Trying to switch my triple foam unit over to the jbs ceramic foam. I only bought one color (red) to see if I would like it. For the life of me I can’t get it to foam? Air and chemical line come together on the roof, above the boom. Different tips, more air, less chemical, different hydrominder tip, no tips, I just can’t get it to make a foam, just an extremely soapy liquid, at most. Anything else I could try? Or is that just how the JBS stuff behaves? I’m currently using the rhino foam extreme and it’s good, just had complaints that it doesn’t bead water or have any hydrophobic properties, which it doesn’t. Any recommendations for me? Different triple foam chemicals that WILL have the water repellent characteristics that my customers are wanting?
Triple foam trouble, no foam on new chemical
- Thread starter Mrwood
- Start date
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
I assume you have checked all bays and the performance is the same, which indicates a "global" problem instead of a single bay problem.
Not familiar with that product but foaming waxes don't often work as well as foaming soaps/conditioners so a stronger tip would be expected. A quick look on the website says 240:1 but I'm assuming that is under ideal conditions so I would probably start with a purple hydrominder tip which is 128:1 , at least until you get it working, then tip smaller from there.
Double check that your air is indeed coming out. You should be able to increase it to the point it is sputtering. If not check your air regulator.
Do those solenoids have built in needle valves? If so, is that where you are adjusting air?
Do you have a foam generator? A clogged generator can cause the symptom of a mixture that is liquid only.
Does it run through the boom metal or a hose attached to a boom ? I've seen some booms that have scruffy pads stuck in them and they too can clog up. You can take the hose loose prior to the boom and see what it looks like to rule that out.
Not familiar with that product but foaming waxes don't often work as well as foaming soaps/conditioners so a stronger tip would be expected. A quick look on the website says 240:1 but I'm assuming that is under ideal conditions so I would probably start with a purple hydrominder tip which is 128:1 , at least until you get it working, then tip smaller from there.
Double check that your air is indeed coming out. You should be able to increase it to the point it is sputtering. If not check your air regulator.
Do those solenoids have built in needle valves? If so, is that where you are adjusting air?
Do you have a foam generator? A clogged generator can cause the symptom of a mixture that is liquid only.
Does it run through the boom metal or a hose attached to a boom ? I've seen some booms that have scruffy pads stuck in them and they too can clog up. You can take the hose loose prior to the boom and see what it looks like to rule that out.
washnshine
Well-known member
I’m not familiar with this product, but most chemicals that have water repelling characteristics - like waxes and protectants, are cationic and do not foam as well, or have fast crashing foams. Foaming soaps and conditioners are anionic and don’t have the water repellency, but produce a much thicker and more stable foam. That might also be why your former product foamed well, but did not bead water. It might be helped somewhat by dialing it up to 128:1 like Greg suggested, but it may also be a case of “form over function.” If this product beads water and shines up the cars, your customers will get over the fact that it might not foam as much.
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Problem with all bays. My adjustments are made using the black pressure regulators in the picture. One feeding air to the flojet to control liquid volume, one on the bank of solenoids that control air. Separate lines run to the bay, where the combine at the T and then go down to the boom. I have a hose running through the boom, and no foam generators. Never needed them before? Maybe I do now. As far as tips I tried purple, green and running with no tip. Couldn’t get foam with any of the combinations while trying the spectrum of liquid volume/air pressure combinations.
I get the form over function, I’ve had people leave because of this runny product, and had people tell me they won’t be back because we don’t have a product that beads the water up. Not sure what direction to go as far as that is concerned.
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
I had that problem too.
I finally added a small cup of Fonic Soap in each triple foam section every couple of days and that solved it.
Lots of foam.
My customers really likes the product.
I finally added a small cup of Fonic Soap in each triple foam section every couple of days and that solved it.
Lots of foam.
My customers really likes the product.
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UtahYoutubeGuy
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I jump around testing products alot and they all need slightly different setups but I have found generally a foam generator makes dialing in the settings easier but also evens out any sputtering as well.
I would reccommend 1-1/4" PVC cut to about 10" and then I buy toilet bowel brushes or baby bottle cleaner brushes at the dollar store and cut the handles off and shove them inside the PVC with reducer bushings glued into each end and then thread it on right after the T above the boom.
I would reccommend 1-1/4" PVC cut to about 10" and then I buy toilet bowel brushes or baby bottle cleaner brushes at the dollar store and cut the handles off and shove them inside the PVC with reducer bushings glued into each end and then thread it on right after the T above the boom.
I mean, that would work. I wouldn’t feel good about paying a premium for a supposedly top shelf product that doesn’t do what it’s advertised to do though.
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
That’s fine but you have people leaving mad now.
The cost is nothing compared with upset people.
Word travels.
The cost is nothing compared with upset people.
Word travels.
I completely agree! If it comes down to it I will, just won’t be happy doing it.
On that note, do you think regular bay soap would help? I’d dump a quart or so in the 5gal and try.I did. They had me completely remove the tip from the hydrominder and hook the suction hose back up. Still no foam. Hell of a lot of product in the bay though. Low air just running out of the gun like a faucet was turned on, more air had it spitting like crazy, but never got any foam. Spoke to a guy named Mike and that’s all he could tell me to do. It doesn’t seem like that should be the end of the troubleshooting help I got, but at the end he just said sorry, buy another color of the same product to test and see how that goes. I’m reluctant to do that after the way this one turned out. The phone call didn’t accomplish much.
washnshine
Well-known member
Another thing that might work is to have one of your colors using the ceramic product, and the other two a high foaming conditioner. That’s the beauty of triple foam- you can make one or two a different product to get the desired result. I know this is not your priority, but it would also be less expensive.
I thought about that and asked the JBS rep, he said that the red (the one I’m having the trouble with) does the lions share of the work as far as actual ceramic content getting to the car.
washnshine
Well-known member
Then maybe keep the red ceramic and buy blue and yellow glow foam polish.
Regarding the JBS rep:
I’m not sure I understand how one color deposits more ceramic on the car than the others. I’m certainly no chemist, but I would think all three would function the same, being the same product with different coloring.
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
Rfreeman
Well-known member
I just switched to the same product and haven't had an issue. I do have foam generators and it foams great. I've already used up 3 or 4 buckets of the product with no issues on any of them.
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Put you old product online and see if the foam comes back.
You can build a cheap foam generator for very little money. I do prefer building one that can be disassembled for cleaning but you can build one for less than $20 in parts.
You can build a cheap foam generator for very little money. I do prefer building one that can be disassembled for cleaning but you can build one for less than $20 in parts.