Buying task · Nozzle tips and turbo nozzles
Nozzle tips and turbo nozzles
Pick pressure washer nozzles by the orifice size your machine's rated PSI and GPM call for, then the spray angle, and replace worn tips with the same size.
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Picks that fit
- SIMPSON 80145 1/4 in quick-connect nozzle set, 5 tips, size 3.0, 3,600 PSICheck price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80146 1/4 in quick-connect nozzle set, 5 tips, size 4.0, 4,500 PSICheck price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80143 universal turbo nozzle, 1/4 in quick connect, size 3.0, 3,600 PSICheck price on Amazon
Short answer
Choose pressure washer nozzles by orifice size first and spray angle second. The size number sets how much water flows at a given pressure, so it has to match your machine's rated PSI and GPM. The angle shapes the spray but does not change the flow. Replace a worn tip with a new one of the same size.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
What this topic covers
A nozzle tip sets the opening, or orifice, the water leaves through. This topic covers fixed 1/4 in quick-connect tips and rotating turbo nozzles. It covers sizes, angles and ratings, not cleaning results.
Two numbers on every nozzle
Cat Pumps says the nozzle number and the spray angle are both stamped on a nozzle, so a "4-25" nozzle is size 4 with a 25-degree fan.[1] The two are separate figures.
The size number equals the nozzle's flow in GPM at 4,000 PSI: a 3.0 nozzle (0.043 in orifice) flows 3.0 GPM at 4,000 PSI.[1] At lower pressure the same nozzle flows less. In General Pump's chart, a size 4 nozzle (0.052 in orifice) flows 4.00 GPM at 4,000 PSI but about 2.83 GPM at 2,000 PSI.[2]
The spray angle is the width of the fan. Cat Pumps states that spray angle does not affect nozzle flow; the flow depends on the nozzle size and the pressure.[3]
The decisions, in order
1. Your machine's rated PSI and GPM. Use the paired working figures, not two headline maximums. The max vs rated PSI and GPM guide shows how makers list them.
2. The size the formula gives. Cat Pumps and General Pump both publish the relationship nozzle number = GPM x the square root of (4,000 / PSI).[3][2] The nozzle size finder works one example through and links each size's page. Cat Pumps also says to verify that the pump's rated flow and pressure suit the nozzle.[1]
3. The angle for the job. Pick angles once the size is right. Colors are maker conventions, not a standard. Generac names its quick-connect tips by color, red for blast, green for clean, white for wash and black for detergent, and gives no degree values.[4] Westinghouse's PWEXT kit maps red 0, yellow 15, green 25, white 40 and black 65 degrees.[5] The nozzle colors and spray angles guide compares them.
4. Turbo nozzle size and range. A turbo nozzle has a size too, and its own pressure range. DEWALT lists its DXPA45TN turbo nozzle as orifice size 4.0, rated up to 4,500 PSI, with a 1/4 in quick-connect,[6] and its DXPA34TN as orifice size 3.0, rated up to 3,400 PSI.[7] Cat Pumps rates each of its industrial rotating and turbo families for its own range; its 7616 rotating nozzles cover 500 to 2,300 PSI and 1.5 to 4.2 GPM.[8] The turbo nozzle guide explains the ratings.
5. Replace worn tips with the same size. Cat Pumps' troubleshooting guide says worn nozzles are the most frequent cause of low pressure and that the fix is to replace them with the proper size.[9] See low pressure and worn nozzles.
Sets sold in more than one size
The same maker can sell the same five-tip set in two sizes. DEWALT sells five-tip 1/4 in quick-connect sets as the DXPA34ST, orifice size 3.0 rated to 3,400 PSI, and the DXPA45ST, orifice size 4.0 rated to 4,500 PSI, each with 0, 15, 25, 40-degree and soap tips.[11][12] Pick the set by size, then confirm its rating covers your machine.
Picks that fit5 products
Work out your size first. DEWALT's DXPA45ST is the size 4.0 set rated to 4,500 PSI, with 0, 15, 25, 40-degree and soap tips on 1/4 in quick-connect plugs.
More on choosing
SIMPSON's 80145 and 80146 tip sets and its 80143 and 80144 turbo nozzles each come in one orifice size per part number: read the size and rating SIMPSON states for each and pick the one that matches your machine. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
Five-tip set in size 4.0
DEWALT DXPA45ST 4,500 PSI quick-connect spray tips, 5 tips, size 4.0, stainless steel
SIMPSON five-tip set, smaller of two sizes
SIMPSON 80145 1/4 in quick-connect nozzle set, 5 tips, size 3.0, 3,600 PSI
SIMPSON five-tip set, larger of two sizes
SIMPSON 80146 1/4 in quick-connect nozzle set, 5 tips, size 4.0, 4,500 PSI
SIMPSON turbo nozzle, smaller of two sizes
SIMPSON 80143 universal turbo nozzle, 1/4 in quick connect, size 3.0, 3,600 PSI
SIMPSON turbo nozzle, larger of two sizes
SIMPSON 80144 universal turbo nozzle, 1/4 in quick connect, size 4.0, 4,500 PSI
Sizes and the connection
Each size has its own page with its orifice, its flow at common pressures and the parts made in it: size 2.5, size 3.0, size 3.5 and size 4.0. Most consumer tips use the 1/4 in quick-connect.
