Foam Cannon Reservoir depletes too fast!

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thewiz8807

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Hello all,

Having some issues with my soap/water reservoir running out before I can complete foam the whole vehicle. Wanted to see if I could get some help here. Quick run down of my set up and vehicle:

Vehicle: 2015 Mustang GT
Setup: Chemical Guys MTM Foam Cannon w/ Sun Joe SPX3000 2030 PSI 1.76 GPM Electric Pressure Washer

Typically I put 2 ounces of the car wash detergent, then fill the rest of the reservoir with warm water. Shake up the mix, then attach to pressure washer.

I adjust the spread nozzle to give me a vertically flat spread (if you look into the muzzle of the cannon the two metal bars are as close to each other as possible.

The other nozzle is to adjust, well, I'm not really sure but depending on how far left or right you turn it, it affects your foam. I typically just turn it all the way to the right.


Now, as for trouble shooting I'm not sure how to baseline it because when I first used this set up I didn't touch the top nozzle, I only adjusted the spread nozzle. My first time using this set up I was able to foam my whole car and even do an additional half's worth. Now I can barely get one half done without depleting 3/4's of the reservoir.

My problem is my father used my pressure washer and I'm not too sure what he changed, but he used the detergent reservoirs that come with the Pressure Washer. I can't remember how I had them set up when I first used my pressure washer but I cleaned them out and turned the setting back to the middle, and closed the suction tops on both bottles.

That didn't seem to effect anything, reservoir still depletes pretty fast.

Last wash I noticed that my male stud threading where the dual action female connector attaches to pressure washer and hose, it was stripped, so water comes out from there. Also water/foam does seem to come out of where the attachment piece between the foam cannon and wand goes.


Sorry for the block of text, just trying to get all the details out there for whoever is a veteran at this lol. Just want to get this all working as intended, washing my vehicle is a hobby.
 
The one that you're turning "all the way to the right" affects the foam output, and it sounds like you have it set to max, which will suck the wash solution out much quicker. At least that's how it works on my foam gun. Might be different for cannons though.
 
My setup is similar, although with the AG MTM (Blackfire) cannon.

What you didn't say was what shampoo you are using. :dunno:
IMO, this... more than anything else will determine how quickly you are running through your reservoir/container.

IOW's....
I've tried quite a few different shampoo's, easily approaching 2 dozen if you count the locally available stuff. Nothing that you buy at the local parts stores provides and decent foam. Much less anything sticky and thick.

Some of the best are CG Honeydew, CG Mr. Pink, Megs Hyperwash & Duragloss 901. Of these, the DG shampoo has the least 'thick', and/or 'sticky' foam. But it is REALLY slick.

By FAR the thickest, longest lasting foam is from the Megs Hyperwash.

FWIW... I also have the Gilmour foam gun and have used them all with it as well.

I have always mixed shampoos, (for some innate reason) since starting with the gun first, then the cannon about a year later. I just like the Duragloss stuff so much because of how slick it is, and how it rinses is the main reason. But when "shooting foam", the really slick stuff tends to just slide right off! :rolleyes: So what's a guy to do but try and mix it with others to get the best of both worlds.

All that aside, I can safely tell ya'... if you use Megs Hyperwash with Mr. Pink, or with Honeydew you can dilute it, A LITTLE. Because these three provide the thickest foam.

However, you don't need to dilute it AT ALL when putting it in the cannon. (Although you can do say 3 parts shampoo to 1 part water if you like.) I'll use 50/50 of Hyperwash with either one of the CG's or the DG shampoo, really doesn't matter which one, just that (as I mentioned above) the CG stuff makes it a bit thicker, whereas DG makes it a bit slicker.

You'll not go through massive amounts of shampoo either once you start using one of these combinations.

I can put it in my cannon, non diluted, and literally use only a couple ounces of shampoo when foaming any vehicle, foam on full thickness, TWICE. :dblthumb2:

All that aside.

You mentioned the adjustments.
The front one effects the fan spray pattern. you can do it from a stream to a wide fan. This adjustment has nothing to do with how quickly the shampoo is being drawn from the bottle.

The rear one, (the knob) controls how much suction you get from your bottle. (Causing it to empty faster.)

With a good, high quality, high foaming shampoo you can run it wide open and (as I said above) don't even worry about diluting the solution and STILL not run out of shampoo.

Trust me... I've used solutions where I'd suck the entire bottle dry and barely get a vehicle washed. Even though I've never used anything less than (at least) CG Honeydew from the moment I got my first foam 'gun'. (The Gilmour unit.)

