Zero Pressure Regulator to eliminate Float Tanks

[2Biz]

Pumps are pressure fed. Previous owner had issues with the zero pressure regulators so he eliminated them and added the flojets for a forced injection into the pressure fed input line into the pump. Works fine, but when the flojet goes out, then no soap. Same issue with a zero pressure regulator too, when it fails no soap either. If one could eliminate either solution and direct feed the soap with no mechanics, that'd be less maintenance.

Jeff,

I think you misunderstood my question relating to your post above. I was asking if you have a regulator between your city water supply and your High Pressure pumps, not between city pressure and your hydrominders....From your post, it sounds like you are suppling your H.P. pump with city pressure and injecting soap and wax into your pump supply line with a flojet from your mix tanks...

I'm wanting to rid my ER of the cold/hot water float tanks and go direct with city pressure like Randy's set up. I think this method will make it easier to manage hot water and get it out to the bays quicker. And like Randy says, it helps to keep the ER floor dry. I've already had a flooded ER from a failed fully open float valve. But since switching to Walters float valves, at least I haven't had that issue again.

 

[2Biz]

I performed the test at home using a garden hose and city pressure. The test went better than anticipated. I shouldn’t have doubted Randy! I needed to see how this worked first hand before ordering the parts to make the change.

Components of the test in line: 7’ long garden hose, pressure port with gage, .500” regulator with pressure gage at gage port on the regulator, short .500” hose, injector with a #12 orifice (.133”), and another short piece of .500” dia hose. I attached a .250” OD poly hose to the hose barb of the injector and used a 20 oz/min Dwyer flow meter to gage chemical draw into the injector. I put another .250” hose from the Dwyer into a 5 gallon bucket for the suction feed.

To start the test I had 50psi city water pressure coming into the regulator. I increased water pressure through the regulator to 20psi to get 3 gallons a minute flow through the injector. (To check the needed water volume I went to the wash and pumped water into a 5 gallon bucket for 1 minute from a bay wand. I marked the water level in the bucket for the test). So at 20 psi internal pressure of the regulator it yielded 3 gpm through the injector. (Remember the .133” orifice installed in the injector). At this flow through the injector, it pegged the Dwyer flow meter for chemical draw (20 oz./min.). From there I lowered the output of the regulator to 5 psi output in order for the injector to draw less than 20 oz/min on the chemical port. I found it amazing how little water flow through the injector yielded 20 oz/min flow through the chemical port.

From this test, I feel more than comfortable switching over to city pressure using Randy’s pump stand setup…Hopefully this test will help those of you who doubt this method or simply order the parts and do the test yourself. Randy says his stand has been set up like this for over 25 years. Sounds like to me the way to go… Comments?