Check Valve Suggestion

[mparker1975]

Our high pressure soap and wax is gravity fed through a solenoid valve followed by a check valve before they mix with water and enter the pump. What type of check valve do you all recommend I use here? Here is what we presently have https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1754-smc-14-fxf-1200psi-3-psi-check-valve.aspx It seems as if they are not opening enough.

Thanks!

 

[pgrzes]

Slow the water flow, you should have a ball valve in the line, keep closing the line until you have the mix you are looking for. Just dont starve the pump.

 

[mparker1975]

Slow the water flow, you should have a ball valve in the line, keep closing the line until you have the mix you are looking for. Just dont starve the pump.

I can try that, thank you. Not sure if it matters but the water is gravity fed as well from a holding tank and is fed through a 1/2" hose.

 

[MEP001]

If you have individual solenoids for each pump for soap and wax, you can eliminate those check valves by reversing the lines to/from the solenoids. The reason there is a check valve in place is because a solenoid doesn't prevent flow in reverse, and the city pressure on rinse will back up through them and into the tanks, diluting the chemical.

Another option would be to replumb the soap and wax to use the same check valve as the hot water. It's always better to reduce the number of things that can fail.

 

[mparker1975]

If you have individual solenoids for each pump for soap and wax, you can eliminate those check valves by reversing the lines to/from the solenoids. The reason there is a check valve in place is because a solenoid doesn't prevent flow in reverse, and the city pressure on rinse will back up through them and into the tanks, diluting the chemical.

Another option would be to replumb the soap and wax to use the same check valve as the hot water. It's always better to reduce the number of things that can fail.

Let me make sure I understand what you recommend. The soap and wax do have separate solenoids at each pump. I could do away with the check valves if I bring the soap and wax in through the out side of the solenoid? Here is the type of solenoids we are using. https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1851-kip-solenoids-14-24v-metering-none-orifice18.aspx

Thank you for your help.

 

[2Biz]

The reason there is a check valve in place is because a solenoid doesn't prevent flow in reverse, and the city pressure on rinse will back up through them and into the tanks, diluting the chemical.

That's assuming he's using city pressure rinse? If he's using gravity feed cold rinse, there's no need for the check valves. If he's using city pressure cold water for rinse, then Mep's last suggestion would be the best. Eliminate the soap and wax CV's and plumb the feeds ahead of the CV from the Hot Water gravity fed tank.

 

[mparker1975]

That's assuming he's using city pressure rinse? If he's using gravity feed cold rinse, there's no need for the check valves. If he's using city pressure cold water for rinse, then Mep's last suggestion would be the best. Eliminate the soap and wax CV's and plumb the feeds ahead of the CV from the Hot Water gravity fed tank.

We are using city pressure rinse that is controlled by another solenoid. Could you confirm my earlier post asking if I understand Mep's suggestion?
Thank you!

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

We are using city pressure rinse that is controlled by another solenoid. Could you confirm my earlier post asking if I understand Mep's suggestion?
Thank you!

Yes you got it right. What MEP describes is how most of us are set up.

 

[2Biz]

mparker....

Do you also understand Meps "Another Option"? This would eliminate both "turning the soap and wax solenoids" and "the check valves for soap and wax"....Moving the soap and wax feeds to ahead of the hot water CV with a tee is all you need to do. The 1/2" barb fitting you put on the Tee for water supply will provide enough restriction so the soap and wax will draw. I just modified my pump stand last weekend to gravity feed water to my pumps using 1/2" polybraid. Soap and wax draw fine...

 

[MEP001]

Let me make sure I understand what you recommend. The soap and wax do have separate solenoids at each pump. I could do away with the check valves if I bring the soap and wax in through the out side of the solenoid? Here is the type of solenoids we are using. https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1851-kip-solenoids-14-24v-metering-none-orifice18.aspx

Thank you for your help.

Yes, D/H pump stands were like that.

I used to use the SMC check valves on that line and got tired of them failing - eventually I just started removing them as they failed and swapped the tubing lines at the solenoids.

 

[mparker1975]

Yes, D/H pump stands were like that.

I used to use the SMC check valves on that line and got tired of them failing - eventually I just started removing them as they failed and swapped the tubing lines at the solenoids.

I assume when the solenoid is configured the way you suggest it will prevent back flow as long as it's closed. I'm having a hard time understanding how it will work. Seems to me soap would constantly go through the solenoid the way they are now if back flow is possible in reverse.

 

[2Biz]

Backflow is only possible when the flow/pressure pushes up through the seat and lifts the plunger off the seat. That's why you have CV's with your current configuration. You are pressurizing your system when City pressure is called for, so you need the cv's on soap and wax. When you change flow direction of the solenoid, you now have fluid (city pressure) pushing on the top side of the seat and plunger. The amount of pressure on the bottom side of the seat is now from the gravity feed tanks. Maybe a pound of pressure or less. The spring pushing the plunger down against the seat can over come this pressure while it can hold back the city pressure on the top side of the seat. Hopefully this makes sense.

 

[cwguy.com]

This is the way Coleman has there gravity tank setup.... Coleman also uses city water pressure.

 

[MEP001]

Yes, it will prevent backflow of the city pressure only when it's closed, and that's the only time it will need to since the rinse solenoid should only be open when the others are closed. In theory you could draw soap or wax through the solenoids with it plumbed backwards, but it would require so much suction that the pump won't run anyway, so it's not an issue.