“After reading these posts, I've only gleaned two benefits from the 5 brush machine. It will probably be a little faster. It should fit in a shorter bay. I've read nothing to make me think that it will turn out a cleaner car.”
Think in terms of power or the rate of doing work. The watt is unit of power that expresses energy transfer with respect to time.
The higher the wattage, the more power or the more electrical energy is used per unit time.
Watts = amps X volts
Basic 5-brush drive-thru wash system (no dryer) is rated at 10-hp and produces 6,240 watts.
5-brush roll-over gantry (no dryer) adds 5-HP, more amps and produces 12,580 watts.
3-brush roll-over (no dryer) rated at 10-hp but produces only 8,320 watts.
5-brush hybrid (friction and high-pressure, no dryer) rated at 20-hp, 185 amps and produces 38,480 watts.
Conversely, touch-less gantry (no dryer) is also rated at 20-hp but produces only 20,800 watts.
Time depends on how the work is accomplished.
For example, 5-brush soft-cloth gantry might travel at 7 meters per minute (covers 23’ guide rail length) during scrubbing cycle whereas it might move twice as fast during pre-soak.
Amount of work can be affected by wash material. For example, rotating foam brushes can spin much faster than conventional soft-cloth thereby doing more work in the same amount of time.
A five brush system can reach 67 percent more surface area than three brush system per unit of time.
Proof is cleaner car cost more money.
5-brush uses 45 gallons water, unit variable cost $0.50.
5-brush hybrid uses 130 gallons water, unit variable cost $1.00
