Strange humming sound when foamy brush is on

[David Rolf]

This weekend I was at the wash and noticed when the foamy brush was being used on bay 1 a humming sound was coming out of the control box. I narrowed it down to the trickle valve making the sound. I don't know the purpose of this valve and why it does this. The tag says DH 18473, 1/8 orfice, 100 watts, 24/60 Volts. Looks like the ports are 1/4 pipe. Any recommendation on what I should replace it with? Dilling Harris is no more as you all know.

Thanks

 

[washnshine]

Perhaps it is there to allow a weep through your foam brush? I don’t have that on my set ups.

 

[Randy]

It's a weep valve for your foam brush in Bay 1. That is odd as you shouldn't have any power to it at this time of the year. Get out the voltmeter and check to see if you have any voltage to it. Have you tried disconnecting the wires going to the valve.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

sure looks like a DH sticker on a kip solenoid to me, used for weep.
Buzzing from a solenoid can often be as simple as something vibrating, after you check voltages try just squeezing stuff for a few seconds with your hand to see if it stops vibration... its the cheapest diagnostic tool in my arsenal

btw, when Randy says "you shouldnt have any power to it this time of year", he means that most of us turn off our weep systems entirely for the summer. Mine is unplugged, so no power at the weep solenoids.

 

[David Rolf]

sure looks like a DH sticker on a kip solenoid to me, used for weep.
Buzzing from a solenoid can often be as simple as something vibrating, after you check voltages try just squeezing stuff for a few seconds with your hand to see if it stops vibration... its the cheapest diagnostic tool in my arsenal

btw, when Randy says "you shouldnt have any power to it this time of year", he means that most of us turn off our weep systems entirely for the summer. Mine is unplugged, so no power at the weep solenoids.

Thanks, Yes my weep is turned off as it 100 degrees outside. I dream of the days of need the weep. Anyways I'll check the power as Randy suggested. The buzzing sound or electrical hum is only when the foam brush is being used. You can hear it 4 feet away. I put my hand on each component inside the control box and that's the only one I feel the vibration on. Thanks for the input guys! Kept it coming if you think of anything...

 

[MEP001]

That weep solenoid is normally open. It closes whenever a bay is running to keep the weep from diluting the low pressure functions. You can unhook it, but you can't disable it in the summer.

 

[Twodose]

Mep is right, I have those same solenoids, I unhooked one just recently because it was buzzing very loud when any LP function was on, I also turned the weep water off for the summer. I have been meaning to change all of them out with new ones I purchased.

 

[MEP001]

I have been meaning to change all of them out with new ones I purchased.

I usually just remove them and put a pressure regulator on the weep supply. That may not work as well in your case if you need a high weep flow in colder weather, but here it barely takes a heavy drip to keep from freezing. Turning the weep PSI down to about 20 lets the low pressure functions stop the weep flow. Not that anyone washes down here when it's below freezing...

 

[David Rolf]

Thanks for the great info. MEP post makes sense now. I was going to order this replacement. Can you confirm?

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-18...-stainless-steel-solenoid-valve-1-4-nptf.aspx

 

[Randy]

We have a Dixmor Weepmizer that controls one normally open valve for all the weep water at all of our car washes. We use city water pressure with no regulator.

 

[MEP001]

Thanks for the great info. MEP post makes sense now. I was going to order this replacement. Can you confirm?

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-18...-stainless-steel-solenoid-valve-1-4-nptf.aspx

It won't hang from the stand by the conduit nipple, but it will work.

Your old one is probably not even bad if it's humming. It's not unusual for them to do that after 20-30 years.