Self cleaning bays, is it possible?

[under pressure]

Is it possible to build a wash and have the whole floor be the drain, when you drive into the bay there is no concrete just metal grating as the floor. I do not know if anyone has ever done this but I think it would be a good idea, on the plus side, no washing down bays, saving wear on pumps and saving water. You would not have any concrete to heat in the winter, I dont know if the metal grating would get too slippery and icy. The only down side would be if you drop stuff in the bay it would go right down the drain. Its just an idea and wonder if anyone has ever built one like that.

 

[MEP001]

The metal grating absolutely will get slippery with ice build-up. You have other issues too, such as women in shoes with heels too small to walk on a grate, or people dropping things.

 

[DiamondWash]

Or say if the metal grating starts bending due to the weight and a car just plumets into the pit.

 

[Waxman]

Plus there's no way to catch all the stuff you don't want in your pits.

Bad idea all around.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I have pretty large grates. 5' wide 7' long, it helps with all the mud we get, but still get too many keys, cellphones, garbage. The best is to use my slave labor that works for free to clean the floors. You may have guessed the slave is me.

 

[mjc3333]

Seems like a great idea...NOT. We all have to just face the facts of having to clean up after the slobs..I mean cutomers we get. No mudders etc. signs would help but...Nobody reads, or obeys signs today. When the customer gets out of thier vehicle, they immediatly either get change, or start washing, never reading anything in front of them. Not until there is a problem do they start to look for someone or something to blame namely us.

 

[robtl]

Is it possible to build a wash and have the whole floor be the drain, when you drive into the bay there is no concrete just metal grating as the floor. I do not know if anyone has ever done this but I think it would be a good idea, on the plus side, no washing down bays, saving wear on pumps and saving water. You would not have any concrete to heat in the winter, I dont know if the metal grating would get too slippery and icy. The only down side would be if you drop stuff in the bay it would go right down the drain. Its just an idea and wonder if anyone has ever built one like that.

I would bet there is not (1) self serv owner that has not tried to figure out how to fix this problem,,,, manifold around edges with nozzles pointing towards drains,,, signs to customers,,,recorded voice messages,,, threats to fine for large messes,, just name it I have tried to come up with the fix!
I wish someone out there would finally come up with one.

 

[Reds]

You can get bridge decking that is serrated on top. But you would need some structural support under it. I'm sure you could lookup the allowable span if you know the load per sq. ft. I think you would still have to heat floors so the pits didn't freeze. You would need to be able to remove it to pump/clean the pits.

 

[Reds]

1½"x3/16 bar grating will hold a load of 2321 lb/sq.ft with structural support under it with a span of 2'0". At a 3'0" span that safe load for the grating would shrink to 1031 lb/sq.ft - according to Ryersons Data Book. You would need quite a steel structure under the grating to bear the weight of a vehicle. Look thru the grating on a metal bridge and you will get an idea of what it would look like. That would probably be a bear to clean or pump out. Although most of the weight would be on the outer edges where the tires ride, so maybe an engineer could help you figure out how to support the grating without a lot of structure.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Better increase your insurance and be prepared to repair womens shoes.
We get a lot of women with heels on their shoes.
I would imagine that the heels would get caught in the grate and either break off or worst twist or break an ankle.
How about customers complaining about dropping their quarters through the grate when their trying to insert them in the coin box.

 

[Reds]

Are you thinking of this setup in a SS bay? Or IBA? Or both?

 

[Dirt]

Personnally I think that you wouldn't have too much to worry about because it would be so ugly and scarry looking that no one would want to go there.