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About Car Wash Equipment
Carwash equipment refers to any of the components in
a commercial car cleaning facility. There are varying types of car washes
and the type of car
wash determines the carwash equipment and components needed. The
specific components necessary for a carwash cleaning system depend on
the type of car wash. Carwash types include a self-service style and
two automated kinds: touchless car wash equipment and cloth friction
carwash equipment. Car washes are located in most cities all over the
U.S. and are often attached to gas stations, detail centers or are free
standing. A car wash equipment manufacturer is a company that provides
the equipment and material necessary for various kinds of commercial
and sometimes industrial car washes. Components of car
wash systems may include the following: sprayers, pumps, mitters,
detection devices such as electronic eyes, dryers and conveyors.
As was stated above, the components in carwash equipment are dependent on the
type of car wash. Every car wash uses sprayers of some sort. A self-serve car
wash has sprayers that the customer uses to clean the vehicle. There are also
sprayers in various stages of automatic
car washes. Even cloth friction car washes use sprayers in the initial stage
to loosen dirt. Cloth friction washers utilize cloth material that wipes, scrubs
and washes dirt away from the vehicle's surface. Undercarriage washers spray
and treat the underside of vehicles. A typical feature of most car washes is
a wax application. Sprayers apply this to all parts of the car through sprayers.
Most automated car washes utilize spray arches. These are rectangular arches
with numerous sprays pointed at the passing vehicle. These are used for pre wash
applications as well as rinses. Another important component are dryers that
are generally high-powered blowers that
are applied at the end of an automated car wash system using heated air. The
pump is the most crucial part of a car wash system. This is because it must be
able to provide the high-pressure water going through the sprayers. The selection
of the pump is important for the life of the pump. This is relative to whether
it will be in continuous use or some kind of intermittent use.
The use of a car wash, especially an automatic car wash, provides many benefits.
The most obvious is the convenience of using a service that efficiently cleans
a car in a short amount of time. Home hand washing is problematic and can actually
cause damage to the vehicle. First, the typical soap is a dishwashing detergent
that is designed to cut grease. This means that it will also cut through any
wax finish, washing it away, thus removing the protection wax provides. Secondly,
it does not effectively wash the dirt away, but can actually rub the dirt across
the paint causing scratches up to 1/10 inch deep. This is because a sponge or
other cleaning cloth is never adequately rinsed of dirt in the hand washing process.
Typical garden hoses are not capable of providing water pressure to remove soap
or dirt. Lastly, the area of the car that needs the most attention is the undercarriage.
Home washing can never adequately clean this area due to logistical reasons.
The use of car washes eliminates these problems and provides protection and a
longer lasting paintjob for vehicles as well as undercarriage clean and care.
Since there is so much involved with a car wash and car wash equipment, there
are many options when looking for products. When shopping for carwash equipment,
some factors to consider are space, business location, type of car wash, type
of vehicles, chemical regulations and safety for workers and customers. It is
worth noting that the common perception is that car washes use an excessive amount
of water, and this is not the case. Some car washes have participated in water
conservation programs to continue to minimize water usage and to educate the
public to actual water use.
Featured
Articles
http://www.dscarwash.com/dualauto.asp
http://bikeforpeace.org/carwash.pdf
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.
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