Need help with foam brush system
- Thread starter splash1
- Start date
Waxman
Super Moderator
if it is working now don't mess with it.
PaulLovesJamie
rural 5 bay SS
Why do you think you want to change it?
About 4 years ago, I ripped out an old setup using Dema injectors and replaced it with Flojet setup I got from Etowah Valley.
The Flojet setup is 100% better...better, thicker, more consistent foam. I use less chemical by being able to better control the mix. The Dema setup also needed more frequent tinkering.
The Flojet setup is 100% better...better, thicker, more consistent foam. I use less chemical by being able to better control the mix. The Dema setup also needed more frequent tinkering.
I use a Hydrominder to mix water and chemical and a flojet and needle valves to control mixture for 4 bays. No problems here...Only need to adjust needle valves when its really hot outside. I switch from summer to winter mix and don't have to change anything except hydrominder tips. Works well for me...
Then I no longer need my water stream , since I only pump what comes out of the hydrominder? (the product mixed with water) I should be able to use my existing soap and air solenoids.
I think I understand how it works now. THANKS a lot for your help.
I think I understand how it works now. THANKS a lot for your help.
Yes, you only pump whats mixed in the hydrominder tank.
Each bay has its own air solenoid and chemical solenoid. The air line for each bay has a seperate pressure regulator and needle valve on the chemical side so you can dial in each bay. You'll also need a foam generator, mine are in the ER. Some mix air and chemical above the bay to make the foam.
Here is a picture of my foam generator...Quite simple...The PVC tube has a stainless steel scowering pad in it to make the foam. Chemical and air are injected in the bottom and foam comes out the top and forced out to the bays. The foam makes it out to the bays pretty quick. Just a few seconds...
Each bay has its own air solenoid and chemical solenoid. The air line for each bay has a seperate pressure regulator and needle valve on the chemical side so you can dial in each bay. You'll also need a foam generator, mine are in the ER. Some mix air and chemical above the bay to make the foam.
Here is a picture of my foam generator...Quite simple...The PVC tube has a stainless steel scowering pad in it to make the foam. Chemical and air are injected in the bottom and foam comes out the top and forced out to the bays. The foam makes it out to the bays pretty quick. Just a few seconds...
Rudy
Active member
Be careful. I used to allow the pumps to turn off via dead heading.... that is until a solenoid failed to close. The pump emptied a whole barrel of soap overnight. Now we have solenoids on the air inlets as insurance.
Good point! I haven't had that drastic of a problem yet.... I only had one solenoid that quit seating 100% and would fill the hose in the ER. How do you power the solenoid on the air inlet side of the Flojet? Isolation relays? Multiplexer?
Earl Weiss
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 6,210
- Reaction score
- 790
- Points
- 113
My Setup FWIW when the function is chosen for a bay 2 Solenoid valves open.
Flo Jet draws from Mixing tank filled by hydrominder. Flo Jet runs to a bank of 4 solenoid valves, one for each bay.
When FB chosen that bay liquid solenoid opens as well as another on a seperate bank supplied by air. The air bank has a single regulater for the 4 solenoids.
The liquid and Air flo thru seperate 3/8 poly from the solenoid to a T above the Bay. They mix at that point and travel to the FB Hose. The mixing down the length of the hose, FB handle and Brush head generates plenty of foam, no foam generator used and none needed. . The pressure to the FB regulates volume. No Needle valves used.
Flo Jet draws from Mixing tank filled by hydrominder. Flo Jet runs to a bank of 4 solenoid valves, one for each bay.
When FB chosen that bay liquid solenoid opens as well as another on a seperate bank supplied by air. The air bank has a single regulater for the 4 solenoids.
The liquid and Air flo thru seperate 3/8 poly from the solenoid to a T above the Bay. They mix at that point and travel to the FB Hose. The mixing down the length of the hose, FB handle and Brush head generates plenty of foam, no foam generator used and none needed. . The pressure to the FB regulates volume. No Needle valves used.
Earl, If I was building a system from scratch, I would do it exactly like yours. But, since mine has pretty much been flawless in the 2 years I've owned the wash, even though the system is 25+ years old, I'm not that adventurous! I'm not changing it! 
Even with your system, you could have a Solenoid that sticks open and drain a whole tank of chemical over night...I can't imagine how much foam would be in the bay!
I think I should clearify my question above. When you power a single function, solenoid, motor, etc. from multiple inputs from your bays, you need to "Iscolate" the different transformers so you don't end up with a "POW"...You accomplish this using iscolation relays or a Multiplexer. Randy has pointed this out many times on here. He uses a Multiplexer to run his Procon pumps for LP instead of using Flojets...The corrolation would be the same when powering a single solenoid on the inlet side of the flowjet. It would have to handle multiple inputs at the same time from each bay.
Even with your system, you could have a Solenoid that sticks open and drain a whole tank of chemical over night...I can't imagine how much foam would be in the bay!
I think I should clearify my question above. When you power a single function, solenoid, motor, etc. from multiple inputs from your bays, you need to "Iscolate" the different transformers so you don't end up with a "POW"...You accomplish this using iscolation relays or a Multiplexer. Randy has pointed this out many times on here. He uses a Multiplexer to run his Procon pumps for LP instead of using Flojets...The corrolation would be the same when powering a single solenoid on the inlet side of the flowjet. It would have to handle multiple inputs at the same time from each bay.
The industry standard for many years has been to have the air pump dead headed again the solenoid valve on the manifold. In 30 plus years I don’t believe we’ve ever had an incident where we had a solenoid valve stick open. I’m sure it could happen, anything is possible. Most of these types of incidents are cause by some other problem, poor quality solenoid valves or poor maintenance in general. We use only stainless steel solenoid valves in all of our systems, have 80 mesh strainers on the pump inlets of all of our systems http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-111-smc-clearbowl-inline-strainer-12-f-x-f-80-mesh.aspx and clean out the makeup tanks quarterly.
If you want to install a solenoid valve on the air inlet to your pump use a IDX MX-8 to control the opening and closing of the air inlet air valve. http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-24000-idx-mx8-controller.aspx TheMX-8 has a 2 second delay On and Off. The MX-9 has no delay and MX-10 has a 1 second delay On and Off. We use the MX-8 to control a Procon pump for our low pressure functions another than Foam brush, we still use a Flo-jet pump for the Foam brush system. I know of a few car washes that use a Procon pump for the Foam brush.
