Car Wash Equipment Types and Terms
Types of Car Wash Equipment
- are
a popular system where cars are driven into the wash bay and either
guided into the washing
equipment by conveyors or the equipment moves around the stationary
vehicle. Also known as full service wash since these typically encompass
the whole process of a complete wash, dry and vacuuming (by hand).
- are businesses
where cars are cleaned.
- are
any of the materials used in washing cars.
- include
self-serve, automated, and full service car washes.
-
is a conveyor wash, in
which workers wash the vehicle as it passes with large mitts in place
of mechanical mitters and side washers.
- vary
with site and application but typically the dryer heats large amounts
of air and forces it out through a series of
nozzles in blasts, which dry the vehicle. Some sites use a special
chemical after the final rinse to speed up the drying process.
- are a newer trend in vehicle maintenance where
the service providers come to the location of the vehicle with
high powered
equipment to clean the vehicle.
- have
an open bay with a pressure sprayer, and sometimes a foaming brush,
which is connected to a large central
pump. They are usually coin operated.
- consist of a combination of manual washing
and special washing brushes, rinsers, hoses and chemicals designed
to clean
a truck or heavy equipment.
- usually consist of chemicals, which break
up dirt and oil to be wiped away and leave a shine on the
vehicle. With most waterless systems, effectiveness is increased with
frequency of use.
Car Wash System Terms
- An
important chemical additive due to its capability to react with alkalies
or bases in water to produce
salts.
- The arm extension holding
the hose and nozzle assembly for washing vehicles in a self service car
wash bay; the boom could either
be mounted to a bay wall for 180° or to the bay ceiling for 360° mobility.
- Apparatus that removes big particles
of dirt out of the flow of reclaim water flow.
- The use
of wash material on the surface of the vehicle for dirt removal.
- A system of small rollers, which push the wheel forward through
the tunnel in an automatic car wash system. The two types of conveyor
systems for these purposes are: front-wheel pull (FWP), which uses the
front left wheel and rear-wheel push (RWP), which uses the rear left wheel.
(http://www.conveyor-systems.biz)
- Can
be found at the beginning of the conveyor in an automatic drive in car
wash. It is the system of rollers that
aligns the vehicle
wheel with the conveyor.
-
The capability to remove or clean soil. Typically, detergency is relative
to the action of a cleaning medium like detergent, soap, alkaline salt
or a mixture.
- Particles
of dirt or other debris too fine to be visible in water.
- Calculates information determined by eyes/sensors
and activates proper stations and phases of the wash as needed.
- A phrase that
refers to a carwash service that only cleans the outside of the vehicle,
typically an unattended wash
without detailing services.
- Infrared
sensors with a beam between them to activate the car-washing system when
a vehicle enters and measure the
length and width of the vehicle.
- Car
wash cleansing foam created by mixing chemical cleaners with water and
air. Foam is usually for deep cleaning or a main wash station.
- Applies foam detergent
to the car for deep-cleaning. Usually with adjustable nozzles.
- A system
of rotating water jets, arranged like a pinwheel, that spray concentrated
streams of water onto the car. Often used on the lower portion of the
vehicle to remove mud, dirt and salt.
- Long strips of
cloth that hang from the top of the tunnel in a car wash and are usually
motorized to move up and down the vehicle.
They clean the hood, roof and trunk.
- Enclosed
area housing the switching, starters and overload protection equipment
used in a complete carwash system to run the different motors on various
machines.
- A
solution that is sprayed over the car in the initial wash stage to wet
the vehicle before detergents are added
and to loosen dirt and oil.
- Nozzles arranged on an arch that use clean water to remove
whatever residue is left after the wash.
- Large
cylinders that rotate rapidly (anywhere from 100 to 500 rpm) to spin
the hundreds
of small cloth strips attached to
them.
- Nozzles,
near the ground, which spray the tires with a solution designed to remove
brake dust and brighten
the
black
rubber
of the tire.
- Device to deliver high volumes of wash water to the underside
of vehicles to remove mud and salt. Can also be used as a rust inhibitor
applicator.
- Usually
applied by an arch, forms water resistant coating on vehicle for shine,
polishing and protection. Sometimes applied in foam form or liquid.
- Type of scrubber on short booms that move around to the front
and rear of the vehicle.