Help with Coleman Frag/Vac

[slash007]

I got a complaint today that my Fragrance wasn't working, so I checked and it's doing something I haven't seen. When you select a fragrance, only air comes out from the gun, but also there is air going into the selected fragrance as you see bubbling in the fragrance bottle. Happens to all 3. How that heck is air coming out of the gun and also going into the chemical line?

 

[MEP001]

There could be some gunk caught in the atomizer block, or it's gone bad. The only time I've seen them go bad is from someone running carburetor or brake parts cleaner through it.

 

[slash007]

Is that the block where the fragrance comes out? That's all I could think of since the air goes directly there. Was going to take it apart, but it was too cold so out of order for now.

 

[MEP001]

Yes, that block creates the suction. First thing I would try would be pulling all the fragrance lines off and hook them one at a time to the compressor with it running, then do your best to blast WD-40 through everything and let it sit for a while, then blow them all out again and see if you get suction.

 

[Toms PTcarwash]

I have had to remove and clean the plungers in the fragrance solenoid blocks every few years. They gum up with the oil based fragrances. It's pretty easy to do. I believe it is a 1/2" deep well socket, pull the plungers and solenoid stems, soak them in a bit of degreaser for a few minutes and put them back together.
But I have never had air going back into my fragrance containers, so not sure what's up with that.

 

[MEP001]

I have had to remove and clean the plungers in the fragrance solenoid blocks every few years.

It's not the plungers. They are obviously opening or there wouldn't be flow backwards.

They gum up with the oil based fragrances.

They won't with good oil-based fragrances.

I believe it is a 1/2" deep well socket

Metric, either 13 or 14mm. A 1/2" will round them.

But I have never had air going back into my fragrance containers, so not sure what's up with that.

I have, and I've already given where the problem lies, so your input is only going to confuse the matter.

 

[G WASH]

So what is a good brand of oil base ? i've used 2 different ones and they end up with rust forming in the solenoid block. Gets so bad the plunger usually locks up in the open position and all my products drip out onto the ground. I just buy new stems every 2 years. Then theres never a problem.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Is that the block where the fragrance comes out? That's all I could think of since the air goes directly there. Was going to take it apart, but it was too cold so out of order for now.

If too cold you could have some ice blockage at the tip or Atomizer / venturi block. As compressed air expands it cools and moisture condenses out. and can freeze. I recall fixing tires and pulling valve cores at 35 degrees or warmer and seeing frost around the valve stem. You could try dropping the handle in hot water for a few minutes. That may thaw any ice and dssolve any gunk.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Yes, that block creates the suction. First thing I would try would be pulling all the fragrance lines off and hook them one at a time to the compressor with it running,

I try this periodically - I pull these from the bottles (as opposed to solenoid exit side) so it also tells me if the solenoid is opening / clear.

 

[Earl Weiss]

But I have never had air going back into my fragrance containers, so not sure what's up with that.

I have had air going back into the selected fragrance and even non selected fragrance. It seems to force it's way backward thru the solenoid under pressure which is different than the venturi pulling the solution forward.

 

[slash007]

Thanks guys. Being so cold yesterday and following heavy snow then rain, I hoped that it could be frozen and thawing out would help. Another reason I didn't take it apart yesterday. Regarding the plungers, I have been using KR oil based fragrances for years and they work well for me. When I used their Wild Cherry, the plunger would gunk up several times a year and cleaning it out was a pain as sometimes it would be pretty bad. I even had to replace some of them. I stopped using the Wild Cherry a few years ago and have not had one gunk up since. I use Night Frost, New Car and Pina Colada now with no issues. Supposed to hit the 40's today, so any ice will thaw out and I can trouble shoot some more. After I fix the massive leak I just woke up to at another wash lol.

 

[MEP001]

I stick with Fragramatics brand. I've never had issues with gunk as long as the bottles stay closed up, and it smells like it's supposed to. When I worked for a distributor, we mixed the fragrances in-house, and when one of the warehouse guys poked holes in the top of all the 3-gallon concentrate containers we had customers all over Texas having issues with the fragrance separating and gumming up the lines.

