Foam gun - foam cannon?

[bob m]

I have/had a GG Foam Gun - ya know the one that goes on the end of the garden hose. This is the second or third unit as none of them lasted - that aside GG Customer Service is excellent.

So, I`m thinking about either getting one but am also considering getting a PW and if I get the PW would get the foam cannon. Would this be a wasteful redundancy in equipment and technique having both the foam gun and cannon?

 

[TheMeanGreen]

I have/had a GG Foam Gun - ya know the one that goes on the end of the garden hose. This is the second or third unit as none of them lasted - that aside GG Customer Service is excellent.

So, I`m thinking about either getting one but am also considering getting a PW and if I get the PW would get the foam cannon. Would this be a wasteful redundancy in equipment and technique having both the foam gun and cannon?

I too once bought a foam gun in hopes that it would help me with washing, it helped but I wanted more. [Aside: The Gilmour Foam Gun is the one to get]..... I then decided to upgrade my $90 Greenworks with new hose, gun, and foam cannon. Then, I decided that my PW wasn`t cleaning as well as I would like, then came the SunJoe. Now, I want to get the hose that I originally wanted, as well as the gun set up. A foam canon with the correct soap is a killer for prewash soak. The right pressure washer also makes a big difference as well, in terms of actual cleaning, the bottom line is ~1.5gpm and ~1,200psi. It all depends on your budget. My presoak regularly switches between Chemical Guys Honey Dew Snow Foam (GG Surface Wash was too new for me to buy) and Purple Power Boat & RV, or a mix between the two. It is nice to have both units, but with the actual cleaning that I get done with the PW, I haven`t used my foam gun in years. The PW just cleans all the nooks and crannies so much better, after a foam soak, I can rinse off the majority of the traffic film off of the panel. As a result, there isn`t as much build up in cracks or trim pieces.

My advice: buy once and cry once.

 

[bob m]

I too once bought a foam gun in hopes that it would help me with washing, it helped but I wanted more. [Aside: The Gilmour Foam Gun is the one to get]..... I then decided to upgrade my $90 Greenworks with new hose, gun, and foam cannon. Then, I decided that my PW wasn`t cleaning as well as I would like, then came the SunJoe. Now, I want to get the hose that I originally wanted, as well as the gun set up. A foam canon with the correct soap is a killer for prewash soak. The right pressure washer also makes a big difference as well, in terms of actual cleaning, the bottom line is ~1.5gpm and ~1,200psi. It all depends on your budget. My presoak regularly switches between Chemical Guys Honey Dew Snow Foam (GG Surface Wash was too new for me to buy) and Purple Power Boat & RV, or a mix between the two. It is nice to have both units, but with the actual cleaning that I get done with the PW, I haven`t used my foam gun in years. The PW just cleans all the nooks and crannies so much better, after a foam soak, I can rinse off the majority of the traffic film off of the panel. As a result, there isn`t as much build up in cracks or trim pieces.


My advice: buy once and cry once.

Thanks and the Foam Cannon you have/recommend is?

 

[richiebohrer24]

In my opinion, a foam Cannon is much better than a foam gun. Does a much better job. Just my opinion though

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[TheMeanGreen]

Thanks and the Foam Cannon you have/recommend is?

MTM PF22, either get the SGS-28 kit with the canon and purchase the lance separately or get the gun kit with lance and purchase the canon separately. I suggest an UBERFLEX type hose as your patience with thank you, 50ft. All connectors can be sourced through Amazon.

 

[Coatings=crack]

I chose my pressure washer cuz it was the only one from a name brand I could find under $250 with a brushless motor and over 2000 psi as I also use it around house. My only mistake is not paying att to gpm,s. It has 1.2 and I would like higher.

The amazon suds magic Foam cannon did alright but foam would cover car white but was runny. Bought griots surface wash and was runnier but worked better. I had a 75$ gift card and wouldn’t you know mtm was having a sale and cost me about $73. I would have bought their anyways as they include the 1.1 orifice you’ll need.

It foams nice and thick with 1/10 of CG snow foam and the surface prep dwells more too. I’ve started mixing 1.5 to 1.5 to 25 oz of water and love it.

I would recommend getting any psi on an electric you want but at least 1.5 gsm.


I’ve used three foam cannons one for $20, one for $40 and the Pf22. Save your money buy the PF22.

