Hey Guys, I did some searches but couldn't find an answer. I'm using a Karcher PW 1500 psi with a Cam Spray Foamer attachment. I also have a water softener before the PW. (foamer pic attached) http://www.detailersdomain.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=344 I'm using Meguiar's Gold Class car wash with the recommended dilution in the cam spray bottle. The problem is, I don't get the rich foam like some of the pictures I have seen on this forum. I've tried adding more soap, but the foam is still not rich. It runs fast (very watery) so it does not stick on the car. What am I doing wrong? I have the dial turned all the way to use maximum soap and less water. Should I add more soap in the bottle? Do you recommend another brand of soap / shampoo? Also, I was able to find a 32oz bottle for the cam spray foamer, but that's still too small. It hardly lasts for 3/4 of my car. I know some of you have purchased larger bottles for this same sprayer... where did you get it from? Is there anywhere I can order and ship to Canada? Lastly, once I turn on the foamer, it sucks all the air out of the bottle and the bottle is squashed like crazy - almost distroyed after I finish. Is this normal? Thanks for your help!
Nope, shouldn't deform at all...it sounds like the small hole in the neck of the bottle is blocked which would explain your main issues with regards to the foaming. The dilution ratio you're running at is what's on the Megs bottle? Typically I fill about an eighth of the bottle with shampoo and the rest with water.
Dude..you definitely have a problem there somewhere. There should be no deformation of the bottle. I use the Zep spray bottle from HD. It's pretty big (the one with hte yellow sprayer). I have used it on a big Infiniti QX56 and it still did not go through the whole thing. I have it backed off a tiny bit of max. If you do set it to max, it will go through it very quickly. I do that to empty mine. I have the same setup as you...here is a pic showing it in use on the QX. Bear in mind, I had some APC in there as well to cut the wax on the vehicle, I think it foams less that way than when I have just the DG soap in there.
Thanks for your help Charlies02GLS & Richy! Richy, I'm actually using that exact same 32oz ZEP bottle from HD! I'm surprised that yours does not compress or squash! Did you pierce a hole in the bottle at all? Also, maybe my brand of soap is wrong for this application. What do you use for foaming?
The hole isn't actually in the bottle itself...my fault for misleading you there. If you look on the opposite side of the adjustment knob, directly below the ribbed part should be a small hole which will allow the pressure in the bottle to equalize with the atmospheric pressure.
Thanks for that clarification Charlies02GLS. I'm looking at my foamer right now. I have a very small pin-point hole opposite the adjustment knob, just at the head of where I screw the bottle in. I noticed that the hole is not fully pieced in. I can't see light through the hole so the plastic mold must have been a defect. Should I take a pin or something and make a hole directly through? Also, how big of a bottle do you use? thanks again!
oh, new update. I took a paper clip and pushed it through the hole. A small piece of plastic came out the other end and now the hole is clear and through. Wow... didn't even know that existed there! :doh: That should help with the pressure and not cause my bottle to squash like crazy. Thanks very much for this help! :thumb: now, just to figure out how to get more foam...:shead:
I just use the bottle pictured in your first post. Give it another shot with the Megs GC, add the water first about 3/4-7/8 the way up and top off with the soap, screw it in and then swirl/shake it around to mix up.
I didn't seem to get as much foam with Gold Class as I have most other soaps. As far as OTC Gold Class did the worst out of everything I compared it to, even some old Turtle Wax Zip Wash. Meg's NXT is probably the thickest OTC foaming soap I've used through it. I use 3 oz of soap to 29oz of water, I can do my car twice with 32oz of mix.
The soap I use in it now is DG 901. I received a gallon of the Optimum soap last summer as a prize from DB so I gotta get around to using some of that as a comparison. I've read where it foams up nicely as well. As I mentioned before however, if you also use some APC or some other soap to strip the finish, it will abate the amount of foam somewhat.
Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions - especially Charlies02GLS and my fellow Canadian brother, richy! I wasn't able to test anything yesterday because it rained all day. I did however take the opportunity to clean out my garage really nicely - sometimes it's necessary to "detail" the detailing area! I'll put all your suggestions to test this afternoon and let you know how it turns out. Thanks again!
