Direct injection question for self-service

[ACTcarwashlover]

Hey guys, I have a question how many of you have gotten rid of your Dilution tanks and instead have gone direct injection?

By using a dosing pump to inject the chosen chemical into the line, or by using a physical chemical injector?

as I have some old chemical pumps are that came from a decommissioned automatic car wash and I’m currently planning to test it out by removing the presoak and the foaming wax (they both come out of the same low-pressure foaming gun) and replace it with those two chemical pumps

So I won’t have to worry about a tank of chemical having to be diluted and ready to go such as it being something that could potentially freeze up in winter,

Considering that I already do the high-pressure soap in this fashion And the rinse runs of the same solenoid valve, but The chemical pump is off

I’ll grab a photo of the two chemical pumps that I will be using

 

[Randy]

All I can say is good luck!

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

All I can say is good luck!

Thank you Randy

 

[Greg_T]

I tend to think that systems usually end up how they are because of lots of trial and error, by lots of people.

From my perspective, I would much prefer to stick with something that works reliably throughout the industry rather than putting lots of blood, sweat and tears into developing something different.

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I tend to think that systems usually end up how they are because of lots of trial and error, by lots of people.

From my perspective, I would much prefer to stick with something that works reliably throughout the industry rather than putting lots of blood, sweat and tears into developing something different.

That I can understand, I have just found that a chemical pump and a solenoid generally Has been a bit more reliable in comparison to using a hydro minder A tank, and a air operated pump like a flow jet But to each their own, as some people might find that what used to Used to be considered straightforward and reliable to most people maybe not as reliable to some

 

[MEP001]

The only time I could see an injector pump working would be if you have one pump per bay and it's foam brush. Any other function will vary in flow whether the trigger is pulled or released, and you'll need an injector pump for every bay unless you have one that has multiple speeds.

 

[Earl Weiss]

1. If Chem dilution tanks would freeze, this system will freeze under same circumstances 2. Had Chem pumps in one tunnel I acquired. Got rid of them and replaced with Hydominders and Flo Jets. Less finicky.

 

[Greg Pack]

There was a push for those when they first came out maybe 20 Years ago. My experience was they worked ok in tunnel applications on some liquid applications. You'll have to regulate the product and air based on your lowest water pressure but if you're doing it through a foaming gun with a large orifice you can probably get by with those lower pressure. I tend to run my products at higher PSIs than my incoming street pressure is reduced to.

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

The only time I could see an injector pump working would be if you have one pump per bay and it's foam brush. Any other function will vary in flow whether the trigger is pulled or released, and you'll need an injector pump for every bay unless you have one that has multiple speeds.

At the moment it’s a single bay set up that I’m trialling it on, and it’s been built from absolute scratch so it’s not all that hard to revert back to what I originally used, At the moment for the foam gun it’s not using a flow jet pump, it’s using one of them hexagon shaped ones by Ingersoll rand and there’s air leaking from the pump body

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

There was a push for those when they first came out maybe 20 Years ago. My experience was they worked ok in tunnel applications on some liquid applications. You'll have to regulate the product and air based on your lowest water pressure but if you're doing it through a foaming gun with a large orifice you can probably get by with those lower pressure. I tend to run my products at higher PSIs than my incoming street pressure is reduced to.

I’m currently using tank water where it can support up to at least 55/ 65PSI as the main pressure pump is less than 5 m away from the set up, so I know I probably won’t be losing all that much when it comes to flow and pressure wise

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

1. If Chem dilution tanks would freeze, this system will freeze under same circumstances 2. Had Chem pumps in one tunnel I acquired. Got rid of them and replaced with Hydominders and Flo Jets. Less finicky.

Yeah, that is true, was it these pneumatic style pumps or was it one of them blue/white electric pumps?

 

[Waxman]

I'm more of a "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" kinda guy. To me, it doesn't get much better or simpler than the standard hydrominder/mixing tank /gravity fed system. It's been almost 20 years since mine were installed. Other than tightening a hose clamp or two, the hydrominders have performed flawlessly. Some genius came up with this reliable, user-friendly, automatic system. Why change it?

 

[Randy]

At the moment it’s a single bay set up that I’m trialling it on, and it’s been built from absolute scratch so it’s not all that hard to revert back to what I originally used, At the moment for the foam gun it’s not using a flow jet pump, it’s using one of them hexagon shaped ones by Ingersoll rand and there’s air leaking from the pump body

I didn't think anyone was still using the IR Aro hexagon pumps. This were a piece of crap when they were new. My pumping equipment is 41 years and it works just as well as it did when it was installed 1982. I have one Flo-jet pump on the foam brush system and Procon pumps on the Presoak, tire cleaner. I can't remember when I last had a problem with the Hydrominder system. I'm with Waxman, "if it's not broke don't fix it". I also like the KISS principle, KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I'm more of a "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" kinda guy. To me, it doesn't get much better or simpler than the standard hydrominder/mixing tank /gravity fed system. It's been almost 20 years since mine were installed. Other than tightening a hose clamp or two, the hydrominders have performed flawlessly. Some genius came up with this reliable, user-friendly, automatic system. Why change it?

That’s true that’s true I guess considering I’ve got all the parts for it, laying around I’m probably just wanting to see how well it performs in comparison to what is basically the stock standard

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

I didn't think anyone was still using the IR Aro hexagon pumps. This were a piece of crap when they were new. My pumping equipment is 41 years and it works just as well as it did when it was installed 1982. I have one Flo-jet pump on the foam brush system and Procon pumps on the Presoak, tire cleaner. I can't remember when I last had a problem with the Hydrominder system. I'm with Waxman, "if it's not broke don't fix it". I also like the KISS principle, KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.
View attachment 8505

Yep that’s the one, that’s the pump that I’m using plus the issue with the pump that I found is that somehow it loses its prime, even though the fittings have been sealed with thread tape, plus air back feeds through the liquid side of the pump into the tank, And I have checked the one-way valve after the pump to the Foamer and they look alright

 

[Roz]

We have one wash with the traditional hydrominder and tank setup. Works great.

Other wash we just converted to direct drive with injector setup (4bays). system has 10 chemical functions. Holding off on any judgements until we have a little more data and resolve some issues from the installation.
Conceptually seems like a good idea, installation has been a bear, and we need to fine tune the setup. Will let you know how it goes.