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Flojet keeps running with no leaks

M

Minni1986

New member
My Flojet keeps running without any bays in operation. I have checked everywhere for any leaks and all valves but nothing. I have changed the flojet 3 times and they all end up doing the same after a week or two.

I am using Kleen-rite soap brush soap.

Cherry Car Wash Soap Ultra Concentrate | Kleen-Rite

Ultra concentrate soaps for your car wash at Kleen-Rite! When mixed with water, this 5 gallon pail produces 15 gallons of cherry-scented detergent.
www.kleen-ritecorp.com www.kleen-ritecorp.com

here is the video of what it does.
-https://youtube.com/shorts/qffbu7Q61nM?feature=share

Does anyone know why this is occurring?
 
Minni1986 said:
My Flojet keeps running without any bays in operation. I have checked everywhere for any leaks and all valves but nothing. I have changed the flojet 3 times and they all end up doing the same after a week or two.

I am using Kleen-rite soap brush soap.

Cherry Car Wash Soap Ultra Concentrate | Kleen-Rite

Ultra concentrate soaps for your car wash at Kleen-Rite! When mixed with water, this 5 gallon pail produces 15 gallons of cherry-scented detergent.
www.kleen-ritecorp.com www.kleen-ritecorp.com

here is the video of what it does.
-https://youtube.com/shorts/qffbu7Q61nM?feature=share

Does anyone know why this is occurring?
Click to expand...
Your link doesn't work. Is your Flo-jet pump pulling chemical from your holding tank. The pump will run it it doesn't have something to pump against.
 
It's hard to tell from your video, but it appears that you do NOT have a solenoid on the air line feeding the FloJet. When you set the unit up like this, you are relying on the blocked output stopping the pump. Eventually, a leak on the output side of the pump will occur....and your FloJet will run continuously, emptying whatever chemical you are pumping. This is an expensive mistake. It'll happen eventually.

Setup a PLC to open a normally closed air solenoid whenever a bay is calling for the FloJet to run. You can purchase a PLC for around $100, and they are relatively easy to program. There are also multiplexers made for Car Washes that are available, which would not require any programming skills.
 
Rudy said:
It's hard to tell from your video, but it appears that you do NOT have a solenoid on the air line feeding the FloJet. When you set the unit up like this, you are relying on the blocked output stopping the pump. Eventually, a leak on the output side of the pump will occur....and your FloJet will run continuously, emptying whatever chemical you are pumping. This is an expensive mistake. It'll happen eventually.

Setup a PLC to open a normally closed air solenoid whenever a bay is calling for the FloJet to run. You can purchase a PLC for around $100, and they are relatively easy to program. There are also multiplexers made for Car Washes that are available, which would not require any programming skills.
Click to expand...
My question is: "Where is his chemical going if he can't find a leak?"

The first thing I'd do is replace the entire pick-up tube, foot valve and hose clamp.
Make sure everything on the intake side is tight and new.
Check the intake fitting and O-rings (some people transfer the old fittings into the new Flo-Jet, if so check or replace).
Then, isolate by closing the downstream side one bay at a time until all are closed off.
Your problem can be caused by sucking air into the intake.
All of this is assuming you have a new Flo-Jet in place because the one in the video looks kinda old.
Edit: Once you replace the Flo-Jet you need to go outside and run a bay so that the pump can prime but it's usually a faster tempo than this.
 
Last edited:
If you look at the video very closely you see there is zero pressure on the gauge on the top of the outlet manifold. That tells me that the pump is not building pressure or it not drawing chemical from the holding tank. Check that you have chemical in the holding tank and that the pump suction is drawing from the holding tank. If the pump is not drawing chemical the pump will not build pressure, if it doesn't build pressure the will continue to cycle. I have all of my chemical holding tanks sightly higher than the pumps so the pumps are in a flooded condition, that way they don't have to work as hard.
 
Rudy said:
It's hard to tell from your video, but it appears that you do NOT have a solenoid on the air line feeding the FloJet. When you set the unit up like this, you are relying on the blocked output stopping the pump. Eventually, a leak on the output side of the pump will occur....and your FloJet will run continuously, emptying whatever chemical you are pumping. This is an expensive mistake. It'll happen eventually.

Setup a PLC to open a normally closed air solenoid whenever a bay is calling for the FloJet to run. You can purchase a PLC for around $100, and they are relatively easy to program. There are also multiplexers made for Car Washes that are available, which would not require any programming skills.
Click to expand...
Can you help provide a line to the multiplexers that are pre-made please? I don't want to get the wrong one and then spend a lot of money 🤑.

I have 4 bays.

Thank you.
 
edredtop said:
My question is: "Where is his chemical going if he can't find a leak?"

The first thing I'd do is replace the entire pick-up tube, foot valve and hose clamp.
Make sure everything on the intake side is tight and new.
Check the intake fitting and O-rings (some people transfer the old fittings into the new Flo-Jet, if so check or replace).
Then, isolate by closing the downstream side one bay at a time until all are closed off.
Your problem can be caused by sucking air into the intake.
All of this is assuming you have a new Flo-Jet in place because the one in the video looks kinda old.
Edit: Once you replace the Flo-Jet you need to go outside and run a bay so that the pump can prime but it's usually a faster tempo than this.
Click to expand...
Randy said:
If you look at the video very closely you see there is zero pressure on the gauge on the top of the outlet manifold. That tells me that the pump is not building pressure or it not drawing chemical from the holding tank. Check that you have chemical in the holding tank and that the pump suction is drawing from the holding tank. If the pump is not drawing chemical the pump will not build pressure, if it doesn't build pressure the will continue to cycle. I have all of my chemical holding tanks sightly higher than the pumps so the pumps are in a flooded condition, that way they don't have to work as hard.
Click to expand...
I have ball valves and solenoid valves on the output side, and have ball valves closed. So I know it's not pumping chemicals nowhere.

I think edredtop might be correct, as I did not change the intake fittings. I'll change the o-rings and if that doesn't work I'll change the entire intake fittings.

At the same time, I'll install a solenoid on the air output side to have it stop regardless.
 
When you turn on the foam brush out in the bay do you get a nice foam out in the bay? How much pressure do you have on the discharge side of the pump? Is the pump drawing chemical to the foam brush manifold?
 
Randy said:
When you turn on the foam brush out in the bay do you get a nice foam out in the bay? How much pressure do you have on the discharge side of the pump? Is the pump drawing chemical to the foam brush manifold?
Click to expand...
On the chemical I have 45, and air at 40. Soap comes out nice and thick, not runny. So it works well.
 
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