Karcher SC3 Steamer: Decreased Vapor Pressure Issues & Descaling Solutions for SC3 Model

A year ago I bought a Karcher SC3 steamer, it is a version with a descaling cartridge. For half a year the steamer produced good steam pressure, but after that time something broke, it got clogged and the steam went under such low pressure that it was impossible to work with it even though I replaced the descaling cartridge.
I sent the steamer to the warranty service and when it came back from the service it worked well for 3 weeks, the steam was running at high pressure. After 3 weeks, the pressure dropped again and it is impossible to work with it again. I will just add that the water in my house is not particularly hard.
I see that there are such descaling powders for evaporation dishes on offer, but he writes that they are not applicable to the SC3 model because this model has this water descaling cartridge. In your opinion, before the next shipment to the warranty service, do not try to pour such a powder into the water of the evaporator, because you feel clearly that something inside is clogged?

Has the problem been resolved? I have a similar one in the identical SC3 model. 1-2 seconds after squeezing the trigger, the steam pressure drops significantly and water flows out of the nozzle together with the steam.

As of today, I haven't started it yet. I think whether not to use this powder descaler, but I'm afraid that if the instructions do not provide for it, I may spoil something. Until December, I still have guarantees, so I will probably send them to the service again.

Hello, did the Karcher service solve the case. I have exactly the same problem and I would be grateful for the answer. My steamer has no warranty anymore and I am very tempted to look inside it.

I sent it to the service and the steamer came back to me supposedly repaired, as if it is working for now, but with the pressure of madness it is not. The service supposedly repaired but I have no information what was broken, what was replaced.

Well, Karcher repairs are one big secret in the websites. I took my steamer apart yesterday and at first glance everything looks fine. The heater heats up, the pump gives water but there is no madness with the pressure. The stone is not visible either. There is a pressure valve with an adjusting screw. I crank it up a bit to the right and it's kind of better. On one of the thermal sensors, a spark jumps during operation - I wonder why? I will do more tests next week against the performance of the SC2 vaporizer, which works very well all the time. Regards.

Let me know when you finish the tests because my warranty expires in 2 months, so I will be able to start the steamer.

Hello, I have the same problem. Have you already tested the equipment and came to the conclusion What could be the cause of the failure?

I spoke to a Karcher technician. He said that the reason for the low pressure may be the insufficient efficiency of the water pump, despite the fact that it works (it gives too little water for heating in the boiler). So I ordered exactly the same pump on Aliexpress and I am waiting for delivery - it should arrive in 2-3 weeks. Price spread from PLN 12-75 per item. When I replace the pump, I will show you the results. Regards.

Would you provide a link to the offer of this pump on aliexpres?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000089139836.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.d6f83c0054fmjP&mp=1

220V Italy CEME electromagnetic pump Vibration pump 19W Steam mop steam iron self priming pump

$ 3 pump?

For $ 3 + shipping for another $ 3, more or less. You can also buy the same for PLN 75. Type: CEME electromagnetic pump - there is a lot of it. Greetings.

I have similar symptoms with the Karcher SC3 steamer, it does not give any steam at all, the pump is working all the time and probably cannot reach the right pressure and therefore it works all the time.
I turned on the steamer with the turned on and you can feel that the heater is heating up, and the pump is working all the time and you can see in the hose from the tank that the water is not flowing.
I bought this pump, although mine says Type E15-1 and it differs only in that it is Class 200, and the one from Aliexpres has Class 180, the operating parameters are the same - it will seem faster:
https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/4000010542503.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.53385c0fawALmN
When I install a new pump, I will write if that was the reason.

Added after 5 [hours] 47 [minutes]:

I tapped the pump and attached it a bit differently - I turned it about 60 degrees up and the pump started to work, the obtained pressure turns the pump off, after releasing steam and lowering the pressure, the pump turns on etc. whether the steam stream should be even without hesitation or continuous - I do not know, because I bought a used steamer and it worked like that, and I do not know how the new steamer works. When I replace the pump, I will have a comparison.

Hello.
In my case, after dismantling the steamer, it turned out that the reason for the lack of steam was a broken steam pipe inside the housing, i.e. the braid on the cable was partially damaged and as a result of working with changing pressure the cable broke.

