L
loewem
Guest
For quite a while I struggled with getting my foaming tire brushes to work consistently in my self-service bays. I tried many different things to fix the problem, but I was constantly having to adjust my chemical/air mixture. Last June I bought and tried a Dema Mixrite for the foaming tire brush and it has worked out very well so far. In August I bought a Mixrite for my foaming polish and that has worked out very well too. Here is a video of these two functions in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORR5pPZmRyw.
Over the last three months I've been working to install a second IBA and have had to make room for the equipment in my pump room. I replaced my chemical holding tanks and hydrominders with Dema Mixrites. I've got seven Mixrites in place and so far so good on all of them. My only concern at this point is how well the Mixrites will hold up over time.
I went through a lot of trial and error and thought I'd share some of what I've learned.
- delivering water to the Mixrites works best via a flojet pump. I tried to feed the mixrites with city water and that didn't work very well. I also tried to feed the mixrites with an on demand pump and that didn't work very well. With the flojets I set the low pressure functions between 40 and 60 PSI. Previously I had three low pressure functions that I had set at 80 to 90 psi. I set the high pressure functions (soap and wax) to 25 psi.
- the barb fitting that Dema provides for the inlet and outlet are not very good. I bought some plastic 3/4 NPT female by 1/2 hose bar fittings for the outlet side and some plastic 3/4 NPT male by 1/2 hose bar fitting for the inlet side. I bought these with 90 degree angles which made attaching hoses easier.
- I used a 3/4 female x female pvc check valve on the inlet side of the Mixrite to prevent the chance of chemical backflowing into the water supply. Dema sells a check valve of sorts that serves the same purpose but it costs $40 vs. $10 at lowes. Newer model mixrites supposedly won't need this check valve as one will be built in.
- The Mixrites with the air release button on top are a must as air needs to be purged when initially priming the mixrite to pull chemical. When you are priming the Mixrite it is important to purge the air a few times to get it out of the line. Once you've purged the air there won't be a need to mess with the Mixrite until you need change out the chemical or foot valve.
- Foot valves other than the one that Dema Provides will work. I had a problm with one of the foot valves and the cost for a replacement is high, so I used another less expensive foot valve and it works fine.
Cons:
- Mixrites are not cheap. I've spent about $2100 on seven of them and about $2500 with the entire transition.
- There isn't much in the way of technical assistance out there. Kleen-Rite referred me to Dema and Dema wasn't much help.
- Priming the Mixrites for the high pressure functions is kind of a pain. Need to run a hose into a bucket to let the Mixrite prime. I just pull a soap hose or wax hose off prior to the pump and let the flowjet pump until chemical is produced. Then shut down the flojet and reconnect the hose and put air back to the flojet for the next customer. Will add another hose with a shutoff to make this easier in the future.
- I'm concerned about how durable the Mixrite will be......thinking about plan B just in case.
To be continued...........
Over the last three months I've been working to install a second IBA and have had to make room for the equipment in my pump room. I replaced my chemical holding tanks and hydrominders with Dema Mixrites. I've got seven Mixrites in place and so far so good on all of them. My only concern at this point is how well the Mixrites will hold up over time.
I went through a lot of trial and error and thought I'd share some of what I've learned.
- delivering water to the Mixrites works best via a flojet pump. I tried to feed the mixrites with city water and that didn't work very well. I also tried to feed the mixrites with an on demand pump and that didn't work very well. With the flojets I set the low pressure functions between 40 and 60 PSI. Previously I had three low pressure functions that I had set at 80 to 90 psi. I set the high pressure functions (soap and wax) to 25 psi.
- the barb fitting that Dema provides for the inlet and outlet are not very good. I bought some plastic 3/4 NPT female by 1/2 hose bar fittings for the outlet side and some plastic 3/4 NPT male by 1/2 hose bar fitting for the inlet side. I bought these with 90 degree angles which made attaching hoses easier.
- I used a 3/4 female x female pvc check valve on the inlet side of the Mixrite to prevent the chance of chemical backflowing into the water supply. Dema sells a check valve of sorts that serves the same purpose but it costs $40 vs. $10 at lowes. Newer model mixrites supposedly won't need this check valve as one will be built in.
- The Mixrites with the air release button on top are a must as air needs to be purged when initially priming the mixrite to pull chemical. When you are priming the Mixrite it is important to purge the air a few times to get it out of the line. Once you've purged the air there won't be a need to mess with the Mixrite until you need change out the chemical or foot valve.
- Foot valves other than the one that Dema Provides will work. I had a problm with one of the foot valves and the cost for a replacement is high, so I used another less expensive foot valve and it works fine.
Cons:
- Mixrites are not cheap. I've spent about $2100 on seven of them and about $2500 with the entire transition.
- There isn't much in the way of technical assistance out there. Kleen-Rite referred me to Dema and Dema wasn't much help.
- Priming the Mixrites for the high pressure functions is kind of a pain. Need to run a hose into a bucket to let the Mixrite prime. I just pull a soap hose or wax hose off prior to the pump and let the flowjet pump until chemical is produced. Then shut down the flojet and reconnect the hose and put air back to the flojet for the next customer. Will add another hose with a shutoff to make this easier in the future.
- I'm concerned about how durable the Mixrite will be......thinking about plan B just in case.
To be continued...........
