This article describes the features of their designs, how to make it for washing, how to make a nozzle.
Car washing has a number of features, the main thing is not to damage the paintwork of the car. On modern car washes, there are not very high-quality pistols that do not wash the car very well and often break down. Gels are foamed using this device or dispensers. You can also wash your car in this way at home. It is worth making such a device yourself.
To begin with, you should understand the functions and composition of the device, if you want to assemble. This is a metal tank with a capacity of up to 100 liters, consists of a filler neck, a drain valve, 2 fittings, then a nozzle for spraying foam is attached. Tank, its (2/3) is filling special means(10 ml) and 1 liter of water.
The special shampoo contains wax that protects the car body. When the tank is full, the compressor starts working, compressed air enters the tank. The pressure must be at least 6 atmospheres. Also, water and product are supplied separately. It is bred in a pistol, it is much more difficult to invent such a mixture yourself.
Foam forms in the tank and exits through the filter, the sprayer is in the nozzle, the pressure gauge monitors the pressure, and the water measuring tube monitors the degree of filling. Such a device helps a person, he does not interact with chemicals. The washing speed is about 20 minutes.
If you buy steam generators, they are expensive (depending on the capacity), so they are made with low pressure for the home.
At self-production the cost will be about a couple of thousand rubles, and if you buy, then about ten thousand rubles. The main elements for the manufacture of the device;
We select a tank that can withstand up to 6 atmospheres, the volume should be up to 10 liters, so as not to add foam a second time.
Exist different types nozzles. What tools are needed for this:
Prepare an inch pipe at least one and a half meters, a washcloth. How is the assembly done - cut the pipe at least 0.5 meters, the larger the pipe, the better quality foam. But don't forget for big pipe a powerful compressor is also required. Next, you need to clog the pipe with a washcloth and cut the thread at the end, screw a tee onto one of the ends, from the second filler. Install a large filter, put a plug on one of the terminals of the tee, connect the water source with shampoo and a compressor to the remaining ones.
You can also adapt the usual garden sprayer and choose the right compressor. Remove the union, valve from it, remove the pump and install the plug. We get 2 holes in the sprayer, screw in the squeegees and fix, install the gaskets. Screw into one of the squeegees check valve with a union and on the other, install a tank.
When buying a foam sink, be sure to pay attention to the presence of a foam nozzle, if it is not there, then you will have to do it yourself, maybe this is a joy to someone, and significant savings in money. And all the materials can be found at home in the garage, so making a foam generator with your own hands is simple and profitable.
The foam generator greatly simplifies car washing and allows you to achieve a better result. Of course, a branded device is expensive, so not everyone can afford it, but there is another way out - to make a foam generator yourself. Next, you will make sure that there is nothing complicated about this.
To make a foam generator yourself, you need to figure out how it works. The device includes several main components:
Thus, the principle of operation is as follows - under the action of high pressure, water with foaming chemistry breaks out through the foaming tablet, as a result of which ready-made foam is supplied from the tablet to the gun.
To make a foam generator with your own hands quickly and with minimal cost, you need to find an old five-liter fire extinguisher with a gas generator, such a volume for washing a car will be quite enough. Such a fire extinguisher is, in fact, a ready-made manual foam generator. All you have to do is tweak it a bit. Therefore, in addition to the balloon, you should prepare some other parts:
Of the tools, you only need a hacksaw for metal and an electric drill.
If you unscrew the fire extinguisher locking and starting device, you will see that a tube and a gas generator are screwed to the bottom of the lid. The latter is a small metal can for compressed gas. We begin work with disassembling the locking and starting device. You just need to unscrew the tube and cylinder, as well as the couplings into which they are screwed.
Then the gasifier needs to be cut into two pieces. Its upper part, i.e. the one with the neck should be about 4 cm long - we will make a foaming tablet out of it. We don't need the bottom of the balloon, so you can put it aside right away. To make a tablet, you first need to cut a round mesh along the diameter of the can and put it inside. Then you need to drive two metal scourers for washing dishes into the cylinder, as shown in the photo above. From above, so that the washcloths do not fall out, insert another mesh. Its diameter should be slightly larger than the diameter of the balloon so that it fits snugly and fits into the spacer.
Then a hole should be drilled in the sleeve into which the neck of the cylinder is screwed to improve the permeability of the foam. The hole diameter must be at least 7-10 mm. When the sleeve is prepared, you need to screw a homemade foam tablet into it. Pre-seal the thread with a sealant so that the connection is tight.
