Anyone have a D&S iQ self wash direct injection pump stand?

[SuperShine]

Looking for long term operator experience from those with the D&S iQ self wash, direct injection pump stand.
Thanks!

 

[MEP001]

I have some experience, mostly to avoid it if possible. Do you have a question?

 

[SuperShine]

I have some experience, mostly to avoid it if possible. Do you have a question?

What was your experience with it? Was it similar to the attached?
Thanks Mep

 

[MEP001]

It's a nightmare. If it was at least reliable, it wouldn't be too bad. The one I serviced had solenoids underneath for hot water, cold water, and spot free that ran through the pump. There were no shutoffs for any of them, so any time one had to be changed the whole wash had to be shut down, up to two other solenoid cartridges had to be removed to get to the bad one, and you're practically lying on the floor. The injectors are problematic and also an hour-long job to replace, there are two regulators and many chemical solenoids for each pump that have lots of problems, they had bins full of thousands of dollars of spare parts to keep the thing running, and on top of that it's super finicky to get it to work right. There's a bay down every other time I go by it, and maybe every tenth time I go by the whole wash is shut down. It's been like that since it was installed in 2016. The first time I worked on it was in 2017, and it had three of six bays not working because of failed solenoids/injectors.

The funniest thing is that the whole concept is to save space, but it gobbles up chemicals so bad that they had to do the same thing as the one you pictured, which is have large drums all around it.

 

[Don B.]

That looks like a maintenance nightmare! Way too over-engineered for a car wash pumping unit!

 

[xbowhunter86]

I have a couple sites with the IQ self wash units. They have been very low maintenance. I have had much better success with the single pump and injectors than I ever had with hydrominders and their related pumps. The self wash units provide excellent chemical delivery and show in the bay. I regularly get customer comments on how good the equipment works. It has grown my self serve business a lot since installing them.

D&S has made a few changes from the one pictured. Specifically they now use hyrdaflex electric/air actuators for the injector solenoids vs the traditional electric solenoids as pictured. They have been zero maintenance.

 

[water guy]

It's a total poop show

 

[SuperShine]

It's a total poop show

Do you have one?

 

[SuperShine]

I have a couple sites with the IQ self wash units. They have been very low maintenance. I have had much better success with the single pump and injectors than I ever had with hydrominders and their related pumps. The self wash units provide excellent chemical delivery and show in the bay. I regularly get customer comments on how good the equipment works. It has grown my self serve business a lot since installing them.

D&S has made a few changes from the one pictured. Specifically they now use hyrdaflex electric/air actuators for the injector solenoids vs the traditional electric solenoids as pictured. They have been zero maintenance.

Thanks for the info, any issues with the VFDs? How about the rocket injectors and tip clogs with your JBS compass soaps?
What maintenance do you tend to have on them? Dema solenoid diaphragm repair kits and the like?

Thanks

 

[xbowhunter86]

Never any VFD issues. I really like the single pump set up and coupled with the vfds it is very reliable. Every function you can select hot, cold or a blend for water temperature. Plus the same pump supplies medium pressure spot free rinse. It makes an excellent final rinse. Customers use it frequently.

I encountered issues with the JBS compass and have been using ChemQuest for about 4 years Rarely have any tips clogs as their products are a very consistent viscosity. Their products are a thinner viscosity without sacrificing the concentration strength which works well for injector tips.

My systems have all of the small hyrdaflex PC1 injectors and the Hyrdaflex SAM manifold. This is what the have been using on the self wash systems for the last 3-4 years. I have never had any manifold/solenoid issues. I replaced one injector that no longer would draw. I never could tell what caused that injector issue but it's well within what I consider very normal repairs and maintenance of the business.

 

[SuperShine]

Never any VFD issues. I really like the single pump set up and coupled with the vfds it is very reliable. Every function you can select hot, cold or a blend for water temperature. Plus the same pump supplies medium pressure spot free rinse. It makes an excellent final rinse. Customers use it frequently.

I encountered issues with the JBS compass and have been using ChemQuest for about 4 years Rarely have any tips clogs as their products are a very consistent viscosity. Their products are a thinner viscosity without sacrificing the concentration strength which works well for injector tips.

My systems have all of the small hyrdaflex PC1 injectors and the Hyrdaflex SAM manifold. This is what the have been using on the self wash systems for the last 3-4 years. I have never had any manifold/solenoid issues. I replaced one injector that no longer would draw. I never could tell what caused that injector issue but it's well within what I consider very normal repairs and maintenance of the business.

That’s great insight thank you. I’m currently using JBS Compass foam brush CP300 and high pressure soap CP400 with my Hydrominders with lean tips. Good to know that you had issues with JBS Compass. It is fairly thick, especially the foam Compass brush.

Did you find that the direct injection iQ wash uses more chemicals as compared to a traditional set up with mixing tanks?
Good to know about the switch to Hydra-flex injectors and SAM valves.

 

[xbowhunter86]

I don't recall a significant increase in chemical consumption. I would say my increase in traffic was a larger factor in the consumption which is a good problem to have! I have the units with the bug remover, tire scrub brush and the triple foam guns, both are well used functions. I swap the bug remover to a salt remover over winter so it is still a useful function. With wax being low pressure I definitely use less of that chemical with a better result in the bay.

There is a lot of function in in their small foot print with it being an all in one unit pumping unit. No need for spot free repressurization pumps or auxiliary chemical equipment in the mech room and never any hydrominder tanks to overflow and waste chemical.

I have spoke with a number of IQ Self Wash owners and all of them love the unit and what it has done for their self serve business. This forum is the only place I have encountered any hate on them.

 

[MEP001]

I have spoke with a number of IQ Self Wash owners and all of them love the unit and what it has done for their self serve business. This forum is the only place I have encountered any hate on them.

The one I've worked on must be a different generation or something. They hate it even more than I do.