Model K 240 plus Part No. 1.223–585.0

High Pressure Washer Operator Manual

Overview ........................................................................ 2Precautions ................................................................. 2-4Assembly Instructions .................................................... 4Operating Instructions ................................................... 5GFCI Instructions ........................................................... 6Using the Accessories ................................................... 6Working with Detergents ................................................ 7Shut Down and Clean-Up .............................................. 8Taking a Break................................................................ 8Winterizing and Long-Term Storage .............................. 8Cleaning Tips ............................................................ 9-10Optional Cleaning Accessories .................................... 10Troubleshooting ...................................................... 11-12

SpecificationsOperating pressure 1400 PSIWater volume 1.3 GPMVoltage 120 VAmp draw 14 AMPS

In USA Call:1-800-537-4129

or visit our website:www.karcher-usa.com

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Item Description

1. On/Off switch2. High pressure outlet3. Water inlet with internal water filter4. Dirtblaster wand5. High/Low spray wand6. Spray wand extension7. Trigger gun8. Trigger gun safety lock9. High pressure hose

10. Power cord11. Ground fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)12. Detergent Tank (removable)

Never point nozzle at people or animals.

Never drink alcohol or use drugs while operating this equipment.

Never operate while standing in water.

Never touch plug with wet hands.

Never let electrical connections rest in water.

Never operate pressure washer without the water turned on

Never use hot water

Model K 240 plus OVERVIEW

NEVER!

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IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS – Read First!

GROUND FAULT CIRCUITINTERRUPTER PROTECTIONThis pressure washer is provided with aground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) built intothe plug of the power-supply cord. This deviceprovides additional protection from the risk ofelectric shock. Should replacement of the plugor cord become necessary, use only identicalreplacement parts that include GFCIprotection.

SERVICING OF ADOUBLE-INSULATED APPLIANCEIn a double-insulated product, two systems ofinsulation are provided instead of grounding.No grounding means is provided on a double-insulated product, nor should a means forgrounding be added to the product. Servicinga double-insulated product requires extremecare and knowledge of the system, and shouldbe done only by qualified service personnel.Replacement parts for a double-insulatedproduct must be identical to the parts theyreplace.A double-insulated product is marked with thewords “DOUBLE-INSULATION” or “DOUBLE-INSULATED”. The symbol may also be markedon the product.

EXTENSION CORDSUse a sufficient gauge:Up to 25 ft = 12/2 AWG

25 to 50 ft =10/2 AWGUse only extension cords that are intended foroutdoor use. These extension cords areidentified by a marking “Acceptable for use withoutdoor appliances; store indoors while not inuse.” Use only extension cords having anelectrical rating not less than the rating of theproduct. Do not use damaged extension cords.Examine extension cord before using andreplace if damaged. Do not abuse extensioncord and do not yank on any cord to disconnect.Keep cord away from heat and sharp edges.Always disconnect the extension cord from thereceptacle before disconnecting the productfrom the extension cord. If you are using anextension cord, it should always be completelyunwound from the cable drum.

WARNING – To reduce the risk of electrocution,keep all connections dry and off the ground.Do not touch plug with wet hands.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING – When using this product basicprecautions should always be followed,including the following:

• Read all the instructions before using theproduct.

• To reduce the risk of injury, close supervisionis necessary when a product is used nearchildren.

• Know how to stop the pressure washer andbleed pressures quickly. Be thoroughlyfamiliar with the controls.

• Stay alert — watch what you are doing.

• Do not operate the product when fatigued orunder the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Keep operating area clear of all persons.

• Do not overreach or stand on unstablesupport. Keep good footing and balance atall times.

• Follow the maintenance instructions speci-fied in the manual.

• This Pressure Washer Is Provided With AGround Fault Circuit Interrupter Built Into ThePower Cord Plug. If Replacement Of The PlugOr Cord Is Needed, Use Only IdenticalReplacement Parts.

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

• High pressure jets can be dangerous ifsubject to misuse. The jet must not bedirected at persons, animals, electricaldevices, or the machine itself.

• Wear safety goggles.

• Do not use acids, solvents, or any otherflammable material in this product. Theseproducts can cause physical injuries to theoperator and irreversible damage to themachine.

• This machine has been designed for use withcleaning detergent supplied or recom-mended by the manufacturer. The use of othercleaning detergents may affect the operationof the machine and void the warranty.

• The Gun Safety Lock prevents the trigger fromaccidentally being engaged. This safetyfeature does not lock trigger in the onposition.

- SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS -

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Water Supply(Cold Water Only)• Water hose must be at least 3/4 inch in

diameter.

• Flow rate of water supply must not fallbelow 2.5 GPM (gallons per minute).