I bought the flexzilla 50 ft 1/4 inch and love it. Would highly recommend.

I bought the sg35 stubby gun from MTM and it’s all I use.... no wand.


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[Ancient_1]

To many it seems that the PF22 is the way to go but for me it was just a complete waste of money.
I have 3 cannons 1st I got on the amazon for about 50 I believe (I git it because the specs it was rated for was almost exactly what my PW was rated at 3100psi and 2.8gpm) I also got a 22 with the sg28 gun and have a 3rd china special thgat I got for like $12.

Here is a short clip showing how the work for me with a strong 4 to 1 mixture of fast foam and set to all the way - on the knob which gives full soap.

 

[Coatings=crack]

To many it seems that the PF22 is the way to go but for me it was just a complete waste of money.
I have 3 cannons 1st I got on the amazon for about 50 I believe (I git it because the specs it was rated for was almost exactly what my PW was rated at 3100psi and 2.8gpm) I also got a 22 with the sg28 gun and have a 3rd china special thgat I got for like $12.

Here is a short clip showing how the work for me with a strong 4 to 1 mixture of fast foam and set to all the way - on the knob which gives full soap.

With gas most will work well. Most who the pf22 works better for have electric and way lower gpm’s. Also most use a 10/1 ratio. At 4 to one your wasting a lot of soap.


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[Mary B]

I have/had a GG Foam Gun - ya know the one that goes on the end of the garden hose. This is the second or third unit as none of them lasted - that aside GG Customer Service is excellent.

So, I`m thinking about either getting one but am also considering getting a PW and if I get the PW would get the foam cannon. Would this be a wasteful redundancy in equipment and technique having both the foam gun and cannon?

Good question.

To me, the foam gun set up is way easier & cheaper.
Gun, hose, soap and water. You’re in business.
Good for quick washes and when you don’t feel like lugging out the PW equipment.

Now a set up for a PW.
That’s like assembling a kit with many pieces.
I started with cheaper cannons to get the feel of things,
ended up with the best I could find. My PW is electric
which I like because it only kicks in when I pull the trigger.


This thread has me thinking of a cannon I always wanted to try.

To blast the dirt out and away, a PW is my choice.
I will most likely not ever use my foam gun again.

B)

 

[Bill D]

I never use a power washer because my car never gets very dirty so I only have foam guns. I do always wash with the extreme wash method though: constantly running the foam gun over the surface of the car while whisking with the mitt.

 

[bob m]

Thanks All. A PW and Canon is definitely in my very near future. Electric with proper suggested power and the correct hose. And can/will serve for around the house cleanups also. What`s the advantage of the lance/wand? Worth the extra $$?

But I also agree with this from Mary: To me, the foam gun set up is way easier & cheaper.
Gun, hose, soap and water. You’re in business.
Good for quick washes and when you don’t feel like lugging out the PW equipment.

 

[briarpatch]

I started with, and still have, a SunJoe SPX3000 and it works very well. The fittings on it are crap, which you`d expect from this level power washer. It`s specs are 2030 psi/1.76gpm.....both very overstated. The SunJoe comes with a quick disconnect at the end of its gun, so you`re all set if you buy a foam cannon. The hose is useable, but at some point you`d want to upgrade it. It has all the tips, so, out of the box, it`s ready to go. Pick yourself up a 20.00 Amazon knock-off foam cannon, and you can get started. In order to get the most out of your SunJoe, or any electric p/w, you;ll want to switch out the standard orifice in the cannon (1.25mm) for the smaller (1.1mm) one. It will make a big difference in the foam.

I did get a PF22 for Christmas, and it`s noticeably better than the cheapie. I`ve also just upgraded to the MTM SGS28/bent wand combo. The bent wand makes it easy to reach up into the wheel wells, but I can see a day when I might not use it at all. I`m getting ready to upgrade my power washer setup too.....nothing crazy like a 1300.00 Kranzle, but a stationary unit made by Comet.

For what it`s worth, I`ve gotten very good foam from Griots Surface Wash, MTM Perfoamance Soap, Chemical Guys Honeydew, Masterson`s Mystic snow Foam and Jay Leno`s Garage Vehicle Wash.

 

[TheMeanGreen]

To many it seems that the PF22 is the way to go but for me it was just a complete waste of money.
I have 3 cannons 1st I got on the amazon for about 50 I believe (I git it because the specs it was rated for was almost exactly what my PW was rated at 3100psi and 2.8gpm) I also got a 22 with the sg28 gun and have a 3rd china special thgat I got for like $12.