Then you need to drill the hole into which the tube coupling is screwed. The hole must be through with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the valve, since the fitting will be inserted into it. Therefore, use a 10 mm drill. Then insert the valve and immediately screw in the tube collar so that the "whistle" is securely fixed. Through this valve, we will pump air into the cylinder. Immediately screw the tube into the sleeve, and at this the air supply unit is ready.
Now screw the sleeve with the foam tablet into the second hole of the cover. Next, you need to prepare the gun. To do this, disconnect the old hose from the fitting, which is screwed into the locking and starting device, and from the gun. Then connect the parts to the new hose and connect to the cover, i.e. locking and starting device. Tighten all joints of the hose with clamps.
According to the described scheme, you can make a foam generator from other containers, for example, a gas cylinder. But in this case, the task will become much more complicated.
To make the device convenient to carry, you can weld a handle or even strap holders to it to hang the container on your shoulder.
Now is the time to test the resulting equipment in action. To do this, pour two water into a liter container and add a foaming liquid. The ratio of water to liquid for foam is usually indicated on the chemistry package. Then screw the cap back on tightly. Next, you need to pump air into the container through the fitting. The pressure should be raised to 6 atmospheres so that you do not have to pump air while washing the car.
If you do not have a compressor, you can even pump air with an ordinary car pump. Then proceed to apply the foam to the car. Just point the nozzle at the car body and pull the trigger. After a few seconds, the foam will begin to envelop the body in large flakes.
We examined the manufacturing process of the simplest and cheapest foam generator, which even a beginner can make in an hour or two with practically no investment. But if you increase your budget a little, you can get an even better device. First of all, it is advisable to replace the pistol. You can get a quality gun from almost any hardware store, for example, from a sprayer. As a result, it will be more convenient to use the device, a clear shape of the torch will appear. In addition, many guns allow you to regulate the flow.
If you have a device for supplying water, for example, a small pump, a special foam nozzle will allow you to turn it into a foam generator. Its cost starts from 700-800 rubles.
Another point is the supply of air to the container. To automate the process, you can install a relay with a pressure gauge and connect it to the compressor. As a result, as soon as the pressure drops below the set level, the compressor will automatically turn on and also automatically turn off when the upper threshold pressure is reached. Such a foam generator will practically not be inferior to branded counterparts.
As you can see, making a foam generator is a much simpler procedure than it might seem at first glance. Therefore, every motorist can cope with it.
Many car owners, for the purpose of high-quality cleaning of their vehicle, entrust this business to professional car wash employees, because it is believed that only they can perform this task at the highest level. And all why? That's right, because they have special equipment and materials for this.
As a rule, the processing of cars in such places is carried out in an automatic way, in which an important role is played by such a tool as a foam generator - a special device designed to form bubbles obtained from a synthetic detergent that can provide a quick, and most importantly, high-quality cleaning of a contaminated surface. car. Of course, it would be nice to have such a unit at home, but the truth is that it is not at all cheap and not every car owner can afford it. The solution to this problem can be an independent creation of a foam generator, which will be much cheaper, but we will now tell you how exactly to perform this task and what is required for this.
Before proceeding to the implementation of our plans, let's figure out what a professional device is, used to wash cars at specialized service stations. To begin with, the foam generator is used in which active foam is used. The main functions of the device are to prepare this foam and then distribute it over the surface to be cleaned.
Unlike conventional sprayers, the devices of interest to us are capable of forming a more homogeneous and finely dispersed foam, which is achieved by exposing the car shampoo to a jet of compressed air passing through the foaming agent. The foaming process in the unit consists of two stages: first - this is the receipt of the primary foam, and then the creation of the final, output product. At the first stage, a high-pressure water jet exits the nozzle and connects with the car shampoo solution, simultaneously capturing air that enters the device through its holes. The result is such a foamy tincture, but it is not yet suitable for washing.
Its "improvement" takes place in the second stage, when the foam at a high speed begins to flow from the mixer to a special foaming tablet. This tablet is made of a hydrophobic wire (or mesh) with increased corrosion resistance and a calculated cell size. When a foam tincture passes through a given element, a stable foam of high expansion is formed, and what highest level multiplicity, the better the quality of surface cleaning will be.
