Weep adjustment driving us crazy

[OurTown]

Our weep adjustment is done with Parker N400B needle valves. https://www.zoro.com/parker-needle-valve-brass-14-18-5-gpm-2000-psi-n400b/i/G1576391/ Last winter (our first winter in the biz) we fiddled with them all season. This year I realized they have a lock screw on the dial and with a lot of messing around got them perfect and locked. Two days later one bay is just barely dribbling out of the gun and the other two bays are perfect. Get them perfect again (time consuming by yourself) and then a week later a different one will shoot water 4' up. The builder and previous owner Super Wash recommended 8-10" vertical stream when holding the gun straight up. I measured that flow today and it was 10 oz/minute with our big 2507 tips. I think the adjustment on these needle valves are too coarse considering they have a 5 GPM max flow. I'm pondering replacing the needle valves with an adjustable flow meter for each bay like this one:
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-3403-dwyer-vfa-42ssv-flow-meter-adjustable.aspx
Does anyone have something like these for their weep adjustment? Two advantages would be that the adjustment could be easily made without going into each bay to look at the stream and they would be easier to monitor.

 

[slash007]

Where are your current needle valves located? Are they on the pumps by chance?

 

[OurTown]

No they are above the pump stands.

 

[MEP001]

The flow meter seems like a much better idea. 2Biz can tell you if they're accurate.

You may have fine particles clogging the needle valves and making the flow too slow. I've found with any weep adjustment the easiest way is to use a regulator on the supply. It lets you open the needle valve more so it's less likely to clog.

 

[OurTown]

We do have a mesh strainer but never looked at it to see what size screen is in it. What type of regulator would you recommended for weeps? That might be the ticket right there because our needle valves are barely cracked open.

 

[MEP001]

Any liquid pressure regulator should work.

 

[OurTown]

I looked today and there is not a mesh strainer but I'll add one. What size mesh is appropriate for this?

 

[slash007]

I looked today and there is not a mesh strainer but I'll add one. What size mesh is appropriate for this?

I have a 1/2" strainer on mine. I had the same issue with needle valves before I installed the strainer.

 

[OurTown]

I have a 1/2" strainer on mine.

What size mesh is it?

 

[slash007]

What size mesh is it?

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-112-smc-clearbowl-inline-strainer-12-f-x-f-50-mesh.aspx

That is what I am using. 50 mesh.

 

[OurTown]

Any liquid pressure regulator should work.

Would regulating down to 10 psi make it so the needle valve can be opened quite a bit or should I find a regulator that goes lower?

 

[copperglobe]

Just wondering, on your Super Wash is there a check valve right next to/ in line with those needle valves? If so then they could be causing you grief being worn out and sticking at times. Happened to our setup.

 

[OurTown]

Just wondering, on your Super Wash is there a check valve right next to/ in line with those needle valves? If so then they could be causing you grief being worn out and sticking at times. Happened to our setup.

Yes and one was replaced in May but the others are probably 15 year old originals. Does or did your setup also have a normally open solenoid valve next to each needle valve? There is a main NO weep valve for all bays so what are those for?

 

[copperglobe]

Yes and one was replaced in May but the others are probably 15 year old originals. Does or did your setup also have a normally open solenoid valve next to each needle valve? There is a main NO weep valve for all bays so what are those for?

So you have a NO solenoid valve then the needle valve then a check valve and then that tees into the HP line?

That NO solenoid valve is so that if/when the weeps are "on" in cold weather and your customer wants to use the low-pressure presoak the weep water won't dilute the presoak. That's the idea anyway. They're connected to the "winter/summer" setting switch that's up on the wall. When the weeps are "on" and your customer is on presoak then that solenoid closes.

 

[OurTown]

So you have a NO solenoid valve then the needle valve then a check valve and then that tees into the HP line?

That NO solenoid valve is so that if/when the weeps are "on" in cold weather and your customer wants to use the low-pressure presoak the weep water won't dilute the presoak. That's the idea anyway. They're connected to the "winter/summer" setting switch that's up on the wall. When the weeps are "on" and your customer is on presoak then that solenoid closes.

That is exactly how it is plumbed and it makes sense but I didn't think of that.

 

[JGinther]

Those colorflow needle valves will not hold up to water for very long. They are meant for oil and contain a check. The parts inside will rust and fail. The flowmeter with plastic needle control is probably your best bet. The only problem is that the temperature differences swell and shrink (it does this on the cheap plastic seats of needle valves also), so you never end up getting the same flow from the day you set it to the next day you cuss at it. Pressure control is usually necessary also for the above listed reasons.

 

[OurTown]

I'm going to start off with a regulator and a mesh strainer to see if that helps. If it doesn't then I'll add the flow meters. Last winter we fought frozen bays and high water bills related to weep so we want to get it just right.

 

[Randy]

I think you’re making this a lot harder than it really is. City water pressure is around 45 – 55 psi. We use a 1/2” N.O solenoid valve to supply water to a ½” manifold that runs in back of the pumping equipment and continues on to the Foam brush weep. Off of the ½” manifold we run a ¼” OD tubing to a 1/8” needle valve, ¼” stainless steel check that tries into the high pressure line coming off the pump. We use a valve something like these https://www.zoro.com/zoro-select-needle-valve-straight-brass-18-in-6mn31/i/G2268217/ We don’t use any strainers, individual solenoid valves, regulators, flowmeters etc. Around the first of September we turn on the weep system and check that everything is working the way it should. We pull the plug on the weepmizer and adjust the water flow coming out of the gun and the foam brush to fill a 12oz. cup in 1 minute, once everything is set we plug the weepmizer back in and we are in business again for another winter. We’ve been doing it this way for years, works for us.

 

[OurTown]

It is amazing how different setups are and they work just fine for people.

 

[copperglobe]

I think you’re making this a lot harder than it really is. City water pressure is around 45 – 55 psi. We use a 1/2” N.O solenoid valve to supply water to a ½” manifold that runs in back of the pumping equipment and continues on to the Foam brush weep. Off of the ½” manifold we run a ¼” OD tubing to a 1/8” needle valve, ¼” stainless steel check that tries into the high pressure line coming off the pump. We use a valve something like these https://www.zoro.com/zoro-select-needle-valve-straight-brass-18-in-6mn31/i/G2268217/ We don’t use any strainers, individual solenoid valves, regulators, flowmeters etc. Around the first of September we turn on the weep system and check that everything is working the way it should. We pull the plug on the weepmizer and adjust the water flow coming out of the gun and the foam brush to fill a 12oz. cup in 1 minute, once everything is set we plug the weepmizer back in and we are in business again for another winter. We’ve been doing it this way for years, works for us.

What Randy says.

I would first get rid of those individual solenoids- at least pull the guts out of them so they're always open, test your needle valves to make sure they are working from closed to full open, 12 oz per minute.