What Pump to buy?

[dogwasher]

I'm looking for a new pump for my 4 SS bay presoak selection. The existing defective pump is a Myers HJ50S, has a ge motor connected to it 1/2 HP 3450 rpm Says jet pump motor. This pump keep pressure all the time and has a small Expansion tank above, a on off pressure switch, and a pressure guage all in one. I found the same pump on the internet for $283. but was looking at the local grainger supply and they don't carry Myers Pumps.

 

[Randy]

I haven’t seen that set-up in years, almost 20. The bladder tank system was popular many years ago for Foam brush and Presoak, most of them are long gone, at least in this area. I’d replace it with a Procon 2507 pump with a ½ H.P motor with an IDX MX-8 controller to start and stop the motor. I replaced bladder type tank like you have over 15 years ago and I haven’t had any problems with the Procon pump. I run the pump at around 175 psi. E-mail me if you would like or need pictures.

 

[Waxman]

Why not a flojet 57?https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1480-flojet-5700-series-air-pump-santoprene-model-g575215d.aspx

 

[dogwasher]

I haven’t seen that set-up in years, almost 20. The bladder tank system was popular many years ago for Foam brush and Presoak, most of them are long gone, at least in this area. I’d replace it with a Procon 2507 pump with a ½ H.P motor with an IDX MX-8 controller to start and stop the motor. I replaced bladder type tank like you have over 15 years ago and I haven’t had any problems with the Procon pump. I run the pump at around 175 psi. E-mail me if you would like or need pictures.

Thanks Randy, thanks for the input I see your point. How would the pump motor turn on? What other control wires would I have to run since now the pump is controlled with just a pressure switch? I see I have a solenoid for each bay that opens when needed.
What about Wax mans idea? The flojet would run on the same principles I have now just keep air pressure on the flojet at all times then I wouldn't have to install any controls correct? Would a flojet be enough pressure, how much pressure do you run to feed the SS bay wand?

 

[sparkey]

I use the flojet pump that Waxman listed. I am only using it for 2 bays though.

 

[Randy]

A flojet G57 will work well for a presoak pump. But they will only put out a max pressure of 80 - 100 psi. I want more pressure 175 psi and I always go for longevity, I don’t want a pump to fail on a busy Saturday. The IDX MA-8 is pretty easy to wire up, a wire goes from each solenoid to the input on the MX-8 and then 110 volt power to the pump from the MX-8. The pump motor is controlled by the MX-8.

 

[dogwasher]

A flojet G57 will work well for a presoak pump. But they will only put out a max pressure of 80 - 100 psi. I want more pressure 175 psi and I always go for longevity, I don’t want a pump to fail on a busy Saturday. The IDX MA-8 is pretty easy to wire up, a wire goes from each solenoid to the input on the MX-8 and then 110 volt power to the pump from the MX-8. The pump motor is controlled by the MX-8.

My pump that failed has a guage on it that reads from 0-100 PSI I think we had it running about 40PSI I'm not sure..I know that when in the SS bay it sprayed out of the wand at a nice low pressure pace I wouldn't want it any higher or it use up more of the product than needed. Does this sound like I was running around 40PSI and is that normal?

 

[MEP001]

You'd be much better off adding a separate air solenoid stack and running a second tubing line to the bay. I run presoak with a FloJet at 85 PSI, mixed with a small amount of air. Customers don't want to dribble a small flow of weak, low-pressure presoak on their car; they want a strong flow of something that works well. Nearly half of our customers use presoak, and it costs about $60 a month in chemical.

You can dead-head a FloJet by eliminating every part of your pump system and supplying regulated air to the pump and just running the hoses from the tank through the pump and straight to the stack. If you're concerned about chemical waste you can add a control to the air that keeps it off when no bays are in use.