At the exit of the tablet, the foam flow takes the form of a flat jet, which is facilitated by parallel-mounted regulator plates. On the surface of the machine, foam is applied using a special gun, and thanks to its long and flexible hose, even the most hard-to-reach places... The maximum possible jet height reaches 6 meters.
The use of a foam generator has a number of undeniable advantages, which include:
- applying the required amount of foam, without any loss;
Formation of stable high quality foam;
Possibility of setting a suitable rate of foam consumption (for example, on average, one charge of a 50-liter cylinder is enough to wash 10-15 cars).
The main disadvantages, and they are everywhere, experts consider the need to install a compressor and regular refueling of the cylinder. In general, with contactless washing, it is unlikely that it will be possible to do without a foam generator, since it is he who is responsible for creating foam, which cleans the dirt, and the water pressure only flushes it away.
As you know, our compatriots have always been distinguished by resourcefulness and enterprise, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that the turn came to the creation of a homemade car wash, along with the same homemade foam generator. We will not describe the process of creating a sink now, but we will still pay attention to the foam generator. And so, what may be needed to complete the task? In fact, for the manufacture of such a device, a small amount of tools will be enough, including a grinder, a set of wrenches and standard, inexpensive tools for contactless washing: "Gun", a flushing hose with a nozzle and a compressor, which should preferably be factory supplied.
Everything, except the compressor, does not have to be new and expensive, since used devices that need to be slightly redone can cope with the task at hand. Of course, the most expensive part of the future foam generator is the compressor. In some cases, they use a unit taken from a ZIL truck, of which there are tens of thousands in our country. The main thing is to carefully check that there would be no defects on such a compressor (oil leaks or some clearly pronounced signs of its wear), indicating an imminent possible failure, otherwise, such a foam generator will only last for a few washes.
Often, homemade device of this type, it also needs a piece of pipe, the diameter of which will be equal to 2.5 centimeters, and the length will correspond to 30-40 centimeters. The specified part must be connected to two plugs located on the thread, which allow the connection of other devices. A T-shaped adapter is screwed onto one of them, and a fitting-adapter is screwed onto the second, from which foam will appear. Hoses connecting it to the compressor and a container with car shampoo, from which the foam is produced, are supplied to the outputs of the T-shaped adapter with the help of stopcocks.
In another option, creating a foam generator for home washing, two tees are attached to the plugs, preferably made of steel. Also, it is worth preparing a tank for the future filling of liquid, for the role of which an old propane cylinder, presented in the form of a large-diameter barrel, is perfect. The final touch that completes the design of our device will be the mesh of the foam generator, which, in fact, is responsible for the formation of small bubbles - so effective in removing mud deposits. The following materials are suitable for its creation: foam sponge with large holes, polyethylene synthetic body scrubber, nylon fishing line.
Well, having prepared everything you need, you can start the process of creating our home foam generator. To begin with, we will deal with the spray device of the device, for the creation of which we use a previously prepared piece of pipe. Inside the line, you need to insert a mesh created from the materials described above. If you decide to use a body washcloth, just cut out a circle of the required diameter and place it in the pipe, making sure that it is firmly fixed and will not wash off under the pressure of the foam solution.
In the case of using a fishing line, it must be twisted tightly, resulting in a small tangled ball, and placed in the pipe in the same way.
Note! It is important that the atomizer of the home-made generator contains as many threads as possible blocking the path of the liquid, because only in this case, the foam can be formed taking into account small bubbles with a sufficiently high density.
On both sides of the pipe, it is necessary to install threaded plugs - the outer one is used to fix the fitting. In addition, a damper can be additionally installed on the foam generator, which will restrict the flow of liquid and make it possible to quickly change the characteristics of the flowing stream. On the other side of the pipe, the plug should be connected to a steel tee, and for greater reliability, it is better to seat it on a sealant. Connect to the second output flexible hose and with its help we connect the pipe to the compressor, on which the tee is also installed.
If you want to improve the device of the foam generator and increase the density of the foam, then for this the pipe can be made longer, and inside it you can create more obstacles using the materials already described. The only drawback of this option is that the jet pressure at the outlet will be slightly lower.
But back to our design. After completing the described steps, you will notice that there are still free places(one on each) - we use them to supply the detergent solution. However, first, let's deal with the storage tank. As mentioned earlier, a propane tank is perfect for this role. All possible holes should be welded in it, and then two new ones should be created: one should be located at the bottom point of the end, and the second should be in the same plane, but somewhere in the middle.