Here is a short clip showing how the work for me with a strong 4 to 1 mixture of fast foam and set to all the way - on the knob which gives full soap.

I`m sorry, but in your video you didn`t even adjust the solution control knob, no wonder you think it`s a waste of money....... With the knob full open and the amount of solution that is trying to be metered into the flow path, the aerator isn`t working effectively. I`d try dialing back the control knob.

@1:09, that is what the pf22 is supposed to sound like when the solution control knob is adjusted properly.

 

[SWETM]

Thanks All. A PW and Canon is definitely in my very near future. Electric with proper suggested power and the correct hose. And can/will serve for around the house cleanups also. What`s the advantage of the lance/wand? Worth the extra $$?

But I also agree with this from Mary: To me, the foam gun set up is way easier & cheaper.
Gun, hose, soap and water. You’re in business.
Good for quick washes and when you don’t feel like lugging out the PW equipment.

IMO if you are going to use the PW as tool to clean your car. A lance/wand is necessary so you reach the lower parts of the car without needed to be bending down. Also this can be sound a little harsh. But if you don`t take advantage of the cleaning ability the PW gives you. You can stay with the garden hose setup. Cause the only thing you will do with as so many has taken for the standard and have 1000psi and snubb gun and a 40degree nozzle tip is rinse the car. And for rinsing the hose beats the PW any day. Sure you have to respect the power from the water pressure from the PW. But it`s like useing a polisher or any power tools you will learn where it`s safe and don`t put the nozzle to close to the vehical. I don`t know if it`s that it`s where more common with gas PW and now that scares also when you useing an electric PW. The power between them is very far away from each other. With 1.2gpm you will not doing any damage with 25 or 15 degree nozzle tip if there is not already a damage on the vehical. And there is a benefit with getting the most powerfull electric PW you can have. In both cleaning ability and the time you save. I started with a smaller specs PW maybe 1500psi and 1.2gpm. When I bought the Kärcher K7 with 2600psi 2.6gpm specs on 240v. I would say I cut down the time with 65%-75% and the dirt is very much less left. Did a test side by side when I bought the K7 and was amazed by the difference between them.

Also want to note that I go farther between the washes that is mostly done here by the members. So the amount of dirt is also higher. But if I do a weekly or every other week. I feel like I get away with a touchless wash a couple of times before needed to be touch washing it. So say you want to be doing a fast wash. It`s quite easy to setup the PW and fill the foamcannon bottle and 15 minutes later a clean car.

Have not used a foam gun. But if you use it as a prewash and PW. I don`t think it`s that much difference to a foamcannon depending on the environment you wash in. The benefit with foamcannon is the longer dwell time. But the heavy lifting with cleaning is done by the PW and the prewash ads a notch cleaner surface.

 

[Accumulator]

Regulars here already know that:

I will not wash without a foamgun (Gilmour) as it`s the only way I can avoid wash-induced marring. If a wash medium is touching my paint, the foamgun is spraying output at the point of medium-to-paint contact. Always. Period.

I got a *very* cheap pressure washer a few years ago as a Christmas present and I use it at every wash too.

And/but I have zero interest in a foamcannon. I even bought one a while back and never bothered figuring out how to hook it up to a pressure washer. For *ME* (not necessarily for others), it`s a solution in search of a problem. And/but#2, I can do a Home Touchless Wash without it just fine.

 

[lloydrm]

Regulars here already know that:

I will not wash without a foamgun (Gilmour) as it`s the only way I can avoid wash-induced marring. If a wash medium is touching my paint, the foamgun is spraying output at the point of medium-to-paint contact. Always. Period.

Whenever I consider giving your approach a try I end up reconsidering as I foresee some hose rubbing against the paint, at least for the learning process.

Also, how do you go about home touchless washing?

 

[Accumulator]

Whenever I consider giving your approach a try I end up reconsidering as I foresee some hose rubbing against the paint, at least for the learning process.

Actually, that`s never been a problem for me. Replacing the foamgun`s pistol-grip with a (straight, inline) shutoff orients the hose straight out the back and, well...IME solves that potential problem. An uber-careful person could drape the hose over his shoulder but IMO that`d be uncomfortable and would maybe make an "oops!" even more likely.

