safedistance from the area you

plan to spray.

• Increaseor decreasespray pressureby turning the

pressure control knob counterclockwise or clockwise
respectively (Figure 13).Use lower pressureto wash

itemssuch a as a car or boat. Use higher pressure to

strip paint anddegreasedriveways.

• Apply a high pressure spray to a smallarea andthen
check the surface for damage.If no damageisfound, you
can assumeit isokay to continue cleaning.

• Start at the top of the area to be rinsed, working down
with sameoverlapping strokes asyou usedfor cleaning.

Pressure Washer Rinsing

_ ARNING! Be extremely careful ifyou must

use the pressure washer from aladder,scaffolding
or anyother relatively unstable location.Hose
water pressure builds asyou climb. When you press
the trigger, the recoil from the initial spray canbe
very strong. The highpressure spraycould cause
you to falt if you are too close to the cleaning

surface.

Automatic Cool Down System

(Thermal Relief)

If you run the engine on your pressure washer for
3-5 minutes without pressingthe trigger on the spray gun,

circulating water in the pump can reach a temperature

between 125°-155°E At this temperature, the system
engagesand cools the pump by discharging the warm
water onto the ground. This system prevents internal
damageto the pump.

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SPECIFICATIONS

PRESSURE WASHER

Rated Pressure ..... 3,000 PSI

Flow Rate .......... 3.0 gallonsper minute (gpm)

Detergent .......... Use detergent approved for

pressure washers

Water Supply

Temperature ....... Not to exceed 100°F

Automatic Cool .... Will cyclewhen water

Down System reaches 125°-155°F

Shipping Weight .... 142lbs.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

RECOMMENDATIONS

The pressure washer warranty does not cover items that

have been subjected to operator abuse or negligence. To

receive full value from the warranty, the operator must

maintain the high pressure washer as instructed in this

manual.

• Some adjustments will need to be made periodically to
properly maintain your high pressure washer.

• All maintenance in this manualand the engine owner's
manual should be made at leastonce eachseason.

• Once a year you should cleanor replace the spark plug,
clean or replacethe air filter and check the spraygun and
nozzle extension assemblyfor wear. A new spark plug
and clean air filter assureproper fuebair mixture and
help your engine run better and lastlonger.Pleaserefer
to your engine owner's manualfor more details.

Before Each Use

Check engineoil level.

Check water inletscreen for damage.
Check in-line filter for damage.

Check high pressure hose for leaks.
Check detergent siphoning tube and filter for damage.

Check spraygun, nozzle extension, and nozzles for leaks.

Rinseout garden hoseto flush out debris.

MAINTENANCE

Check and Clean Inlet Screen

Examinethe screen on the water inlet.Clean it if the

screen is clogged or replace it if screen is damaged.

Check High Pressure Hose

The high pressure hose candevelop leaksfrom wear,

kinking, or abuse. Inspect the hose eachtime before using

it. Check for cuts, leaks,abrasions or bulgingof cover,
damageor movement of couplings. If any of these
conditions exist, replace the hose immediately.

_ ARNING! Never repair a high pressure hose.

Replace it with another hose that exceedsthe
maximum pressure rating of your pressure washer.

Check Detergent Siphoning Tube

Examinethe filter on the detergent tube and clean if
clogged. The tube should fit tightly on the barbed fitting.

Examinethe tube for leaksor tears. Replacethe filter or
tube ifeither is damaged.

Cleaning Detergent Siphoning Tube

If you used the detergent siphoning tube, you must flush it
with clean water before stopping the engine.

• Placethe chemical injectionsiphon/fitter in a bucket full
of clean water.

• Attach the black low pressure nozzle.

• Flush for I-2 minutes.

• Shut off the engine.

IMPORTANT: Simply shutting OFF engine wilt not
release pressure in the system. When the engine has

shut down, squeeze the trigger on the spray gun to

relieve the pressure in the hose.

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