Once I started putting the shampoo in the bottle at close to, or even at full strength, I started actually using less of it.

But.... It was only after I started using Hyperwash in the mix that I literally end up pouring whatever is left in the bottle out (into a 64oz bottle to use later) after I'm done!

I've never, I mean NEVER been able to use but maybe ¼th of the bottle of shampoo (even at full strength on the black knob and full strength (non diluted) shampoo).

Now I have an old Meguiar's bottle with a flip top that I pour out my cannon bottle into. I'll mix up Hyperwash with whatever I feel like at the time (if I'm not using the 'leftover' stuff and just get to it. Come time to wash I'll fill the cannon bottle about half full and let it rip. End up pouring more back into the old Meg's bottle yet again when I'm done. :D

This isn't the thickest foam. It was a mix of Honeydew and DG 901 and was actually quite a while before I got the shots. I had to go inside and find my phone, dry my hands, then come back and get the shots. But you can see that it was still there, a good 6~8 minutes later. When using Hyperwash it's a LOT more 'thick' and 'sticky'. :dblthumb2:
20140420_121345.jpg
 
Wow I'll have to give that a try.


I'm using CG Honeydew.


If I use the Hyperwash mix with Honeydew, should I add say 1oz of Hyperwash and 1oz of CG Honeydew, then fill the rest of the reservoir up with water?
 
I think there's too much water ,I had the same promblem ,I detail for a living so I do this everyday,I added more soap than water ,nozzle is used on wide spray,I don't know what kind of pressure washer you have,my promblem was corrected,I use automatic wash n wax ,it's consistent is thicker than syrup ,could be the soap,or the pressure ,do u have the pressure washer blaring to the max ,is it gas or electric I have Honda go 390 3500 psi I never keep it revved to the max.maybe 1200 psi,hope this discussion helps.
 
More soap than water? The reservoir is 32 ounces, how many ounces of soap did you use?
 
thewiz8807 said:
Wow I'll have to give that a try.


I'm using CG Honeydew.


If I use the Hyperwash mix with Honeydew, should I add say 1oz of Hyperwash and 1oz of CG Honeydew, then fill the rest of the reservoir up with water?
Click to expand...


I would use several ounces of each and no water when it (the shampoo) is warm.




thewiz8807 said:
More soap than water? The reservoir is 32 ounces, how many ounces of soap did you use?
Click to expand...

Just put in say 8 oz of shampoo to 2 oz of water.... at most. (I just use enough water to let the shampoo flow and/or to mix them together with a VERY GENTLE back and forth motion of the bottle once I've funneled the solution into it.

Remember me saying 3 parts shampoo to 1 part water? ;)

If the foam is too thick... dilute it with the mixture knob. Easy least. :D

Sent via AC1900 5G on Android
 
I've always wondered which would be best, a cannon, or the tornador foamer which seems to be the most impressive. But in either case I've never made up my mind which to buy.
 
I use 50 percent soap 50 percent water never any problems,I use automagic wash n wax ,being in south fla I'm mobile being 95 degrees out with high humidity,chemical diluted varies,you may think I put to much soap in cannon,but working in direct sun is a challenge ,I don't let anything dry on car ,so I thickly lather car to keep wet and wash real quick and dry.the soap I use is 9.95 a gallon if it's cheap and makes my life easier why not .
 
Hmmm, interesting. Come to think of it, my first time using the foam cannon I probably poured about 6 oz of soap into the reservoir. Will give this a try.
 
Wow! I would never have thought to use that much soap in my cannon! I fill my bottle up to the 900mL line with hot water then fill to the 1000mL of with Honeydew (3.5oz roughly). After soaping my Silverado I usually have 200mL left and I dump that in the wash bucket. I'm using a Greenworks 1600 pressure washer with the same foam cannon on wide open (max suds).

My bottle is graduated in 100mL increments but it is pretty much a 32oz bottle. I'm going to try more soap next time just to see how much more suds I get. I'm happy with what I'm getting now, though.
 
FWIW, my electric PW is a Craftsman combo steam cleaner and pressure washer. It's 1700 psi / 1.3 gpm.

Lord knows what it'd do with my big ol' 13HP 4000 psi / 4 gpm Honda! :eek:

By FAR the biggest increase in foam, as well as savings in shampoo was when I started adding Megs Hyperwash!

Think of it as you're letting the flow control decide how to dilute your shampoo, rather than taking it on your own to dilute it prior to going in the bottle. You can always push more water out, or more soap out. It's when the soap is full strength that it makes the most foam. From there... the volume control is what makes the most difference.

