Foam gun for cleaning with your own hands. DIY car shampoo without harmful substances. The principle of operation of the foam generator

The non-contact car wash allows you to quickly and efficiently wash the car without damaging the paintwork. The washing effect is achieved due to car shampoo applied to the car body in the form of foam using special devices.

The frother is not the most affordable part. But you can replace it with a foam generator.

Types of car wash equipment

1.High pressure foam generator. Foaming occurs in two stages: first, when connected to a high-pressure apparatus (120-190 kg / cm²), primary (active) foam is formed, and then, due to the foaming tablet, a stable high expansion foam is obtained at the exit.

2.Low pressure foam generator. It is connected to the compressor (6-20 kg / cm²). Foam is also formed in two stages, but of worse stability and not as abundant as when connected to an AED.

3.Sprayer. Works like a regular garden spray, that is, sprays a solution of car shampoo. Low expansion foam.

4. Dozatron. The dosing pump is connected through a filter to the water supply network. Does not require compressed air and works without electricity. A low pressure spray gun is used to apply the cleaning solution. There is practically no foam.

The device and principle of operation of the foam generator

The foam generator is a metal tank with a capacity of 20-100 liters with a filler neck at the top, a drain valve at the bottom and two fittings. The inlet connection is connected to the compressor, and a nozzle is connected to the outlet connection for the formation and application of foam. The reservoir is two-thirds filled with detergent solution (10 ml of car shampoo per 1 liter of water) and compressed air is supplied (pressure not less than 6 bar). The formed foam, through a special filter, enters the outlet fitting and, passing through the nozzle of the nozzle (foaming agent), is applied to the car body. Pressure control is carried out using a pressure gauge, and the filling of the reservoir is carried out with a water meter.

Advantages and disadvantages of foam generators

The entire washing cycle (preliminary washing off of dirt and dust, applying a layer of foam, finishing the car wash, drying) takes 15-20 minutes.

The absence of contact with the surface of the body during the washing process excludes the appearance of microdamages, stains and dullness of the paintwork.

High-quality washing in hard-to-reach places of the car body is provided due to the fluidity of the foam and the surfactants contained in it.

The formation of a thin protective anti-corrosion film after rinsing off the foam protects the paintwork.

The cost of a low pressure foam generator is measured in tens of thousands of rubles. Sprayers and dispensers are cheaper, but the washing quality is worse. The foam generator (foam kit) is an inexpensive device, but requires connection to a high-pressure machine, the cost of which is from 50 thousand rubles. It is easier and cheaper to make a low pressure foam generator yourself.

We make a foam generator from a garden sprayer with our own hands

For the manufacture of a homemade foam generator, an old garden sprayer "Quasar" with an inoperative pump or a pump "Beetle" is suitable. The purchase of a new sprayer for subsequent alteration will cost 500-800 rubles.

To supply compressed air, drill a hole at the top of the sprayer body and insert a nipple with a check valve. If this option does not suit you, then you can unscrew the existing overpressure relief valve from the body and, by inserting the nipple, connect the hose from the car compressor to it. The quality of the foam depends on the magnitude of the pressure - the higher the pressure created by the compressor, the better.
We disassemble the spray boom. We fill the adapter tube tightly with fishing line or a metal washcloth for washing dishes to improve foaming at the outlet.
In the intake hose in the upper part of it, from the side of the sprayer outlet fitting, we make 5-10 punctures for better foaming.
Pour water with added car shampoo in a ratio of 1:50 through the neck in the body, or select the required concentration empirically. The volume of the cleaning solution occupies 70% of the spray capacity. After turning on the compressor, we eliminate possible leaks and assess the quality of the foam.

Nuances in the independent manufacture of a foam generator

Making a foam generator with your own hands from improvised means, take into account the power of the existing compressor and the volume of the tank. The ratio of the volume of 20 liters and the pressure of 6 kg / cm² will allow you to wash the car without additional filling of the solution into the tank.

The foam tablet device (foaming agent) determines the quality of the foam. If the stability and multiplicity of the foam is not satisfactory, then they buy a ready-made foam kit or upgrade the design of a home-made foam concentrate.

