Bay Plumbing Advice

[Bclean]

Hello all. Looking for a little advice.

What would be the correct modern way to plumb a ss bay?

I'm refurbishing an older wash 25-30 years old that has been patched together for many years.

Cold weather Midwest location no doors on the ss bays.

I would like to completely redo all the lines to the booms.

Currently there are no manifolds in the bay just hoses wyed into galvanized fittings individually with check valves to the hp hose.

Can any one recommend the correct tubing and manifold set up? I would like to run air for low pressure.

I've got my own ideas of how I would run them but so many of you have much more experience than me at this.

I'm sure it's pretty simple but I don't want to make a bad decision.

Thanks.

 

[MEP001]

There's not really a "correct" way.

My preference is to have a common check valve for tire cleaner, presoak and air. You can tee the air for tire cleaner and presoak in the room and run one air line from there to the boom. I prefer that because if that check valve fails and you use an air regulator that bleeds off excess pressure, the lines won't burst and you'll have an indicator inside of the problem.

I thought I had a picture of my setup but I can't find it. It's basically a cross on the top of the boom with another cross after one check valve for tire/presoak, another check valve for spot-free and the high-pressure straight in.

 

[Randy]

I’d run Stainless Steel tubing for my main High Pressure run and a good quality Poly tubing for the low pressure systems. You NEVER want to use galvanized steel fittings in a car wash system, you want to use Brass. Use a good quality Stainless steel check valve, like a Kleen-Rite #CV0013.

 

[Bclean]

Thank you guys. I think I've got a good direction now.

 

[packerscw]

if your going through all that make sure you build a nice heated trough that is big enough to work in and look in to a small water heater for the trough heat, and look in to a non weep freeze protection system for your high pressure guns and foam brush. will save you a lot in utilities during the cold season

 

[cwguy.com]

There's not really a "correct" way.

My preference is to have a common check valve for tire cleaner, presoak and air. You can tee the air for tire cleaner and presoak in the room and run one air line from there to the boom. I prefer that because if that check valve fails and you use an air regulator that bleeds off excess pressure, the lines won't burst and you'll have an indicator inside of the problem.

I thought I had a picture of my setup but I can't find it. It's basically a cross on the top of the boom with another cross after one check valve for tire/presoak, another check valve for spot-free and the high-pressure straight in.

I believe this is exactly what mep1 is talking about?

 

[MEP001]

Not exactly...

 

[cwguy.com]

If you look at my setup (#6) you can tell I am breaking one of Randy's rules (which is a good rule, even though it has probably been like that for 15 years?). But if you look at mep1's setup (#7) he uses those brass push lock fittings..... I know a lot of vendors use them. But I hate them.... they always seem to corrode and they will not open. I also don't care if you can fix, repair or whatever.... you do not have that trouble with the plastic ones.

Just saying.... Start the flame war! JK LOL Actually that is the first thing I replace.... I use plastic push lock fittings all joking aside.

Also my setup does not have ro water.

 

[MEP001]

I've been replacing the brass ones with plastic as I've needed to, I just haven't had to replace those yet. The brass ones do work a lot better with nylon tubing than with the poly you're using. The plastic fittings won't handle the 500 PSI RO water.

 

[Bclean]

Mep and cwguy thanks for posting those pics.

Helps a lot.