low pressure pre-soak question

[shineanddrivevulcan@gmail]

I have a low pressure pre soak that takes 10-15 seconds before it makes it out the high pressure hose.

What PSI should I set the air and pre-soak to?

currently set to the following
65 psi pre-soak solution
35 psi air

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Eric H]

Are you trying to reduce the change over time or just make it look great?
The low pressure functions should be tee’d in just above the boom. More pressure will reduce the changeover times slightly but you can’t overcome the physics of having to displace the amount of chemical/water that the hoses hold.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I would reduce the air to 20 PSI or try even a little lower. Don't want the 2 items fighting each other.

 

[shineanddrivevulcan@gmail]

Are you trying to reduce the change over time or just make it look great?
The low pressure functions should be tee’d in just above the boom. More pressure will reduce the changeover times slightly but you can’t overcome the physics of having to displace the amount of chemical/water that the hoses hold.

I want it to look great but the change over time seems long.

do you mind if i ask what you run for psi for both ?

 

[shineanddrivevulcan@gmail]

I would reduce the air to 20 PSI or try even a little lower. Don't want the 2 items fighting each other.

20psi seems low but i will give it a shot. Im using 2506 tips currently and our setup fans nice but i would love more bubbles lol.

 

[shineanddrivevulcan@gmail]

Can someone please provide me with some feedback

I want the pre-soak to look great! does that mean I should bump up the PSI on the chemical feeder?

what about the air that pushes it?

Im using 2506 tips and it looks good but I want the wow factor.

 

[Greg Pack]

You'll get better performance if the poly product line going to the bay is 3/8", not 1/4"

To reduce changeover time, get the product manifold as close to the boom inlet as possible and swap to 1/4" wirebraid bay hose or mosmatic comfort hose from boom to gun.

 

[shineanddrivevulcan@gmail]

You'll get better performance if the poly product line going to the bay is 3/8", not 1/4"

To reduce changeover time, get the product manifold as close to the boom inlet as possible and swap to 1/4" wirebraid bay hose or mosmatic comfort hose from boom to gun.

What PSI would you recommend for
air
product

 

[Dan kamsickas]

What PSI would you recommend for
air
product

That's an impossible question to answer with any precision. Different chemicals perform differently at different pressures, concentrations, water temperature, etc. Also, presentation is purely subjective.

I tell people to start at 25-30 psi liquid and your air 5-10 psi less and go from there. Never allow your air pressure to get higher than your liquid pressure. I would ask the chemical supplier what tip size to start with on the hydrominder.

 

[Randy]

I run my Presoak at 110psi with a Procon pump. I use Simoniz powder Correct Presoak with a "T" at the Hydrominder and add High pressure soap in with the Presoak.

 

[Cwajciec]

I know it takes a little more effort, but put your presoak on a low pressure gun. See the below link to another post where I have a video. After fighting with various delivery issues with presoak through the HP gun, this was a huge upgrade and very well used.

Post in thread 'Presoak on Foam gun tip size'

C

Post in thread 'Presoak on Foam gun tip size'

May 28, 2025

See if you can see this link. This is 60psi flojet (and 45-50psi air) with a 4040 tip and a homemade foam generator. Without the foam generator you would get a lot of splattering from the flojet. I have the mixture pretty strong to get it to foam good. Customers use a lot of it now. Feel free to leave a review

AC WOW Car Wash · 427 S Washington Hwy, Ashland, VA 23005

★★★★☆ · Self service car wash

maps.app.goo.gl

• Cwajciec

• 
• 

 

[TCC]

I know it takes a little more effort, but put your presoak on a low pressure gun. See the below link to another post where I have a video. After fighting with various delivery issues with presoak through the HP gun, this was a huge upgrade and very well used.

Post in thread 'Presoak on Foam gun tip size'

C

Post in thread 'Presoak on Foam gun tip size'

May 28, 2025

See if you can see this link. This is 60psi flojet (and 45-50psi air) with a 4040 tip and a homemade foam generator. Without the foam generator you would get a lot of splattering from the flojet. I have the mixture pretty strong to get it to foam good. Customers use a lot of it now. Feel free to leave a review

AC WOW Car Wash · 427 S Washington Hwy, Ashland, VA 23005

★★★★☆ · Self service car wash

maps.app.goo.gl

• Cwajciec

• 
• 

Hello Cwajciec,
It looks very good.
Can you share design / picture of the foam generator?
Thanks.

