Karcher K 2.28 User Manual

K 2.28

English 2
Español 17
Français 3

3

5.963-171.0 (10/08)

HIGH PRESSURE WASHER OPERATOR MANUAL

Model Overview 3
Important Safety Instructions 4
Assembly Instructions 6
Operating Instructions 6
Using the Accessories 8
Working with Detergents 9
Taking a Break 10
Shutting Down & Clean-Up 10
Winterizing and Long-Term Storage 11
Maintenance Instructions 11
Cleaning Tips 12
Optional Cleaning Accessories 13
Troubleshooting 15

Safety Alert Symbols

 DANGER

indicates “an imminently hazardous sit­uation which, if not avoided, will result in
death or serious injury.”

 WARNING

indicates “a potentially hazardous situa­tion which, if not avoided, could result in
death or injury.”

 CAUTION

indicates “a potentially hazardous situa­tion which, if not avoided, may result in
minor or moderate injury or in property
damage incidents.”

Specifications

For household use only!

Max. Pressure* 1550 PSI
Max. Water Flow* 1.3 GPM
Amp draw 13 AMPS
Voltage 120 V
Part No. 1.601-554.0
Serial no.

* Max. Pressure and Max. Water Flow deter­mined in accordance with PWMA Standard
PW101-8/01

Owner/User Responsibility

The owner and/or user must have an
understanding of the manufacturer’s
operating instructions and warnings be­fore using this pressure washer.
Warning information should be empha­sized and understood.
If the operator is not fluent in English,
the manufacturer’s instructions and
warnings shall be read to and discussed
with the operator in the operator’s native
language by the purchaser/owner, mak­ing sure that the operator comprehends
its contents.
Owner and/or user must study and
maintain for future reference the manu­facturers’ instructions.

Customer Support

USA and Canada

Call: 1-800-537-4129 for help or visit
our website:

www.karcherresidential.com

Please take a moment to register your
pressure washer online at

www.karcherresidential.com/warranty

Customer Support

Mexico

Call: 01-800-024-13-13 for help or visit
our website: www.karcher.com.mx

2 English

MODEL OVERVIEW

1 High pressure outlet
2 Detergent suction tube with filter
3 ON/OFF switch
4 Transport handle
5 Hose/Cord Hook
6 Spray Wand Storage
7 Hose/Cord Hook
8 Power cord with Ground Fault Circuit

Interrupter (GFCI)

9 Water inlet with garden hose

connector
10 Trigger gun
11 Trigger gun safety lock
12 Locking slide for high pressure hose
13 High pressure hose

®

14 Dirtblaster

(Rotary spray wand)

15 Vario Power Spray wand

English 3

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

 WARNING

When using this product basic precau­tions should always be followed, includ­ing the following:

 Read all the instructions before us-

ing the product.

 To reduce the risk of injury, close su-

pervision is necessary when a prod­uct is used near children.

 Know how to stop the product and

bleed pressures quickly. Be thor­oughly familiar with the controls.

 Stay alert – watch what you are do-

ing.

 Do not operate the product when fa-

tigued or under the influence of alco­hol or drugs.

 Keep operating area clear of all per-

sons.

 Do not overreach or stand on unsta-

ble support. Keep good footing and
balance at all times.

 Follow the maintenance instructions

specified in the manual.

 This product is provided with a

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter built
into the power cord plug. If replace­ment of the plug or cord is needed,
use only identical replacement parts.

 WARNING

Risk of Injection or Injury – Do Not
Direct Discharge Stream At Per­sons.

 High pressure jets can be dangerous

if misused. The jet must not be di­rected at persons, animals, electrical
devices, or the unit itself.

 Wear safety goggles.

 WARNING

Risk Of Explosion – Do not spray
flammable liquids.

 Do not use acids, alkaline, solvents,

or any flammable material in this

4 English

product. These products can cause

physical injuries to the operator and

irreversible damage to the machine.

 CAUTION

Gun Kicks Back – Hold with both

hands.

 The Trigger Gun Safety Lock pre-

vents the trigger from accidentally

being engaged. This safety feature

DOES NOT lock trigger in the ON

position.

 WARNING – Risk of Electrocution

 Inspect cord before using – Do not

use if cord is damaged.

 Keep all connections dry and off the

ground.

 Do not touch plug with wet hands.
 Do not use extension cord with this

product.

 Connect to individual branch circuit

only.

 CAUTION

This unit has been designed for use with
cleaning detergents recommended by
the manufacturer. The use of other
cleaning detergents may affect the op­eration of the machine and void the war­ranty.

 WARNING

 DO NOT SPRAY ELECTRICAL AP-

PARATUS AND WIRING.

