Low Pressure irregularities between bays

[yhannat]

Hey Folks,

I have an issue that have been driving me crazy for years now and I am hoping that some of you might have dealt with something similar and solved it.

I have 7 operational bays and a machine room in the middle. The 4 bays to the left of the machine room, the soap is great (foam brush, presoak, tire cleaner), however, the other 3 bays to the right the pressure is not great sometimes barely dispensing foam soap and spoty presoak..etc. I checheck the selenoid/cleaned them and it is not the issues. The pressure is the same as the ones to the right but still not luck.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[cantbreak80]

Clogged foam generators?

 

[Twodose]

What type of solenoids do you have?

 

[yhannat]

I thought about the foam generator and tried to open it but it is shut so I left it alone. What swayed me away from it is the other low pressure tire cleaner and presoak are also having the same issues.

this is the solenoids I am using

 

[Twodose]

try replacing the plunger assembly in the bays that are not working right, do both the air and liquid side. I had this problem at my wash just recently and this is what worked for me.

Kleen-Rite Corporation - Plunger Assembly for 1/4" Normally Closed Kip Solenoid

Plunger Assembly for 1/4" Normally Closed Kip Solenoid

www.kleen-ritecorp.com

 

[MEP001]

Before replacing the plungers, look at the tags on the solenoids. My guess, since they're numbered 5, 6, 7 on top, is those bays were added later and they may have used solenoids with a smaller orifice. The orifice size is listed on the coil tag.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

So if I read this correctly, you're saying that ALL of your low pressure functions in bays 5,6,7 do not deliver. That indicates to me that the problem is something common to all those bays + functions, ie common to 12 or 15 rotary dial selections. A few possibilities:
- MEPs suggestion about orifice size
- the fittings between your 3 station & 4 station manifolds could be restricted with crud or who knows what. If they are galvanized, that could clog up all the solenoids for those 3 bays as well as reduce flow into the manifold. ( Hopefully you know this, but galvanized fittings are a car wash owners nightmare, they corrode on the inside and restrict and clog everything. Make sure you dont have any.)
- If the manifolds are metering, perhaps the screw isnt set right or is clogged
- manifold issues above those 3 bays?
- delivery hose restriction above those 3 bays? For example I replace the FB boom hoses every 2-3 years because they start to get restricted inside, resulting in reduced foam flow. It sure looks like a solenoid/pump/pressure problem, but its not.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

... sometimes barely dispensing foam soap and spoty presoak ...

What does "sometimes" mean? In other words, under what conditions? For example, only when other bays are running? that might indicate not enough flow or pressure in your delivery pump.
Its possible there are multiple smaller issues contributing.

 

[yhannat]

Thanks for your advice. We can rule out the orifice size. I just checked and they all have the same orifice size (see below).

I think something is in the lines going to bays. I will try to clean them up and see

 

[cooll903]

my money would be on a flow issue when some of the first bays are going there is a restriction at the adapter and you have a pressure drop. i would suggest getting a block that is one housing or split the supply line to both blocks

 

[MEP001]

my money would be on a flow issue when some of the first bays are going there is a restriction at the adapter and you have a pressure drop. i would suggest getting a block that is one housing or split the supply line to both blocks

That seems unlikely unless that 1/4" nipple is galvanized iron or steel pipe.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Well if it were me the first thing I'd do is narrow it down. Make a couple of jumper poly-tubes and wires... so that I could easily switch bays 4 & 5 on the solenoid manifold without messing up all that pretty wiring. Extremely easy to do, provides valuable info:
If the problem remains on bay 5, I'd know the problem is not the pump/solenoid, it's in the poly tubing or the bay.
If the problem switches to bay 4, then I know its somewhere in the mainfold/pump/pressure/volume area.

 

[cantbreak80]

I believe additional site info is needed:

• How are these products delivered to the customer? High pressure gun or low pressure gun?
• Are there check valves in the system?

My first troubleshooting step would be to disconnect the liquid lines from the solenoid outlet fitting and install short lengths of tubing in the equipment room. Turn each bay’s selector to the product and collect the liquid in a bucket. If the volume of liquid collected is equal to the non-issue bays then the problem is with the downstream plumbing…stuck check valves, clogged foam generators, etc.

Or expanding on what Paul said…

Swap the problem bay’s tubing to a working bay’s solenoid. Turn the working bay on and see if the product delivery to the problem bay is resolved.

(As Twodose suggested...I’m betting it’s swollen Kip plungers. The red plungers don’t seem to have that problem.)

 

[MEP001]

(As Twodose suggested...I’m betting it’s swollen Kip plungers. The red plungers don’t seem to have that problem.)

I've had the red ones swell too. Made the mistake of shaving them off, it's just about impossible to get them perfectly flat, and if you remove too much the solenoid won't open anymore.

 

[yhannat]

All,

update on this. I plugged the hoses in the solenoids for the bays that are working well and it is the same problem. Basically this tells me that the issuethat the lines are clogged somewhere along the way.
Next step is I will try to purge them.

 

[MEP001]

Are you saying that (for example) you moved the lines from the solenoids labeled for bay 7 to the solenoids for bay 3 and it has the same problem?

 

[yhannat]

I switched the line from a bad bay to a good working bay and it improved.

I think I figured out the issue. I disconnected the solenoid that supply air for the pre soak and found them full of tire cleaner liquid. I think one of the bays is back flowing into the air lines causing the irregularities between bays since the bays.

Next I have to climb up to each bay and look to where the issue is coming from.