Hello.
I got the pump from Aliexpress, exchanged:


The steamer now sometimes has such a steam boost that it can throw off the hand with the gun a little (similar to turning on a pressure washer in a car wash).
The pump works the same as the original one - when it comes to the volume of work, but the steam efficiency is much higher and it is known at the beginning that the burst of steam is higher, when it stabilizes, it gives the steam in a continuous mode, practically in a similar amount of power.

Hello, I have a similar problem, except that the device is bought as an exhibition and it looks like not used, all accessories are very clean. I noticed that the float in the tank responsible for the low water level is missing, but it will only indicate when there is no water. I disassembled the device, removed the pump, it turned out that it does not pump, I will order a new one from Alliekspres, let me know when it comes and installs it.

For me it looks like this:
I used SC3 with a descaling cartridge but it was clogged with limescale anyway / performance was dropping. She went to the service after the warranty and the pump was replaced.
Due to the poor performance of the cartridges, I started using it without the tap water descaling cartridge. It got clogged every now and then, but descaling helped to some extent.

It has clogged up a little more recently. I decalcified with the liquid agent and passed the agent through steamers (lance parans). After some time, she regained her patency, but the result was still not satisfactory.

Observation of the device allows you to notice that immediately after switching on, it activates the pump with an open pressure valve, which causes the liquid to flow through the heater and lances.
And this is a chance for a proper descaling because you can rinse it in this way (I pour the descaling agent, leave it for an hour, turn it on and turn off the lance button pressed. A little water sprinkles from the lance - after descaling you can see that the water is brown with scale. Yes several / many times; after some time the heater will heat up and it will release steam, then you can cool the device down and restart it). Now only distilled water is poured into it and the problem is over.

My SC 3 steamer has stopped working.
It does not respond to triggering on the gun.
The device is warming up normally and the green light is on.
Is it a broken pump?

Greet
After about 6 months of "rest", I turned on the Karcher sc3 steamer - the green light is on but after pressing the pairing button nothing is silent! The steamer can be heard that it works - the pump is working - the warm casing, i.e. the heater heats up and nothing else!
What are you suggesting ??

I understand that this pump is the weakest element, and also difficult to repair. After a year of overeating the tubes with vinegar, something moved there and I managed to clean one window. After shutdown, it was the last time. The trigger turns on the pump that flows to the heater? You can give a different pump there for 230V. How does this hose with water detach the steel clamps from it, do you need special equipment for this or is it relatively easy with the use of a pole and an ax?

The pump in the Karcher SC3 also failed.
Last year I bought this pump from Aliexpress 220V Italy CEME electromagnetic pump Vibration pump 19W for PLN 23.
[url=]Link[/url] https://pl.aliexpress.com/i/33045542393.html [url=]Link[/url]
Withstood a year and 4 months and died (overheated, coil housing melted).
I wanted to buy another one, but it turned out that currently the lowest price on Aliexpress is over PLN 100, almost five times more expensive.
If only a year is to operate again, it does not pay off. In Poland, you can buy a pump at a comparable price, only 12W.
[url=]Link[/url] https://allegro.pl/oferta/karcher-pompka-do-parownica-sc-3-premium-easyfix-9015563111 [url=]Link[/url]
Can you put some other pump there, only better quality?
Maybe someone has already installed a replacement and will share the information.
Regards

adamk wrote:

Maybe someone has already installed a replacement and will share the information.

I raise the question because I wonder whether to replace the pump or maybe look for some other steamer, since this pump rains so quickly

Hello and I raise the question because I have the same problem, but the red light is pulsating all the time and the water is there, the descaling cartridge is also functional and the float is in working order. Was it the pump that failed or maybe something else? Any advice?

Hello. I also had a similar problem, namely it did not give steam even though the heater was heating and there was water. After your hints, I focused on the fact that it helps, and yes, it was the reason, but it was not replaced, and before Michał, the compressor, because in the middle this pump has a rubble that opens in one direction (it takes water through the pump to the tank with the heater and heats it up) it goes to the braided black hose, i.e. towards the exit). Apparently the rubble was a bit corroded and the compressor blew the rock and started the rubble. Everything works as it should.

This may be a bit of my experience.... Ladies and gentlemen, an excellent remedy for most ailments, including vinegar in this model. It always works well in the case of irons, coffee machines, kettles, steamers and all devices where scale is removed or deposits are formed, hindering the proper operation of e.g. pumps. It is cheap, widely available and very effective. I recommend

>>19928267
Did you manage to fix the washer ... And what was the reason ... I have exactly the same symptom ... in Karcher c5