Engineered a new triple foam controller

[Mohrenberg]

Just leaving this here to show the the triple foam controller I've created.
I got fed up with the high price of all our self serve equipment, so i started engineering my own. This is the first.
Vacuum and Bay timers are next.

the triple foam controller accepts input from up to 5 bays.
It's main purpose is to cycle between 3 solenoids to change which color chemicals is being pumped out of.

runs on 24VAC
LED indicator
adjustable time 0.5-60 seconds
and built in hour meter.

View attachment plumbingSchematic.jpg

 

[MEP001]

I've been using a ladder relay for the last 25 years. Eight inputs (Infinitely expandable), an output for an air solenoid or electric motor, and the colors overlap so you have six instead of three.

 

[Dan kamsickas]

How much in time and materials did you spend to not have to buy a GS30 from Kleenrite for around $150ish and comes with a two year warranty?

 

[OurTown]

How much in time and materials did you spend to not have to buy a GS30 from Kleenrite for around $150ish and comes with a two year warranty?

You forgot to add the Biden tax to it as they are $184 now but I get you. Maybe he wants to manufacture and sell them.

 

[Greg Pack]

Cool little project. looks like a nice well built unit

 

[Mohrenberg]

How much in time and materials did you spend to not have to buy a GS30 from Kleenrite for around $150ish and comes with a two year warranty?

That model is 183.99 on Kleen-rite, and it doesn't have any other features built in. If I want something with similar features I'd have to spend $300 on Kleen-rite.

The time was well spent as well. I'm tired of being price gouged by car wash equipment manufacturers. My next projects will be vac and bay timers. Engineering electronics is a hobby of mine.

My goal is to have these commercially available at around the $100 mark. Right now it's sitting at around $149, mostly due to the time to build and test each one. Small improvements in design and parts sourcing will help me reach that price point.

 

[MEP001]

It's a nice looking unit, though in my experience no one cares about altering the color change speed. How hard would it be to add an output to switch on a motor or an air solenoid for a Flojet? You need another controller for that otherwise.

 

[2Biz]

I worked on a project similar to this a few years ago in case my TF controller fails. I opted for a programmable Traffic Light Controller/sequencer you can get off Ebay for less than $30. Might need a few relays to convert voltages, but this is another cheap alternative to OEM. I posted a thread on it. Will try and find it and post later on.

 

[MEP001]

Traffic Light Controller

For us Tri-Foam users, a cheap part to have on the shelf - Just in case - Seller says they have them running traffic lights 24-7 for at least 6 years. I doubt we would ever put that many cycles on it. Cheap ($34.99) alternative to the pricy ones offered to us from the CW Industry. Also offered...

www.carwashforum.com

 

[Mohrenberg]

It's a nice looking unit, though in my experience no one cares about altering the color change speed. How hard would it be to add an output to switch on a motor or an air solenoid for a Flojet? You need another controller for that otherwise.

The air and chemical solenoids are opened by the voltage coming from the rotary switch, which makes the flojet pump automatically start cycling when it's given somewhere to go. The 3 solenoid outputs determine which color the flojet will be pumping from.

If you're using a flojet, this controller is all you need for a triple foam system.

But if you wanted to use something like a procon pump with a motor and contactor, I guess you would need another piece of electronics, something I may have to make available.

 

[MEP001]

I would not run a dead-headed Flojet on a triple foam system with the solenoids controlling flow to the inlet of the pump. There's a risk of a leak at the pump outlet causing the Flojet to run super fast with no liquid to the inlet and possibly causing the compressor to overheat from running too much.

 

[Randy]

That looks like a well thought out little unit and well built. Nice job, I'd be interested to see what your next project is going to be.

 

[Mohrenberg]

That looks like a well thought out little unit and well built. Nice job, I'd be interested to see what your next project is going to be.

I actually spent two years developing RFID payment system. The electronics were easy. But the website to manage own and customer accounts, online sales, gift cards, memberships, etc is just so massive. I finally put it on hold so I could whip out some quick and easy projects like this.
Right now I'm working on vac and bay timers.
Vac timers are super simple
Bay timer I want to have all the typical features + more.
But the only reason I started is because of the current prices of equipment. So if I can't do it for significantly cheaper than the cheapest option, then Im not going to bother.

 

[OurTown]

Right now I'm working on vac and bay timers.
Vac timers are super simple
Bay timer I want to have all the typical features + more.