 

[Cwajciec]

Hello Cwajciec,
It looks very good.
Can you share design / picture of the foam generator?
Thanks.

I didn't take any pictures but I basically copied what others have done here. I took a 1" pvc pipe around 10-12" long and inserted a folded out toilet brush inside. The super cheap ones for $1 at the dollar store that have a central wire with nylon bristles that is folded in the shape of a triangle. On each end I glued a 1" glue to 1/4" NPT adaptor. To one adaptor I screwed a T with 1/4" quick connects for air, Tire cleaner, and presoak. To the other adaptor I screwed a 3/8" hose barb and put a Kuriyama hose to a bracket on the wall. So far so good 1 year later. It really does stop the splat splat splat that the Flojet pump gives out.

Now I see Kleen rite has more or less the same thing here https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-8821-pvc-1-4-m-x-1-2-h-foamy-generator.aspx. For $9 I'd probably just buy these.

 

[edredtop]

I didn't take any pictures but I basically copied what others have done here. I took a 1" pvc pipe around 10-12" long and inserted folded out toilet brush inside. The super cheap ones for $1 at the dollar store that have a central wire with nylon bristles that is folded in the shape of a triangle. On each end I glued a 1" glue to 1/4" NPT adaptor. To one adaptor I screwed a T with 1/4" quick connects for air, Tire cleaner, and presoak. To the other adaptor I screwed a 3/8" hose barb and put a Kuriyama hose to a bracket on the wall. So far so good 1 year later. It really does stop the splat splat splat that the Flojet pump gives out.

Now I see Kleen rite has more or less the same thing here https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-8821-pvc-1-4-m-x-1-2-h-foamy-generator.aspx. For $9 I'd probably just buy these.

Fwiw, I've tried the DIY approach you described with many different "scrubbers" and after a period of time discovered the bristles would break free and plug anything downstream... checks, hoses, tip. Never tried the KR product but was admittedly gun shy at that point.
I have since dialed in my triple foam with flojets at 85 psi. liquid / 50 psi air.
I think it works pretty good.
Video

 

[Keno]

Fwiw, I've tried the DIY approach you described with many different "scrubbers" and after a period of time discovered the bristles would break free and plug anything downstream... checks, hoses, tip. Never tried the KR product but was admittedly gun shy at that point.
I have since dialed in my triple foam with flojets at 85 psi. liquid / 50 psi air.
I think it works pretty good.
Video

That's some nice 3x foam, customers probably love that stuff!

 

[Cwajciec]

Let’s hope my foam generators hold up, but at least they are accessible in the trough in the bays.
Also really dumb question from me. What does triple foam really do? Is it a presoak, polish, foaming soap? Wax? Seems it can be all of them but how do the customers know how to use it?

 

[edredtop]

Let’s hope my foam generators hold up, but at least they are accessible in the trough in the bays.
Also really dumb question from me. What does triple foam really do? Is it a presoak, polish, foaming soap? Wax? Seems it can be all of them but how do the customers know how to use it?

It creates excitement.
It's a kid magnet.
It brings the exact kind of customer we want at the wash, families. Moms and dads with their kids. Everybody that uses it has a smile on their face, it gets seen from the street, and is more popular than the air dryers and that's saying something.
We use JBS polish and it does a great job on the car. Majority of people use it first, foamy brush it in, rinse, spot free rinse, then air dry. Increases total equipment use by 5 min on average.

 

[OurTown]

Let’s hope my foam generators hold up, but at least they are accessible in the trough in the bays.
Also really dumb question from me. What does triple foam really do? Is it a presoak, polish, foaming soap? Wax? Seems it can be all of them but how do the customers know how to use it?

It depends on the product. Some are conditioners and some are a polish. Ours is a ceramic protectant. The downside to using a protectant is that there is no winter formula, (methanol). You need a blow-down/antifreeze injection system if you are in a freeze-prone area.

 

[Keno]

It depends on the product. Some are conditioners and some are a polish. Ours is a ceramic protectant. The downside to using a protectant is that there is no winter formula, (methanol). You need a blow-down/antifreeze injection system if you are in a freeze-prone area.

We just switch to the winter formula in the few cold months here.

 

[OurTown]

We just switch to the winter formula in the few cold months here.

It's just basically soap though. Last winter was the first time we had a tri foam system. We used a ceramic all winter but I would only turn it on when it was above freezing. Of course it froze a few times. I'm planning on building one of those blow down systems like 2Biz has. (If I get my other pre winter projects done) We have about 5 months that we are concerned about freezing.