 DO NOT USE WITH FLAMMABLE

LIQUIDS AND TOXIC CHEMICALS.

 HIGH PRESSURE. KEEP CLEAR OF

NOZZLE.

 INJECTION HAZARD: EQUIPMENT

CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF

THE SPRAY PENETRATES THE

SKIN. DO NOT POINT THE GUN AT

ANYONE OR ANY PART OF THE

BODY. IN CASE OF PENETRATION

SEEK MEDICAL AID IMMEDIATELY.

 THIS SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF

PRODUCING 1600 PSI TO AVOID
RUPTURE AND INJURY, DO NOT
OPERATE THIS PUMP WITH COM­PONENTS RATED LESS THAN 1600
PSI WORKING PRESSURE (IN­CLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
SPRAY GUNS, HOSE AND HOSE
CONNECTIONS).

 BEFORE SERVICING, CLEANING

OR REMOVING ANY PARTS, SHUT
OFF POWER AND RELIEVE PRES­SURE.

 IF CONNECTION IS MADE TO A PO-

TABLE WATER SYSTEM, THE SYS­TEM SHALL BE PROTECTED
AGAINST BACKFLOW.

SERVICING OF A DOUBLE-

INSULATED PRODUCT

In a double-insulated product, two sys­tems of insulation are provided instead
of grounding. No grounding means is
provided on a double-insulated product,
nor should a means for grounding be
added to the product. Servicing a dou­ble-insulated product requires extreme
care and knowledge of the system, and
should be done only by qualified service
personnel. Replacement parts for a
double-insulated product must be iden­tical to the parts they replace. A double­insulated product is marked with the
words “DOUBLE INSULATION” or
“DOUBLE INSULATED”. The symbol
“ ” may also be marked on the product.

GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT

INTERRUPTER PROTECTION

protection from the risk of electric
shock. Should replacement of the plug
or cord become necessary, use only
identical replacement parts that include
GFCI protection.

WATER SUPPLY

(Cold Water Only)

 CAUTION

When connecting the water inlet to the
water supply mains, local regulations of
your water company must be observed.
In some areas the unit must not be con­nected directly to the public drinking wa­ter supply. This is to ensure that there is
no feedback of chemicals into the water
supply. Direct connection via a receiver
tank or backflow preventer, for example,
is permitted.
Dirt in the feed water will damage the
unit. To avoid this risk, we recommend
fitting a water filter.

 Garden hose must be at least 1/2

inch or 5/8 inch in diameter.

 Flow rate of water supply must not

fall below 2 GPM (gallons per

minute).

 Flow rate can be determined by run-

ning the water for one minute into an

empty 5-gallon container.

 The water supply temperature must

not exceed 104°F/40°C.

 Never use the pressure washer to

draw in water contaminated with sol-

vents, e.g. paint thinners, gasoline,

oil, etc.

 Always prevent debris from being

drawn into the unit by using a clean

water source.

This pressure washer is provided with a
ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI)
built into the plug of the power-supply
cord. This device provides additional

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

English 5

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Required tools

Screwdriver, small size (not supplied)

for connecting high pressure hose and
trigger gun.

Assembly

A Pull out the locking slide of the trig-

ger gun handle.

B Insert the small end of the high pres-

sure hose into place.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Î STEP 1:

Connect the high pressure hose to
the unit’s high pressure outlet.

C Push the locking slide back into the

trigger gun to lock the hose in posi-

tion.

Î STEP 3:

Connect garden hose to unit’s water

inlet.

Î STEP 2:

Insert the spray wand of your choice
into the trigger gun. Press in against
the spring tension and twist into
locked position.

6 English

Î STEP 4:

Connect garden hose to the cold wa-

ter source and turn water on com-

pletely.

Î STEP 5:

Plug the Ground Fault Circuit Inter­rupter (GFCI) into a working outlet.

We recommend that you test the GFCI as
part of your startup procedure each time you
use your pressure washer. To learn how to
peform this test on your unit, visit http://
www.karcherresidential.com/gfci_test.php
for detailed instructions for your type of GFCI.

 WARNING

Do not use if above test fails.

Note: The actual appearance of the GFCI may be
different from this illustration.

Î STEP 6:

Unlock the trigger gun safety lock.
Trigger the gun to eliminate trapped
air, wait for a steady flow of water to
emerge from the spray nozzle.

Î STEP 7:

Turn on the high pressure washer (I/

ON).

The motor starts only if the trigger

of the gun is pulled and shuts off

when the trigger is released.

