Help with Tire Cleaner

[slash007]

I have been having a weird issue with my Tire cleaner on my JC SS unit. About a month ago I went to the wash and no chemical or air was coming out when TC was selected. I verified that the pump was working and sending chemical to the manifold and that the air was working. I ended up replacing a regulator and during the process took apart the check valves on both the air and chemical. It started working, but I hadn't really found anything obvious, so I wasn't satisfied that the issue was resolved. About 2 weeks later the same thing. Took apart the regulator and CV and started working. Of course nothing was obvious, so no idea what was really causing the problem. Today I have the same issue again. No air or chem on any of the bays, but both are going to the manifolds. All I can think of that makes sense is that the coils are not opening since it's both the air and chem not working. Took everything apart but no luck this time. What could cause something like that? I don't see any wires loose and nothing has changed that I know of in the electrical cabinet. The fact that it started working twice after messing with the manifold area makes it more confusing. I just took both cv's off and pressed on them inside and put them back and it's working again. If it's not a wiring issue and it is the cv, what would cause them to lock up? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[MEP001]

It's most likely a check valve at a bay, pressure comes back through and gets between the inlet check valve before the regulator and the solenoid plunger, then with the MOPD of the solenoid being only 100 or 150 it can't pull open against the higher pressure trapped behind the inlet. Look closely at the gauges, you might see that they're wrapped all the way around and pegged.

 

[slash007]

This morning the gauges were wrapped all the way around, but the past 2 times they were not. The gauges are messed up though, the air starts at a pressure of 60 even when off. I replaced the gauge once already and now it's messed up again, so I left it. Is there a way to get the gauge to go back to 0? The chem gauge starts at 20, so that one is off as well. To find the problem bay, should I just turn on HP rinse to each bay and see which one is causing the the TC gauges to go crazy?

 

[MEP001]

There's no way to fix the gauge. You can mark the new zero and go from there, it's usually pretty accurate. It's the over-pressure from the bad check valve at a boom that damages them. I've put an SMC bypass regulator between the check valve and the solenoid with a clear hose looped and returning to the tank - the loop is there so you see right away that it has bled off pressure.

If the check valve is leaking all the time, it should be easy to find by running each bay. Sometimes they stick intermittently and with the problems and damage it can cause I just replace them all.

 

[2Biz]

I had this happen several times before I saw the light! For me, the back-feeding PS would pour out the air regulator making one hell-ov-a mess in the er. Putting PS on the TF gun was one of the best things I ever did at the wash. For more reasons than just the mess it made when CV's failed...

Take one of the bad gauges apart and you'll see why it can't be fixed. I was amazed "How Its Made" the first time I ever took one apart! Once the copper tube coil is stretched past normal operating conditions, it won't go back to zero!

 

[cityview]

I had this happen several times before I saw the light! For me, the back-feeding PS would pour out the air regulator making one hell-ov-a mess in the er. Putting PS on the TF gun was one of the best things I ever did at the wash. For more reasons than just the mess it made when CV's failed...

Take one of the bad gauges apart and you'll see why it can't be fixed. I was amazed "How Its Made" the first time I ever took one apart! Once the copper tube coil is stretched past normal operating conditions, it won't go back to zero!

PS? What does that stand for.

 

[MEP001]

Presoak.

I like the idea of running presoak through the trifoam gun, but I don't want to re-educate customers. I'm still thinking of ways to replicate a foam cannon type presoak from the high-pressure gun. I'm guessing it'll take something along the lines of a scuba-tank compressor and another high-pressure pump, unless I can find a way to inject the air at the boom.

 

[2Biz]

I like the idea of running presoak through the trifoam gun, but I don't want to re-educate customers.

I incorporate a 2 second delay on PS/TF chemical and the gun gets a 2 second blast of air before the chemical is injected. The blast of air coming from the Foam Gun definitely gets their attention and helps with the educating part. I rarely see someone who can't figure out how it works.

 

[MEP001]

This is a new-to-me wash with 90% Hispanic customers, a lot of which either don't understand English or simply can't read. I need to keep it as simple as possible. I might even move the trifoam to the high-pressure gun if I can make presoak work like a foam cannon.

 

[Greg Pack]

This is a new-to-me wash with 90% Hispanic customers, a lot of which either don't understand English or simply can't read. I need to keep it as simple as possible. I might even move the trifoam to the high-pressure gun if I can make presoak work like a foam cannon.

That shouldn't be hard to do, but do want to run a presoak that dry, especially in the Summer?

 

[MEP001]

Maybe I should buy a foam cannon and try it on a hot day and see. In the videos it goes on thick but doesn't dry or run, just stays on the surface like a thick cream.