Believe it or not, using worn spray nozzles is washing your profits down the drain. According to a study conducted by Spraying Systems, damaged nozzles could potentially cost you up to $182,800 a year! With that alarming statistic in mind, you might be asking yourself, “how do I tell if a spray tip is costing me money?” We will teach you how to spot spray nozzle wear at your car wash.
The Four Red Flags of Nozzle Wear
There are four main indicators that your nozzles are losing efficiency, and knowing how to recognize wear will be to your advantage.
Change in Flow Rate
Like any product, the more you use a nozzle, the more wear it will sustain. As the orifice ages, its opening will erode, causing the flow rate to increase. The flow rate does not correlate with the supplied pressure in systems with positive displacement pumps. Therefore, when the orifice wears, the pressure drops because more liquid can move through the tip.
Drop Size Will Increase
You can’t see the drop size change. However, you will be able to tell based on other changes. For example, when the orifice size grows, the liquid flow will increase, causing pressure to drop, resulting in larger drops of liquid. As the drop size increases, the area covered decreases.
Spray Pattern Quality Declines
As the orifice deteriorates, the spray pattern quality will suffer. It is important to note each type of nozzle will show a different variation in the spray pattern. Hollow cone nozzles will lose uniformity and develop streaks. When flat fan and full cone nozzles degenerate, more liquid will flow down the center of the stream, decreasing the area of coverage.
Decreased Spray Pressure and Lower Impact
Pressure will decrease, reducing the cleaning power of the nozzle. As a result, the nozzle won’t be able to perform the job you originally intended it to accomplish. Additionally, when used with a centrifugal pump, the reverse may occur. The impact of the nozzle may increase, which is bad if it becomes too strong for its purpose.
Monitoring Nozzle Performance
Once you understand the different ways your nozzles wear, you will need to find underperforming nozzles. To detect which tips are worn, set up an examination procedure that you can repeat regularly and record the results.
Document the performance right after each nozzle is installed. Use the initial result as your base and compare it to the results of each consecutive test.
Here is an example of a test to record nozzle performance. Place beakers or tubes under the nozzles as shown in the video of an assessment conducted by spraying systems. Purchase glass tubes with markings on them to help you measure and document the level of fluid they collect.
Make sure to develop an assessment schedule so you can detect waste before it begins to impact your profits. A good time to record nozzle performance is every time you regularly shut down for routine maintenance.
Detecting nozzle wear is crucial to your success because customers will notice a nozzle is worn when it leaves streaks on their vehicle. Knowing how to detect the signs of wear will help you find and replace worn nozzles allowing you to cut costs associated with wasted water and improve the reputation of your wash!