Pipes with fittings are welded to them, used for quick connection of flexible hoses. From a theoretical point of view, the type of connection used is not limited in any way and even collet adapters or couplings can be used in the foam generator various designs, the main thing is that they could withstand the pressure created by the compressor. Well, it remains only to check the performance of the homemade foam generator and if everything goes as it should, then there will be no problems with washing the car now.
If the given example of creating a foam generator does not suit you, and you want to make the unit even cheaper, without having to deal with welding works, then you can replace the propane cylinder with any other plastic container that can withstand strong pressure. For example, it can be a five-liter plastic oil canister or a similar larger canister. In this case, in order to obtain the desired device, it will be enough to solder a tube to it, the second hole of which will be located on top in a plastic vessel.
True, in this case, you will have to constantly monitor the level of the liquid, because if its volume is insufficient, the detergent will not be able to enter the sprayer. Moreover, in the process of work, carefully monitor the condition of the canister itself and if you notice even the slightest signs of imminent damage, stop working immediately, since if they turn into holes, you risk getting into the epicenter of a mini-explosion.
You can improve a homemade foam generator in another way. To increase its efficiency and ease of use, you need a small tank from a spray gun (aerosol gun) and a nozzle for a pressure washer, often referred to as a "spear". It is with this part, in an improved device, that a pipe with a filler is replaced, while a plastic container from a spray gun is used instead of a balloon. As a result of such modernization, the most bulky and heavy structural element is the compressor, and all equipment can be lifted with bare hands.
Naturally, such a foam generator will require significantly higher costs, but it will be portable, if, of course, you put it on a small welded frame on wheels. So, what do we get in the end? Despite its "homemade", our foam generator meets all generally accepted standards that are used by manufacturers of professional equipment for car washes. Of course, in this case, workarounds were used. technical solutions, but for a household foam generator, especially if it is used only a few times a week, this is more than enough.
A positive point of this design (in addition to its low cost) is that if any of its components fails, you can replace it as soon as possible, without spending serious financial resources... However, as practice shows, the service life of a well-made home foam generator is not much inferior to the "life activity" of a factory product, the resource of which is sometimes excessive for home use... So why pay more? ..
In a non-contact car wash, the use of mixture generators fully justifies its high initial cost. Few can afford to buy such expensive equipment for domestic use. While everyone can design a foam generator with their own hands. For this you need: straight arms, materials at hand and a little quick wits.
As you might guess from the name of this device, its main purpose is to bring fluid chemical composition to a foamed consistency. The latter, due to its porous structure, is better retained on the surface, cleaning the car from persistent mud deposits.
The foam generator device includes the following elements:
The foaming agent can be of two types:
If you decide to make a foam generator with your own hands from improvised means, then the first option is more preferable. Technologically, such a project is much easier to implement.
To repeat the foam concentrate device at home, you need to clearly understand how we will get a ready-made mixture for a car wash at the exit.
Compressed air is fed into the concentrated shampoo reservoir, which initiates the initial foaming process. The oxygen-enriched mixture passes through the foam tablet. It is in this place that the formation of a stable composition used for cleaning a car takes place. The regulator, which is arranged using parallel plates, allows not only metering the feed power, but also makes the torch flat (this method allows you to cover the maximum area of the car body).
A foam generator for washing can be constructed from readily available materials, some of which many experienced car owners will not even have to buy.
For construction, you can use:
It is impossible to design a foam generator for washing, as well as to repair or service a car, without certain tools. For work you will need: grinder, tape measure, vernier caliper, wrenches, pliers, knife. In work with metal container a welding machine may be required. In any case, a lot will depend on the device configuration you choose.
Let's consider the process in stages:
The device is ready for car wash. The manufacture of this type of foaming agent is much cheaper than buying a finished product. If you don't have air compressor, car washes can be used to build up pressure. The only drawback is that the consumption of the concentrate increases.
Car shampoo for non-contact washing can be made by hand. The financial situation of the population determines the number of car washes in cities. From time to time this service becomes expensive for some car owners, they choose car shampoo to tidy up the car by hand. Any car owner often uses car cosmetics, among which car shampoo has become one of the most popular products.
The use of high-quality composition makes it possible to give the car the new kind, it is easy to clean the body, optics, bumpers and glass from dust and dirt, which spoil the look of the car and affect driving safety.