Every page on nozzles
Start here
Guides
- Nozzle size for your pressure washer's PSI and GPM
- Nozzle colors and spray angles
- Turbo nozzle orifice size and ratings
- Low pressure and worn nozzles
- Foam cannon orifice: 1.1 vs 1.25 mm
- Max vs rated PSI and GPM
Tool
Key terms
orifice, nozzle size number, orifice diameter, spray angle, nozzle color code, turbo nozzle and soap nozzle.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPMHelps owners work out the nozzle size that matches their machine's rated output instead of guessing from the box.
- Low or pulsing pressure: nozzles, inlet filter and supply firstHelps owners check the accessory-side causes of low or pulsing pressure before assuming the pump has failed.
- 0, 15, 25, 40 degrees and soap: nozzle colors and anglesHelps owners tell what each colored tip is for in their maker's scheme, and why the color says nothing about size.
- Pressure washer nozzle sizes: the orifice number, not the colorHelps owners read the size stamped on a nozzle and see what flow each size passes at common pressures.
- Turbo and rotating nozzles: orifice size and rated rangeHelps owners choose a turbo nozzle whose size suits their machine's flow and whose rating covers its pressure.
Shortlists
- Nozzle tip sets and turbo nozzles with the orifice size statedHelps you buy tips or a turbo nozzle in the size your machine's rated output calls for, rather than by color or angle.
Tools
- Nozzle size finderShows how to turn your machine's rated PSI and GPM into a nozzle size number before you buy tips, a turbo nozzle or a cannon orifice.
Common questions
What size nozzle do I need for a 1.2 GPM pressure washer?
It depends on the rated pressure that goes with that 1.2 GPM. With the formula Cat Pumps and General Pump publish, 1.2 GPM at 2,000 PSI works out to about size 1.7, and 1.2 GPM at 2,300 PSI to about size 1.6. Start from the size your machine's maker sells closest to that number. More in Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
Should I use max or rated GPM?
Use the rated pair when the maker gives both. Cat Pumps and General Pump say to use paired working values, and makers such as Sun Joe and Westinghouse list maximum figures that are not the working point. More in Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
What happens if the nozzle is too big?
The same flow passes through a larger hole at lower pressure. A size 4 nozzle flows about 4.00 GPM at 4,000 PSI but only about 2.83 GPM at 2,000 PSI on General Pump's chart, so a machine with far less flow cannot build its rated pressure through it. More in Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
What happens if the nozzle is too small or clogged?
Generac's manual links a pulsing trigger to excessive pump pressure, typically from a clogged or restricted nozzle. Cat Pumps also says to verify that the pump's rated flow and pressure suit the nozzle. More in Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
Can I turn up the pressure to make up for a worn nozzle?
No. Cat Pumps warns never to adjust the pressure regulating valve to compensate for worn nozzles, because it can over-pressurize and damage the pump. Replace the nozzle with the proper size. More in Which nozzle size fits your machine's PSI and GPM
Why did my pressure washer lose pressure?
Cat Pumps names worn nozzles as the most frequent cause of low pressure. Champion's manual also lists a restricted water supply, a garden hose that is too small, a clogged inlet filter and an obstructed nozzle. More in Low or pulsing pressure: nozzles, inlet filter and supply first
Why does my pressure washer pulse?
Generac's manual says a pulsing felt when squeezing the trigger may come from excessive pump pressure, typically caused by a clogged or restricted nozzle, and gives a nozzle-cleaning procedure. Champion lists fluctuating pressure under supply problems too. More in Low or pulsing pressure: nozzles, inlet filter and supply first
Can I turn up the unloader to get my pressure back?
No. Cat Pumps warns never to adjust the pressure regulating valve to compensate for worn nozzles, because it can over-pressurize and damage the pump. Replace the nozzle with the proper size. More in Low or pulsing pressure: nozzles, inlet filter and supply first
Questions
What do the numbers on a nozzle mean?
Cat Pumps says both the nozzle number and the spray angle are stamped on a nozzle, so a '4-25' nozzle is size 4 with a 25-degree fan. The size number equals the nozzle's flow in GPM at 4,000 PSI.[1]
Do nozzle colors mean the same size on every brand?
No. Colors are maker conventions for spray angle, not flow size. Generac names its tips by color and gives no degree values, while Westinghouse's PWEXT kit maps red to 0, yellow to 15, green to 25, white to 40 and black to 65 degrees. Read the stamped size.[4][5]
What size nozzle for my pressure washer?
Use the formula Cat Pumps and General Pump publish: nozzle number = GPM x the square root of (4,000 / PSI), with your machine's rated, paired PSI and GPM. The nozzle size finder shows a worked example.[3][2]
When should I replace nozzles?
When pressure drops: Cat Pumps says worn nozzles are the most frequent cause of low pressure and the fix is to replace them with the proper size. Never adjust the pressure regulating valve to make up for a worn nozzle.[9]