Foam Cannon Process HELP

master detailer said:
use dish soap and a little degressor the nob on the top is how much soap will come out and how fast you use it.low is good. ps when I am all done with it for the day I take and run some degresor in a cup and pour it in the tip then pour some down the back of it. this will clean the screen out of soap. if you dont keep the screen clean it will not foam good
Click to expand...

I will keep that in mind. I just washed it out with water but degreaser is a good idea.
 
Hey guys, I've been trying to find out if you can rinse the car with the cannon still attached. Is there a "switch" to keep the soap from mixing in the water or does the cannon disconnect? I have a 2500psi that I'm sure could do the job. However, it's gas and I don't want to spend 10 minutes swapping out wands while my pump burns up.
 
Some (not all) cannons allow you to minimise the soap dilution to the point where only clean water is spraying.
However not all do & even when they do, I find it a pain.
You have the weight of the bottle to deal with, you have to re-adjust when you want to foam again & most importantly, you won't get anywhere near enough pressure to properly blast the foam & dirt, etc off the paint.

Depending on your setup you should be able to have the foam-cannon on a quick-connect coupling (air compresser style) or something similar for fast swaps between lances.

BTW, merry xmas!
 
neat e34 said:
Some (not all) cannons allow you to minimise the soap dilution to the point where only clean water is spraying.
However not all do & even when they do, I find it a pain.
You have the weight of the bottle to deal with, you have to re-adjust when you want to foam again & most importantly, you won't get anywhere near enough pressure to properly blast the foam & dirt, etc off the paint.

Depending on your setup you should be able to have the foam-cannon on a quick-connect coupling (air compresser style) or something similar for fast swaps between lances.

BTW, merry xmas!
Click to expand...

I don't have the quick Conneect on my set up. I'm not sure why but the cannon I have paired with my 3100 psi 2.6 gpm gas washer doesn't give me good foam at all. A very thin layer at best. Used chemical guys maxi suds and even honey dew but when to no avail. The only way I get good foam is if I use more than 5 oz soap and water filled up to belowe the line.
 
Lim3, are you still having trouble?

What brand, etc is your foam cannon? From AG or...?
 
neat e34 said:
Lim3, are you still having trouble?

What brand, etc is your foam cannon? From AG or...?
Click to expand...

Yeah man. I have the AG cannon.
It's not the soap any more. I used CG honey dew And cg maxii suds and they didn't give me good results. Those are the two best high foaming shampoos out there.

I'm not sure if its the cannon itself.
Or My water pump pressure isn't throwing out enough water ?

I'm planning to take it to a friends house to narrow it down to either the cannon or my actual water pressure.

I used about 4oz of maxi suds and 4pz of honey dew for no reason.

I'm not sure if the people in the videos use half a bottle of product to get that foam or what ? Maybe they do just to sell the Product. I know its not my PW because I'm using a high powered gas pw. The problem lies between the cannon of water pressure

I nevere knew I would have this much of a problem..
 
I just connected my washer to a better source of pressure and I have had the exact same outcome.

I used the full sample bottle of the DP high foam soap along with another soap. Nothing.
 
Lim3 said:
I just connected my washer to a better source of pressure and I have had the exact same outcome.

I used the full sample bottle of the DP high foam soap along with another soap. Nothing.
Click to expand...


Well then something is wrong as that soap creates mountains of suds.


Not sure what to tell you without being there first hand. We have very low water pressure here at Autogeek but when I use a pressure washer the low pressure in the Stuart water system is no longer a factor as the pressure washer pressurizes the supply to force the water out of the wand.

I suspect this is the same for most pressure washers.

If this is the case, then the problem is,

  • The pressure washer
  • The foam cannon

If the problem is the pressure washer then no foam cannon will work till any problems with the pressure washer are addressed.

If the problem is the foam cannon, then contact Customer Care and they will take care of you.


That's about all I can offer in the way of help. Pictures of your set-up might help but assuming you've hooked everything up correctly I doubt pictures will lead to the problem or solution.


Foam cannons are pretty simple, there's not a lot of part to one and as such there's not a lot that can go wrong.

Sometimes the siphon tube can be plugged
You can check this very easily by removing the lid and seeing in you can blow air through the clear plastic tube and through the mixing chamber. If you're able to blow air through this tube and out the end of the nozzle that would tend to make think the foam cannon is operating correctly and the problem is somewhere else.

Pretty simple technology...


Autogeek Pressure Washer Foam Cannon HP, foam lance, foam wash gun, pressure washer foamer


Autogeek_Foam_Cannon.jpg




I also just talked to Nick about your concern in this thread and he said,

Help is just a phone call away...


1-800-869-3011


:xyxthumbs:
 
I'm going to check it out and see if its clogged up.
I am 95% sure it's not the pressure washer it self. I tested it on a few surfaces before attaching the cannon. It has tremendous power.

I'm going to give a call to nick tmrw and hopefully have this solved.
Thank you very much mike and AGO members for the help !
 
Lim3 said:
I'm going to check it out and see if its clogged up.
I am 95% sure it's not the pressure washer it self. I tested it on a few surfaces before attaching the cannon. It has tremendous power.

