pumps sound like they are starving for water?!?!?

[csmith]

I've got a 5 bay quarter wash, for some reason when its busy my whole building starts vibrating and preasure gauges start bouncing around like its starving for water. My water storage bins stay full and there is plenty of water. I've had this place for about 7 years and it has just recently started doing this. I thought it may be turbulence in my water bin and putting air pockets in my water supply goin to the pumps so I put a hose in the tank where the water will come out in the bottom of the tank and that didn't fix the problem.... If I block off my 5th bay (closest to water supply) everything works like a dream and I have no problems. It's getting toward our busy time of the year and I need to get this figured out. Could anyone help me identifiy the problem? Thanks for all your help in advance!

 

[soonermajic]

mine started doing that recently, It was something as simple as the screen in the holding tank had a little too much debris on it. I didn't think so, but cleaned it real good & problem solved.

 

[Jeff_L]

If you closed down a bay during this time and the vibration ceased, then I would definitely be investigating your line from the storage tank to the pumps. If all the pumps start chattering, then it can be something common to them all (ie, water source). If you're gravity fed, then perhaps increase the size of the line from the tank to the pumps, or better yet, run a line from the tank to each pump.

 

[Apollo]

Some times it does that by taking air from weep tubes or the weep adjusting knob in front of cat pumps. Turn off the weep knob of the bay which is giving trouble. Hope it helps.

 

[MEP001]

The weep is more often than not on the outlet side of the pump, so air isn't going to get into the pump through the weep in that case.

 

[csmith]

I thought i figured it out but it’s still doing it... i tried putting 15050 tips instead of 25060 tips... i have nothing blocking the hole in my holding taking... also took my cap off at the line that comes from the holding tank and feeds the lumps and let it flush through... i don’t think it’s a volume supply problem because i used to not have this problem and haven’t changed anything even went through all my wax and soap inlets that come into the bay at pump thinkin it may be suckin air in there....any other suggestions guys? Thanks!

 

[soonermajic]

Maybe screen is dirty? Happened to me 1x & screen was BARELY clogged. Also maybe needs new seals? That also happened to me 1x.

 

[spf8298]

We had this same issue a couple months ago at our small town wash. We even had the city down testing pressure and volume. I was under the impression that when our water tower level was low during high-demand peak water usage during the summer that it would affect our wash. That wasn't the case. I also investigated our water softener...wasn't it either. We also went from 1506 tips to 1505. Still persisted. The pumps really starved when we had the high pressure soap function on in the self serve bays. Finally, we replaced foot valves in the soap tank and that cured the issue.

 

[Jeff_L]

Hmm...I don't see the relation between foot valves and pumps starving. If you are feeding water and chemical into the pump and the chemical, which is really a draw, can't get in, then the source water would suffice any extra demand. Just cannot picture how this solved the issue.