English 7

USING THE ACCESSORIES

 WARNING

To avoid serious injury never point
spray nozzle at yourself, other per­sons or animals.
Always test an inconspicuous area
before cleaning with high pressure.

Vario Power Spray Wand

 The Vario Power Spray Wand allows

you to adjust the cleaning pressure.
To clean at maximum pressure, the
wand must be positioned to the high
pressure setting (Max).
For reduced pressure turn the wand
collar in the „Min“ direction.

To apply detergent, the wand
must be positioned to the low
pressure setting (Mix).

Dirtblaster®

 This nozzle features a 0º pencil jet

which rotates 360º for maximum dirt

cutting action, effectively increasing

cleaning performance up to 50%.

This nozzle combines the cleaning

performance of a 0º pencil jet with

the surface coverage of a wide angle

nozzle.

Not recommended for soft materi-

als, siding, painted surfaces,

decks or autos.

 Always test an inconspicuous area

before cleaning with the Dirtblaster

®

.

8 English

WORKING WITH DETERGENTS

Detergents can only be applied at
low pressure (Min.).

Î STEP 1:

Install the Vario Power Spray Wand.
Set the spray wand to the low pres­sure setting (Mix).

Î STEP 2:

Fill a container with Kärcher deter­gent. Place the filter end of detergent
suction tube into the container.

Î STEP 3:

Turn on the pressure washer (I). Pull
trigger to operate unit. Liquid deter­gent is drawn into the unit and mixed
with water. Apply detergent to work
area. Do not allow detergent to dry
on surface.

For best results see Cleaning Tips
for specific information on how to
clean different surfaces.

®

Always Use Kärcher

Detergent for

Best Results

®

Kärcher

biodegradable detergents are
specially formulated to protect the envi­ronment and your pressure washer. The
special formula won’t clog the suction
tube filter and will protect the internal
parts of the pressure washer for a long-

®

er life. For Kärcher

Detergents, check

your retailer or visit our website:

www.soappac.com

 CAUTION

Never use:
– Bleach, Chlorine products and other

corrosive chemicals

– Liquids containing solvents (i.e.,

paint thinners, gasoline, oils)
– Tri-sodium phosphate products
– Ammonia products
– Acid-based products
These chemicals will harm the unit and
will damage the surface being cleaned.

Use of these items will void the war­ranty.

Î STEP 4:

To rinse, move the VPS out of „Mix“
position and pull trigger to operate
unit.

Î STEP 5:

Cleaning up: Always draw fresh wa­ter through the detergent tank or si­phon tube when done to flush any
remaining detergents from the injec­tion system.

English 9

TAKING A BREAK ..five minutes or more

Î

STEP 1:

Release trigger and engage gun
safety lock.

Î STEP 2:

Turn pressure washer to OFF (0)
position.

SHUTTING DOWN & CLEAN-UP

Î STEP 1:

Turn the switch to OFF (0) position
and unplug cord from outlet.

Î STEP 2:

Turn off the water source.

Î STEP 3:

Press trigger to release water pres­sure.

Î STEP 4:

Release trigger and engage gun
safety lock.

Î STEP 5:

Disconnect the garden hose from

the water inlet on the unit.

Î STEP 6:

Disconnect the high pressure hose

from the high pressure outlet.

10 English

WINTERIZING AND LONG-TERM STORAGE

Î 1: Disconnect all water connections.
Î 2: Turn on the machine for a few

seconds, until the water which had
remained in the pump exits, turn off
immediately.

Î 3: Do not allow high pressure hose

to become kinked.

Î 4: Store the machine and accesso-

ries in a room which does not reach
freezing temperatures. DO NOT

 CAUTION

Failure to follow the above directions
will result in damage to the pump as­sembly and accessories and will void
the warranty.
Kärcher
practice of using a pump protector like
“Kärcher
weather damage during storage in the
winter months.

®

also recommends the regular

®

Pump Guard” to prevent cold

store near furnace or other sources
of heat as it may dry out the pump
seals.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS

Cleaning the water inlet filter Maintenance

Î STEP 1:

Pull out washer from the water inlet.

Î STEP 2:

Pull out water inlet filter with flat­nose pliers.

The unit is maintenance-free.

Î STEP 3:

Rinse out water inlet filter in warm
water.

Î STEP 4:

Reinsert water inlet filter and washer
into the water inlet.

English 11

CLEANING TIPS

 CAUTION

 Before cleaning any surface an in-

conspicuous area should be cleaned
to test spray pattern and distance for
maximum cleaning results.

 If painted surfaces are peeling or

chipping, use extreme caution as
pressure washer may remove the
loose paint from the surface.

 When using on surfaces which might

come in contact with food, flush sur­faces with plenty of drinking water.