The use of chemicals that are not suitable for washing conditions or of poor quality often leads to negative effects, which are:
Also, the wrongly chosen cosmetics for the car can lead to the most serious consequences - defects in the body paint and varnish surface. Many car owners, knowing that in a car store they will be offered an ineffective product for a large amount, often use different recipes for making car shampoo on their own. But, before starting to consider the recipes of cleaning chemicals and methods of their manufacture, you need to understand more deeply all the subtleties of car washing using the latest technological methods and the latest tools automotive cosmetics.
Currently, the owners of private cars have two ways to bring their car to a normal state after driving on domestic off-road or driving in rainy weather:
The first method is often used with a simple soapy solution. Many car owners believe that the composition of factory industrial chemistry is a simple soap, with the addition of fragrances that impart a scent to cosmetics, and increasing its value to the value of well-known companies.
To wash your car, the use of proprietary formulations is required. Their composition, viscosity and properties are well combined and make it possible to:
Do the least damage to the paint and varnish surface and exposed metal and plastic parts.
The features of these shampoos include:
By the first sign, car shampoos can be subdivided:
Liquid formulations are divided:
At present, nozzles are being produced that are used for contactless car washing; the device, shape and number of nozzles that contribute to large foaming can be different.
Usually, the car owner is faced with a problem when you need to give the car a normal look, but there is no good car shampoo. In such a situation, you can make a tool from scrap materials. The recipe for a self-made cleanser is quite simple, and its constituent parts include active chemicals:
To make a car shampoo that matches the factory recipe, a little polish and fragrances are usually added to it. The main effect on the quality of homemade shampoo is the surfactants, which make up the bulk of the composition, as well as the pH value equal to pH = 7.
IN special cases low alkaline surface active elements can be used. It is these elements that have a major effect on the efficiency and quality of dirt removal. Their content in the prepared composition is in the range of 5 - 30%. For homemade car shampoo, you can select different types of fatty alcohols offered for sale in the household chemicals departments.
The recipe for individual elements is determined independently, by the method of error and trial. After mixing the considered ingredients, a car shampoo is formed, which is used when different types vehicle washing. If washed by hand with a sponge, then the solution is applied to the contaminated areas with a sponge, and when washing with a non-contact method, it is poured into a special container.
Any solution for treating a car is made by dissolving the prepared concentrated form of car shampoo with a specified amount of water. When using homemade shampoo, so that there are no unpleasant consequences, you need to follow some rules:
Currently, the automotive cosmetics trade network has big choice different shampoos for manual view sinks in various containers. Hand shampoos allow you to wash your car with a regular sponge. To make this procedure easier, special nozzles are often used to dissolve the shampoo. The advantage of manual car shampoo is the neutral balance of alkali and acid.
Car washing becomes safe due to the peculiarities of the composition, which allows you to quickly wash the glass and the body of the vehicle. When the machine is dry, a special film forms on the surface to protect it from dirt. Many products make the surface shine.
On special trading platforms, you can now buy convenient-to-use cylinders that spray a special composition on the glass and body. They are well suited for use when traveling by car.
To make your own shampoo for the car, it is better to use non-corrosive substances in order to prevent the possibility of a negative effect on the body coating. Car washing is considered a responsible procedure that requires knowledge. Therefore, drivers need to know which hand wash shampoo is best to purchase. Everyone wants their car to be clean and free from harsh chemicals.
It must be said that a large number of car owners use not very high quality chemical agents, because they do not know how to properly wash the car, if there is no special shampoo available. As a result, after using low-quality chemicals, dirt, streaks and stripes are revealed. In addition, the incorrect use of such products often causes cloudy spots on the paintwork, which is not a positive factor.
In order to prevent such negative effects, the use of various chemical detergents, it is advisable to use only the most reliable and high-quality special shampoos for automotive technology.
The use of high-quality chemicals will significantly save time and effort. Now all drivers can know how to choose the right car shampoo to wash in a non-contact way. The use of such products is advised only at specialized car washes.
A specially conducted test of automotive chemistry for the non-contact method shows their high efficiency, however, when choosing, experts advise to determine the presence of a permit or a special certificate of conformity, which should always be included with the shampoo.
When passenger car owners do not follow the instructions, the body surface is damaged. Over time, negative factors can only increase. This car wash is well suited for vehicles with a new coating. Today we can say that only a special shampoo for the non-contact method of body treatment is the best for external cleaning of the car. Drivers take the time to use non-contact shampoo on new cars all the time to prevent damage to the bodywork. Possible defects in the paintwork will cost them too much.