 

[slash007]

I've been luck so far for the past 10 years other than the Wild Cherry fiasco. I've heard good things about the Fragramatics brand and will try those next order. I checked the machine today and ran all 3 fragrance lines to the compressor and was able to get decent airflow out of the wand along with whatever fragrance was still in it, so it seems the lines are not stopped up. I then reconnected everything and still no suction. I took the atomizer and now have it soaking in some CLR to see if it helps any. Going to be hard to put it back on, those lines did not have much play in them. The crappy part is that this hose is fairly new and seems to be in great shape. I have hoses I've used for 10 years without any atomizer issues. I even save the head and just put them on a new hose whenever the hose wears out.

 

[Greg Pack]

Have you by any chance got the atomizer line hooked up as one of the chemical lines? The air line is marked with a black sharpie if I recall.

I assume that you did try to blow them out with the compressor.

I've always used denatured alcohol or 91% rubbing alcohol to clean the lines out.

The solenoid stem uses a 13mm deep well but you can often use a 1/2" if you're careful

 

[slash007]

Have you by any chance got the atomizer line hooked up as one of the chemical lines? The air line is marked with a black sharpie if I recall.

I assume that you did try to blow them out with the compressor.

I've always used denatured alcohol or 91% rubbing alcohol to clean the lines out.

The solenoid stem uses a 13mm deep well but you can often use a 1/2" if you're careful

The air line is marked with black marker and was connected properly. This was a setup that came with the head installed on the hose from JC, so I hadn't messed with it all.

For the stems, I have just been using a large set of Straight channel locks and once they turn slightly, I do the rest by hand. I haven't checked these solenoid stems as it doesn't make sense for them to be messed up. They do open when I select each function as I could feel the air difference when blowing the lines out.

 

[MEP001]

Look in the sprayer opening, make sure no one has stuck anything in it and damaged it. FWIW I modified a couple of Coleman units by cutting, drilling, and mounting a Fragramatics atomizer through the block and it worked much better, but it was a PITA and really hard to keep things from coming apart. I'd replace the gun with a Fragramatics one before I'd go through that again. I bought some really expensive pressure washer hose that had a canvas wrap that outlasted the Fragramatics hose five times, also a pain in the ass to change but worth it.

 

[slash007]

So after I wasted all these hours, I decided to mess around with the atomizer exit hole and it turned out there was something slight blocking the hole. All of my other hoses have plastic atomizers, but this one is metal. It seems that it must have hit the ground hard and a tiny piece of metal had broken off and blocked some of the hole. Was very hard to notice, but the hole was not perfectly round, so I messed with it using a small paper clip and was able to get it out. Luckily I was able to reconnect the fragrance lines (almost no play) and everything works. Thanks for the help.

 

[Josh Corp]

Thanks guys. Being so cold yesterday and following heavy snow then rain, I hoped that it could be frozen and thawing out would help. Another reason I didn't take it apart yesterday. Regarding the plungers, I have been using KR oil based fragrances for years and they work well for me. When I used their Wild Cherry, the plunger would gunk up several times a year and cleaning it out was a pain as sometimes it would be pretty bad. I even had to replace some of them. I stopped using the Wild Cherry a few years ago and have not had one gunk up since. I use Night Frost, New Car and Pina Colada now with no issues. Supposed to hit the 40's today, so any ice will thaw out and I can trouble shoot some more. After I fix the massive leak I just woke up to at another wash lol.

 

[Josh Corp]

For some reason KR Cherry gunk issues with the stem and manifold block

 

[Josh Corp]

It's not the plungers. They are obviously opening or there wouldn't be flow backwards.

They won't with good oil-based fragrances.

Metric, either 13 or 14mm. A 1/2" will round them.

I have, and I've already given where the problem lies, so your input is only going to confuse the matter.