Tire clean only work on 1 bay

[n00bie]

Hi everybody!
I am new to the forums and still learning how to fix problems around the self-serve car wash. I hope someone could help me with the problem. I have 4 bays self-serve, and only 1 bay that tire clean works. Only air coming out on these 3 not working bays (as I put my finger at the nozzle, there's a little bit of water coming out also). These 3 will work only after released pressure from the flojet air pump. I thought the check valves were bad so it back flow, so i replaced them but still didn't solve the problem.
Can someone please help? Really appreciated!
I'm sorry, I forgot the take picture of the setup. I'll will try to take pictures tomorrow.

 

[Randy]

It's probably the Flojet pump that's bad. Which model Flojet pump are you using? You should be using the Vitron seal pump

 

[MEP001]

Where are you releasing pressure that makes it start to work? If it's the hose from the Flojet to the solenoids, you might still have a bad check valve (Yes, it's totally possible to have a new one be bad). The solenoids can only open at a certain pressure, and if a check valve in the bay lets high pressure back, it gets trapped between the pump and the solenoids and they can't pull open. One valve might be a higher MOPD and can open while the others are locked.

If you're unplugging the air line and plugging it back in and it works, the pump shuttle valve is bad.

Also look at the line from the pump to the solenoids and see if you can see air bubbles. If the pump's diaphragm ruptures it will send air to the bays instead of liquid. One bay might have less restriction to allow some product to get pumped.

 

[n00bie]

@Randy ..... Hi Randy. Tire clean and foam brush I'm using flojet Santo. The pre soak uses flojet viton

@MEP001 .... Hi Mep001. The setup at this wash is that they install check valve on each individually soaps and air line. They don't have check valve for the high pressure. Since this problem occured, I install high pressure pressure check valve, thus, so now every soaps or high pressure go through that high pressure check valve. I used 3000psi smc high pressure check valve from kleen rite.
I pull out the air line and put it back on but still don't work. I dont have a new spare flojet to test now. I'm still confusing how to test for a bad check valve, can you tell me?
Let me upload picture of the setup

 

[MEP001]

Is this the car wash in downtown Kyle? The check valves I was referring to are above the boom in each bay, one for spot-free rinse and one with the tire cleaner, presoak and air combined. You don't need a check valve on the high-pressure line.

If there's water in the air solenoids, either a check valve in the bay is bad or the compressor needs to be drained. Water in the compressor will also cause the Flojet to stall.

 

[n00bie]

No, I'm from Austin
So one of the tire clean check valve is bad?

 

[n00bie]

I did some test. Released pressure from flojet. Test tire clean on bay 1, tire clean come out, I turn to stop ( timer still running). Test bay 2, tire clean come out, I turn to stop. Go to bay 3, only air come out no soap. Run to bay 1 turn back to tire clean, soap comes out. Then tire clean from bay 3 start to come out!
Bad check valve or flojet pump?

 

[MEP001]

Bad solenoid bay 3.

Is it on Fairfield?

 

[n00bie]

Hi MEP, like you said in first post, It was actually a bad check valve. I replaced that check valve 3 weeks ago, somehow it went bad on new one. All bays have tire clean soap now, hopefully that was a the problem not the solenoid. Thank you for your help MEP! The was is in Leander

 

[MEP001]

The bay 3 solenoid might still be bad or have some debris in it. It isn't running all the time because the pump won't run unless a bay is on tire cleaner.

 

[n00bie]

If the solenoid is bad, I need replace the solenoid because repair kit won't help right MEP?

 

[MEP001]

There's probably just debris under the plunger. There isn't really a kit, but sometimes the seal on the plunger gets damaged, and you can replace just the plunger. The only reason you'd have to replace the whole solenoid is if it's eaten completely through inside.

BTW, I worked for CWR for years. They closed for good at the end of June.