TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE March 2007
GREENEARTH CLEANING TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE Table of Contents 1.0
Boilover...........................................................................................TS-1
2.0
Cloudy Solvent................................................................................TS-1
3.0
Dye Bleeding...................................................................................TS-2
4.0
Extended Drying Time....................................................................TS-2
5.0
Insufficient Solvent Soluble Soil Removal.....................................TS-3
6.0
Odor ................................................................................................TS-3 6.1 Wheel....................................................................................TS-4 6.2 Separation System.................................................................TS-4 6.3 Tanks.....................................................................................TS-5
7.0
Poor Solvent Mileage......................................................................TS-6
8.0
Rings on Garments..........................................................................TG-7
9.0
Wrinkles or Shrinkage.....................................................................TG-8
10.0 Boiler and Open Flame influence....................................................TG-8
Troubleshooting Guide 1.0 Boilover: IF YOU SUSPECT A BOILOVER, DO NOT RUN THE MACHINE UNTIL REMEDIED! A major indicator of a boilover is the presence of a murky (sometimes brown) liquid in the separator after the still condensation coil. If not identified early, this same liquid can also contaminate the recovery tank. Cause:
a. b. c. d. e.
Remedy:
May be the presence of moisture. If the still is not fractional by design, the early boilers may cloud or cause the solvent to become murky. May be pumping solvent into a pre-heated still without cooling down the still first (flashing). May be caused by overfilling the still. May be too much soap or prespotter Water may be entering the system from a different source.
Determine the reason for the presence of moisture and remedy it. Empty the separator, clean, and allow the solvent to settle out. This will occur over a period of time (1 to 1½ days). Then reintroduce the solvent to the still. If the tank is contaminated, it may be necessary to clean the tank, as well. (See "6.3, Tanks.") After re-initiating distillation, the first solvent recovered may appear cloudy (in a non-fractional still). Drain the initial cloudy collection until clear. Reintroduce solvent to the still. Check the still condenser coils and the drying coils.
2.0 Cloudy Solvent: Cause:
Most often cloudy solvent is an indication of the presence of moisture. If a cationic detergent is being used, it will most likely contain moisture, which could make the solvent appear cloudy. Suspended air in the solvent may also cause a cloudy appearance.
Check:
First, identify the vessel containing cloudy solvent. This may help you logically determine the source of the moisture.
TG-1
March 2007
To check for moisture in the solvent, put a sample of the cloudy solvent in a clear glass and add salt or anionic detergent. If that clears it up, then there is excess moisture in the solvent. Check all sources of moisture, including: − Excess detergent. − Improper spotting. − Leaking steam coil. − Leaking cooling coil. − Boilover. Remedy:
After identifying source of moisture, make necessary adjustments.
3.0 Dye Bleeding: Cause:
Dye bleeding is never caused by the GreenEarth solvent, regardless of the temperature of the solvent. a. b. c.
d. Remedy:
The primary cause of dye bleeding is an overcharge of the detergent. If you are using too much detergent this will cause dye bleeding. Another common cause is excess moisture somewhere in the system. Another source is garments with fugitive dyes, which may be unique to only one garment. Some unusual items may have been home-dyed or left with fugitive surface dyes that any amount of agitation will cause to run. Free water can also cause or add to dye bleeding.
Titrate detergent and adjust volume of accordingly. The most common volume of detergent is .75% to .8% by volume. If an injection system is in use, the most common volume of detergent is 1 to 1.3 oz. per 10 pounds of cleaning. Rerun the affected garments in a load by themselves. In very stubborn cases, it may be necessary to wash out the dye.
4.0 Extended Drying Time: Cause:
a. b. c.
Most common cause of long drying times is restricted air flow. May be retention of the solvent after extraction. May be the collection of liquid in the bottom of the button trap and the need to re-recover the solvent.
TG-2
March 2007
d.
Remedy:
May be caused by overloading. Most manufacturers recommend loads at 80% of listed size; i.e., run 48 pounds in a 60-pound capacity machine.
If "a.", clean the air filter system. The filters must be washed on a daily basis with water and a neutral soap. Silicone solvent has a tendency to coat the filters and not allow the air to flow at a full rate. The use of the neutral soap is critical. Air dry the filters and return to the air system. If "b.", confirm that extraction times and speeds are as recommended by the manufacturer. If "c.", confirm that the pump is programmed to intermittently pump out the button trap during the dry cycle (if needed).