Will these have LED displays? It would be nice if the display and timer were separate with a plug attaching them. That might allow for a less bulky meter box door and if using dot matrix modules could be quick to swap out to a new one. Dixmor can replace thiers pretty inexpensively and a quick turnaround but you have to send them in. Another idea is to use push in sockets for the LED modules in the timer so we can swap them out easier. The Dixmor LED6 modules are all soldered and for the price they charge there's no way I'm attempting to replace them.

 

[Mohrenberg]

Will these have LED displays? It would be nice if the display and timer were separate with a plug attaching them. That might allow for a less bulky meter box door and if using dot matrix modules could be quick to swap out to a new one. Dixmor can replace thiers pretty inexpensively and a quick turnaround but you have to send them in. Another idea is to use push in sockets for the LED modules in the timer so we can swap them out easier. The Dixmor LED6 modules are all soldered and for the price they charge there's no way I'm attempting to replace them.

Yeah, the bay timer will have a display, the vac won't.
The vac timers will actually work in a bay for those who have the old washes without a display.

Only thing slowing me down is finding a good display.
I'm trying to find a nice small and bright RGB led matrix because I want the end user to be able to choose the display color.
I may end up having to make my own. Led matrixes are pretty simple.


The whole idea is to have a line of ~$100 car wash components.

My triple foam controller is almost there, I'd have to recalculate the cost, I may already be there. I've swapped to CNC cutouts for the plugs so I no longer need the stainless steel trim plates, which shaves a couple dollars off production, and time.


I've also got a "free but not free" air system I'm about to put in.
I have free tire and blow gun hoses at my wash. Town goes CRAZY over them. Only place for free air.
So, I have the RFID system I've previously been building modified so I can sell RFID fobs in the vending machine, and those are used to turn on the air.
$1.50 per fob for free air. When someone leaves a hose laying around or does something stupid I can remotely deactivate their fob and they have to buy a new one.

Anyways, my brain is bursting with ideas, but days are short, and I work 56hrs a week as a paramedic outside of running 2 car washes, a laundromat, some storage units, and building this stuff.

Not enough hours....

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

Please read reply, I meant for this to be a reply, my apologies

 

[ACTcarwashlover]

Yeah, the bay timer will have a display, the vac won't.
The vac timers will actually work in a bay for those who have the old washes without a display.

Only thing slowing me down is finding a good display.
I'm trying to find a nice small and bright RGB led matrix because I want the end user to be able to choose the display color.
I may end up having to make my own. Led matrixes are pretty simple.


The whole idea is to have a line of ~$100 car wash components.

My triple foam controller is almost there, I'd have to recalculate the cost, I may already be there. I've swapped to CNC cutouts for the plugs so I no longer need the stainless steel trim plates, which shaves a couple dollars off production, and time.


I've also got a "free but not free" air system I'm about to put in.
I have free tire and blow gun hoses at my wash. Town goes CRAZY over them. Only place for free air.
So, I have the RFID system I've previously been building modified so I can sell RFID fobs in the vending machine, and those are used to turn on the air.
$1.50 per fob for free air. When someone leaves a hose laying around or does something stupid I can remotely deactivate their fob and they have to buy a new one.

Anyways, my brain is bursting with ideas, but days are short, and I work 56hrs a week as a paramedic outside of running 2 car washes, a laundromat, some storage units, and building this stuff.

Not enough hours....

If you end up going with an idea for the RFID solutions for your vacuums, I would be super interested, As I’m potentially thinking about adding an RFID system to my vacuum

 

[Mohrenberg]

If you end up going with an idea for the RFID solutions for your vacuums, I would be super interested, As I’m potentially thinking about adding an RFID system to my vacuum

Honestly I'm probably a little bit away from getting to that.
Triple Foam controller is pretty much complete, and I'm working on service buttons for my wash and laundromat.

People seem to be too lazy to call or text me, so I have small 2x2 boxes with a stainless steel button and an LED.
If something is wrong or need attention they press it and I get a text message. It also turns the led red until I manually or remotely change it back to green.

I'm guessing I'll have a lot of abuse and curious button pressers to begin with, but I think it has potential to allow customers an easy way of letting me know when equipment needs attention, instead of me randomly finding it a week later.

 

[MEP001]

If you could create an affordable pushbutton controller to replace the rotary switch, I'd buy the hell out of that. Imagine if you will a button control that when you press "STOP" it will also end the credit card count-up. I'd find some large buttons that the function decal could be placed right on top of it.

 

[OurTown]

Allow customers an easy way of letting me know when equipment needs attention, instead of me randomly finding it a week later.

Test everything daily unless you are my competition in which case please wait until your customers tell you something is broken.