Foam Generator

[2Biz]

Does anybody have FB Generators like this?

https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-40633-multi-purpose-foam-generator-75.aspx

Just wondering how effective and how long the bottle brush holds up? Would there be any benefit to using SS instead of nylon?

 

[Earl Weiss]

I don't believe foam Generators are neccessary in the SS. I let the air and liquid mix at the T above the Bay. As it travels down the hose it has plenty of tiome to mix and foiam before it exits at the foam brush head . (I use Erie 6 hole Brushes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlRMAQnwIPw

 

[MEP001]

They may not be necessary, but you will get more foam with less product with them, and without as much sputtering.

I've never seen those generators, but it's a very interesting design that seems like it should work. I was just about to replace them at the wash, but I'll try to make some like that and post photos.

 

[2Biz]

I found some SS pipe cleaners online that are pretty cheap. About $4.00 each. Might be something worth trying?

Earl, I've seen your video before. I'm going to try to get my PS to look like that. Nice! Is that a separate gun or is that the HP gun?

 

[Randy]

My Foam generators are nothing more than a hollow 10" piece of 1" PVC pipe with a 1/8" "T" at the bottom for the air and chemical and a single 1/4" outlet at the top.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

I had home made foam generators (like Randy's but with a plastic dish scrubbie stuffed inside) but when they cracked due to a freeze-up I didnt replace them. I agree with MEP, I got better foam when I had them. So I stuff a 6" strip of the plastic dish scrubbie up the FB handle when I replace a brush as a sort of poor-mans foamer. I think I get better foam than with no foamer at all.
(pretty sure I got that idea here on the forum many years ago?)

 

[Earl Weiss]

Earl, I've seen your video before. I'm going to try to get my PS to look like that. Nice! Is that a separate gun or is that the HP gun?

It's the HP gun. But that's the tire cleaner not PS (Pre Soak)

 

[MEP001]

I bought a cheap toilet brush that had the same look to the spiral brush in the Kleen-Rite foamer, but when I cut it to try and use part of it in a piece of PVC it just fell apart, so that was $1.60 wasted. This is another idea:

I used a 1 3/4" hole saw for five of the disks (cut out of an empty pail) with four 5/16" in each one and a 2" hole saw to make the end disk, which has six 1/4" holes. I tried to alternate the holes as I put it together, then cut a 1/2" piece of PVC to glue into the end cap for a spacer so there's a small end chamber for the foam to flow through.

I just drilled and tapped three ports for the fittings. The whole thing cost less than $10, and that's with the stainless threaded rod and nuts.

 

[2Biz]

I don’t know why that won’t work.

I’m going with a different approach. I’m using 3/4” x 5” brass pipe with 3/4”x1/4” brass reducers on the ends. Since these will be in the trough, I don’t want to worry about them freezing and cracking. Plus it will take up less room in the trough. I have some 3/4” SS Pipe Brushes and SS 3m scrubbers I’m going to experiment with. Will let you know if there is any difference in the two. But then again, Earl and Randy might be right, the generators may not be needed and may present more problems than its worth. I'm also going to try one without any filling to see how it does.

I have PVC generators in my ER right now that are 25+ years old. They are 1.5" PVC with nylon scrubbers in each end. There is 3/4" tubing to the bays. Foam gets to the bays in about 5 seconds. So putting the generators just above the bays should even be better.

BTW..>If you're wondering why I'm changing such a trouble free design, I'm getting rid of having to use methanol in the winter. Having the foam generators above the bays will make it more effective to blowdown and inject washer fluid.

 

[MEP001]

I don’t know why that won’t work.

It doesn't work as well as I thought it might. The main reason I want a foam generator is to stop the brush from spitting across the bay when it comes on, and it still does. I'll try again with much smaller holes.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Hanging the brush horizontally eliminates the spitting and also makes it easier to push the anti-freeze solution through.

 

[Randy]

Hanging the brush horizontally eliminates the spitting and also makes it easier to push the anti-freeze solution through.

That's the way we've been hanging our foam brushes since 1982. We don't a spitting problem.

 

[MEP001]

Hanging the brush horizontally eliminates the spitting and also makes it easier to push the anti-freeze solution through.

I've banged my elbow on the hangers too many times to do it that way.

 

[Randy]

I've banged my elbow on the hangers too many times to do it that way.

In 32 years I’ve never had any problems banging my elbows or running into Foam brush hangers. Maybe I’m more careful.

 

[Eric H]

I have my brushes weep into a ss box and then into my weep reclaim system. If I didn't have a weep water reclaim I would at least have them drain under the slab to the pit. I hate seeing water run across slabs all winter long.]View attachment 665View attachment 666View attachment 667. The other pic is of my foam generators. Seem to work pretty well. I think Monorail made these, have never seen them anywhere else.
Sorry for the upsides own pic. Taken with my iPad