Futura Fail

[Bigmatthew86]

Yes more than likely it is & it’s why it was in all the junk. This is what I took off, looks fine to my eyes but that means nothing. I didn’t see it on kleen rite but it might be an obsolete model at this point.

 

[Bricks]

Yes more than likely it is & it’s why it was in all the junk. This is what I took off, looks fine to my eyes but that means nothing. I didn’t see it on kleen rite but it might be an obsolete model at this point.

I would call Jim at Tri Valley equipment in St. Clairsville. They have everything Futura that I’ve ever needed.

 

[MEP001]

I have gotten prox sensors and photo eyes from Mouser. They aren't anything specific to any car wash machines, they're very common in all sorts of automation. If they don't have Turck, they should be able to cross it over to Banner or Schneider.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

That was going to be my next question. Anything in particular I’m looking for? This work?

 

[Bigmatthew86]

So I see 2 sensors on the kleen rite site. One says ships in 4 weeks, the other they have. From some old posts I found the one they don’t have looks like it superseded the old one I have. The other one looks like the specs are pretty much the same. I’m new to proximity sensors so excuse my ignorance.

 

[Bricks]

So I see 2 sensors on the kleen rite site. One says ships in 4 weeks, the other they have. From some old posts I found the one they don’t have looks like it superseded the old one I have. The other one looks like the specs are pretty much the same. I’m new to proximity sensors so excuse my ignorance.

Those look like what would sense the elevator bolts that are attached to the nylon wheel. I’ll take a picture tomorrow if I think about it. I don’t see how you’re saving any money by guessing and not calling the guys that deal with this old equipment.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

I’ll call tomorrow, it was thanksgiving today. I’m stuck at the fire department so I had plenty of time to surf the web. The one I took off doesn’t seem to exist anymore.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

Ok so I’m at the wash & tried the SSA. 1st time worked like a charm. 2nd time I tried same thing it’s been doing. No alarms just presoak works, high pressure kicks on for about 5-10 seconds & then returns to start & tells me to pull out. I’m in the pump room looking over everything & my high pressure guage is reading about 500psi with it off for 5 minutes. Doing some more surfing I found a post quoting the same issue & it was a bad unloaded. Seem possible? The wash in that post was an Impulse & he got a high pressure trapped alarm but his problem is exactly why I’m experiencing.

 

[Bricks]

Maybe try it a couple more times. Record a video of your gauge.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

I did & after several times it started going to 0 like it should. I’m at a complete loss. No alarms at all today. It’ll presoak the entire length of the bay every single time but it’ll only run down on high pressure the 1st time of the day.Photo eyes seem to do nothing (could care less if it’d wash cars). I’m sure throwing in the towel, going to have to get the guys that installed it to come work on it.

 

[Bricks]

I did & after several times it started going to 0 like it should. I’m at a complete loss. No alarms at all today. It’ll presoak the entire length of the bay every single time but it’ll only run down on high pressure the 1st time of the day.Photo eyes seem to do nothing (could care less if it’d wash cars). I’m sure throwing in the towel, going to have to get the guys that installed it to come work on it.

I bought several new gauges that hang up like that. It’s just poor quality.
When the hp wobblers are on, my whole gantry rocks side to side. Nothing rocks on ps. Are your wheel bearings shot? That plus the rocking could be moving the elevator bolts too far away from the prox switch on the wheel (under the front left wheel cover) on mine anyway.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

I had the wheel bearings, wheels, & chains replaced. How far should the sensor be from the elevator bolts? I can adjust it a little closer & see if that does anything.

 

[Bricks]

I had the wheel bearings, wheels, & chains replaced. How far should the sensor be from the elevator bolts? I can adjust it a little closer & see if that does anything.

I don’t know exactly. Mine are really close, like 1/8”.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

I’m up here. I tightened up the gap but it does the same thing. The light on the sensor lights up every time it sees the flags.

 

[Bricks]

I’m up here. I tightened up the gap but it does the same thing. The light on the sensor lights up every time it sees the flags.

Did it work the first time today?

 

[Bigmatthew86]

It did not. That’s a 1st. I’m sure it’s probably something simple but I don’t know what to look for & don’t want to just start throwing parts at it.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

So I felt froggy today so I messed with it again. I had the panel door open as the wash was running & noticed the light for the enter limit switch is lighting up where it’s stopping. Doesn’t on presoak or with the wobblers going but if it’s spraying it does & returns. I tried to raise the sensor 1st with no success. Next I swapped it with the sensor from the rear & it did the same thing. It’s not kicking on & staying on but it starts lightly flickering almost like it’s getting a ghost reading or something. Granted none of these sensors are new but swapping them had no affect.

 

[Waxman]

so to me that sounds like it's something else in that circuit. If you're getting a ghost input you could have a stuck relay or a bad cable or cable end.

I understand that you don't want to start throwing parts at it, but I think it's also important thing to note that you should have some spare parts on hand for repairs. With my old superior machine I had proximity switches in both sizes that I used, cables, field terminable cable ends, new relays etc.

 

[Bigmatthew86]

I agree with you 100%. If I can get it running at some point I will definitely get some spare parts.

 

[eckert16]

recommend you check each wire for secure connections in your plc control panel, to the relays, and from the relays go ahead and open up them junction boxes and also check for loose connections and corroded ground connections
(since it is "lightly flickering almost like it’s getting a ghost reading or something")