What to make a foam generator from

The basic part of the foam machine is the reservoir on which the rest of the assemblies are collected. For the manufacture of a foam generator use:

Metal pipe.
Garden sprayer.
Propane tank.
Water heater tank.

How to make a foam generator with your own hands from a water heater (video)

See how an efficient foam generator works and what you need for it

Outcome

Knowing the device and the principle of operation of the foam generator, motorists make their own washing devices. The savings are obvious, but do not forget about common sense. Crafted foam, dried and not washed off in time, damages the paintwork of the car.

Cheap home mini washers for a car have an insufficiently effective foam nozzle. As a result, even good non-contact foam does not cope well with dirt. You can improve the quality of cleaning the machine by using a homemade foam generator. It copes with stubborn dirt, which is easily washed off in the future.

Materials:

body from an old powder fire extinguisher with a neck and a lid;
steel tube 1/2 inch;
a piece of rubber from the chamber for the seal;
garden hose;
garden hose tip;
ball valve 1/2 inch;
quick-detachable adapter fitting to compressor M1 / 2 inch;
fumlenta.

Homemade foam generator device

The foam generator is made on a meringue of a dry powder fire extinguisher or an old manual steel spray gun. You can use another metal container for 8-10 liters. It must be equipped with a neck with a threaded cap and a rubber seal.

At the top, at the end of the container, a hole is made for a 15 mm tube. It will be used to release the foam. A short piece of pipe 7-10 cm is welded into it. A thread is cut on it to fix the adapter to the garden hose.

A hole for the tube is drilled at the side of the bottom of the cylinder. It will be used for air supply. A plugged pipe with side holes is inserted into it.

Enough 10 holes drilled in a row with a 2 mm drill. The tube is welded so that they look up. Next, a thread is cut on it to secure the ball valve. The connection for the compressor hose is screwed onto it. All threads are pre-sealed with fumulent or other means.

How to use

Approximately half of the water is poured into the foam generator. Car shampoo for non-contact washing is added to it. The tank is closed with a lid. The compressor is connected to the lower adapter.

A garden hose is connected to the top fitting.

Wide foam spray lance.

After turning on the compressor and opening the ball valve, the supplied air mixes the water, creating foam.

It rises up the tank and, after filling it, moves along the garden hose, splashing out onto the car.

A foam generator of this design works much better than many standard nozzles for a mini washer. It makes a thick lather, which, when used with a normal shampoo, allows you to wash even a very dirty car with a minimal investment of time and effort.

At the end, we rinse everything off with water from a pressure washer or from a garden hose under normal pressure.

A foam generator is a device that produces and ejects foam onto the car body. Such equipment is the desire of many car lovers, and therefore they are interested in making it with their own hands and using it in the future for washing their own car. The fact is that the device is quite expensive, and therefore, it is much easier to make it yourself.

Any foam concentrate for a car wash, even one made by hand, consists of the following parts - this is a cylinder inside which there is compressed air, a mixer, a hose and a special gun for spraying foam. The most important is, of course, the cylinder, on the volume of which the entire operation of the foam generator depends. Its volume can reach 100 liters, but in our case 25 will be enough.

To prevent the cylinder from corroding, it is advisable to use stainless steel for this. Therefore, he will have to deal with a large number of chemical elements.

Foam formation can be roughly divided into two stages:

First, a special composition is prepared from water, in which the detergent is diluted. So far, this is an unusable foam and does not have the necessary properties in order to get on the car body in the right amount.
The composition goes into a special "tablet", where the final formation takes place. In it, not only the required properties of the foam are created, but also the necessary density, which allows it to be sprayed.

The foam generator allows you to develop a composition that allows you to clean the car body without touching it with a rag. This is what makes it so popular.... But in order to acquire this device, it is not at all necessary to spend a lot of money, because you can safely assemble it yourself.

How to make a foam generator

Let's consider several methods of making a foam generator with our own hands at once. And let's start with the simplest.

Of course, such a foam generator will not have the same effect as the factory ones, but it certainly will not be superfluous in a car wash. Prepare the following list of tools in advance: knife, grinder, wrenches, measuring tape and pliers.