 For additional cleaning tips and a com-

plete video library, visit our website:

www.karcherresidential.com

Deck Cleaning

(with or without detergent). Pre-rinse

deck and surrounding area with fresh
water. If using detergent, apply to sur­face at low pressure. For best results,
limit your work area to smaller sections
of approximately 25 square feet. Allow
detergent to remain on surface 1-3 min­utes. Do not allow detergent to dry on
surface. Rinse at high pressure in a long
sweeping motion keeping the spray
nozzle approximately 3-6 inches from
the cleaning surface. Always clean from
top to bottom and from left to right.
When moving on to a new section of the
cleaning surface, be sure to overlap the
previous section to eliminate stop marks
and ensure a more even cleaning result.

House Siding

(with or without detergent). Pre-rinse

cleaning surface with fresh water. If us­ing detergent, apply to surface at low
pressure (for best results, limit your
work area to sections of approximately
6 feet and always apply detergent from

12 English

bottom to top). Allow detergent to re­main on surface 1-3 minutes. Do not al­low detergent to dry on surface, if
surface appears to be drying, simply
wet down surface with fresh water. If
needed, use special wash brush attach­ment (not included) to remove stubborn
dirt. Rinse at high pressure from top to
bottom in an even sweeping motion
keeping the spray nozzle approximately
6 inches from the cleaning surface.

Cement Patios, Brick and Stone

(with or without detergent). Pre-rinse

cleaning surface with fresh water. If us­ing detergent or Degreaser, apply to
surface at low pressure. For best re­sults, limit your work area to smaller
sections of approximately 25 square
feet. Allow detergent or Degreaser to re­main on surface 1-3 minutes. Do not al­low detergent to dry on surface. Rinse
at high pressure in a sweeping motion
keeping the spray nozzle approximately
3-6 inches from the cleaning surface.
Always clean from top to bottom and
from left to right. For removing extreme­ly stubborn stains, use the Dirtblaster
Nozzle.

®

Cars, Boats & Motorcycles

(with or without detergent). Pre-rinse

vehicle with fresh water. If using deter­gent, apply to surface at low pressure.
For best results, clean one side of vehi­cle at a time and always apply detergent
from bottom to top, do not allow deter­gent to dry on surface. If needed, use
special wash brush attachment (not in­cluded) to remove stubborn dirt. Rinse
at high pressure in a sweeping motion
keeping the spray nozzle approximately

6-8 inches from the cleaning surface
(distance should increase when rinsing
pin-striping or other sensitive surfaces).
Always clean from top to bottom and
from left to right. For best results, wipe
surface dry with a chamois or soft dry
cloth.

Barbecue Grills, Outdoor Power

Equipment & Gardening Tools

(with or without detergent). Pre-rinse

cleaning surface with fresh water. If us­ing detergent or Degreaser, apply deter­gent at low pressure. Allow detergent to
remain on surface 1-3 minutes. Do not
allow detergent to dry on surface. Rinse
at high pressure keeping the spray noz­zle approximately 3-6 inches from the
cleaning surface. For removing ex-

OPTIONAL CLEANING ACCESSORIES

tremely stubborn dirt, it may be neces­sary to move the spray nozzle even
closer to the surface for greater dirt cut­ting action.

Patio & Lawn Furniture

(with or without detergent). Pre-rinse

furniture and surrounding area with
fresh water. If using detergent, apply to
surface at low pressure. Allow detergent
to remain on surface 1-3 minutes. Do
not allow detergent to dry on surface. If
needed use special Wash Brush Attach­ment (not included) to remove stubborn
dirt. Rinse at high pressure in a sweep­ing motion keeping the spray nozzle ap­proximately 3-6 inches from the
cleaning surface. For best results, clean
from top to bottom and from left to right.

Optional accessories are available to
further enhance your cleaning capabili­ties. These accessories are accurate as
of the printing date of this manual.
Please check our website for pricing
and up-to-date information.

Pump Guard

Specially formulated to protect your
pressure washer from freezing, corro­sion and premature wear. The Pump
Guard also adds lubrication to valves
and seals to prevent sticking. Highly
recommended for all Kärcher
washers!

Part No. 9.558-998.0

®

pressure

25 Ft. Extension /Replacement

High-Pressure Hose

®

Replacement hose fits Kärcher

pres­sure washer with screw-on type gun
connections from 2400 PSI to
2500 PSI, Extension Hose for all

®

Kärcher

high pressure washers be­tween the original equipment hose and
machine up to 2500 PSI.

