What's new

Foot valves

Etowah

Jim L.

Florida panhandle
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
296
Reaction score
1
Points
16
Location
Navarre, Fl.
This morning I went through 4 new Hydro foot valves (blue ones) before I found one that would hold. I know it wasn?t trash because they would not hold fresh water coming out of a bucket. It was 50 deg. in the equipment room.

Anyone know of a better foot valve or any tricks to make these things hold?
 

galen

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
167
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
earth
Well, this could be the "China Syndrome". I always grab a hand full out of the box and test them with my mouth before buying. I have the luxury of being able to buy locally. I find a high rejection rate with so~called cheap foot valves. The more expensive metal foot valves are more dependable.
 

soapy

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2007
Messages
2,830
Reaction score
738
Points
113
Location
Rocky Mountains
I do not use many foot valves anymore. I put a John guest in line push lock check valve on most of my stuff. THey fit the 3/8 OD tubing that my stuff uses and they hardly ever fail. THey run about $6.
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,201
Reaction score
776
Points
113
I no longer use the blue ones. Only the gray ones. The blue ones were not comaptible with some products. Gray ones seem to last forever.
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,667
Reaction score
3,937
Points
113
Location
Texas
Earl Weiss said:
I no longer use the blue ones. Only the gray ones. The blue ones were not comaptible with some products. Gray ones seem to last forever.
Same here, even when I change out a Hydrominder hose the first thing I do is replace the blue foot valve with the grey. The blue ones don't hold up to our chemicals, except for the foam brush soap.
 

BayWatch

Jedi apprentice
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
160
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Hub City, Tx
I also switched to the grey in place of the blue. I also cut off the bottom inch or so of the draw tube everytime I replace or even remove a foot valve. I learned this lesson after spending hours replacing and cleaning different foot valves on a particular chemical line. It keeps a tighter seal and less worry on my part.
 

Ben's Car Wash

Conveyor & self service
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
608
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Zephyrhills, Florida
I'm having the same problem.... every few days now I'm having chemicals siphoning back into the drums. Can't we find an "in-line" check valve of some type that will last forever?
 

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
6,201
Reaction score
776
Points
113
I'm having the same problem.... every few days now I'm having chemicals siphoning back into the drums. Can't we find an "in-line" check valve of some type that will last forever?
<<<

Easy fix. Drill a small hole in the hydrominder tube that goes down into the bucket about an inch below the rim of the bucket but above the fluid line. This prevents any siphon effect.
 

Ben's Car Wash

Conveyor & self service
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
608
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Zephyrhills, Florida
<<<

Easy fix. Drill a small hole in the hydrominder tube that goes down into the bucket about an inch below the rim of the bucket but above the fluid line. This prevents any siphon effect.
This won't work for me... I'm using the I-WASH at the SS (where the foot valves are failing all the time). Would work in the Tunnel for the hydrominder though.
 

pitzerwm

Active member
Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
3,693
Reaction score
10
Points
36
Location
Tri-Cities, WA
There are in line check valves with a minimum draw pressure, nothing will work forever but both failing at the same time would be rare.
 

Randy

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
5,657
Reaction score
1,969
Points
113
I must be doing something right or maybe I?m using the right brand of soap. I haven?t replaced a Foot valve in I don?t remember how long, it?s got to be years. I use the Gray one on Presoak and the Blue one of everything else.
 

jimbeaux

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
153
Reaction score
0
Points
16
I agree with Soapy, I have been using the in-line check valve for years with only one failure.
 
Top