One of my first posts in this blog was regarding the servicing of the Pioneer PL12D turntable, and that has proven to be the most popular by a significant margin. The Pioneer PL12D had its competitors, and probably the most popular alternative was the Trio Kenwood KD-1033 turntable. I use both names (Trio and Kenwood) as the company operated under different names in different markets. In the UK they were Trio, possibly because the brand Kenwood was most famous here for food blenders. 95% of a KD-1033 is similar to Pioneer PL12D, and servicing them is very much the same process. Both are belt drive , have an AC synchronous motor, mechanical speed change , a main bearing, sprung top deck and rubber motor mounts. the KD-1033 uses a different type of anti skate mechanism, employing a thread and weight. The plinth is shallower with an internal cross brace. One aspect that is different is the design of the main bearing, and servicing it is a little harder than a PL12D. The ...
I decided to clean some bikes during this unprecedented period of isolation, and got out a Karcher pressure cleaner we purchased some years ago for cleaning our decking. We have had it for 4 years, it works fine and creates a powerful spray which blasts the dirt off, and has a mode which dispenses detergent at a lower pressure first to fully soap the item, be it car or bike or garden furniture etc.
However while the pressure hose worked fine I could not get any detergent to dispense. I checked the bottle which inverts onto a connector with a rubber seal. All appeared fine.
I looked online via google and remembered that the detergent only dispenses when the nozzle dial on the gun part is turned down to the 'Mix' setting. However I tried this and it made no difference.
There are clear pipes which deliver the detergent from the bottle dispenser via a dial which sets the amount. I could see no movement through these pipes
I decided to open the Karcher which involved first disconnecting the Kercher from both the Mains electricity and from the water . You will need a Phillips screwdriver, a T10 torx screwdriver and a tray to collect the parts.
WARNING: Only attempt this if you are capable with electrical items and dismantling things in an orderly and careful fashion. If in doubt get a qualified repairer to undertake this
Then removing two phillips screws from where the main handle fixes to the body. The green hose from the main body unclips from the drum winder mechanism by remove a clip around the neck from the handle
Then removing 8 T10 torx screws that secure the black and yellow sections of the main shell. Please use the correct driver , you dont want to foul the heads
Carefully separate the two halves of the case. Its heavy and care is needed but you should be able to see the main pump
There are two internal clear pipes to pump detergent. I pulled the hoses from their connectors and examined them . I noticed that they use a form of stent a black plastic semi-plug. I think these are to either reduce the flow of detergent and maybe also prevent kinking of the pipes.
However I also noticed that old detergent had turned to a kind of jelly in the pipes. This was the problem, I washed all the pipes in warm soapy water , squeezed out the stents and the solidified detergent so that I could run warm water through the pipes. I then put the stents back and then reconnected the pipes to the pump as before. It's a good idea to take a few pictures as you go, your machine may differ
Once reassembled the detergent flowed freely through the pipes and machine works fine again.
I think the issue is that the Karcher had had little use for 12-18 months including hot and cold weather where it had been stored in an outside shed. Residual detergent had remained in the pipes and solidified. if you believe you will be storing it for a while it may be good to disconnect the detergent bottle and run the machine until all detergent has been pumped through. In fairness it may suggest this in the documentation, I just couldnt find what I'd done with it
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