Part No. 2.640-850.0

66" Extension Wand (Four piece)

Need to clean second story windows or
other high areas? Increase the reach of
your pressure washer by up to 66" with
this extension kit. Includes 4 aluminum
sections for variable length. 66" fully as­sembled. Fits most Kärcher
washers up to 2300 PSI. (bayonet)

Part No. 2.640-746.0

®

pressure

English 13

Rotating Wash Brush (bayonet)

Wet Sandblasting Kit (bayonet)

For more effortless cleaning of all
smooth surfaces (painted, glass and

®

plastic) try the Kärcher

Rotating Wash
Brush. Use it on your automobile, house
siding or windows. The water pressure
from your pressure washer causes the
inner brushes to gently spin, making
your cleaning job much easier. The an­gle of brush head is adjustable to help
you reach difficult areas. Excellent for
the application of detergent. A must­have accessory designed for Kärcher

®

pressure washers up to 2300 PSI. (bay­onet)

Part No. 2.640-743.0

Soft Clean Washing Brush

Made with soft bristles that will not harm
painted surfaces. Easily attaches direct­ly to the trigger gun. Ideal for stubborn
dirt on cars, boats, patio furniture and
other surfaces. Great for applying deter-

®

gent. Fits most Kärcher

pressure

washers up to 2300 PSI. (bayonet)

Part No. 2.640-740.0

25 ft. Pipe Cleaning Kit (bayonet)

Need to clean blocked pipes, drains or
downspouts? The Kärcher
ing kit is the answer! The pipe cleaner
propels itself forward while simulta­neously flushing out debris. For exam­ple, insert the cleaning nozzle in the
base of a downspout, pull the trigger on
the pressure washer gun and watch as
the nozzle shoots out leaves and other
debris while climbing upward. Connects
directly to the trigger gun of most

®

Kärcher

pressure washers up to

2300 PSI. (bayonet)

Part No. 2.640-747.0

®

pipe clean-

Why spend hours stripping old paint and
rust by hand using harsh chemicals?

®

Let the Kärcher

Wet Sandblasting Kit
do the work! Attach the kit to your pres­sure washer, add abrasive material and
attack the rust and paint with our eco­friendly alternative. Fits most Kärcher
pressure washers up to 2300 PSI. (bay­onet)

Part No. 2.638-792.0

Detergent Foamer Attachment

Ideal for applications which require a
thick foam. Simply fill the resevoir cup
with liquid pressure washer detergent to
generate a foam spray. Connects di­rectly to the trigger gun. Fits most

®

Kärcher

pressure washers up to

2300 PSI. (bayonet)

Part No. 6.964-507.0

T 100 Wide Area Surface Cleaner

For cleaning surfaces such as patios,
terraces and driveways without splash­back, there is no better solution than the
Kärcher
ing a one foot wide area gently as it hov­ers, providing consistent, streak-free
cleaning. When you finish cleaning the
patio and driveway, remove the wand
and use the handle to clean garage
doors and other vertical surfaces. In­cludes two nozzles which spin at high
speed for optimum results. Our top sell­ing accessory for Kärcher
washers up to 2300 PSI. (bayonet)

Part No. 2.640-959.0

®

T 100. It saves time by clean-

®

pressure

®

14 English

TROUBLESHOOTING



CAUTION

Disconnect the machine from the power
source before making any repair.

Symptom Cause Solution

Motor will not start On/Off switch is in the “OFF”

(0) position.
Power cord is not plugged in. Plug in power cord.
Electrical outlet does not

supply adequate power.
Tripped GFCI plug. Press “RESET” button on

Tripped circuit breaker. Switch off pressure washer.

Unit does not
reach high
pressure.

Output pressure
varies high and
low.

Diameter of garden hose is
too small.

Water supply is restricted. Check garden hose for kinks,

Not enough inlet water supply. Open water source full force.
Water inlet filter is clogged. Remove filter and rinse out in

Spray wand is on low
pressure position.

Not enough inlet water supply. Turn water on full force. Check

Pump is sucking air. Check that hoses and fittings

Water inlet filter is clogged. Remove filter and rinse out in

Discharge nozzle is
obstructed.

Calcified gun, hose or spray
wand.

Turn switch to the “ON” (I)
position

Try a different outlet.

GFCI plug.

The reset comes automatically
once the temperature of the
unit drops.

Replace with a 5/8 inch or
larger garden hose.

leaks and blockage.

warm water.
Turn spray wand to high

pressure position.

garden hose for kinks, leaks or
blockage.

are air tight. Turn off machine
and purge pump by squeezing
trigger gun until a steady flow
of water emerges through the
nozzle.

warm water.
Blow out or remove debris with

a fine needle.
Run distilled vinegar through

detergent suction tube.

English 15