flojet double-up?

[JustClean]

Hi all,
I've got 4 SS bays with 3 flojet pumps for the chemicals. Someone told me it would be not a bad idea to double up on the pumps for the following reasons:

1.
faster delivery of the soap

2.
if a pump breaks down there is an immediate back-up and no down-time while I am not on site.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you done it before and how would I connect it?

Thanks & cheers JustClean

 

[MEP001]

I don't see why double pumps would give faster soap delivery. You would only get more flow with two if one isn't meeting the demand.

You could just tee everything together, or you could come up with some system that will only enable the backup pump if the main one fails and set off some sort of alert so you know something is wrong.

 

[JustClean]

I don't see why double pumps would give faster soap delivery. You would only get more flow with two if one isn't meeting the demand.

You could just tee everything together, or you could come up with some system that will only enable the backup pump if the main one fails and set off some sort of alert so you know something is wrong.

I thought maybe this http://www.xylemflowcontrol.com/foo...m-pumps/g57-dual-g57-dual-two-pump-system.htm could work.

If I am out of town a bit longer there wouldn't be a need for the clean-up guy to try to repair the carwash...

 

[Earl Weiss]

I would think you would need a check valve after each in case one went bad in order to prevent the other from pushing product backward thru the bad one.

I think you need someone to check on your location daily at least because a bad flo jet would be one of the lesser things that you would not want to be a problem lasting more than a day.

 

[MEP001]

The check valves in the FloJet are good enough to prevent backflow.

I don't know if the double FloJet is interconnected or not - if it is, it wouldn't serve as its own backup.

 

[2Biz]

It looks like they are just bolted together and share the same air supply. There is a hose that connects the two air ports. So it looks like if one stopped working, the other one would still pump.

For me, I'm still trying to see what the benefit is. I have 3 that have been in service for 5 years and still working like the day I installed them. Looks like it would be unnecessary added expense for me?

 

[JustClean]

I am not going ahead with it.
The benefit would be:
Still operational even if one pump fails.
More flow to the bay that is further away.

My reason not going ahead with it:
The last bay still gets okay product. So no need to do something.
If one of the pumps failed and you want to fix it you may have to open up a pump to swap the valves (in & out).
If you look closer at the manifold in the picture, as the pumps are opposite to each other, the right pump has the entries the other way around.
Too much hassle - keep it simple! The clean-up guy gets told to replace the old pump with a new one.

 

[Jeff_L]

I used to have flojets die on me regularly. Once I put in an air dryer (bought a cheap one from harbor freight), my failure rate has dropped significantly.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

What brand air dryer?

 

[MEP001]

The benefit would be:
More flow to the bay that is further away.

A second pump wouldn't affect the flow to a farther bay. You probably need a larger line to that bay.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The check valves in the FloJet are good enough to prevent backflow.

.

If the outlets of 2 Flo Jets were T'd together and one bombed out I would not want to rely on it's check valve. But that's me. Since I only have one per function I guess it's definitely no worse off.

 

[copperglobe]

Randy has the answer to this problem. Randy, you out there?

 

[Jeff_L]

What brand air dryer?

This one. http://t.harborfreight.com/compressed-air-dryer-40211.html

 

[MEP001]

If the outlets of 2 Flo Jets were T'd together and one bombed out I would not want to rely on it's check valve. But that's me. Since I only have one per function I guess it's definitely no worse off.

I understand the concern, but there are four check valves in the Flojet, two on each pumping side, and both check valves on one side would have to fail to cause backflow. Now that I think about it though, if you used two pumps tee'd together, a check valve on the outlet line of each pump would let you replace one with the other still in service and running.

 

[2Biz]

This one. http://t.harborfreight.com/compressed-air-dryer-40211.html

Funny, this is the one I thought you were talking about!

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-air-line-filter-regulator-with-gauge-68281.html

I have this one (Knock on wood) and have never had moisture issues. But I do understand the more your compressor runs, the more it heats the air and traps water/moisture.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

I've got some Flojets that are doubled up. It doesn't help getting product to the furthest bays, it doesn't increase pressure. The ONLY advantage is if one goes out, you are still operational and can change the bad one at your convenience. There are no backflow issues.

 

[Randy]

Randy has the answer to this problem. Randy, you out there?

If you want more longevity, more pressure from your Presoak or Tire cleaner system replace the problematic Flojet pumps with a Procon pump. We’ve got one flojet left and when it’s gone we’ll replace it with a Procon pump. In the 20 years I’ve been running the Procon pumps I’ve replaced one pump head, cost about the same price as a FloJet G57 Kalrez pump.

 

[Earl Weiss]

If you want more longevity, more pressure from your Presoak or Tire cleaner system replace the problematic Flojet pumps with a Procon pump.

Are the pro cons dead headed to the solenoids or do they only get power when the solenoid opens. How much amperage do they draw?

 

[copperglobe]

Randy taught me the setup: Procon pump with a multiplexer from IDX. No pressure to the system until presoak, tire, brush, etc are selected. I just installed this system as described by Randy on my presoak and brush (tire is coming) and it's the best system there is. Been using air pumps for 25 years and Randy's idea is much, much better.

 

[MEP001]

Are the pro cons dead headed to the solenoids or do they only get power when the solenoid opens. How much amperage do they draw?

The 1/3 HP motor to run a Procon up to 150 PSI draws at most 5.6 amps.