Thanks in advance, I am fairly new to the business and still straightening out some issues. All check valves have been changed in the attic but without consistency the high pressure rinse water tank level will rise and overflow at night and sometimes not the rinse tank.... last night the soap and wax tanks backed up. There is not a check valve on any of the three cat pumps that provide high pressure to the self serve bays and I am thinking that the water is backing thru the cat pump and being forced into these tanks. It is not the hydrominder valves in the tanks...So do you think I am right???? Would appreciate your thoughts...
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High pressure soap, rinse or wax tanks filling up by back flow?
- Thread starter Eagledad
- Start date
I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
You are most likely right, that it is backing up through a pump. Most likely when the weep system is running. You may have a bad check valve allowing weep water to back up through the pumps, or may not have a CV at all where one is needed. Sometimes a CV is needed at the outlet of the pump, somewhere before the weep ties in.
Thanks for writing 2 BIZ, I assume unloader could also be called spray gun....I don't know what we have but I am about to order new this week so your info is Timely...I think I will look for the cv inside, looking in catalog at spray guns and do not see cv mentioned in any of the brands?...any other thoughts are welcomed and appreciated
Last edited:
2Biz
Thread Killer!
It would help if you told us what kind of pumpstand you have. That always helps diagnose problems like this...
An Unloader or Regulator is what sets pressure to the bays, Its between the High Pressure pump and the hose that goes to the bay...Here is the unloader I currently use...
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1961-giant-adjustable-unloader-1400-psi-13-gpm-yellow-springs.aspx
This unloader has a built in CV that keeps weep from backfeeding through the pump. Its the only unloader or Regulator that I know of that is configured this way. Like what IB said, You can find CV's either between the pump and weep tee or back on the gravity feed water tanks..Providing you have a gravity feed system....Again, it helps to know what kind of equipment you are running...Pictures also help!
An Unloader or Regulator is what sets pressure to the bays, Its between the High Pressure pump and the hose that goes to the bay...Here is the unloader I currently use...
https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1961-giant-adjustable-unloader-1400-psi-13-gpm-yellow-springs.aspx
This unloader has a built in CV that keeps weep from backfeeding through the pump. Its the only unloader or Regulator that I know of that is configured this way. Like what IB said, You can find CV's either between the pump and weep tee or back on the gravity feed water tanks..Providing you have a gravity feed system....Again, it helps to know what kind of equipment you are running...Pictures also help!
MEP001
Well-known member
Coleman doesn't use an unloader, so that won't be your issue.
If the water is backing up into the soap and wax tanks, one of the check valves inline to the tank is bad. There's one on each pump to keep the cold water rinse (which is fed at city pressure) from backing up into the other tanks. Assuming you're running hot water, the easiest way to find which one is bad is to run a bay until the check valve gets warm, then turn it to rinse. If the check valve is bad, it will get cold.
For future reference:
The check valves in the attic are to keep high pressure out of the low pressure systems (Tire cleaner/presoak). They have nothing to do with the weep or the soap/wax/rinse tanks.
The check valve in an unloader isn't intended to keep the weep from backing up through the pump (Although it can serve that purpose), it's there to trap the high pressure in the line downstream of the pump while the unloader lets the pump run without pressure, which never happens when using a weep gun.
If the water is backing up into the soap and wax tanks, one of the check valves inline to the tank is bad. There's one on each pump to keep the cold water rinse (which is fed at city pressure) from backing up into the other tanks. Assuming you're running hot water, the easiest way to find which one is bad is to run a bay until the check valve gets warm, then turn it to rinse. If the check valve is bad, it will get cold.
For future reference:
The check valves in the attic are to keep high pressure out of the low pressure systems (Tire cleaner/presoak). They have nothing to do with the weep or the soap/wax/rinse tanks.
The check valve in an unloader isn't intended to keep the weep from backing up through the pump (Although it can serve that purpose), it's there to trap the high pressure in the line downstream of the pump while the unloader lets the pump run without pressure, which never happens when using a weep gun.
So continued thanks to everyone, my picture could tell a lot if I was not tech slow at posting it. When looking at the front of my cat pump 530 the hoses from tanks go into the bottom left. They come up to a four way fitting. The top of four way has a 4 inch nipple that goes to a union. At the top of union is an elbow going into pump on left bottom. I suspect that someone removed the cv at some point and put in the 4 inch pipe. Does this make sense as to where it should be? Thanks for confirming cv in the attic are for low pressure as I had those backing up as well prior to replacement.
Yes, there should be a check valve under the holding tank going to each bay right before the 4 way fitting.
