I keep going through Flojet pumps with my tirecleaner

[coincarwash.ca]

I use Kleen white tire cleaner from Kleen-rite and I use the viton Flojet pumps. It seems every 3 months I need to replace one. It usually ends up just blowing air and very little product. I tried taking it off and putting it in hot water and running air through it, but doesn't seem to work.
Any suggestions?

 

[Greg Pack]

Humid compressed air kills a flojet just about quicker than anything, but it makes them stall. If they are stalling check your air supply for excessive moisture.

 

[Randy]

The caustic chemicals in the Tire Cleaner eat up the Flo-Jet pump or any diaphragm type for that matter pretty fast. I switched out the pumps on our Presoak and Tire Cleaner systems to a Procon pump. It?s controller by a IDX MX-8 controller to start and stop the pump. The Procon pump puts out more pressure than the Flo-jet does. I switch them out about 15 years ago. The only problem I?ve had is I had to replace a regulator about a month ago. If you need a picture let me know.

 

[MEP001]

The Flojet has to get clean, dry air. Moisture will damage the shuttle valve and make it stall, but oil from the compressor will harden the diaphrams and make them crack. Once that happens the air that's supposed to make it pump escapes into the liquid chamber and mixes with the product. Eventually all you get is air from the outlet.

A failure of a check valve in a bay can cause the same pump failure. I protect the pumps with a pop-off valve. Between that and the double moisture and oil separators I've had only one pump failure in the last five years.

 

[Randy]

I must be doing something wrong or maybe right. I very seldom ever blow down my air compressor. I opened the drain the other day and blew out about a ? gallon of water, it must have been 3 or 4 months since the last time I drained the tank. I don?t have any filters or dryers on my air system. I only have one Flo-Jet G57 pump left and it?s on the Foam Brush system, it?s about 4 or 5 years old. I just checked the humidity for Toronto Canada and it was 41%, that?s a lot lower than it is here, 85% this morning. You might try putting a stainless check valve and pop off on the discharge side of the pump, between the pump and the manifold, this will prevent any back pressure taking out the pump should a check out at the bay should fail.

 

[bigleo48]

I use the KR tire cleaner and Flojet pumps to deliver it...never had a problem specific to that function.

BigLeo

 

[MEP001]

I've thought of something else - our FloJet pumps are dead-headed (Constant air pressure on them with the flow to the bays controlled by solenoids). Someone recently told me he has poor luck with FloJets, and I think I know why. Both his washes have controls for the air to the pump, but nothing to release the pressure from the lines. What if the pumps fail prematurely if they're operated in that manner? Maybe it's the liquid pressure not backed up by air pressure that makes the diaphragms fail. coincarwash.ca, how does your system work in this regard?

 

[Shorco1]

I must be doing something wrong or maybe right. I very seldom ever blow down my air compressor. I opened the drain the other day and blew out about a ? gallon of water, it must have been 3 or 4 months since the last time I drained the tank. I don?t have any filters or dryers on my air system. I only have one Flo-Jet G57 pump left and it?s on the Foam Brush system, it?s about 4 or 5 years old. I just checked the humidity for Toronto Canada and it was 41%, that?s a lot lower than it is here, 85% this morning. You might try putting a stainless check valve and pop off on the discharge side of the pump, between the pump and the manifold, this will prevent any back pressure taking out the pump should a check out at the bay should fail.

The reason you don't blow off the compressor, you can't get to it because of all the used validators and parts blocking you access.

 

[washregal]

use a filter regulator, with water bowl and check valves. I had the same issues about a year ago.. changed all of my low pressure air.. and have not had a problem since.. the flojets just purrr..