Foam brushes blowing air after not being used for a while - any ideas?

[owinborne67]

Know there have been many threads with a variation of this problem but none of them seemed to match mine so thought I'd create a new one

Root problem is as it says - when the foam brushes have been sitting for a while they'll often blow just air, no foam. Further details:

• I have the regulators set so when foaming the air pressure is ~10 - 12 psi under liquid pressure - about 30 psi liquid pressure when foaming.
• When foam brush is selected but it isn't foaming, liquid pressure will read very high - like 70 psi.
• Once they start foaming the foam is very good - lots of volume, nice consistency and color, and all bays will start foaming with enough fiddling.
• Sometimes briefly kinking the foam hose then unkinking it will start the foam.
• Sometimes fiddling with the pressure regulators will suddenly get the foam started.
• If a bay is blowing air, starting a foam brush that is foaming in a different bay will start the foam in the one that was blowing air.

I'm pretty much tapped out on ideas to try - feels like the air is somehow preventing the liquid from reaching the generator, but would think that shouldn't happen when liquid pressure is so high? Also thought it could be a bad solenoid on the liquid, but it seems to be happening somewhat randomly on all bays and usually stops if another bay starts foaming, or if the hose is kinked and unkinked, so that suggests the solenoids are fine? Any thoughts?

 

[edredtop]

What kind of pump are you using? (FloJet, Procon,...?) That's a big detail.

 

[owinborne67]

What kind of pump are you using? (FloJet, Procon,...?) That's a big detail.

Flojet

 

[Earl Weiss]

Your pressure gauges / regulators may not be working properly . First I would suggest going to 40 PSI on Flo jet and 15 PSI on the air pressure and see how that works as well. Maybe swap out the regulators.

 

[edredtop]

my checks/preventative maintenance items would be pretty basic;
* pressure regulators on your low pressure panel
* check transformer for low voltage
* obstructions in the air supply line to the FloJet (water separator, etc..)
* swap out the FloJet for a known good one.
* ensure compressor pressure regulator is working correctly. (Does it start working when the compressor turns on...)

 

[owinborne67]

my checks/preventative maintenance items would be pretty basic;
* pressure regulators on your low pressure panel
* check transformer for low voltage
* obstructions in the air supply line to the FloJet (water separator, etc..)
* swap out the FloJet for a known good one.
* ensure compressor pressure regulator is working correctly. (Does it start working when the compressor turns on...)

I swapped the regulator on the liquid side this morning, seems to be working much better now. Will update tomorrow