Procon pumps

[Eric H]

I have one wash that uses centrifuge pumps on an open loop to deliver presoak and tire cleaner. I know this is a rather old set-up but this wash does not have a heated trough so I cannot switch to flojets. One of the pumps is beginning to leak from the motor seal and will need to be replaced very soon. I would like to upgrade to a medium pressure (100-150psi) pump over the low pressure (50-60psi) pump that is there. Can anyone tell me if I will have issues running a procon continuously? the motors look to be continuous duty but are the pumps?
Also, could someone recommend a motor/pump combination that would feed 4 bays? I see some combination units listed in Windtrax but Kllen-rite and Dultleier list them seperate. I want to make sure I buy everything I need the first time.
Thanks, Eric

 

[MEP001]

I wouldn't recommend a Procon pump for continuous circulation since it has zero-tolerance parts. It isn't going to last.

I would think about reconfiguring the system to eliminate the need to circulate on an open loop.

 

[2Biz]

I have a Fluid-O-Tech on my Tri-Foam System that is rated to 290 psi. Its a PO401 and has a pressure relief valve. I have it set to run at about 75 psi. Been in service 4 years and works great. It is powered by a Carbonator Style 1/3HP motor.

I agree with Mep though, I would put some heat in your trough so it could run only when its needed.

 

[Randy]

The Loop system is really old school, I haven’t seen one of those since the mid 80’s. We had that type of system at one of our first car washes, it was a real pain in the a$$. If I remember correctly it used a Procon pump. The biggest problem we had was with leaks, the fittings would erode from the hot presoak continuously circulating. We ended up replacing it with a manifold in the equipment room and used the Procon pump to pressurize the system controlled by a IDX MX-8 multi-plexer. I’d install a manifold in the equipment room.

 

[soapy]

Eric, your system sounds like a old ryko unit. I found it much cheaper utility wise to get rid of the circualting pump and run heat cable in the trough and just use flojet pumps in place of the recirulating pumps.

 

[cleaning up mud]

burrrrr, you guys make me shiver, it was 80 in Texas yesterday.

 

[A.Milton]

Eric what happens if you use a Flojet pump in a trough that is not heated? I bought this car wash 2 years ago, it was described as old school, new to this business and not sure yet if "old school" is a good thing or bad.But it is set up with model G57 Flojet Kairez for presoak and G57 Viton on foamy brush, my troughs are not heated here in Michigan. Not sure what you were told about flojets but I am using them in an unheated trough.

 

[Eric H]

Eric what happens if you use a Flojet pump in a trough that is not heated?

I have Flojets at other locations and they work great but this is an old Monorail system built in '84. The system loops out to the bays and then back to the equipment room and into the soap tanks. There is no trough at this location. All of the 1/2" tubing is run inside 1" conduit to a 10"x10" box above the bays. It works for what it is but is definitely out of date by todays standards.

You must have some kind of heat in your trough. Piping or tubing in an unheated space will freeze no matter how well insulated. There are a few ways to do it: heated recirculating presoak like Carolina Pride uses, floor heat loop (or similar with a separate 5 gallon water heater), or electric heat tape. Look around a bit more, there is no way your trough is unheated in Michigan.

 

[A.Milton]

Eric H....my troughs are not heated. I know it is hard to believe but no added heat source in trough.last year was a record low winter and my first year owning carwash I had freeze up on 2 end bays once and that was at the end of the season. I spoke with previous owner and they were going to add a circulating loop off boiler but didn't do it. I also spoke with son of man who built this wash about 35 years ago and his father added a heat tape once it started a fire and that ended that. This winter I found where one of the previous owners had tapped into a hot water line so I am running warm weep at night. Taking at hit with my gas bill but I am sleeping better at night. The previous owner for some reason bypassed the whole old system lines and put a new weep line off where the city water comes in. This water was extremely cold, that is what I ran last winter....it made my troughs that much colder. I was nervous switching to the lines that were there from years ago, the cot and cold mix because I can't figure out why the last owner would bypass them... It may have been because they didn't know they were there, very hard to access just like everything else in this mechanical room. So far all is well with weep except holding a constant pressure on 2 of the lines. They want to creep up, always adjusting those 2 lines. I have a solution for this creep up but the nights in michigan have been 17 below zero so I am leaving it as it is til weather breaks. Creeping up I can deal with but if they were losing pressure I would have issues I would have to deal with now. Warm weep at night is what is heating these troughs, last year I don't know maybe the carwash gods had something to do with it but there was no heat at all and added to that a constant cold line weep in that trough. Go figure.

 

[Edie011]

Get a 5 gallon water heater with a small circulating pump with everything on a thermostat. Run 3/4" oxygen barrier pex lines filled with antifreeze through the troughs. Pack tight with insulation