Snow Foam Questions

[srhutch]

I was looking to purchase a Foam lance and solution before christmas as the car was in a mess and wanted to remove as much crap as possible without touching.

Delivery wasnt looking promising, but I had noticed karcher do there own foam lance, so I bought one with some Autoglym pressure washer shampoo.

Although the foam covered the car it seemed to run off to easily and therfore not soak it, I am guessing this is because I used the wrong product.

I am happy to return the karcher foam lance and purchase something more expensive, so would welcome some suggestions.

I also contacted Ron at motorgeek about http://www.motorgeek.co.uk/gilmour-foamaster-foam-p-307.html which is it turns out is for a standard hose, not a pressure washer :?

 

[20ducks]

A good car shampoo (soap) should be foamed on and then left to "dwell" for about 10 minutes, I use the highest concentration setting for this. (I always pre-soak with plain water first.) Then washed off. I use a Lowes grout sponge for contact washing. This is an indoor application as wind and sunlight would have a negative impact on the outcome.

 

[pvr]

Test on my X5:

Got it from autobrite, HD Karcher with snowfoam.

 

[20ducks]

Excellent...

Do you rinse before hand washing? How do you prevent the soap from drying?

 

[pvr]

Snow foam direct on dirty car, specifically NOT pre-rinse car for maximum effect of the foam attaching itself to the dirt (rather then run off from a wet car). Foam is warm by the way.

After the 5 - 10 minute wait, about 60 - 70% of the foam has dripped on the floor by then. The car actually looks clean by then (obviously is not really clean). Rinse the foam off completely with the pressure washer (lower pressure with 45 degree angle on the paint, slightly higher in the wheel arches and wheels).

After foam bath, wash the car with the running standard volume hose and the mitt. After that, the normal two bucket approach with the shampoo.

Soap actually does not dry at all, it stays very wet all the time and runs down the car without sticking to the paint (after about 10 minutes).

 

[pvr]

This is a test with much lower pressure of the Karcher:

Same concentration foam, but less pressure.

 

[pvr]

Result after rinse.

 

[pvr]

Kit used:

 

[20ducks]

Is soap full concentration and mixed at the spray head or premixed?

I may look into this next Spring although I have never been a big fan of pressure sprayers. This one may persuade me.

 

[pvr]

Soap is concentrated at 70/30 in the bottle, the force of the water sucks the soap out. You use about 20 - 25% of the bottle during a session (X5 - the Z takes less).

The spraying of the foam is at a low speed (i.e. you don't squirt the whole car in a huge foam). It is very directional, so I can avoid spraying the roof of the Z.

I spray the foam at 55 bar setting of the pressure washer, the second picture was about 40 bar if I remember well.

The second picutre also shows that low pressure washers are not up to the job of creating proper foam. It is not cheap and is time consuming, but especially during the winter months, the less contact with the paint (grit etc) the better.

 

[20ducks]

Thanks....this is better than what I am using: low pressure Gilmour system. A good system but not as good as yours. Much appreciated.

 

[Herminator]

Looks like something I should buy for washing my Z, especially for this cold weather where a proper wash is not a nice prospect.

The only thing is, my dads karcher seems to be a bit knackered, it can't get a decent pressure built up since it seems to be leaking from the unit itself :thumbsdown:
Should it be possible to fix or is it simpler to get a new one?

 

[srhutch]

PVR

i thought i read in one of you posts the foam was warm, how did you do this, hot feed on karcher?

 

[pvr]

No, the mixture (70/30) is with hot water. Would not mind a hot feet on the Karcher though but have not worked out how yet (have a dedicated oil heater in the garage, not sure if I can connect a water tank to it).

 

[srhutch]

Looks like I might have to order one of these after xmas then, only issue I have is my pressure washer isnt adjustable, but from what I has seen the 110bar operating pressure is what you need which is what Ive got.

 

[paddy wright]

all looks good- do you snow foam the roof?

 

[pvr]

No, not the roof. That is why I find the directional element of the one I have useful so I don't squirt everywhere (pardon the pun ...)

 

[paddy wright]

how do you recommend giving the roof a through clean?

 

[gannet]

how do you recommend giving the roof a through clean?

I use AutoGlym's hood cleaner and protector

I believe BMW do one too...

 

[pvr]

Raggtop cleaner. Available from here:

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/Store/Product/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=188