I'm going to give a call to nick tmrw and hopefully have this solved.
Thank you very much mike and AGO members for the help !
Click to expand...

You have one of two things happening. As Mike said its not that complicated a setup.

Assuming the pressure washer pump is OK, has good pressure and the supply line flows the recommended minimum GPM's then it's a defective cannon which I doubt but maybe. My best guess all things considered (as stated before by someone else) is that your local water is hard and the fact that your on your own private well and the water doesn't get treated the same way as city water it's even harder! This will kill suds like nothing else especially with certain minerals and higher concentrations. Even if you have a water softener, DI or RO unit most are not plumbed into the outside spigot.

I can tell you for a fact that my same equipment, same soap, same dilution ratio make a ton more soap in Vermont than it does in New Jersey. New England states have some of the softest water on the east coast.
 
stibuki said:
You have one of two things happening. As Mike said its not that complicated a setup.

Assuming the pressure washer pump is OK, has good pressure and the supply line flows the recommended minimum GPM's then it's a defective cannon which I doubt but maybe. My best guess all things considered (as stated before by someone else) is that your local water is hard and the fact that your on your own private well and the water doesn't get treated the same way as city water it's even harder! This will kill suds like nothing else especially with certain minerals and higher concentrations. Even if you have a water softener, DI or RO unit most are not plumbed into the outside spigot.

I can tell you for a fact that my same equipment, same soap, same dilution ratio make a ton more soap in Vermont than it does in New Jersey. New England states have some of the softest water on the east coast.
Click to expand...

I have washed my car in a few places around Florida and in eastern Tennessee. My well water is not harsh at all.
Infact the water spots aren't a problem like most places I have encountered.

I'm hoping its the cannon. But chances are its not. The PW it self is working great.the soap I'm usin is best used with a cannon.
I'm not sure what else it can be.

This is the same foam I'm getting each time.
qavuheju.jpg
 
If you are two hours away from AG, I would suggest to take your setup to AG and allow them a chance to replicate the issue. I am sure Nick and Mike could provide some insight since you have a combo that works for many. I get more suds from Optimum in a simple foam gun.

Foam is created by turbulence so something is now getting the soap mixed with the water.
 
Bunky said:
If you are two hours away from AG, I would suggest to take your setup to AG and allow them a chance to replicate the issue. I am sure Nick and Mike could provide some insight since you have a combo that works for many. I get more suds from Optimum in a simple foam gun.

Foam is created by turbulence so something is now getting the soap mixed with the water.
Click to expand...

I wish I can but I would have to take my hummer there..
 
If you are comfortable pulling the foam canon apart then I would do that to get to the "foaming" screens/mesh to make sure there is no debris clogging them up. I had it happen with mine and once I cleaned it up it was as good as new. You can also soak everything in warm vinegar to help break up any deposits from hard water and soap. But if your canon isn't more than a few months old then I would suspect it may just be a piece of debris blocking the foam screen or the air valve/foam adjustment.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using AG Online
 
Lim3 said:
I have washed my car in a few places around Florida and in eastern Tennessee. My well water is not harsh at all.
Infact the water spots aren't a problem like most places I have encountered.

I'm hoping its the cannon. But chances are its not. The PW it self is working great.the soap I'm usin is best used with a cannon.
I'm not sure what else it can be.

This is the same foam I'm getting each time.
qavuheju.jpg
Click to expand...

Actually well water is normally harder than treated city water. The "hardness" of water, from what I know, comes from anything in the water that is not in fact water ie ions.

Having untreated well water means you are more likely to have hard water.

All that being said, I still don't think your issue is the water. Your pw is good and so is your soap, so it might be the cannon itself. But without being there with my tools, I have no idea. Good luck and keep us posted :xyxthumbs:
 
ShaunD said:
If you are comfortable pulling the foam canon apart then I would do that to get to the "foaming" screens/mesh to make sure there is no debris clogging them up. I had it happen with mine and once I cleaned it up it was as good as new. You can also soak everything in warm vinegar to help break up any deposits from hard water and soap. But if your canon isn't more than a few months old then I would suspect it may just be a piece of debris blocking the foam screen or the air valve/foam adjustment.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using AG Online
Click to expand...

How do I take it apart to inspect it ?
It's been used twice it maybe the first run some debris may have gotten stuck.
 
ihaveacamaro said:
Actually well water is normally harder than treated city water. The "hardness" of water, from what I know, comes from anything in the water that is not in fact water ie ions.

Having untreated well water means you are more likely to have hard water.

All that being said, I still don't think your issue is the water. Your pw is good and so is your soap, so it might be the cannon itself. But without being there with my tools, I have no idea. Good luck and keep us posted :xyxthumbs:
Click to expand...

I hope It's not my water. I'm trying to see if any oft friends will let me try out their city water.
 
Lim3 said:
I hope It's not my water. I'm trying to see if any oft friends will let me try out their city water.
Click to expand...

You can purchase water test kits and water softener sellers will do it for free while trying to sell you a water softener system.
 
I will try taking mi e apart this morning so I can tell you step-by-step. It's pretty easy, just takes a couple wrench and a Phillips tip screw driver; but make sure you have some Teflon tape on hand when reassembling.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top