Foamier pre-soak & wheel cleaner?

[JustClean]

Hi all,
Is there an easy way to make the pre-soak & wheel cleaner foamier when applying through the wash gun? I already have a foam generator in the attic and I also tried a few different products but they all seem to do the same. Would be nice to give it a bit of a show without installing a separate gun. Thanks.

 

[MEP001]

I use liquid products and have no problems getting a good foam from the gun. Are you using powder? They don't usually foam well.

 

[JustClean]

I use liquid products and have no problems getting a good foam from the gun. Are you using powder? They don't usually foam well.

I tried both. At the moment I have SuperSat. I saw your video of your foam gun. Is it possible to get the same (or almost) the same result out of a normal gun?

 

[MEP001]

Certainly not that quantity. The tip is a XX40, where a normal bay tip is an XX06 or 07. IMO, tire cleaner is too expensive to dispense at that quantity anyway.

I've never used SuperSat, but I've been told that it doesn't foam well on its own. You might have to add a foaming agent to it.

 

[6t7gto]

what is and where to get a foaming agent? I have the same problem.

 

[MEP001]

Witconate AOS is a common foaming agent. I get it from a local distributor.

 

[Earl Weiss]

How much foam is enough foam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlRMAQnwIPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UU2oDMe1Aklko_tcNnsQJJaA

 

[2Biz]

How much foam is enough foam?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlRMAQnwIPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UU2oDMe1Aklko_tcNnsQJJaA

Earl,

For pre-soak, I don't get anything near the volume compared to your video. I have 60psi on the flojet and 30psi air Tee'd above the bay with 1/4" poly lines from the ER out to the bay. And you are running 40psi flojet and 20psi air.... Is yours set up similar to mine or are you using bigger poly hose out to the bay to get that volume.? What your showing in the video looks real nice!

 

[Earl Weiss]

What you see is the tire / wheel cleaner. I use 3/8" poly t'd above the bay. No needle valves.

I would have to check the pre soak, but I don't think it foams as much.

Sometimes with foam LESS IS MORE!. Trying to push too much air or liquid thru the nozzle kills the foam.


Try setting the Flo Jet to 40 Psi and the air to 10 PSI. See how it looks and then gradualy increase the air in 5 psi increments to see what happens.

 

[2Biz]

I will definitely play with it after seeing your video! I do have needle valves so I need to look at it closer to see how everything is set. I haven't messed with the pre-soak much other than replacing a regulator or solenoid. Without having anything to compare to, I just thought it was working the way it should....BTW...My tire cleaner and Pre-Soak are one in the same. Still, I need more volume for that selection compared to your tire cleaner. Maybe the 1/4" poly is too small? Although 1/4" was all that was supplied with my SFR when I installed it....And it works ok....

BTW..>What tip are you running on your HP gun? Looks like a tighter pattern than my 2506 tips....

 

[MEP001]

Earl, what size spray tips do you run?

I don't think I could ever get that much product from the bay gun no matter how I adjust it, but I'll try tonight.

I really like the show of that product. What I'm using isn't nearly as bright, but at least it cleans extremely well.

 

[2Biz]

My pre-soak needle valves are turned up all the way. I don't get near the flow as in the video. Perhaps the small 1/4" poly lines has too much restriction. If I ever get the chance I might install 3/8 poly and see if it helps.

BTW..I misquoted earlier about my SFR. It has 3/8" poly tee'd in above each bay, not 1/4"....

 

[MEP001]

I couldn't get it to apply like the video with all the needle valves wide open, but I had no trouble getting it that way with the usual adjustments.

 

[Jeff_L]

Earl - love the show on your tire and foaming brush. Nice work. I'm going to play around with my tire cleaner setup to see if I can obtain the same results you are.

Did I hear you right on the video? Did you say you are not using a foaming generator for your foaming brush? You're just running straight poly tubes with chemical and air teed at the boom and you're able to get that show? Incredible.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I will get back to you guys on tip size. As far as 1/4" poly vs 3/8, I think 1/4" should be plenty due to the tip size and air mixture. 1/4 should deliver plenty. Right, no foam generators. From the roof to the gun tip you've got 25 feet for the air to mix with the liquid and make foam.

 

[pgrzes]

I was just thinking why not put a small foam generator in line for it?? Has anyone tried it? I would think with foam generators on presoak, tire and engine cleaner we would use a bit less chemical and get a better show?? Thoughts???!!

 

[Kevin James]

We don’t use a Foam Generator on any of our systems. The air is injected in the equipment room. Earl, what size nozzle are you using in the video? What kind of pump and pressure are you pushing the chemical with?

 

[2Biz]

I will get back to you guys on tip size. As far as 1/4" poly vs 3/8, I think 1/4" should be plenty due to the tip size and air mixture. 1/4 should deliver plenty.

I'm going to continue to experiment! I need for mine to work like yours!

I think I'll pull the poly hose off one of my solenoids and attach a short piece to see what kind of flow I get right off the solenoid. This will tell me if I'm having problems between the ER and bay....

 

[MEP001]

1/4" lines are okay for short runs - the longest run from solenoid to bay is 115', so 3/8" on the presoak is necessary for me.

2Biz, I run 80 PSI presoak, 75 air, 70 tire cleaner. No needle valves on presoak.

The tire cleaner, presoak and air all run through the same check valve at the boom - the valve mixes the product well enough that I don't see a foamer doing anything useful.

You can see Earl's foam brush sputtering a little instead of delivering smooth foam. As long as the quantity is good it works without a foamer, but you will usually get smoother flow and a little more foam with less product with a foamer. You have to be careful though, if the foamer is packed too tightly you will get less foam.

 

[2Biz]

My tri-Foam uses 1/4" lines out to the bay, but the tri-foam is pushed with a procon @ 80psi instead of using a flowjet. I may be swapping out the 1/4" poly for the pre-soak and putting in 3/8". I bet that will make a huge difference. I can probably keep the 1/4" on air, but change the chemical line to 3/8"....I'll let you know how much it changes it.