 

[wendy's wash]

Replaced 2 bladder tanks, motors, procon pumps and pressure switches. Ran into the same problem as Grainger no longer selling the bladder tank that I was useing. The old system seemed not to break very much but when it did it was a pain in the backside. Went with Flowjet pump and regulator for both the foambrush and tire cleaner systems. Each system cost around 100.00 in parts. Things will break any time. I keep 1 flowjet and regulator as spare if something breaks and fix next day. Things break and it can be anytime. I like this system instead of the old one as it is real quick to replace pump or regulator, compaired to having to find replacement parts for the very old system. Also now have space where tank used to be.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Ditto to MEP system. PS with air assist. Same air line alos acts for assist with tre cleaner. Same line and solenoid for both. When you choose PS or TC the air solenoid also opens. Run about 60PSI to the flo jet and 20 PSI to the air line.

Been replacing Yamadas and Graco's with Flo Jets. Have 8 bays and they will handle all 8 just fine (tested it )since with .05 tips you would only use 4GPM and Flo Jets are rated at 7GPM s even if they lieon the rating along with the air assist there is plenty of flow and what is the likelyhood all 8 would use PS at one time.

I think the foam brushes require more volume so I use 2, one on each bank of 4 solenoids.

Between the tunnel and SS run about 20 Flo Jets at this location. Simple to keep a few spares and regulators on hand.

 

[mjc3333]

FloJet pumps all the way. I run my pre-soak at 85 psi which is perfect for the customer to have good fast coverage, and not have all the product end up on the floor.

Anything over 100 psi would end up wasting product and cost you more money.

At 85 psi you could also have a stronger solution to do a better job without wasting the product as you would over 100 psi.

 

[MEP001]

I think the foam brushes require more volume so I use 2, one on each bank of 4 solenoids.

With my setup there's way more presoak liquid demand than foam brush, but a single G57 has no problem supplying all 6 bays at once.

Anything over 100 psi would end up wasting product and cost you more money.

I've set up presoak systems for 150-175 psi. It works, but in order to keep the cost of presoak down it has to be run weaker. Mine does take a little longer to wet down the whole car, but it's much stronger chemical and melts bugs and heavy road film right off.

 

[pitzerwm]

I don't recommend dead heading the Flo-jets. They can lock up. I put a solenoid in front, then a pipe tee, with a pink hydro-minder tip in it so that the air will bleed off when not in use.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I don't recommend dead heading the Flo-jets. They can lock up. I put a solenoid in front, then a pipe tee, with a pink hydro-minder tip in it so that the air will bleed off when not in use.

Interesting. Had this happen with Yamada's but never with Flo Jets. Have 5 in the SS and another 4 in tunnels deadheaded to a va;ve that opens to let fluid pass. Never had a flo jet lock up - yet.

 

[pitzerwm]

You can use this trick with any air pump. Maybe I automatically did it with the flo-jets after having a lot of trouble with others.

 

[MEP001]

Yamadas will fail very quickly if they're dead-headed. I've never had an issue at all with FloJets that way.

dogwasher, another advantage to adding air to the presoak is that if your check valve fails in the bay, if you're using a regulator like a Speedaire that will bleed off excess pressure there will be no damage to your equipment. Water will just flow backwards through the line and spray out the regulator and give you a clear indication that there's a problem.

 

[sparkey]

When you guys are adding air to the presoak are you doing it just after the pump or do you run a line all the way to the bay in the attic? Is this to give you more foam?

 

[Randy]

We have a separate air manifold and run an air line out to the boom in the bay. We set the regulator at about 35 - 40 psi air pressure.

 

[MEP001]

Always do it to the bay. It's not to make more foam, it's to give an instant changeover from water to presoak. I run the presoak wide open (no needle valve) with 1/4" ID hose or tubing, and air with needle valves just barely cracked to make some noise and foam but not to severely restrict the chemical. I prefer to run the air pressure 5 PSI higher than the liquid so the presoak won't back up through the air lines when the trigger isn't pulled. 80 PSI liquid/85 PSI air gives great, fast coverage.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The air line is Td in at the boom and there is a check valve at the end of the line to keep everything / anything from backing down the line. The same air line is used as an air assist for both the PS and TC.