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SFR pressure

B

Bricks

Active member
Hello. When I bought this wash a month ago, the SFR in the IBA was tiny little weak streams. The SS was great! I re plumbed this regulator and the problem was solved. I had great fan spray RO in the automatic and SS.

The SFR reservoir was covered with algae. So today, I bleached it and scrubbed it out. I drained it and refilled it. Now I’m back to square one. Weak pressure in the IBA and good on the SS. I have no clue what happened.
 

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Can't really tell anything from your pics.
The spot free shouldn't have had any algae in the tank, unless it sat for a long, long, long, time unused. So, you want to figure out what is going on there.
When you cleaned the tank, is it possible you let algae get into your solenoid valves?
Make sure you have uninterrupted flow to you SFP pump.
 
There shouldn't be algae in the spot free tank. The water should be so pure that nothing can grow and live in it. You may have a bad check valve allowing soap to back up into the tank.
 
I
Toms PTcarwash said:
Can't really tell anything from your pics.
The spot free shouldn't have had any algae in the tank, unless it sat for a long, long, long, time unused. So, you want to figure out what is going on there.
When you cleaned the tank, is it possible you let algae get into your solenoid valves?
Make sure you have uninterrupted flow to you SFP pump.
Click to expand...
It’s quite possible. I think the lack of flow/pressure caused the algae to grow.
 
MEP001 said:
There shouldn't be algae in the spot free tank. The water should be so pure that nothing can grow and live in it. You may have a bad check valve allowing soap to back up into the tank.
Click to expand...
The TDS measured zero as I refilled it. I went back yesterday and removed the regulator. The tiny streams would surge to slightly larger ones. I don’t know if an air pocket can form or not. I used the gauge to bleed out air.
 

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I put the regulator back in and one thing I noticed is that when SS Bay 1 is on SFR, bay 3 blows out SFR . I didn’t see any from bay 2. Do the solenoids only hold back so much pressure? The guage was between 200-300 psi. Still very little SFR in the automatic. Oh yeah and a new wash is going in less than 3 miles away. I need to whip this place into shape. I’m just a little slow figuring things out.
 

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You can open your solenoid and see if you have some debris in the seat keeping it from sealing. Personally, I would get at least a couple rebuild kits for your solenoids. They don't last forever, and when you open one up, you want to have the parts to repair it if needed.
Same thing for the spot free rinse solenoid for your auto wash. It most likely a 3/4" solenoid valve, not a 1/4 or 3/8 that feeds your SS bays.
Again, i would have a rebuild kit before opening it up.
 
There is most likely going to be trash in the solenoids, thanks to that steel fitting on the line which feeds them. Pressure shouldn't ever get by a solenoid, instead if the maximum inlet pressure is exceeded the solenoid just won't open at all. I'm not sure what's going on with the solenoid in your last picture, but IMO that needs to get replaced.
 
You can see how much that solenoid is reduced… it’s feeding the automatic!! I’m going to start by replacing it with 1/2” hose. I bet it’s 50’ long. They just went cheap. How is that supposed to build pressure to nine nozzles on the auto?
 
A 1/2” hose 50’ long is way too small. Replace with a 1” hose and that should help. If possible a pvc line would offer less resistance and be cheaper.
 
mac said:
A 1/2” hose 50’ long is way too small. Replace with a 1” hose and that should help. If possible a pvc line would offer less resistance and be cheaper.
Click to expand...
Do I adapt the 1” to make use of that solenoid or find another solenoid?
 
I'd use a 1/2" or 3/4" solenoid and run minimum 3/4" hose to it. 1/2" hose to the bay should be enough.
 
Did you figure out why Bay 3 SFR is on when Bay 1 turns on? Sounds like you may have more than multiple issues going here
 
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