Pressure Washer Won't Start After Battery Swap - Help!

Hey all, I've got a Karcher pressure washer that's been sitting for a while. It worked fine last summer but now it won't start after I put a new battery in. The battery is fully charged, I checked the connections. Any ideas? It's making a clicking noise when I pull the trigger.

Clicking usually means the solenoid or the motor is struggling. Since you just swapped the battery, double check the polarity - maybe you got it backwards? Also, check the fuse or breaker on the unit. Sometimes they trip. If it clicks and nothing happens, could be the unloader valve stuck, but that usually doesn't cause clicking. Try resetting the GFCI if it's plugged into one.

I had a similar issue with my Ryobi last year. Turned out the motor brushes were worn down. But since you said battery, is this a battery-powered washer? If so, maybe the new battery isn't making good contact. Clean the terminals with a wire brush and try again. Also, some battery washers have a thermal cutout that resets after a while - let it sit for 10 mins and try again.

Also check the trigger switch - if it's not fully engaging, it might not send the signal. And if it's a gas unit, but you said battery, so maybe it's an electric start? If that's the case, check the spark plug? Just guessing here. But like Wendy said, start with the simple stuff.

Thanks all! I'll check the polarity and clean the terminals. The battery is definitely a new one, but I didn't check the polarity. I'll let you know if it works!