One very common frustration we hear is:
“Every other time I try to use an electric mini-jetter, it trips the circuit breaker!”
Why Does It Happen?
- A 1½ HP jetter-motor draws about 13–14 amps at full pressure
- Most residential circuits are only 15 amps total
- If the same circuit is powering appliances or other equipment, there might only be 10 to 12 amps available.
- In that case, there’s simply too much demand on the circuit, and when the jetter builds up to full pressure, the circuit’s total amps exceeds 15 and that overload trips the breaker at their electrical panel.
- It’s not the jetter’s fault - it’s the circuit!
So What Can We Do About It?
Reduce the jetter’s pressure, and you’ll reduce the amp-draw...
Examples:
- if: 1500-PSI draws 15 amps
- then: 1000-PSI draws only 10 amps
- or: 700-PSI builds only 7 amps
Lowering the pressure and amp load can allow you to keep jetting instead of just tripping the breaker and giving up. Even at only 500-PSI (only about 5 amps) you may still be able to clear a soft clog and get the line flowing for your customer – that’s why you bought the jetter! It might be a bit slower than full pressure but you got the job done.
Methods to Lower the Jetter's Pressure and Amp-Load
1. Use the Adjustable Pressure-Regulator (aka Unloader) Valve
If your jetter has one, simply twist the regulator's knob to bleed off water-flow and pressure, which reduces amp-load.
2. Add a "Bleeder-Valve"
If your jetter does not have an adjustable regulator, add a “bleeder-valve” between the jetter and the jetting-hose, which lowers the pressure by bleeding off water to the ground or to a drain. A high-pressure Needle-Valve works best; just add connector-fittings to it that match the fittings that connect your jetting-hose to the machine, then connect the bleeder-valve in-between.
Best technique for adjusting a pressure-regulator or a bleeder valve:
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- Startup amps are the highest, so back off the pressure-regulator or bleeder-valve to extreme low pressure before starting the jetter’s motor.
- Once the motor is running, slowly increase the pressure to the circuit’s amp-tolerance. If/when the breaker trips, back the pressure off a touch, reset the breaker and get back to jetting.
3. Use a Lower-Pressure Jetting-Nozzle
A nozzle with larger orifices will reduce pressure-buildup...
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The advantage here is the lower-pressure nozzle will maintain the jetter’s max GPM-flow out the nozzle while lowering the PSI and amp-draw.
- This method maintains maximum GPM which provides better scouring & flushing power versus bleeding off the pressure (which also reduces the GPM-flow out of a “full pressure” nozzle).
- Many customers have multiple nozzles that are each “orificed” for different pressures at their mini-jetter’s max GPM, allowing them to select the nozzle/pressure that best maximizes their mini-jetter’s performance without tripping the circuit-breaker.
Our Recommendation
Our Drain Invader “HD” mini-jetter includes an Adjustable Pressure-Regulator, making it easy to fine-tune pressure & amp-load based on the circuit you’re using. This can be the difference between finishing the job or losing it because your equipment won’t run. I once cleaned a small pipe with less than 300-psi; it was slow going but I got it clean – and the customer was pleased.
Final thoughts
We know that electric-powered mini-jetters are a handy and inexpensive tool for cleaning smaller indoor service-lines. Yes they can trip breakers, but using these techniques can keep your jetter running so you can still take care of the customer’s problem – and still bill out a legit jetting-job!
If you're in the market for an electric mini-jetter that gives you real pressure control on the job, browse our full lineup of electric jetters, or reach out to us directly and we'll help you find the right setup for the work you're doing.