• Flow rate can be determined by running thewater for one minute into an empty“ 5-gallon container.

Step 1Open the detergent tank.

Step 2Connect the detergent suctiontube to the pressure washer

IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS – continued

• The water supply temperature must notexceed 104°F/40°C.

• Never use the pressure washer to draw inwater contaminated with solvents, e.g.paint thinners, gasoline, oil, etc.

• Always prevent debris from being drawninto the unit by using a clean water source.

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Step 3 Place the filter end ofdetergent suction tube into thecontainer.Assemble thedetergent tank.

Step 5Insert the Spray WandExtension into the trigger gun.Press in against the springtension and twist into the lockposition. Turn the Spray WandExtension Collar clockwiseuntil tight.

Step 4Pull out the locking slide fromthe right side of the trigger gunhandle, and insert the small endof the high pressure hose intoplace. Push the locking slideback into the trigger gun to lockthe hose in position.

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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1Connect the high pressure hose to the unit’s highpressure outlet.

Step 2 Insert the spray wand of yourchoice into the wand extension. Push inand turn clockwise to lock spray wandin place.

Step 3Connect garden hose to unit’s water inlet.

Step 4Connect garden hose to the cold watersource and turn water on completely.

Step 5Plug the power cord into the power outlet. Unlockthe lock of the trigger gun. Press “TEST”, thenpress “RESET” to assure proper connection topower. Trigger the gun to eliminate trapped air,wait for a steady flow of water to emerge from thespray nozzle.

Step 6Turn on the pressure washer (ON).The motor starts only if the triggerof the gun is pulled and shuts offwhen the trigger is released.

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For lower pressure turn wandtip to the minus (-) position.

This wand features a 0º pencil jet whichrotates 360º for maximum dirt cutting action,effectively increasing cleaning performance upto 50%. This wand combines the cleaningperformance of a 0º pencil jet with the surfacecoverage of a wide angle nozzle. Notrecommended for soft materials, siding,painted surfaces, decks or autos .

GFCI INSTRUCTIONS

USING THE ACCESSORIES

Note:The actualappearanceof the GFCImay bedifferentfrom thisillustration.

Step 1 Plug the Ground Fault CircuitInterrupter (GFCI) into a workingoutlet

Step 2 Press “TEST”, then press“RESET” to assure properconnection to power.

The High/low spray wand allows you to adjustthe cleaning pressure. To clean at maximumpressure, the High/low wand must bepositioned to the high pressure setting (+).To apply detergent, the wand must bepositioned to the low pressure setting (-).

Dirtblaster® spray wandHigh/low spray wand

WarningTO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY, NEVER POINT SPRAY NOZZLE AT YOURSELF, OTHER PERSONS OR ANIMALS

For higher pressure turn wandtip to the plus (+) position.

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WORKING WITH DETERGENTSKarcher Pressure washers operate at two pressures. The high pressure setting is used forcleaning, you cannot apply detergents when working at high pressure. To apply detergents youmust be operating at low pressure.

For best results see CleaningTips on pages 8 & 9 for specificinformation on how to cleandifferent surfaces.

Always Use KarcherDetergents for Best Results.Karcher biodegradable detergentsare“specially formulated to protect theenvironment and your pressure washer.Special formula won’t clog the suction tubefilter and will protect the internal parts of thepressure washer for a longer life. For KarcherDetergents, check your retaileror call:

Step 1 To apply detergents Install theWash brush or the high/low spray wand.Push in and turn clockwiseto lock into position.Then set wand tipto the low pressuresetting (-).

Step 2 Fill a detergen tank with Karcherdetergent. Place the filter end of detergentsuction tube into the container.

Step 3 Turn on the pressure washer.Pull trigger to operate unit: Liquid detergentis drawn into the unit and mixed with water.Apply detergent to work area. Do not allowdetergent to dry on surface.

CautionNever 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 andwill damage the surface being cleaned.

The following Karcher detergents areavailable:• Vehicle Wash • House Wash• Degreaser • Deck Wash• All Purpose Cleaner

In USA Call:1-800-537-4129

or visit our website:www.karcher-usa.com

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Step 6Disconnect the high pressure hose from the high pressureoutlet and engage the gun safety lock.

Step 1Engage gunsafety lock.

1. Disconnect all water connections.

2. Turn on the machine for a few seconds,until the water which had remained inthe pump exits. Turn off immediately.

3. Do not allow high pressure hose tobecome kinked.

SHUTTING DOWN & CLEAN-UP

Step 1Remove detergentsuction tube fromcontainer and insert into1 gallon of fresh water.Siphon water at lowpressure for one minute.

