Suttner ST-61 downstream injector?

Pat Norman

New member
I have ordered one to try. I understand you can turn a knob on it and get full unrestricted flow like for rinsing or running the surface cleaner without having to take it out of the line. Is that true? I've been thinking about rigging a bypass line for my injector but if this thing works as I understand that would be an easier solution to having to pull it off and on.
 
I have ordered one to try. I understand you can turn a knob on it and get full unrestricted flow like for rinsing or running the surface cleaner without having to take it out of the line. Is that true? I've been thinking about rigging a bypass line for my injector but if this thing works as I understand that would be an easier solution to having to pull it off and on.

That sounds good Pat, Where did you get it?
 
Okay i just got one in and now I understand how it works. There are two orifices in it. One is the small Chem injector orifice. The other is a larger bypass orifice that has a "gate" type valve. So I guess when the larger gate valve is open there is much more flow and since there would be such a small pressure differential below the injector it does not draw and it would be a lot easier on the pump just to open the gate valve to rinse rather than just pulling the line out of the chemical bucket. When you close down the valve it all goes thru the smaller injector orifice thus creating the pressure change and the venturi pulls the chemical. I can't wait to try it. Here's some pics I hope explains it.

1) gate open
uhuby6e2.jpg


2) gate partly closed.
ru7ynase.jpg


3) Gate fully closed.
zyvequ3u.jpg


This does not just work by restricting the flow in from the chemical line although there is an auxillary part you can order that will meter the intake. I also found Suttner has a switch valve device to select from two chemical lines. For intance, one could be a soap bucket and another could be a bucket with a rinse aid in it.
I will let y'all know how it (the injector) works after I get a chance to try it out.
 
Only thing I see on the downside it is a fairly expensive injector and it doesn't look like the orifice is replaceable. Although I figure with an 8gpm machine it should start pulling chems before the bypass is fully closed. As the orifice wears you should be able to compensate by closing the gate down more. I feel that is true because this thing is supposed to be adjustable to work with pumps from 2gpm up to 8 gpm. You don't order this injector like others for a specific narrow range of GPM. You just adjust the bypass gate.
 
Okay. I used it today. It does shoot soap! Also I did some testing in the bypass mode. With no injector in my line and 200 feet of hose plus my heater coil using a 50 GPM nozzle I was getting 1800 psi back between my pump and unloader. With the new injector in line and fully opened bypass I was getting almost the same reading maybe only 50 or 100 more psi back pressure. I thought that was pretty impressive! Of course with a regular injector or this one cranked down to pull soap the back pressure goes up to close to 3000 even with #50 nozzles back on the upstream side of the injector. Of course below the injector the pressure drops way down as usual.
 
So for me the moral of that story is that you can soap down a driveway or house. Open up the bypass and rinse or run the surface cleaner without having to pull off the injector. Also a big bonus for me when rinsing houses we typically left the injector on and just pulled the hose out of the soap bucket. This worked okay but man it was sure working that pump and motor harder and restricting water flow! So for me this is an effective alternative instead of trying to cobble up a ball valve controlled bypass line.
 
My long term use review of the st62 injector. I still am using this but ultimately now I am getting ready to build a bypass system for a fixed ceramic injector. I do like being able to open up the st62 without having to pull it off the circuit, but it draws on the weak side for some reasons that Suttner could improve. They have too small an orifice for the Chem injector. You adjust for this by always having some water go through the bypass. If you completely shut down bypass your flow is severely restricted. When you open bypass a little you are weakening your mix. It is fine for most common house washing but I do like a little stronger mix. If Suttner would build it like the Super Suds Sucker where you could screw in the correct size orifice to match what you need then you could close the bypass completely they would have a real nice product. I have thought about drilling out the orifice to 2.1mm if I can find a bit but I know drilling is not real accurate maybe I'll just try to start at 2mm and see how that does with a tiny bit of bypass. Maybe someone like Jerry with Sirroco Systems could discuss this with Suttner since he was the one kind of pushing this injector a while back.
 
I picked up an Amerimax Injector a few months ago to give a shot. When I first got to look down the inside looked like it had the same insert as the suds sucker from espec. Can't tell you about how strong the chems are and if they are the same, but I can tell you it pulled 200ft of hose no problems.

I got mine from Mike over at Aqua Fleet Solutions, it was a little more expensive then a suds sucker (Not much), but I got to avoid espec....
 
Pat, thank you for the detail in your thread here !!!

I have been posted about this chemical injector MANY times, as Pat found probably saw a few.
These injectors are PURRfect for 3 to 6 or so gpm,
..but as you go over 6gpm, the MAJOR advantages diminish if you need that full 10:1 ratio y'all'er used to.
Best solution (until I can get Suttner to make a bigger one for 8-12gpm)..
Use a cheap injector of your choice, (just make sure it has a stainless oriface for reliability,)
and plumb a Hi-Psi ball valve in parallel with it for NO flowRestriction, when not in use.
 
Pat, thank you for the detail in your thread here !!!

I have been posted about this chemical injector MANY times, as Pat found probably saw a few.
These injectors are PURRfect for 3 to 6 or so gpm,
..but as you go over 6gpm, the MAJOR advantages diminish if you need that full 10:1 ratio y'all'er used to.
Best solution (until I can get Suttner to make a bigger one for 8-12gpm)..
Use a cheap injector of your choice, (just make sure it has a stainless oriface for reliability,)
and plumb a Hi-Psi ball valve in parallel with it for NO flowRestriction, when not in use.
So Jerry, you have no problem installing a parallel line to bypass the injector? I saw that mentioned and a bunch of people poo poo'd it as having too many things to go wrong. What would it entail? installing a tee with two lines and a ball valve on one of the lines? Would the injector still be drawing soap, when you open the ball valve? If you are using a rinsing nozzle that would ordinarily open the injector? Which I like to do.
 
So Jerry I was thinking of trying a brand of fixed injectors with ceramic orifice nozzles thinking maybe they would last longer before eroding. But you said just use a reliable injector with stainless orifice. Do you have any negative experience with the ceramic AR injectors?
 
Ahh Yes, the ceramics are the best ..just slipped my mind at 2AM . LOL

Picture this.. Match the injector of your choice to the flow and chemical strength of your needs.
add a T in front of it, and one after it, ..aw heck.. I'm going to have to put one together, and post a pic :{/
Anyway..
Let's talk about brands.. brand should matter, except for price. I haven't taken the time to study intricate differences between the brands,
.. but Generally, brass is brass.. OK for the body, but NOT the orifice, stainless is better.
The orifice of stainless is going to last longer, silicon ceramic is certainly best.
if it's got a flow-adjustment, make Sure it has a stainless valve as well.. as brass is least chemical and abrasion resistant.
Same rules for the check-valve ball keeping hi-PSI from back-flowing into your chemical tank.
 
Back
Top