Quick verdict
A siphon injector that fits between the pump outlet and the hose with 3/8 inch quick connects and draws detergent from a separate container whenever a low-pressure soap nozzle is fitted, for pressure washers flowing 3 to 5 gallons per minute. Downstreaming keeps chemicals out of the pump, which is why professionals do it, and lets you apply house wash, degreaser or deck cleaner at the right dilution from a bucket. Match the GPM range or it will not draw.
Strengths
- Chemicals never pass through the pump
- Draws from any bucket of detergent
- Fits with 3/8 inch quick connects between pump and hose
- Sized for 3 to 5 GPM washers, most gas units
- Simple fixed design with no adjustment to fail
Weaknesses
- Will not draw on electric washers under 3 GPM
- Fixed ratio; dilution is set in the bucket
- Must use a low-pressure soap nozzle to draw
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Soap Without Hurting the Pump
The onboard soap tank on a pressure washer pushes detergent through the pump, where it attacks the seals, and it holds a quart. Professionals draw chemical after the pump instead. JOEJET’s injector sits between the pump outlet and the hose on 3/8 inch quick connects and siphons from a bucket whenever a low-pressure nozzle is fitted, on washers flowing 3 to 5 gallons per minute.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how downstream injectors are used in pressure washing generally. We have not used this injector ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
How It Works
Water rushing through a narrowing in the injector creates a vacuum at a side port. A clear tube with a filter drops into a bucket of detergent and the vacuum draws it in. The siphon only works when the nozzle is a wide low-pressure soap type; swap to a high-pressure tip and the back pressure stops the draw, so rinsing is automatic. No valves, no adjustment.
Flow Range
Injectors are sized to flow. This one needs 3 to 5 GPM to pull, which covers most gas washers and no small electrics. Match the range or it draws nothing; a 2 GPM electric wants an injector sized for it.
Dilution
The injector mixes at a fixed ratio, roughly 10 to 20 to 1. Set the final strength in the bucket: for house washing, mix bleach and surfactant so that after injection the surface sees about 1 percent sodium hypochlorite. Deck cleaners and degreasers have their own targets on the label.
Installation
Pull the hose off the pump outlet, click the injector on with the arrow in the direction of flow, click the hose onto the injector. Drop the pickup tube in the bucket. Thirty seconds.
Who Should Buy It
- Owners of gas pressure washers who wash houses, decks or fleets.
- Anyone whose onboard soap tank is too small or too harsh on the pump.
- Semi-professional cleaners applying chemical from buckets.
Common Owner Complaints
No draw, almost always from a washer under 3 GPM or a high-pressure nozzle left on. Check both.
Technique Tips
Keep the chemical bucket within a few feet of the washer and the pickup tube clear of the bottom so it does not suck sediment. Apply from the bottom of a wall upward so streaks do not form, let the chemical dwell a few minutes without drying, then switch to a rinse nozzle and work from the top down. Pull the tube into a bucket of clean water at the end and run the soap nozzle for a minute to flush the injector.
Alternatives to Consider
Adjustable injectors with a dial for ratio. Low-flow injectors for 1 to 2 GPM electrics. An X-jet nozzle that draws chemical at the gun end.
Verdict
For applying detergent the way professionals do, a downstream injector is the right tool and this one fits a gas washer in seconds. Match the GPM, mix the bucket right and use the soap nozzle to draw.
Full specifications
JOEJET Fixed Downstream Chemical Injector for 3 to 5 GPM Pressure Washers, 3/8 Inch Quick Connect FAQs
With a wide low-pressure nozzle fitted, flow through the injector creates a vacuum that siphons detergent from the bucket into the water stream. Fit a high-pressure nozzle and the siphon stops, so you rinse with plain water.
Onboard tanks run chemical through the pump seals and are limited in volume. Downstreaming keeps the pump clean and draws from a 5 gallon bucket.
Roughly 10 to 1 to 20 to 1 depending on the washer. Mix the bucket so the final ratio suits the product, which for house wash is usually a 1 percent bleach solution on the surface.
Only if it flows 3 GPM or more. Most electrics are under 2 and need a lower-flow injector.
