What's new
By:
Car Wash Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Polar Freeze Guard system

Etowah
Roz

Roz

Well-known member

Polar Freeze Guard

Check out http://polarfreezeguard.com! The Polar Freeze Guard system designed to keep your business going and your profits flowing
polarfreezeguard.com

Anyone familiar with the Polar Freeze Guard System? We have this blowout/antifreeze system instead of a weep and it is giving us a headache (although it worked fine for the two previous winters).

I know the system is no longer made and no one picks up the phone so I suspect company is out of business.

looking for a manual or any insights for trouble shooting. You can see the system below, concept is cool since you do not waste expensive water (when it works). Thx.
 

Attachments

  • 2B45B50A-9A3E-49CA-B2A4-DC94D4A84CA4.jpeg
    2B45B50A-9A3E-49CA-B2A4-DC94D4A84CA4.jpeg
    1.8 MB · Views: 74
I have a little hands-on experience. If you describe the problems you're having I might be able to help.
 
Not keeping lines unfrozen. I which I knew how to

manually tell a line to inject so I could test each line. This is a 4 bay system with 8 solenoids.

antifreeze level not going down but chemical in hose from tank to the pump.

How can I test the various valves (8)? No idea why I have 8 valves when it is a 4 bay system. We inherited the system. Thx in advance for any insights you can share.
 
I'm afraid I don't know how to work the system. Hopefully someone has a manual they can scan.

Part of your problem might be the blue valve on the right being wide open. That's most likely preventing the pump from moving antifreeze.

I can't tell you what the solenoids go to - you'll have to follow the lines. They're probably in pairs for one bay, one to purge the high pressure line, the other maybe to purge foam brush.
 
No exprience here but looking at the picture.....

The problem of anti freeze not going down- looks like there are two regulators teed in- one purging air into the system and one supplying air to the the flojet. They are supplied by the same solenoid. My guess is you need to increase pressure to chemical pump feed to "override" the air purge somewhat.You're probably purging the lines with air but not every little bit is getting out and is settling and freezing. The antifreeze is probably supposed to take care of that problem. I'd be listeneing for that flojet to cycle.

You could test each solenoid by jumping them off with 24V and see what it purges

Just a wild ass guess from me, maybe someone else can chime in
 
I found a crude manual. System is probably air locked so I need to reset things and will go through the setup sequence from the beginning.
 
Rapidoil said:
Did you ever get this sorted ? Are you still using the system ?
Click to expand...
Still using the system for now. Probably switching to a weep solution soon. System seems to work after adjusting the air pressure but not a great solution.
 
Roz said:
Still using the system for now. Probably switching to a weep solution soon. System seems to work after adjusting the air pressure but not a great solution.
Click to expand...
The flow meter you have looks similar to the one I've been using. We have a methanol/water mixture we inject and during the summer time the stainless ball in the meter sticks to the bottom of the meter and prevents flow. Usually replace the meter and good to go again but have had the odd pump locked up after sitting all summer. Yes we do flush our system out thoroughly at end of each season! Good Luck. Kevin
 
  • Like
Reactions: Roz
Roz said:
Not keeping lines unfrozen. I which I knew how to

manually tell a line to inject so I could test each line. This is a 4 bay system with 8 solenoids.

antifreeze level not going down but chemical in hose from tank to the pump.

How can I test the various valves (8)? No idea why I have 8 valves when it is a 4 bay system. We inherited the system. Thx in advance for any insights you can share.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be hard to test the system/solenoids manually. Assuming the solenoids are 24v, there should be a transformer in the panel. Find the "Positive" side of the transformer and jump it to the "Positive" side of each solenoid. Follow the color coding of the wiring and test with a volt meter. Then you will be able to test flows manually, either washer fluid or air. I have a home-built system that has been in service for about 10 years with absolutely no issues. Still using the same flojet! Here is the thread (below Programmable Relay or PLC) I started if you want to read through it. The PFG system and the Home Brew should work on the same principles. My system comes on at 32° using output 2 of my weepmiser. I run 35-40 PSI on the flowjet, and 35-40psi air to the air blowout solenoids. My system starts by blowing out the first line for 10 seconds, then injects washer fluid for 5 seconds (the FJ pumps about 4-5 times) then blows out with air for another 10 seconds. Then it moves to the next line untill all lines are winterized. Once completed, it waits for 10 seconds after a LP service is used, then winterizes that line with the same sequence. I'm also assuming the PFG system is only adjustable using the dwyer flow meter. You can use the same principles I have set up for mine. Adjust the flow meter to where you get 4-5 pumps out of the FJ. The only time I've ever experienced freeze problems is when I had curly hoses on my foam gun. Each hose was about 30-40 feet coiled up. Too much length when it got real cold, 20 or below. The product (Tri Foam or PS) would freeze in the really cold hose. Changing those hoses out to 3/8" black air hose, solved the issue. I don't think I've had a hose freeze since. This includes my outside truck bay. And it gets to -15° here in Southern Ohio!

Credit's go out to Cantbreak80 who was the mastermind for the project! It was really fun learning how PLC's work. I'm glad I didn't buy in to a company like PFG, who in the long run went out of business and does not support what they sold. Also, our water and sewage has went up 56% in the past few years to about $20 for a thousand gallons. I can weep about 750-800 gallons a day just in the 4 HP hoses below 15°. Not hard to do the math on this one. I might use about 75 gallons of washer fluid in a winter or $150. Having a system like this has saves me thousands yearly in weep water for 8 LP hoses (FB and TF/PS). I don't think I would ever consider going back to weeping the LP hoses. Too costly!

(7) Programmable Relay or PLC | Car Wash Forum

controller1.JPG


pump-solenoids.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: Roz
Wow, 2Biz!
Your project started in 2011.
Time flies.
IIRC, my original system was installed in 2003(?). It's still in operation.

I believe the PFG system is for elimination of water weep for the high-pressure guns.
Our systems are for low pressure foam guns and foam brushes.
My 2020 version controls the entire foam gun/brush systems with the latest version PLRs being networked, providing significant increases in I/O.

Anyway, thanks for the recognition.

IMG_1406.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Etowah
Back
Top