IMO the pistol-grip is simply wrong for what I`m doing, replace that and it oughta go fine.

Also, how do you go about home touchless washing?

This is another one I oughta write up properly some time...very short version follows:

What I do requires a Pressure Washer and a Tornador and a Lonn Cleaning Gun (the latter two require a compressor, which I need for drying anyhow)

-Pressure Washer rinse, first with filtered/softened water and then with DeIonized water

Inspect/evaluate, then, as needed:

-Spray off with Lonn Cleaning Gun using IUDJ

and/or

-Spot-clean with Tornador, using either IUDJ or DI waster

-Inspect/evaluate, repeat above as needed

When sufficiently clean, blow dry with AirWand and Compressor. This will sometimes result in residual dirt being brought out of nooks/crannies, requiring repeat of above cleaning steps, followed by more drying.

-Clean exterior glass

-Dress Tires (as needed)

That only works if the LSP is healthy and the vehicle isn`t too dirty. FWIW, it takes me a lot longer to do the above than many here spend on a conventional wash (let alone a RW/WW one!), but it seems that everything Detailing-related takes me longer than it does others.

 

[lloydrm]

Thanks Accumulator, I might give the foam gun a try. In theory it makes sense to me but, like I said, practice “seems” tricky/challenging but it might be worth trying.
I am not 100% sold on the benefits of a foam cannon, but it <seems to me> like the foam gun approach could work well for me. I hope this also helps the OP inform his decision. I know that was a question I had for chosing a gun or a cannon.

Also, your touchless system does seem labor intensive yet it all makes sense to me. I guess I’d rather spend the time on a full wash but its good to have options on your back pocket. Thanks for sharing.

 

[bob m]

Very interesting and helpful (as usual) comments/suggestions.

I have decided to.... get both a gun and a cannon. Autopia had a 25% sale and I decided on their (Gilmour) gun - looks solid and reviews are good. My 2 or 3 GG guns just never lasted. I will use this on a regular basis UNTIL I buy a decent PW and Cannon. The PW/Cannon combo will be my go to foam/wash set up most of the time and the PS will also serve for around the house/yard cleaning also. I will look for one with a GPM of at least 1.5 as BudgetPlan1 mentioned though a quick look in Home Depot`s offerings means something more than $250.00 - again as BP1 mentioned. Years ago I had a gas and electric unit and both leaked and I ended up getting rid of them. I`m looking now at electric - not gas and won`t spend any more than needed - no high end machines for me. I will also buy it local because if there is a problem I do not want to deal with shipping issues.

Accumulator - Actually, that`s never been a problem for me. Replacing the foamgun`s pistol-grip with a (straight, inline) shutoff orients the hose straight out the back and, well...IME solves that potential problem. An uber-careful person could drape the hose over his shoulder but IMO that`d be uncomfortable and would maybe make an "oops!" even more likely.
IMO the pistol-grip is simply wrong for what I`m doing, replace that and it oughta go fine. Would love to see a picture of that set-up.
Also, I`m in agreement with Mary B`s sentiments - there are times when I simply want to lay down some foam fast and easy and not drag out the pw and cannon. So even though there is some redundancy in applications/usage with the cannon and gun, for my own regimen, there`s enough of a difference to get both of them. Of course since I don`t have a money tree in the yard, I`ll wait until I have the funds available to get the pw/cannon but until then, I`m sure I`m going to like the gun.

 

[Accumulator]

Thanks Accumulator, I might give the foam gun a try. In theory it makes sense to me but, like I said, practice “seems” tricky/challenging but it might be worth trying...

And trying and trying and trying Just kidding, well...sorta! I must`ve done a few dozen washes before I got squared-away and can sure understand somebody else not going through all that. Definitely an approach that`s not for everyone.

.. your touchless system does seem labor intensive yet it all makes sense to me. I guess I’d rather spend the time on a full wash but its good to have options on your back pocket.

I guess it seems like "the quick and easy approach" to me because I`m so extreme about what a "normal maintenance wash" amounts to I`ve been thinking about what I do and how long it takes compared with what others do...and remember that I`m *ALL* about efficiency. Redundant systems on both sides of the wash bay so I never waste a *moment* grabbing the right BHB/swab/mitt, even have a whole separate setup for use on the undercarriage as I was wasting time using the setup for the wheelwells. I just don`t know how people do it so much faster...glad they can, but I can`t.