I've put solutions in the bottle where I literally drained a FULL bottle with two 'foams' of a vehicle. Heck... with over the counter solutions I've drained it with ONE foaming of a vehicle. :eek:

These days I have more foam and use less shampoo than I ever did before.

Does that mean I can get away with 2 ounces? No.... not at all. But DARNED close to it!
(Probably could with only one foaming.)

Foam cannons are more of a toy than a necessity. Throwing 3 ounces in your bucket and hitting it with high pressure water will give you a solution you can easily wash 2~3 cars with. Where when 'foaming' you can use 2~3 ounces per car, EASILY. (Foaming it twice.)

Shoot... I always do a 2 bucket method, ALWAYS... even though I'm 'foaming'. (On my personal vehicles that is.)

Then with the solution in the 'soap' bucket staying so clean I just cap it and use it again. Once I've used it twice... I pour it in the wheel bucket. :D Waste not want not. :)

Honestly... whether or not I use a couple extra ounces of shampoo really doesn't bother me. Not important in the grand scheme of things. :)

There are times with my G that I never touch it with the (merino) mitt. I'll foam it, rinse, foam and rinse again. Then blow it dry and call it a day. But that car just doesn't get dirty. It's only been driven in ANY sort of rain 9 times since new. And two of them were in the last 5 days!

Wouldn't have done that but didn't have a choice. Been ark building weather around here lately and I started physical therapy Friday. Couldn't cancel without paying $25, both then and Monday (because I didn't give a 24 hour notice). Called them today however and cancelled Wednesday as I'm NOT going to drive it again, even in a friggin' sprinkle! :laughing: Should be clear Friday so I'll make sure and get to therapy then. :xyxthumbs:

To me... it takes more in back pain and time to clean it than it does to just stay at home and keep it clean. ;)

Speaking of.... need it to stop friggin' raining so I can spend 5~6 hours, pulling the wheels off and washing it and getting a coating booster on it. :D
 
I know what you mean. It's been raining here for a week (off and on lol).

I get plenty of soap with the 3.5oz I use. But my next wash I will use more just to see how it does. I also do a 2 bucket wash along with the foam cannon, although I only foam once.
 
Thicker soap,if that's the car u posted I can tell to little soap,on a cannon 50 soap50 water ,I can get 4 to5 cars heavy application.If the soap is expensive try a different brand ,don't waste money .
 
I have the exact same setup at OP, including the Honeydew. I usually put two ounces of soap to one 32 oz bottle of water. I set the top knob about midway. I have yet to need more than 1/4 of the bottle for one car (except for when I tilted the bottle and it drained out).
 
gonna try this all out. Thanks a ton you guys. I'll keep you updated.
 
The richness of your soap/water mixture should have zero effect on how fast he reservoir empties. There's a knob on your gun/cannon that adjusts the thickness of the foam. Thicker foam drains faster.

I have this foam cannon and a low end electric power washer from Home Depot and can easily go around my Ford Explorer twice and lay down a nice, thick layer of foam using 1-2 parts soap to 9-8 parts water. Different brands of soap may yield a different quality of foam, but does not affect drain rate.
 
L Gunnar D said:
The richness of your soap/water mixture should have zero effect on how fast he reservoir empties. There's a knob on your gun/cannon that adjusts the thickness of the foam. Thicker foam drains faster.

I have this foam cannon and a low end electric power washer from Home Depot and can easily go around my Ford Explorer twice and lay down a nice, thick layer of foam using 1-2 parts soap to 9-8 parts water. Different brands of soap may yield a different quality of foam, but does not affect drain rate.
Click to expand...

Agreed, It is all about the gpm and pressure of the washer. Quality of the pressure washer probably determines the consistency of the output from wash to wash, IMO. But I have only used mt Greenworks 1600 with my cannon. Quality of the cannon will certainly play a roll as well, along with up-keep of said cannon.
 
Also... There is an orifice inside the cannon. I forgot what size they are but I know mine is the smaller one. If I were to EVER use my cannon with my big Honda pressure washer I would absolutely have to put a larger orifice on it or might end up causing damage to something.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
I took the road less traveled.

I replaced the plastic tank that my foam gun came with.

I found an enormous 2 quart bottle that screwed righ on. All I had to do was replace the straw inside. But I didn't replace it with another straw. I used soft, pliable model airplane fuel hose with a "clunk" on the end. the clunk always find the deepest part of the tank so I can twist and turn the gun and continue spraying until the last drop.

Here is an example of a "clunk" I found something on the shelf at OSH that did not have a filter on it. You really don't want a filter since it will restrict soap flow. Ignore all the associated fuel lines. They have nothing to do with our need.
 
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