Rinse Tank Valve leaking by

[ScottV]

I have two new Carolina Pride Performa Self Serve machines that were installed earlier this year. One is a 4 bay SS and the other is a 3 Bay. The heated rinse water tank is filled with a Watt's float valve. These things are not holding up and start leaking almost immediately, constantly overfilling the tanks and running hot water down on my floor and into the drain. I kills me to see this hot water constanly running out of these units.

I asked Carolina Pride about the valves and they sent me rebuild kits (which were an oring and plunger seal) but when we disassembled the valve, the plunger seal appears to be held on with adhesive. So I ordered a new valve to have a spare on the shelf and it has now lasted less than 3 months. Again we have heated water overfilling the tank and running down the drain. Can it be something with the hot water and the fact that these valves arent made for that application?

I looked on Kleen Rites site, but no Watt's valves were listed under the section for Float Valves. I did find this Topaz unit that is made for high temp applications.
http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-27147-1-topaz-industro-hi-temp-float-valve.aspx

Do any of you have experience with this type of valve, and would you recommend buying it to replace the Watts float valve? If not, what other options can you recommend.

I appreciate your comments

ScottV

 

[Ghetto Wash]

Windtrax carries Watts valves.

I use a Bob CASA valve with viton disc and get a year or two with hot water before replacing or rebuilding. They come with the buna disc also and don't last too long.

 

[MEP001]

I've used the Walters float valve and had excellent luck with them - for some reason the 1" valve lasts longer than the 1/2" or 3/4". I keep a spare rebuilt and a new one since the auto takes the same valve. They last at least a year in the SS tank; the one in the auto is 7 years old and has been rebuilt once.

Have you checked to be certain the water is leaking from the valve? There could be an issue with something in the pumps' plumbing that lets water back up into the tank.

 

[Eric H]

I have the same Carolina Pride equipment. Originally it had a huge hydrominder to fill the hot water tank. The problem was that they would fail in the closed position!
I replaced the hydrominder with a Bob casa valve like I have at 2 other locations. I was going thru seals every 3-6 months using the buna cup and disk. I started using the viton kits and cannot even remember last time I had to replace one.
When they do go bad they will start to weep very slowly.
BTW: I have found that you can replace the cup and disk on these valves for a few years then the seat begins to get sharp from all the opening and closing. The seat will then start cutting into the cup.

 

[MEP001]

Originally it had a huge hydrominder to fill the hot water tank. The problem was that they would fail in the closed position!

I quit using or recommending those for the very same reason. I've never had a Watermaster fail in the fully open position, or fail to keep the tank full.

 

[E.Joramo]

could be worse your hydrominder could fail in the open position, Our Hydrominders usually do and cause overflows.
Erik

I have the same Carolina Pride equipment. Originally it had a huge hydrominder to fill the hot water tank. The problem was that they would fail in the closed position!
I replaced the hydrominder with a Bob casa valve like I have at 2 other locations. I was going thru seals every 3-6 months using the buna cup and disk. I started using the viton kits and cannot even remember last time I had to replace one.
When they do go bad they will start to weep very slowly.
BTW: I have found that you can replace the cup and disk on these valves for a few years then the seat begins to get sharp from all the opening and closing. The seat will then start cutting into the cup.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Tha fact of the matter is that there is no reliable float valve for the CW industry. Some are just better than others. By far, the best thing I did was to install a solenoid valve behind the float valve. The simplest way was to wire through spare motor starter contacts so that the valve would open when any HP pump was running. A better way I did it was to use a controller tied into 11 & 21 on the rotary switch so I could also kill the air to the Flojets.

 

[ScottV]

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. I looked on KR's site and found Bobs CASA valve which is part No. FVRC810-12. I couldnt find a viton rebuild kit for it though.

What does CASA stand for?

 

[Randy]

Don't waste your time or money on a Bob CASA valve. Buy a Walters float valve and be done with it. I've used every float valve and the one that lasts the longest is the Walters.

 

[car washing systems inc]

How hot is your water? I had a customer that was having a problem and we found the water was to hot turned it down and no more problem.

 

[jprb]

Scott, we had bad luck with the topaz valves. Had several stick wide open for no apparent reason. We could shut off the water valve to stop the overflow, and then turn it back on, and the valve would seem to work fine. We had this happen at several locations. Went back to using Walters valves.

 

[guitarandy]

How hot is your water? I had a customer that was having a problem and we found the water was to hot turned it down and no more problem.

I just installed a new 4 bay Carolina Pride system 2 months ago. My Eq supplier recommended the H2O temp to be 110 degrees, didn't seem like it was very hot but everything is still working.