Take a pipe with a diameter of 1 inch and a length of no more than 0.5 meters. At the very end of the pipe, you need to place a washcloth made of polyethylene. This approach will accurately create the desired spread and foam formation. To prevent the washcloth from squeezing out with pressure, install a special filter at the end.

Now you need to attach a tee to the free end of the pipe... It should be said right away that two cranes must be installed on it. Compressed air will be supplied through one hole, and the foam itself will be through the other. Accordingly, one of the pipes will go to the cylinder, and the second to the next tee for compressed air, which will be supplied to both the cylinder and the gun itself.

It should be noted right away that the density of the foam will depend on the length of the pipe. But it is not recommended to make it too long, as such a foam generator may not be very convenient. In addition, only a schematic diagram is described here. In reality, a hose is required between the pipe and the tee for ease of use.

The second method involves using a plastic canister instead of a regular balloon. At first glance, it will seem that making such a foam generator with your own hands is very simple, but in fact it is more difficult than the first option. Such a device is suitable for washing small cars, for example "Oka". In this case, the tube is taken longer and the diameter is smaller, although any section is allowed. Instead of a washcloth, ordinary fishing line is laid inside, moreover, in a chaotic manner. A filter must be placed on one end of the pipe, and a special hose fitting on the other. Several fittings must be purchased.

The compressor and the gun itself are also connected to the canister. Before using for the first time, pour a small amount of water into the frother as a test. This is necessary in order to identify all leaks and eliminate them before further use of the device.

The use of other containers for foam is also possible. The main criterion is the ability of its walls to withstand sufficient air pressure. This must be taken seriously, since an explosion of a tank can get quite serious injuries. In addition, you do not need to use a compressor that is too powerful with insufficient cylinder capacity.

By the way, a foam sponge, which has smaller sections and is best suited for creating good and whipped foam, can be considered a good foam sprayer.

Now you know how to assemble a good foam generator with your own hands. This will help you avoid wasting money on expensive equipment.

The structure of the device and its specifics

First you need to 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. The tank (2/3) is filled with a special agent (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 to work, compressed air flows into 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.

Pros of the device

no contact with the car body, prevents paint darkening;
you can remove dirt in hard-to-reach areas;
a thin protective film is formed.

If you buy steam generators, they are expensive (depending on the capacity), so they are made with low pressure for the home.

Manufacturing features

If you make it yourself, the cost will be about a couple of thousand rubles, and if you buy it, then about ten thousand rubles. The main elements for the manufacture of the device;

capacity;
reinforced hose;
pressure gauge;
clamp;
stop valve;
a tube.

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.

Diagram, if you make nozzles with your own hands

There are different types of attachments. What tools are needed for this:

Roulette;
Bulgarian;
Spanners;
Pliers.

Prepare an inch pipe at least one and a half meters, a washcloth. How to assemble - cut the pipe at least 0.5 meters, the larger the pipe, the better the quality of the foam. But remember, a large pipe also requires a powerful compressor. 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 tee terminals, connect the water source with shampoo and a compressor to the remaining ones.

You can also adapt a conventional 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 in a check valve with a fitting into one of the squeegees and install a tank on the other.

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.

Car wash today is a luxury, even the simplest, not to mention contactless with the help of a foam generator.

The cost of the simplest car wash is 300-400 rubles, which is quite a lot and ineffective, given that for the cost of 5 such car washes, you can assemble your own penegenerator with your own hands to wash a car. Of course, you can buy a new and branded one for 16-18,000 rubles, but again this is not effective and expensive. When assembling this equipment, the most expensive part will be the compressor, which is responsible for air injection, but you can buy an automobile compressor, which will cost 1200-1600 rubles.

Foam generator device and principle of its operation

Before you start building your own foam generator, you need to understand exactly how it works. The main purpose of this device is the release of foam and its further smooth and even distribution over the body of the machine.

