Getting A Dryer Vehicle

[hkim310]

Does anyone currently use a Buff and Dry system (Top Brush and/or Wrap Around Brushes) at the exit end after their blowers to dry vehicles? We want to try and get a dryer vehicle without slowing down our conveyor. We are currently set to 120 CPH with a 120 foot wash tunnel. We are able to get vehicles clean but drying is not exactly where we would want to be.

Also, do you think blower nozzle (round, flat, etc) makes a noticeable difference in terms of how dry a vehicle can get? Would switching form a round to a flat make a difference in drying?

 

[robert roman]

“We are able to get vehicles clean but drying is not exactly where we would want to be.”

This implies conditions are not excessively wet but what are they; 2, 5, 10, 15…. percent wet?

Proposed solution is brushes to strip water. Cost $25,000. Another proposed solution is to change shape of nozzles to increase efficiency. Cost unknown, say, $5,000.

However, none of this addresses the root cause of the problem. Why is there too much excess water?

I don’t care where you are in the country an acceptably dry vehicle can be produced with a 120’ tunnel without buff and dry unit.

So, is not good enough because there aren’t enough producers, is conveyor speed too fast for environmental conditions, you may not be cleaning as well as you think, or some other reason?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Also, do you think blower nozzle (round, flat, etc) makes a noticeable difference in terms of how dry a vehicle can get? Would switching form a round to a flat make a difference in drying?

There is a tunnel on North Ave in Stone park that added the drying "Brushes" from AVW. You might want to check it out.

I also just requested AVW make me a nozzle that is 14 inches across by 3 inches deep instead of the standard 7 x 7. The standard blows right down the center leaving water either side. Yes, I could have 2 of them on top like I do at one location, Twin top with circular flipping nozzles but i also have a location of their old style stainless Steel ones where the nozzle is rectangular and seems to cover the entire horizontal surface of the car.

I can't say that round versus square makes a difference but rectangular versus square gave better coverage because outlet was wider across the car.

 

[jfmoran]

I have seen the Buff and Dry in action and they do a phenomenal job. That being said, as Robert indicated it is possible to get an acceptably dry car, so you have to look at all the factors: how many blowers, how much drip space, is the car clean, is the car the right ph, are you using enough drying agent, is there still soap on the car, etc... There are a lot of factors that go into getting a dry car. I would start with getting your chemical rep involved and evaluating what you are currently doing. A buff and Dry will do nothing, if the car is too wet other than smear the water around.

 

[washnshine]

I have seen the Buff and Dry in action and they do a phenomenal job. That being said, as Robert indicated it is possible to get an acceptably dry car, so you have to look at all the factors: how many blowers, how much drip space, is the car clean, is the car the right ph, are you using enough drying agent, is there still soap on the car, etc... There are a lot of factors that go into getting a dry car. I would start with getting your chemical rep involved and evaluating what you are currently doing. A buff and Dry will do nothing, if the car is too wet other than smear the water around.

Do the buff and dry units pick up freshly applied tire shine and soil/stain the lower 2-3 feet of the side wheels? Does it get transferred onto the paint of clean cars?

 

[jfmoran]

No, the tite shine is applied after the buff and dry machine.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

No, the tite shine is applied after the buff and dry machine.

I agree with you but I’ve heard that if the tire shine application is applied before or after the blowers but before the Buff ‘n Shine/Dry it can get tire shine on the Buff’ N Shine/Dry material.

 

[jfmoran]

I agree with you but I’ve heard that if the tire shine application is applied before or after the blowers but before the Buff ‘n Shine/Dry it can get tire shine on the Buff’ N Shine/Dry material.

I agree that there is potential for that, but if you set it up as: blowers, buff and dry and then tire shine it shouldn't be an issue, obviously the only issue would be space.

 

[hkim310]

Thanks for all the replies! We are able to get off MOST of the water but that last 10% would be great to get off if we could. We have purchased 2 sets of Sonny's Duck Bill Blower Nozzles for 2 sets of our top blowers. We also plan on installing 1 more blower to our flash blower arch. We currently have 10 15 HP Sonnys blowers and will have 2 15 HP flash dry blowers. Will keep you posted on the changes to drying based on these additions.

 

[robert roman]

Thanks for all the replies! We are able to get off MOST of the water but that last 10% would be great to get off if we could. We have purchased 2 sets of Sonny's Duck Bill Blower Nozzles for 2 sets of our top blowers. We also plan on installing 1 more blower to our flash blower arch. We currently have 10 15 HP Sonnys blowers and will have 2 15 HP flash dry blowers. Will keep you posted on the changes to drying based on these additions.

So much for cause and effect.

Blow harder.

 

[hkim310]

How do you find out if the car is the right PH?

 

[Earl Weiss]

How do you find out if the car is the right PH?

FWIW I never test the PH. I just look at how the water runs off the car after the DA / Setting rinse and can tell if something is miss. I know, not the most efficient method.

 

[hkim310]

Earl, I'm going to need to borrow your set of eyes!

Has anyone used the Sonnny's Flip Top blower nozzles? Do they do a good job drying the BACKS of cars?

 

[BBE]

Earl, I'm going to need to borrow your set of eyes!

Has anyone used the Sonnny's Flip Top blower nozzles? Do they do a good job drying the BACKS of cars?

They do as good of a job as any other flip nozzle i've seen. I've got a superior flip at one location, and sonnys at another. They both do equally as well for drying the backs. As far as the sonnys flip nozzles go though, IMO I think their regular round or flat nozzles do a better job on the REST of the entire car. So I would keep that in mind. I now have just my very last producer with the flip nozzle on it and flipping to hit the backs.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Earl, I'm going to need to borrow your set of eyes!

Has anyone used the Sonnny's Flip Top blower nozzles? Do they do a good job drying the BACKS of cars?

2 Items.
1. Just yesterday I see the DA not working properly. Scientific step #1. Put fingers in Hydrominfer bucket and see if it feels slippery- No. Next step. Pull off suction hose. - Tip not sucking. Next step Pull out tip - not clogged. Put finger over opening tip screws into - not sucking. Next step - Pull chain - bad water flow. Clean inlet screen - Look at cars - Now it's working correctly.

2. Have AVW Flips on Dual top Nozzle at one location. . I like how they work.