Anybody know what might be causing the dryer to detach from the bridge on it's return pass over the vehicle? It's been happening intermittently, of course, and when it does happen, it always seems to be somewhere around the middle of the bay. The dryer then freewheels the rest of the way home and slams into the stops on the end of the rails. Then the bridge stops just short of the home position and we get a "code 13," so somebody's got to be there (or get down there) to reset it.
Laser 4000 docking dryer problems...
- Thread starter GregF
- Start date
newboy
newbot
Lw 4000 Docking Dryer
I have a laser wash 4000 with a docking dryer problem. need help !!!!!!!!!!
at the end of the wash cycle, the bridge and dryer will hook up, the dryer starts, the bridge will pull the dryer a few inches and the dryer will turn off and return home. any assistance with this problem will be greatly appreciated.
I have a laser wash 4000 with a docking dryer problem. need help !!!!!!!!!!
at the end of the wash cycle, the bridge and dryer will hook up, the dryer starts, the bridge will pull the dryer a few inches and the dryer will turn off and return home. any assistance with this problem will be greatly appreciated.
cwtech
New member
Hi Greg bare with me its ben like 15 months i experienced the same issue in my findings it appeared that the bridge rollers were very worn and allowing the bridge to shift and rear limit prox switch picked up a false signal from the rail bracket 1 inch allthread releasing dryer on or about mid limit location. so take a close look at the proximity switches on bridge and dryer.
How old are the bridge rollers?
If the bridge rollers are worn enough for the bridge to shift side to side very much, the prox switches over the dryer magnets may lose the targets they were sensing and disengage the dryer. .....or could be a bearing in the dryer rollers, can you push and move the dryer fairly easy?
If the bridge rollers are worn enough for the bridge to shift side to side very much, the prox switches over the dryer magnets may lose the targets they were sensing and disengage the dryer. .....or could be a bearing in the dryer rollers, can you push and move the dryer fairly easy?
On the return pass the bridge is pushing, so the bridge has to be sensing something to make it stop and disengage the dryer.
Something is turning on the X-25 input (front limit). Could be faulty prox switch (top, exit, passenger side of bridge),cord, or short in festoon cable. Could also be as cwtech has suggested, worn out rollers allowing the bridge to shift over and the prox sense a rail bolt if the excess was not trimmed off during the installation. The rail bolts (allthread) should be cut off about an 1/8" from the "1/2" nut holding against the rail. This will make the rail bolts too far away for the bridge prox switches to sense.
Something is turning on the X-25 input (front limit). Could be faulty prox switch (top, exit, passenger side of bridge),cord, or short in festoon cable. Could also be as cwtech has suggested, worn out rollers allowing the bridge to shift over and the prox sense a rail bolt if the excess was not trimmed off during the installation. The rail bolts (allthread) should be cut off about an 1/8" from the "1/2" nut holding against the rail. This will make the rail bolts too far away for the bridge prox switches to sense.
A couple more things that might help describe the situation better...
The bridge doesn't come to a stop when it releases the dryer. It continues home, but for some reason, doesn't stop "in" the home position (so we get the code 13). Also, the dryer continues to "run" as it's rolling down the rails and slamming into the stops.
The prox in question is new, so we'll replace the rollers, check for the allthread being too close to the rails, and replace the prox cord.
Thanks for your help guys! ...It SURE WOULD BE NICE if our PDQ distributor would come and help us out on this matter and another one that we're having with a docking dryer at another location. Oh yeah, and I ordered two LaserMinders, two LaserNets, and a virtual treadle which they "started on" several weeks ago. The LaserMinders are in, the virtual treadle is in (but it took two tries since they only brought two sonics to the installation and one was bad), but the VT has NO HEAT and we've got single digit temps, and the LaserNets have yet to be installed. We're a little over an hour away from them and are CONSTANTLY getting service appointments postponed, apparently because OTHER operators have more pressing issues. So, we have two dryer issues, no heat on our VT, two LaserNets yet to be installed, and two pump stations that are supposed to be re-plumbed to handle "Rain-X," and we're undoubtedly losing repeat business as customers become frustrated when the dryer has to be in the drive thru mode (where it does a terrible job) unless we've got an attendant there to reset the system every time the bridge drops the dryer (in the docking mode). And, oh yeah, I "won" some Rain-X at the last Vegas ICA show and I was supposed to get it from my PDQ/Blue Coral distributor, but they never would send it to me because I wasn't already using their chemicals. Go figure.
The bridge doesn't come to a stop when it releases the dryer. It continues home, but for some reason, doesn't stop "in" the home position (so we get the code 13). Also, the dryer continues to "run" as it's rolling down the rails and slamming into the stops.
