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So I bought a foam cannon for washing the SS

8.2K views 36 replies 19 participants last post by  TyH  
#1 ·
Last week I picked up a cheap electric pressure washer off CL for $15 with the idea of making a foam gun. So a weedy little electric PW and a garden hose for source water. I bought a cheap pressure gun, foamer and expensive foamer soap. That's it. All in I'm at $65. I didn't expect too much, but to my surprise its awesome. It can bury the entire car in thick foam that takes a long time to dry out or run off. Makes washing the entire car so much faster with soap all over the surface and no need to stop and rinse part way through. I used maybe 1 oz of soap total and I was really playing around with the foam.

Pix tell the story:

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#2 ·
Does your foam last long enough to wash the entire car before showing bare spots? I can't get down even one side of the car. Using the same Chemical Guys soap. I've only tried it twice, though, next time I'll try adjusting the soap ratio.



It definitely does make your neighbors think you really know what you're doing.
 
#5 ·
I've been thinking about doing the same thing, only issue I have is that the water in Vegas is really hard causing sun spots to form rather quickly as it dries. I think my best solution is to get a huge water tank and just get it filled with soft water.
 
#6 ·
Looks great! I have the same exact foam cannon. Can’t beat it for the price. No need for the expensive ones. I use Mr. Pink and turn the dial up all the way for suds. Put about 2 oz in the cannon, and fill with water to about 1/4 of it and it’s plenty. No need to use more water or soap. Then of course use the 2 bucket method.
 
#8 ·
''never ever go through a car wash"' I know it can be tempting but if you love your car dont go there. the harsh mops slapping on the cars paint and panels creating scratches ,small chips and dints and dirt from other cars makes it a no go zone ,hand washing is the best ,and using the double bucket wash and rinse method is best to minimize dirt getting rub into the paint and creating swirl scratches .has anyone ever clay barred there car to get the impurities out of the paint and did it come up good .
 
#18 ·
Construction company across the street where I work was painting a building and due to overspray, ended up paying for me to take my car to a pro that used clay. Wow! The finish was so smooth I could not believe it! Cost... $200.
 
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#9 ·
Awesome. I have a cheap electric pw also and I didn’t think it would work. My foam cannon will be here in two days. Thanks!

I wonder how much money this forum has cost me? Haha
 
#11 ·
Sounds good. I should mention that the soap I am using has wax in it and per chemical guys does not foam as much as their soaps without wax. When I was hand washing I was use a meguirs wash and wax soap that costs under $10 at retail for a similar size, about half gallon. Takes me years to use it up because I usually just stop at a self serve wash and rarely wash at home. Especially true in the winter. I wonder how much that regular meguirs soap would foam?

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#12 ·
I also forgot to mention that I bought a pack of the same brand nozzles for about 7 dollars. From 0 degree spot to 45 degree fan. I found the 15 degree fan nozzle worked best for rinsing off the car. It's the yellow tip on the end of the gun in the photo. The 0 degree spot nozzle will prove useful to knock down 2nd story yellow jacket nests.

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#17 ·
I don’t have a drain in my garage but I’ve got hot and cold water in the driveway.
Sometimes I have to stop the kids from being sissy’s when they have the hot water running the sprinkler.

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#22 ·
... and expensive foamer soap....
I have a gallon of that stuff, too, that I picked up during Amazon Prime Day (jeebus, did I buy a ton of **** from Chemical Guys on Amazon Prime Day...). However, I used their Honeydew Snowfoam in my foam cannon paired with a Karcher electric pressure washer. Amazing stuff. I'm sure what you used is just as good. Way better than the Meguiar's Gold Class that I have read other people like to use in their foam cannons. I used about 50ml of the snowfoam and rest with ambient temp water in a 1L bottle, and that covered the whole car with some to spare, and it stayed on the car much longer, too. I have a cheap Chinesium foam cannon that works, but if it ever craps out, I'll step up to a better one.


Looks great!
 
#24 ·
El Cheapo PW, 1800 psi/1.5gpm/1.1mm orifice with Adams Ultra Foam soap/MTM foam Cannon and a few minutes dwell time.
 

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#29 ·
I also use a foam cannon with my pressure washer. But, to cut out the drying time, I use a water deionizer filter. With the PW, the GPM flow rate is less than the filter provides, so there's no loss in pressure or flow. So, I just connect it, pre-rinse, foam, wash, then rinse. All with totally spotless water. Gas PWs will flow more GPM and likely suffer water starvation, so I don't recommend that.



https://simplechuck.com/product/double-chuck-dark-blue/


Yes, it's a bit pricey (got mine way less than that when it first came out). But, I used it for an entire year and still haven't used up the media. Of course, it wasn't a carwash every weekend, so longevity will obviously vary.
 
#30 ·
Get an MTM. You won’t regret it.
 
#32 · (Edited)
That's the identical setup that I'm running, but with the MTM Hydro "Snub" Foam Cannon . Love it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MG9632D/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I went with a foam cannon, and use a 2 bucket system with grit guards (Chemical Bros), and a boars hair brush with a telescopic handle,
to avoid residual dirt causing swirls in the paint.
Sometimes I wonder if the cannon is just a gimmick, but I figure it's better to be safe then sorry.

Although, when I finished yesterday, there was a line of dirt from right to left, all along my my SS Sedan's trunk lid, just forward of the spoiler.
Weird.
 
#34 ·
This thread made me just watch this video debating the effectiveness of foam cannons.
I found the video, and the comments, to be interesting and made me question my investment.

Unfortunately, I have the same amount of residual dirt left on my paint, after I use my MTM foam cannon filled with Chemical Bros Snow Foam cleaner (link below), and powered by my gas powered Generac One Wash.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009OTW646/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is there a better solution to fill the Foam Cannon with, that will do a better job of stripping the dirt?
Or, is the Foam Cannon just a gimmick?

After all the money I spent on the Foam Cannon, the Power Washer, and the foam cannon soap, I'll keep using it.
But, I wonder if I got "hosed". LOL
 
#35 ·
Foam cannon is just another tool in the arsenal. It won’t take off heavy dirt ( although it will loosen it). A pre spray with the pw will do that.
The foam helps loosen dirt and lift it off the paint so you won’t have to scrub and mess up the paint. A quality soap helps of course.
Foam cannon itself does not “strip” the dirt. It just helps to protect the paint.
As for soap, I like Adams.
 
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