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Look for one rated for continues duty. Ingersal Rand, Quincy are what I have used since being in the tire business. You can get by with a single stage quality compressor since you probably won't need 150 psi.
They have held up great and still are easy to clean. The only down side I can think of is that if you have scratchers they are easier to scratch than a FRP panel but I have never had that problem. I understand it is a thing in big cities.
Every customer that wants to occupy a bay on a busy Saturday bucket washing then drying their car. They have to argue when you ask them to leave, I just tell them to leave and never come back. Same problem as Pat H.
I did everything myself for the first 4 years but by the time I had 3 washes I finally found and hired a employee who stayed 18 years until the county had a much higher paying job and hired him away. About the same time my son was getting out of the Navy and came to work with me and has been...
Changing the tip size from say 2507 to 2506 will reduce water and should increase the pressure all things being equal. I still run 1508 at 1200 psi. I like the higher flow and impingement as it set me off from others washes and I can clean the bays much faster.
I have very little problem with clogging since using the tapered 2 inch to 1.5 inch hose. I also try to maintain keeping ends on the hose which restrict larger items from getting sucked in. When I do get a clog it is in the hose end claw or other attachment and rarely right at the upper coupling...
Here is a picture and my best recollection of the build. I used 2 booms from Kleenrite and bolted them to my center light pole. I run 2 inch vac hose up to the end of the arch. On the arch I use a 4 inch PVC pipe to support the hose. At the end of the arch I couple it to a tapered vac hose going...
I made my own years ago using KLeenrite in bay booms attached to my light poles that sit in the middle of each vacuum island. As I recall I was under $150 per vacuum and they have worked great for several years.
ONe contact switch. Originally it had a tall stop in front of the treadle plate. I had a plate with a 1 inch riser made to bolt behind the plate so the vehicle drives over the back plate and falls down into a channel with the treadle plate on the bottom.
I have one auto that still uses treadle plates. It has a ramp in the front and one the back to keep cars from rolling of the treadle. It has worked well for me.
The air pressure for the air mixing in to the chemical needs to be lower than the air pressure operating the pump. It has to be operating to set the pressures. I would start with the air pressure to the flojet being 80 and the air mix into chemical at 30 to 40 psi.
I always enjoyed his responses. The only problem I ever had was when he try to extend his knowledge into areas he was not familiar with. Like when he would tell people how to deal with cold temperatures at the car wash when he lived in Texas. Not a lot of below zero temperatures in Texas.
I just swapped one location from Etowah Valley to Crypto pay swipers. Wish I would have added the tap system also but will be adding that soon. It went easiier than I tought it would.
I have been using Heat tape instead of the trough loop for 30 years. Never had to replace one heat tape and had constant battle with pumps etc. when doing the loop thing. Raytheon winter guard wet is what I use. It has a extra layer of protection. Self regulating also.
The EPA considers car wash pit waste as simple street sweepings as long as it is dry and it is not considered hazardous. California has done several studies and came to the same conclusion. You could Join the WCA,( Western Car Wash Assoc.) They have several articles on this as well as the ICA...