The water jet passes through the solution, which is mixed with the air discharged from the compressor. During this process, an active foam is formed, which can easily clean the car from dirt. In addition to the fact that the foam has formed, it must be dense, which is achieved by passing slightly foamed soapy water through a tablet (multilayer metal mesh), which intensively foams the solution. Next, the liquid enters the parallel regulating plates so that the flow of the solution is flat. The hose is necessary to remove the foam; a nozzle for distributing water flows or just a shower nozzle is attached to it.

The easiest way to make a foam generator for car wash is from a garden sprayer of the Beetle type. In structure, a garden sprayer is almost identical to a foam generator. In total, it is necessary to spend 1-1.5 hours of time to change the sprayer to the foam generator, if, of course, there are all the necessary parts for creation.

So, to create a foam generator from a garden sprayer you will need:

Sprayer capacity;
Manometer for measuring the pressure of the air flow;
One-way valve allowing air to pass in only one direction;
Flow regulator or just a tap;
Air injection pipe;
A hose with a wall thickness capable of withstanding a pressure of 6-8 atm;
Metal bandage for joints;
Foam mesh.

The first thing that is needed for a foam generator is a container that can not burst at a pressure of 5 atmospheres; the sprayer capacity is just suitable for these purposes, since the walls can withstand a pressure of 4-6 atmospheres.

Step by step, the process of creating a foam generator from a sprayer for a garden looks like this:

Two metal squeegees: a hose is screwed into the first, air will be supplied to the second

The final stage is the connection of a car compressor (cost from 1200 rubles) or a compressor purchased in the secondary market specifically to create a foam generator.

This method is even easier and simpler than the previous one. To make a foam generator you need:

Automotive compressor (cost from 1200 rubles);
Gun;
Canister (as a container);
Nozzle;
Hoses;
Pressure gauge;
Union.

All together it will cost a maximum of 1600-1800 rubles, while the cost of one car wash is 300-400 rubles.

The first thing to do is to take a tube with a length of 60-65 cm (in general, the length of the tube can be different and depends on the size of the plastic canister, the length of the tube should be 2-3 cm less than the height of the canister from the hole to the bottom) and fill with fishing line, which will act as a foaming tablet. The ends are covered with plugs with threaded holes. A T-shaped transition link is mounted on one of the holes, a fitting is mounted on the remaining hole. Two hoses are connected to the T-shaped adapter, one of the holes must have a tap to control the water flow, the second is needed to connect a pressure gauge. It should be remembered that the canister must be made of dense plastic that will withstand a pressure of 5-6 atmospheres, otherwise all the work will go down the drain.

Many are trying to find a compressor on the secondary market, but for the purpose of washing a car, a cheap car compressor with a pressure gauge is quite enough, the price for which is 1200-1300 rubles, and the pressure created by even the cheapest model ranges from 2 to 7 atmospheres, which is what is needed to create foam generator.

How to make a DIY foam generator or where to start?

How to make a foam generator with your own hands? The answer is simple - you have to try. For the manufacture of a foam generator, it is important to choose not a compressor, but a container that can withstand a huge volume of water and pressure inside. All the variations of creating a foam generator presented above are the simplest and most understandable, but also one of the most dangerous when using because of the case. So, with the slightest deviation in pressure, the device can crack and leak at best, or explode in your hands at worst. The best basis (capacity) for this kind of foam generator will be a gas cylinder, but to create a foam generator in this case, you will need experience in using welding and, in fact, a welding machine, which is long and problematic, but reliable.

How to use a homemade foam generator?

The step-by-step process of using the generator looks like this:

Through the main hole - the neck, water is poured, preferably purified, to 60% of the volume;
In the water, again through the neck, the washing concentrate is poured in a ratio of 10-18 grams per 1 liter of water;
After the first two stages, the tap and the neck are closed;
The compressor starts up;
Air is supplied to the container;
A hose with a gun is connected;
Open the tap very slowly;
Foam is applied (its density can be easily adjusted with an irrigation nozzle or a gun, depending on what is installed in the form of a distributor);
The foam should be on the surface of the car for 15-20 minutes;
After the foam has been supplied, you can rinse the container and pour water into it and, in the same way as the foam was applied, rinse it off, but with clean water.