Step 2Turn the switch to“OFF” position andunplug cord fromoutlet.

Step 3Turn off the watersource.

Step 4Press trigger torelease waterpressure.

Step 5Disconnect the garden hosefrom the water inlet on the unit.

Step 2Turn pressurewasher to “OFF”position.

WINTERIZING AND LONG-TERM STORAGE

TAKING A BREAK... five minutes or more

4. Store the machine and accessories ina room which does not reach freezingtemperatures.

Caution: Failure to follow the abovedirections will result in damage to thepump assembly and accessories.

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Deck Cleaning(with or without detergent)Pre-rinse deck and surrounding area withfresh water. If using Kärcher Deck Wash,place detergent suction tube directly intocleaning solution and apply to surface at lowpressure. For best results, limit your workarea to smaller sections of approximately 25square feet. Allow Kärcher Deck Wash toremain on surface 1-3 minutes. Do not allowdetergent to dry on surface. Rinse at highpressure in a long sweeping motion keepingthe spray nozzle approximately 3-6 inchesfrom the cleaning surface. Always clean fromtop to bottom and from left to right. Whenmoving on to a new section of the cleaningsurface, be sure to overlap the previoussection to eliminate stop marks and ensure amore even cleaning result. Caution: Do notuse rotating nozzle spray wand on woodsurface as it may cause damage.

House Siding(with or without detergent)Pre-rinse cleaning surface with fresh water. Ifusing Kärcher House Wash, place detergentsuction tube directly into cleaning solution andapply to surface at low pressure (for bestresults, limit your work area to sections ofapproximately 6 feet and always applydetergent from bottom to top). Allow KarcherHouse Wash to remain on surface 1-3minutes. Do not allow detergent to dry onsurface, if surface appears to be drying,simply wet down surface with fresh water. Ifneeded, use special Wash Brush Attachmentto remove stubborn dirt. Rinse at highpressure from top to bottom in an evensweeping motion keeping the spray nozzleapproximately 6 inches from the cleaningsurface.Caution: Do not use rotating nozzle spraywand on siding as it may cause damage.

CLEANING TIPS

Cement Patios,Brick and Stone(with or without detergent)Pre-rinse cleaning surface with fresh water. Ifusing Karcher All Purpose Cleaner, placedetergent suction tube directly into cleaningsolution and apply to surface at low pressure.For best results, limit your work area tosmaller sections of approximately 25 squarefeet. Allow Kärcher All Purpose Cleaner toremain on surface 1-3 minutes. Do not allowdetergent to dry on surface. Rinse at highpressure in a sweeping motion keeping thespray nozzle approximately 3-6 inches fromthe cleaning surface. Always clean from top tobottom and from left to right. For removingextremely stubborn stains, use KärcherRotating Nozzle Spray Wand.

Cars, Boats & Motorcycles(with or without detergent)Pre-rinse vehicle with fresh water. If usingKarcher Vehicle Wash, place detergentsuction tube directly into cleaning solution andapply to surface at low pressure. For bestresults, clean one side of vehicle at a timeand always apply detergent from bottom totop, do not allow detergent to dry on surface.If needed, use special Wash BrushAttachment to remove stubborn dirt. Rinse athigh pressure in a sweeping motion keepingthe spray nozzle approximately 6-8 inchesfrom the cleaning surface (distance shouldincrease when rinsing pin-striping or othersensitive surfaces). Always clean from top tobottom and from left to right. For best results,wipe surface dry with a chamois or soft drycloth.Caution: Do not use rotating nozzle spraywand on vehicles as it may “cause damage.

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Barbecue Grills, OutdoorPower Equipment &Gardening Tools(with or without detergent)Pre-rinse cleaning surface with fresh water.If using Kärcher All Purpose Cleaner orDegreaser, place detergent suction tubedirectly into cleaning solution and applydetergent at low pressure. Allow Kärcherdetergent to remain on surface 1-3 minutes.Do not allow detergent to dry on surface.Rinse at high pressure keeping the spraynozzle approximately 3-6 inches from thecleaning surface. For removing extremelystubborn dirt, it may be necessary to movethe spray nozzle even closer to the surfacefor greater dirt cutting action. To removecaked on mud from garbage cans, lawnmower blades, wheel barrels or othernon-sensitive metal surfaces, you may wantto use the Karcher Rotating Nozzle SprayWand.Caution: Do not use rotating nozzle spraywand on cloth, plastic or other sensitivesurfaces as it may cause damage.

Optional cleaning accessories are available to further enhance your cleaning capabilities:See accessories order form for product descriptions and ordering instructions.

