SS Tanks Overflowing

[ted mcmeekin]

We have MK VII ss with fluid stand. There is a hot and cold water tank with float valves. Occaisionally both tanks over flow. Even with water to tanks isolated they continue to slowly fill sometimes. We suspected the spot free check valves--set up to switch to city water if spot free runs out or looses pressure. Isolated spot free but still had problem. Here is real mystery--my son siphons water from tank to drop level . The level in tank he is siphoning falls but so does other tank although more slowly. The float valves are not leaking--we can raise float and see valve is not leaking but tank level is slowly increasing.. If weep checks are culprit why do both tanks overflow--or maybe we have 2 problems. Solenoid and check valve.

Ideas?

Thanks,

Ted

 

[car washing systems inc]

We have MK VII ss with fluid stand. There is a hot and cold water tank with float valves. Occaisionally both tanks over flow. Even with water to tanks isolated they continue to slowly fill sometimes. We suspected the spot free check valves--set up to switch to city water if spot free runs out or looses pressure. Isolated spot free but still had problem. Here is real mystery--my son siphons water from tank to drop level . The level in tank he is siphoning falls but so does other tank although more slowly. The float valves are not leaking--we can raise float and see valve is not leaking but tank level is slowly increasing.. If weep checks are culprit why do both tanks overflow--or maybe we have 2 problems. Solenoid and check valve.

Ideas?

Thanks,

Ted

It sounds like you have 2 solenoid valve leaking and when the weep runs it will fill the tanks.

 

[MEP001]

I'm assuming you have Erie Motortrol valves at the pumps to switch between hot and cold. If any one of them has a bad seat, it basically connects the two tanks together.

There is probably not a check valve anywhere between the pump and the tank, so if the weep can get past the pump at all the only place it has to go is into the tanks.

 

[2Biz]

I have a Mark VII stand like yours. The weep and checks are Tee'd into the high pressure line between the bay high pressure hose and pump. The check is to protect the city pressure from the high pressure hose and if one fails, it basically can't cause your problem. It will blow back through to your city pressure. Like Mep mentioned, the only way weep water can get into your tanks is is it can push back thru the pumps. And there arn't any check valves between the pumps and the stand.

I had problems 2 winters ago with the weep overflowing my tanks. The weep water was supplied from the same Softened water piping that supplied the tanks. I couldn't see why it was set up to weep softened water, so I switched the weep over to un-softened city pressure. When I did that the overflow problem went away. I know, it doesn't make sense. But I didn't have a single issue last winter and not yet this winter. I didn't change anything else.

Something I did to help with the overflows....There was an extra 3/4" hole knocked out in the back of both water tanks just a bit higher than the float level. I put in a gromet and ran 1/2" CPVC pipe to a drain so the stand and floor didn't get wet. The wet floor was driving me nuts!

 

[ted mcmeekin]

Thanks for the helpful input. We do have the Erie valves that MEP mentioned so I'm sure he is right on why both tank levels move--I think I can isolate one at a time a find which leaks. Still need to find source of fill water. My son pointed out this happened occaisionally in summer when weep was isolated and isolating the spot free did not prevent this occaisional filling. Will chase more and report back.

Thanks,

Ted

 

[2Biz]

Do you have PVC extended down into your tanks from your float valves? If so, wouldn't it be hard to see if water was trickling past the valve?

I was having trouble with water sloshing in the tanks until I put the PVC extenders down into the tank and diffusing with a "T" fitting. Before adding the PVC, I was having all kinds of problems, mainly because of the Cleveland Float valves that were installed when we bought the wash. They caused all kinds of problems, water hammer, flooded ER from the float arm letting loose and wasting 15,000 gallons of water before we discovered it, etc. etc.,...Switched the Cleveland's out for the 2 stage Walters, and has worked perfectly for almost 2 years.

 

[DPD36]

I've experienced the same issue with a Mark VII setup. We finally determined that the o-rings/rubber seals on one of the unloaders were allowing weep water to flow backwards through the pump and back into the tank. If you pull the "stem" out of the unloader it should be easy to see if the three or four o-rings that go on it are shot. At least this was the case in our situation. A repair kit for the unloader was a few bucks from KR.

 

[2Biz]

When I mentioned my tanks stopped overflowing on their own, I didn't knowingly make any changes to stop it from happening. I did however, replace 3 of the 4 unloaders I have because of leaky seals or irratic unloading pressures. I didn't realize or see the connection at the time. Thanks for the post, it makes perfect sense!