The prox in question is new, so we'll replace the rollers, check for the allthread being too close to the rails, and replace the prox cord.
Thanks for your help guys! ...It SURE WOULD BE NICE if our PDQ distributor would come and help us out on this matter and another one that we're having with a docking dryer at another location. Oh yeah, and I ordered two LaserMinders, two LaserNets, and a virtual treadle which they "started on" several weeks ago. The LaserMinders are in, the virtual treadle is in (but it took two tries since they only brought two sonics to the installation and one was bad), but the VT has NO HEAT and we've got single digit temps, and the LaserNets have yet to be installed. We're a little over an hour away from them and are CONSTANTLY getting service appointments postponed, apparently because OTHER operators have more pressing issues. So, we have two dryer issues, no heat on our VT, two LaserNets yet to be installed, and two pump stations that are supposed to be re-plumbed to handle "Rain-X," and we're undoubtedly losing repeat business as customers become frustrated when the dryer has to be in the drive thru mode (where it does a terrible job) unless we've got an attendant there to reset the system every time the bridge drops the dryer (in the docking mode). And, oh yeah, I "won" some Rain-X at the last Vegas ICA show and I was supposed to get it from my PDQ/Blue Coral distributor, but they never would send it to me because I wasn't already using their chemicals. Go figure.
.....Didn't know Bill would combine the two threads, my 10:09 post was addressing newboys post and the 10:41 post was addressing GregFs post.
GregF, Replace the prox cord fiirst. You really ought to make it a habit to use a new cord when installing a new prox switch. Sometimes there's corrosion inside the terminal that plugs onto the prox, I've seen a pin from the prox switch corroded off and stuck inside cord terminal. If a cord like this was used again on a new prox, it would damage the new prox switch.
The allthread your wanting to check is the rail bolts bolted to the wall and running through the rails. They should be cut off about an 1/8"" from the nut holding the rail.
I would replace rollers only if they're worn out. Look at the side "shoulders" on the black rollers (passenger side). On a new black roller, these side shoulders will fit snug to the rail. If you have a 1/4" of gap, the bridge can drift side to side a 1/4". Also check the bearings in all the rollers.
GregF, Replace the prox cord fiirst. You really ought to make it a habit to use a new cord when installing a new prox switch. Sometimes there's corrosion inside the terminal that plugs onto the prox, I've seen a pin from the prox switch corroded off and stuck inside cord terminal. If a cord like this was used again on a new prox, it would damage the new prox switch.
The allthread your wanting to check is the rail bolts bolted to the wall and running through the rails. They should be cut off about an 1/8"" from the nut holding the rail.
I would replace rollers only if they're worn out. Look at the side "shoulders" on the black rollers (passenger side). On a new black roller, these side shoulders will fit snug to the rail. If you have a 1/4" of gap, the bridge can drift side to side a 1/4". Also check the bearings in all the rollers.
Also check the alignment of the magnets and tear drops.
Make sure they allign properly.
Ensure that the rubber bumpers that the tear drops are mounted to are tightly pinched between the two metal plates on the arm extending from the bridge.
Ensure you can roll the docking dryer up and down the rails with 3 fingers. If you hit a spot where you can not that is a issue.
Check the resistance of the magnets, they should be about 12 ohms each.
Ensure the tear drops are clean and not rusted. Same with magnets.
(light surface rust is ok, but if you think it may effect the operation it will)
Ensure that the proxes are adjusted so they are about 1/8 inch from teardrops when dryer and bridge are mated up.
When the tear drops drive back into magnets make sure they are hitting evenly, not top first, this can cause the unit to stop before they are fully engauged and cause the loosing of dryer during dry of car.
There are more detailed electrical issues i can have persons check also but please call me for any questions on those.
Make sure they allign properly.
Ensure that the rubber bumpers that the tear drops are mounted to are tightly pinched between the two metal plates on the arm extending from the bridge.
Ensure you can roll the docking dryer up and down the rails with 3 fingers. If you hit a spot where you can not that is a issue.
Check the resistance of the magnets, they should be about 12 ohms each.
Ensure the tear drops are clean and not rusted. Same with magnets.
(light surface rust is ok, but if you think it may effect the operation it will)
Ensure that the proxes are adjusted so they are about 1/8 inch from teardrops when dryer and bridge are mated up.
When the tear drops drive back into magnets make sure they are hitting evenly, not top first, this can cause the unit to stop before they are fully engauged and cause the loosing of dryer during dry of car.
There are more detailed electrical issues i can have persons check also but please call me for any questions on those.