CLEANING TIPS – continued

Patio & Lawn Furniture(with or without detergent)Pre-rinse furniture and surrounding areawith fresh water. If using Kärcher AllPurpose Cleaner, place detergent suctiontube directly into cleaning solution andapply to surface at low pressure. AllowKärcher All Purpose Cleaner to remain onsurface 1-3 minutes. Do not allow detergentto dry on surface. If needed use specialWash Brush Attachment to remove stubborndirt. Rinse at high pressure in a sweepingmotion keeping the spray nozzleapproximately 3-6 inches from the cleaningsurface. For best results, clean from top tobottom and from left to right.Caution: Do not use rotating nozzle spraywand on patio or lawn furniture as it maycause damage.

Recommendations• Before cleaning any surface an

inconspicuous area should be cleaned totest spray pattern and distance formaximum cleaning results.

• If painted surfaces are pealing or chipping,use extreme caution as pressure washermay remove the loose paint from thesurface.

OPTIONAL CLEANING

• Rotating Wash Brush

• Wash Brush

• House Washing Wand

• Extension Wand

• Rotating Spray Wand

• Flexible Spray Wand

• Underbody Spray Wand

• Telescopic Spray Wand

• Pipe Drain Cleaner

• Floor Washing Tool

• Sandblasting Attachment

• Detergent Foamer Attachment

• Water Pumping Kit

• Water Suction Hose

• Extension Hose 25’

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

Symptom

Motor will not start

Unit does not reach highpressure.

Output pressure varieshigh and low.

Cause

On/Off switch is in the “OFF”position.

Power cord is not plugged in.

Extension cord is too long.Extension cord is not proper gauge.Extension cord is damaged.

Electrical outlet does not supplyadequate power.

Tripped circuit breaker

Diameter of garden hose is toosmall.

Water supply is restricted.

Not enough inlet water supply.

Water inlet filter is clogged.

Spray wand is in low pressureposition.

Not enough inlet water supply.

Pump is sucking air.

Water inlet filter is clogged.

Discharge nozzle is obstructed.

Calcified gun, hose or spray wand.

Solution

Turn switch to the “ON” position

Plug in power cord.

Replace extension cord with eithera 25 ft. 12/2 gauge cord or a 50ft. 10/2 gauge cord.

Try a different outlet.

Reset breaker (power supply) orground fault circuit interrupter.

Replace with a 3/4 inch gardenhose.

Check garden hose for kinks,leaks and blockage.

Open water source full force.

Remove filter and rinse out inwarm water.

Turn spray wand to high pressureposition.

Turn water on full force. Checkgarden hose for kinks, leaks orblockage.

Check that hoses and fittings areair tight. Turn off machine andpurge pump by squeezing triggergun until a steady flow of wateremerges through the nozzle.

Remove filter and rinse out inwarm water.

Blow out or remove debris with afine needle.

Run distilled vinegar throughdetergent suction tube.

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TROUBLESHOOTING – continued

Solution

Check connection.

Dilute detergent, for best resultsuse Kärcher detergent.

Run warm water through filter toremove debris.

Remove obstruction or replacedetergent suction tube.

Turn spray wand tip to lowpressure position.

Blow out or remove debris withfine needle.

Tighten fittings.

Insert new washer.

Insert the spray wand into thespray wand extension. Carefullypress in against the spring tensionand twist into the locked position.

Slide the spray wand extensioninto the gun. Turn the wandcollar clockwise onto the gunthreads until tight.

Call Kärcher customer servicehotline and order repair kit (partno. 2.883-111.0).

Check that hoses and fittings areair tight. Turn off machine andpurge pump by squeezing triggergun until a steady flow of wateremerges through the nozzle.

Check that all fittings are tight.

Call service center.

Call service center.

Symptom

No detergent.

Garden hoseconnection leaks.

Spray wand or Spraywand extension leaks.

Pump is noisy.

Water leaks from pump (upto 10 drops per minute ispermissible).

Oil Drip.

Cause

Detergent suction tube not properlyconnected to the machine.

Detergent is too thick.

Filter on detergent suction tube isclogged.

Damaged or clogged detergentsuction tube.

Spray wand is in high pressureposition.

Discharge nozzle is obstructed.

Loose fittings.

Missing/worn rubber washer.

Spray wand not properly attached.

Spray wand extension not properlyattached.

Broken o-ring or plastic insert.

Pump is sucking air.

Loose fittings.

Water seals are damaged or worn.

Oil seals are damaged or worn.

If you encounter any additionaldifficulties not listed, please call ourservice center for help.

Karcher Customer Support USA

5.960-383 02/02

In USA Call:1-800-537-4129

or visit our website:www.karcher-usa.com