5.0 Insufficient Solvent Soluble Soil Removal: Cause:
a. b. c.
Insufficient wash time. Insufficient solvent flow. Insufficient solvent level.
Remedy:
If "a.", and the items cleaned are unusually soiled, then extend the wash time and pump the heavily-soiled solvent directly to the still. It may be better to identify these runs and mill them only since you are not filtering the oil but solubilizing it and there is not a reason to contaminate the solvent in the filter. Run times for traditional cleaning are between 14 and 18 minutes. For heavy soil, the run time is 22 minutes. If "b.", be sure the flow rate is at one change per running minute during the wash cycle. If "c.", confirm the working level of solvent for pre-wash is 1/3-gallon per rated pounds. The working level for the wash cycle should be 1/2 to 5/8 gallon per rated pounds of the machine. Some machines work on pump time, and others work on float level controls.
6.0 Odor: Any time a solvent has a water interface, there is always the possibility for the formation of bacteria and the resulting odor. While it is true the GreenEarth silicone is not a feedstock for bacteria, the potential for a water interface does exist, and thus there is a potential for bacteria to develop if your system is not properly maintained.
TG-3
March 2007
If allowed to stagnate, the water interface layer can form bacteria, and thus odor, due to bacterial feeding on the fatty acids, sugars and other impurities that have been removed from the textiles being cleaned and are thus present in the water interface layer. Therefore, at the first sign of odor, it is important to act immediately. DO NOT LET THE ODOR PERSIST. Bacteria doubles every 32 minutes at 72째F and the odor may be difficult to remedy if it is not dealt with immediately. Identify the source of the odor. This will better allow you to eliminate and remedy the source of the odor. 6.1
Wheel: Check:
As you empty the wheel every load, be aware of a "dirty sock" smell. The wheel will be warm at that point and the heat will emphasize any odor. If there is odor, most likely lint has collected on the coils and has absorbed moisture, which is producing bacteria and odor.
Remedy: Saturate a terry cloth towel (about the size of a hand towel) with Lysol liquid disinfectant, approximately 8 ounces. Place the saturated towel in the wheel and begin the dry cycle. As the disinfectant volatilizes, it will attack the bacteria and eliminate the odor. 6.2
Separation System: Check:
Drain the liquid from the vessel. The drain is on the bottom of the vessel, as is the water. Water is much more likely to hold the odor than the solvent. If there is an odor, identify the source of the condensed liquids and determine if: a. The odor is only in the vessel, or b. The source of the odor is the condensing coils prior to the separator, or c. The water sensors are not functioning.
Remedy: If "a.", wipe the vessel out with a rag saturated in Lysol liquid disinfectant. To prevent reoccurrence, drain the vessel and clean more frequently. If "b." and the source is the still recovery:
TG-4
March 2007
− Check the stanchion pipe in the condenser coil to be sure that there is no blockage and that it drains freely. If not, contact your serviceman or machine manufacturer's representative. − Keep in mind that a boilover may also result in odor. (See "1.0, Boilover," to determine if a boilover has occurred.) If "b." and the source is the dryer recovery head: − Refer to section "6.1, Wheel" above and follow those steps. If "c.", empty all water-out vessels on a daily basis to confirm that water is being sensed and also ejected. Some pneumatic valves have been equipped with air throttling valves to slow the action of the valve. These are prone to clogging. Refer to the machine manual as to the best method to confirm the functioning of the water sensing system. Confirm that when the water is sensed and the valve opens that the water actually leaves the vessel. Clogging of both fittings and drain tubes can happen. 6.3
Tanks: Check:
Pump the solvent into an empty wheel to about 1/3 of the normal operating level. (Since the source to the pump is the bottom of the tank, the probability of pulling water, and thus the source of the odor, is very high.) Agitate the wheel and then shut down the machine. Then open the wheel and check for odor. If there is an odor, determine whether the source is: a. In the recovered solvent tank. b. In the working tank.. c. In the retex sizing tank.
