Foam Brush Mystery

[Sequoia]

When I first bought my SS wash, I went to the "boot camp" and learned to label every valve, meter, etc. with the normal settings. I promptly did that and it has served me well when it is time for maintenance.

Over the last month or so, my bay 2 and bay 3 foam brushes have been very weak. Bay 1 is OK, but not great. Since one of the solenoids (air) was buzzing I changed it out-- no improvement. So I changed the product solenoid as well-- no improvement.

I changed the FloJet-- no improvement. Hmmm.

I checked the valves and found 42 psi for the air side, which is what I labeled years ago and have not changed since. Ditto for the product side-- 42psi, just as labeled and never tampered with.

I did some experimenting, and found that if I increase the product psi another 10 lbs to 52 psi then ... presto ... all the foam brushes work great. I checked the compressor and it is still holding pressure at 110psi, just as labeled.

I'm stumped. Nothing else has been changed, but all of a sudden my foam brushes need 10psi more than they used to need. Any ideas?

 

[soapy]

Check the screen on the inlet hose of of the pump. Probably has algea on it so the pump can't bring product up.

 

[Tpoppa]

How about the foot valve or tip on the hydrominder (assuming you are using one).

 

[Sequoia]

Screens

There is a screen at the bottom of the soap mixing tank. This was a little clogged; however, I cleaned it and replaced and it didn't make a difference.

There is a separate filter, mounted on the wall, downstream from the FloJet. I checked this one and it looked OK as well.

 

[Jeff_L]

If it's only impacting a couple of the bays as you originally state, then I would have to think it wouldn't necessarily be something common between all bays such as the soap tank. I would think there is something awry between that bay's solenoid to the tip of the foaming brush in each of the two bays you listed.

My first thought was your plunger, is the rubber on it swollen which would decrease the volume of product? Same thing for the air line to that bay, how does the plunger in that solenoid look? The latter doesn't usually change much, but if your air dryer isn't functioning properly, the air going through the air solenoid might be moist and could over time swell the rubber.

Next I would check your foam torpedoes to those two bays to see if there is any buildup in them. How do you check? I don't know, I'm the kind of guy who will replace suspect parts rather than try to troubleshoot them.

After that, check the brush itself for any obstructions. Lastly, check your lines for any cracks letting the product leak out.

Just some thoughts...

 

[MEP001]

I would suspect the foamers too. If there was build-up on the screen (usually algae) there will be build-up in the foamers too. Run some bleach through the system which will kill the algae and it may clear up.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

aka Duane, I had this exact same symptom over the last couple months, it had me stumped until I decided I was going to fix it if I had to replace the entire system.
I checked all the things mentioned by here, to no avail.
Here's what my problem was. Where the hose comes out of my FB boom, I use one of those flex wands with the steel spring coiled around it so that I get better flex and the hoses last longer. Turns out the inside corroded and simply wasnt letting the product through. I replaced it and all was right in the world again.

May not be the same for you, but at least its another thing to check - corrosion in a galvanized fitting somewhere restricting flow.

Speaking of which, anybody know where I can get a stainless flex wand?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Could be scum in the lines too. Same bleach fix should work.

FWIW I think = pressure on air and product is too much for the air unless you'v got needle valves on the air reducing the volume. I think I run 40 psi product on the flo jets and 20psi on the air. Needle valves present but wide open. No foam tubes. 3/8 lines t'd above boom. Air and liquid mix fine as they travel down 1/2" hse to erie 6 hole Foam Brushes.

 

[washnvac]

All my washes have product at 40, air at 25. If the air is more than the product, the product will not flow.

 

[aberaleigh]

Hey Paul Kleenrite sells Stainless FlexWands and thats a different idea using them that way lol.

 

[2Biz]

I have had the same issue in the past week or so. I had a customer tell me my FB in bay 3 was weak, but he told me it was terribly hot that day and maybe the foam was drying too fast. I checked and that bay was indeed weak. So I tweaked the needle valve by not more than a few degree's and the foam was coming out much stronger. I checked all my other bays and they too were weak. So I adjusted all the needle valves to increase the foam to where they looked right...

I chocked the whole thing up to the 95° + heat we've been having the past few weeks. The issues we're seeing might be from higher temps in the ER along with much higher temps in the attic or on roof tops. It has to change the way things work....When its HOT, you might need to add a little more chemical...

 

[cleaning up mud]

aka Duane, I had this exact same symptom over the last couple months, it had me stumped until I decided I was going to fix it if I had to replace the entire system.
I checked all the things mentioned by here, to no avail.
Here's what my problem was. Where the hose comes out of my FB boom, I use one of those flex wands with the steel spring coiled around it so that I get better flex and the hoses last longer. Turns out the inside corroded and simply wasnt letting the product through. I replaced it and all was right in the world again.

May not be the same for you, but at least its another thing to check - corrosion in a galvanized fitting somewhere restricting flow.

Speaking of which, anybody know where I can get a stainless flex wand?

Kleen Rite has SS flex wands!!!!!!

 

[Sequoia]

Foam

I originally cleaned the foamers/scrunchies and that helped the problem. That was a few months ago though, and they foamers were clean this latest time.

How do you circulate bleach through do clean out the algae? Do you use the FloJet and just alter its pickup from the soap line to bleach. And, do you use straight bleach or a solution?

 

[Jeff_L]

Personally i would probably mix the bleach at least 1:5 (1 part bleach, 5 parts water). That's the ratio I use to kill algae in the corners of the bays in the summer.

 

[MEP001]

I have to bleach the tank about once a year. I do it late at night when no one is around so a customer doesn't end up with bleach on their car. I siphon the tank almost empty and mix a quart of bleach with hot water to make a gallon and pour it around the walls of the tank to get them clean, then I turn all the bays on foam brush and let it run, keeping a flow of of hot water in the tank, and let it run for 15 or so minutes. Once the smell of bleach is gone from the tank I turn the Hydrominder back on and let everything flush with foam brush soap until they all look right.

 

[MudMoney]

I 've had the steel and brass fittings have buildup of rust and gunk out in the bays.I took a 5/16 to 3/8 drill bit and reamed them out about once a year.

 

[crewchief97]

fooam brush

Mine sometimes clog where the fitting screws into the foam brush handle. I have the reusable hose ends and thats where they clog. I run a long drill into the fitting to clean out. First time it affected my foam brushes like to never found it.

 

[mac]

Quote: "I checked the valves and found 42 psi for the air side, which is what I labeled years ago and have not changed since. Ditto for the product side-- 42psi, just as labeled and never tampered with."
Well there's your problem. The air mixing with the liquid HAS to be at least 10 PSI less than the liquid pressure. If they are close the air operated pump can not overcome the pressure. Here's why I tell others to keep a 10 psi delta:
1. Most of the gauges used on ss equipment are cheap and after a few years may not even work. Try adjusting all of yours and see how many are frozen.
2. The air regulators controlling these have a steel spring inside that regulates the pressure. When you turn up the pressure you are compressing the spring. Guess what happens to steel springs in a moist environment? They rust and lose tension.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Hey Paul Kleenrite sells Stainless FlexWands and thats a different idea using them that way lol.

I know the rubber wands come in stainless - its the "spring flex wand" I want.
http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1299-spring-flex-wand-14-x-14.aspx

 

[Mr.Aap]

Yup...If your pressures are equal its not going to do much.....