Foam Marker Systems

FOAM MARKER SYSTEMS

Standard 'Old Style'

Markers:

These are the foam markers that everyone has had, which blow compressed air into an air-tight tank. This bubbles the mixture inside the tank and the air pressure pushes the resulting foam out of the top of the tank and through a 1" hose out to the end of the boom. The problems associated with this type of foam marker are that they are very inconsistent in the amount of foam that they produce, as when the tank is full they produce good foam, but as the tank level drops the foam blobs become smaller and are spread further apart. The pressure inside the tank will then build up, and blow out a big blob of foam, and then may take a lap or more to build up pressure again. A very easy modification that can increase this style of markers performance out of sight is to add an end-of-line foam generator. With the foam generator, you now pump air into the top of the tank to pressurize the tank and run either a 1/4" or 3/8" liquid line and air line along the boom and into the generator. The foam is then produced in the generator and only has to travel about 10' to the end of the boom. Foam output is regulated by a needle valve in the liquid line. This system is a very easy modification and improves your markers performance dramatically.

HARDI 'ELITE' Foam Markers:

The HARDI 'Elite' series of foam markers were always a bit of a problem child for HARDI, and their new marking systems, the 'Storm' and 'Cyclone' are now a world better. For anyone who has an 'Elite' marker and isn't happy with it, we have a 'Storm' upgrade kit available. The kit consists of a Flojet 12volt liquid pump, pressure regulating valve, and all necessary mounting brackets and fittings. The marker is changed so that the 12v Flojet pump delivers the foam solution to the end of the boom, it is not relying on the compressor to pressurize the tank and force the solution out. This means that there is now more air available for foam production, resulting in more foam. As the liquid is now being pumped out to the end of the boom, the marker will start making foam a lot quicker as it doesn't have to pressurize the system.

GOLDACRES Markers:

The Goldacres "Exacta" foam marker is a very simply designed marker that has worked very well for years, and doesn't require any modifications. You can add a 12 volt liquid pump to this system to increase foam generation if you wish. An upgrade that Goldacres have been fitting to most of their booms for the past couple of years is their "Direct Injection" System. This involves the fitting of a separate 25 litre tank for your foam concentrate (undiluted). The concentrate is then injected into the water line as foam is being generated. This eliminates the need to pre-mix water and concentrate.

**Remember that with any foam marker, two factors that are often overlooked and are vital towards producing good foam, is the quality of foam concentrate used and the actual foam accumulator (or pot).