Float Valves and high pressure problems

[RockyMountain]

I am having trouble stopping the flow into my gravity feed tanks. I replaced the old Roberts valves with new ones, but that didn't help. It was suggested that I try Walter's valves, and they have helped somewhat, but still don't stop overflowing overnight. I assume that they just can't handle the pressure? Do I have to go to a hydrominder style float valve to handle the pressure?

 

[Reds]

I assume you mean the tank in your pump stand. My tank had a hydrominder when it was new (2005). It kept hanging open and overflowing. I rebuilt it - same problem. I replaced it - same problem. I put a Walters valve on and have not had a problem since. Could you have some debris (teflon tape slivers?) or something getting into the valve and holding it open? My street pressure is 125lb, which we have reduced thru a regulator to 75psi. Is your street pressure too high for the valves ?

 

[Dirt]

It could also be weep water going to the tank via bad check valve.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Whethr you have hydrominders or float valves plagued by particulate in the lines a good in line straineer or filter can prevent a lot of headaches.

 

[bigleo48]

I assume you mean the tank in your pump stand. My tank had a hydrominder when it was new (2005). It kept hanging open and overflowing. I rebuilt it - same problem. I replaced it - same problem. I put a Walters valve on and have not had a problem since. Could you have some debris (teflon tape slivers?) or something getting into the valve and holding it open? My street pressure is 125lb, which we have reduced thru a regulator to 75psi. Is your street pressure too high for the valves ?

Red,

Funny, I had the exact opposite. Walters valves would all eventually leak. Put hydrominders in...no problem since! Weird.

BigLeo

 

[RockyMountain]

Whethr you have hydrominders or float valves plagued by particulate in the lines a good in line straineer or filter can prevent a lot of headaches.

Are those something one can get at a hardware store? Or would I need to order from a car wash catalog?

 

[RockyMountain]

I assume you mean the tank in your pump stand. My tank had a hydrominder when it was new (2005). It kept hanging open and overflowing. I rebuilt it - same problem. I replaced it - same problem. I put a Walters valve on and have not had a problem since. Could you have some debris (teflon tape slivers?) or something getting into the valve and holding it open? My street pressure is 125lb, which we have reduced thru a regulator to 75psi. Is your street pressure too high for the valves ?

Not sure what pressure I have coming from the boilers to the holding tank, but it's quite a bit. Are pressure regulators available at a hardware store, or is that a car wash catalog order as well?

 

[Reds]

Any plumbing supply, Grainger, Dultmeier, etc.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I get these from McMaster Carr .
http://www.mcmaster.com/#irrigation-y-style-strainers/=rc8kx
Light Weight, reasonable and I even have some for the Tunnels in the 2 inch size

 

[Tom Thumb]

I had success with the Roberts valve only had to get longer threaded rod from local box store , been working for about 1 year, no problems.

 

[MEP001]

RockyMountain, you should definitely look again for the problem instead of replacing the same part over and over, or looking for an alternate fix for something that may not be the problem. If the tank is overflowing and the float valve isn't leaking into the tank, it's not the float valve.

 

[Wally]

I agree with Dirt. You need to see if this happens overnight when the freeze control is not on.

 

[dclark3344]

Funny thing this post.
Yesterday my mentor in the business called to tell me that he was having this problem. (A while back he mentioned he sure seemed to be using a lot of ro water and was having trouble keeping up on busy days.) He shut off the water to replace the valve and noticed the tank kept overflowing with the water shut off. HMMM He tested the water and the TDS meter showed it to be better than normal water. He started crimping lines from the RO solenoid manifold and when he got down to the next to the last line low and behold the the tank quit overflowing. The normally closed valve was being held open and flowing gravity feed ro water into the water holding tank. I have had an ro valve fail and when anyone in another bay would turn on the RO function it would come out the bay with the bad solenoid. If they were using a presoak function then the presoak would stop flowing and clear water would come out with the customer complaining that we must have just run out of presoak, tire cleaner,etc.... When I would go check it with them it would work fine. Not a good thing for me or the customer.

 

[Tom Lee]

RockyMountain, you should definitely look again for the problem instead of replacing the same part over and over, or looking for an alternate fix for something that may not be the problem. If the tank is overflowing and the float valve isn't leaking into the tank, it's not the float valve.

MEP

You're a genius. "If the float valve isn't leaking into the tank, it's not the
float valve."

How did you ever figure that out?

 

[MEP001]

Great, another smartass.

Sometimes there's a tube, pipe or hose on the float, and you can't see water running from it, or that it's not. If I have a problem with the tank overflowing, the first thing I do is remove the tube to make sure it's not the float valve.

 

[rzeavy]

TOM LEE

MEP (in my opinion) is one of the most knowledgable operator on this forum, with a little humility you might learn something.

 

[Randy]

For years we were plagued with Float valve problems, overflowing tanks, float valves sticking open or closed etc. Then we got smart and eliminated the tanks and float valves. The only tanks we have are a small stainless steel tank for the chemicals.

 

[JGinther]

If the holding tank is only supply water for rinse, soap and wax, and if you are feeding the holding tank with hot water, you will always have problems no matter what type of valve you use. The best way to permanently fix it is with one mini relay per bay and a solenoid.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I've eliminated 99.9% of my float valve issues without eliminating the float valves. Install a solenoid valve behind the float valve. Use a separate transformer to power the valve. I used the motor contactors to switch it on and off at a couple of washes. Most anyone can rig this up if you have unused terminals on the contactor. At my other washes I used the 11/21 switch terminals to a controller (Ginsan and IDX both have something). This way is a little better and a bonus is that I use it to shut off the air to the Flojets as well.

 

[RockyMountain]

That's it

It could also be weep water going to the tank via bad check valve.

Dirt and Wally were right on. No weep, no overflow. Must be a bad check valve. I'm new to this business and didn't realize that the water could flow back through the pumps and into the tanks. Is there an easy way to determine which float valve it is? Unhooking one at a time and turning on the weep the best way?