Remedy: If "a.", the likely source of the odor is the separation system or the "startup program" has not been followed. The best remedy is: − Allow the tank to settle overnight and then pump the contents to a cold still. If the still cannot hold the volume, then temporarily pump the remainder to the wheel. − Open the sight glass. If there is odor, dry out the tank with rags and allow to air dry for a few hours. Then wipe out the tank with a towel saturated in Lysol disinfectant.
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March 2007
− Start the still slowly, as there is probably water present. Then inspect the returning solvent to confirm that the odor is gone. − Note: Although unlikely, another source of the odor may be a leak in the tank cooling coil, which would return an overabundance of water through the separation system. If "b.", the likely source is that the "startup program" has not been followed, allowing water to stagnate. Another possibility is that the cooling coils may have a slight water leak. If so, the coils can be hydrostatically tested. If "c.", the startup program may not have been followed. If the tank is being used for a bath process, then there may be moisture that has been allowed to stagnate in the tank. Follow remedy under "a." above.
7.0 Poor Solvent Mileage: With a dry-to-dry system, customary mileage is between 1,000 to 1,300 pounds per gallon. With a transfer system, customary mileage is between 800 to 1,000 pounds per gallon. Mileage:
At least once a week, at a time when the still is empty and all solvent that is normally in the system is in the system, calculate mileage as follows: − Confirm still is empty. − Purge the air out of the filter housing to be sure there are no air pockets. − Move all solvent to a preset level on all but one tank. − To measure the change in that one tank, you will need to know: The level from the week before. How much solvent has been added in the past week. How much solvent may have been used for sampling. The volume of gallons per vertical inch on the tank. − Using the above information, calculate the number of gallons of solvent consumed. − Divide the pounds cleaned during the week by the number of gallons consumed. This is your weekly mileage. − Keep a log book of accumulated poundage and solvent consumption, and do monthly, quarterly and annual calculations based on the totals. TG-6
March 2007
Cause:
a. b. c.
Improper drying. Inadequate distillation. Vapor leak.
Check:
To check for improper drying, weigh "dry" load then re-dry and weigh again. The weight of the solvent is 7.9 pound per gallon. The consistence of the NVR being removed should be almost dry -- not running.
Remedy:
Reference section 4.0, "Extended Drying Time." If completion of the dry cycle is determined by temperature, make sure the temperature is set properly. If completion of the dry cycle is determined by flow sensors, check for lint buildup. Make sure the setting is correct. Keep in mind that on a flow sensor the 6:00 position is the most dry. Most settings are at a setting of 4:00 to 5:00 or 7:00-8:00. Watch for lint buildup on the sides of the machine near openings or the residue left as vapors dry and soap remains.
8.0 Rings or Halo Marks on Garments: Cause:
a. b. c.
Improper spotting. Dripping back during drying phase. Impurities in the solvent.
Remedy:
If "a.", use a leveling agent and rerun. If "b.", check to see if you have any lint collected in the air flow duct entering the drying chamber. If so, remove. If "c.", it may mean the solvent is being under-distilled and the impurities are showing as rings on the garments. A distillation rate of 10-12 gallons per 100 pounds cleaned is usually adequate. If the solvent is not distilled, but filters are being used, the filters may need to be changed. With a Kleen-Rite system, a tube will filter approximately 10,000 pounds. When using standard size cartridges (carbon core), you can expect 1,000 to 1,200 pounds per cartridge.
TG-7
March 2007
9.0 Wrinkles or Shrinkage: Cause:
This is most often caused by the presence of moisture in the form of either water or steam. Check the following sources: − Leaking steam coil. − Leaking water coil. − Excess pre-spotting. − Excess humidity. − Free water or extremely hydrated solvent.
Remedy:
Once the source has been identified, remedy as appropriate.
10.0 Boiler and Open Flame Influence: Cause:
The thermal degradation of silicone is to SIO2 (sand), H2O and CO2. A fine powder of sand can form on the extreme hot surfaces of a boiler and also on the flame rod or igniter. This may render the burner inoperable or less effective. Check for the following: − The boiler room is not constructed with a positive clean air pressure. − Garments are being hung for drying in the boiler room
Remedy:
Prevent air that may contain any vapors from entering the boiler room area.
TG-8
March 2007