Pumps not coming up to pressure quickly

[OurTown]

We just started to notice now that all three self serve high pressure pumps are are taking 3-4 seconds or more to come up to pressure. At the wand it sounds like air is purging out about 2 seconds after it gets up to pressure. The pressures look good on the gauges and are not fluctuating. What could cause this to happen to all three?

 

[cantbreak80]

Look at your boom swivels. They may not leak water under pressure. But, once pressure is relieved, the seal may relax allowing air into the hose-gun-wand assembly...like taking your finger off a straw.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Look at your boom swivels. They may not leak water under pressure. But, once pressure is relieved, the seal may relax allowing air into the hose-gun-wand assembly...like taking your finger off a straw.

I’ve never had this problem but your answer is BRILLIANT. Thanks

 

[OurTown]

I'll look at those but they have been replaced within the last four months.

 

[MEP001]

When boom swivels go bad they usually leak visibly under low pressure but not high pressure.

 

[OurTown]

I looked at them yesterday and they don't look like they are leaking. Any other ideas?

 

[OurTown]

I had a customer complain about this yesterday. It does look like the vacuum is being broken allowing the line to drain. I'm going to take apart one of the swivels to see if there is anything bad in them. We did have a few leaking but replaced all three of them with the Zierden Conversion Kit #204B.

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2389-zierden-conversion-kit.aspx

Maybe they need a shot of grease now that it is warm outside?

 

[OurTown]

It looks like I fixed this issue.......for now. There was a blown poly line in the ER for the weeps. Before I replaced it I ran all three pumps to see which check valve might be bad and none of them seemed to push any water out the hole in the line. I'm guessing that one is slowly leaking and after awhile it builds enough pressure to blow the line. Time will tell.

 

[MEP001]

I've seen that with a weep check valve intermittently sticking open. Might be worth changing all three.

 

[OurTown]

About a week after my last post on this we blew the same section of poly line again. This time I was able to determine that one of the check valves was leaking ever so slightly so I replaced it and it's been fine ever since. When I get a chance the other two will get changed out too.

 

[mjwalsh]

About a week after my last post on this we blew the same section of poly line again. This time I was able to determine that one of the check valves was leaking ever so slightly so I replaced it and it's been fine ever since. When I get a chance the other two will get changed out too.

Some top quality stainless check valves can get a bit spendy ... Has anyone been successful cleaning them instead of always buying brand new?

 

[OurTown]

I was thinking of starting a new thread discussing check valves. Specifically U.S. Paraplate #CV3201B-1.

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-1738-paraplate-check-valve-14fxf.aspx

We have them all over our wash. The new ones we just got in are now made in Taiwan so now I'm thinking they are pricey for that reason. Do stainless check valves last longer because they don't corrode casing them to stick?

 

[MEP001]

I've had very few issues with these:

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-23214-14-fxf-teflon-check-valve-by-fluid-controls.aspx

I tried the o-ring seat ones but the o-ring would sometimes come off the poppet. The Teflon ones can't come off. The only failure I've had was when I used a 1/4" valve on a high-flow line - the poppet retainers broke off and the poppet jammed into the fitting and stopped all flow. Replacing it with a 3/8" valve has not been a problem.

The Paraplates are pricey but they are (or were) very good. They are brass which does erode over time. I always choose stainless which doesn't erode or corrode.

 

[MEP001]

Some top quality stainless check valves can get a bit spendy ... Has anyone been successful cleaning them instead of always buying brand new?

You shouldn't need to clean your check valves. If yours are failing because they are sticking from build-up, either your softener isn't working properly or your chemicals are crap.

 

[OurTown]

Mep do you know where those SS Fluid Control valves are made? Would you say they are better than or at least as good as the brass Paraplates? We are about to order some things from Kleen-Rite and would like to try some other CVs.

 

[MEP001]

I don't know where they're made. As far as construction, they're definitely not as good as the Paraplate ones, but with the stainless body and poppet and the Teflon seal I feel they're more reliable. I have yet to replace a stainless Fluid Controls valve with Teflon seal other than the one I forced too much flow through. I don't think I've ever replaced a failed Paraplate check valve, but I almost never see them (I've serviced hundreds of car washes all over central Texas).