Woo Hoo My First Car Wash!!!

[I.B. Washincars]

Acid wash with something like Arcadian's nu wall it and then have it wrapped

Not really anything to wrap on one of those. About all you can do is acid wash and call it good.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

For the cost painting interior walls/ceilings are the way to go now.
But check out http://www.epiplastics.com/car-wash-industry.html in the future. Walls, ceiling with LED lights and that wash will look like a million bucks. You can also check out Kleenrite for videos of how to install and to buy it.
Welcome to the car wash forum and the car wash industry. Lots of great people here to help.

 

[Debra Gorgos]

Welcome to the family! And, yes, thank you for your service!

 

[washnshine]

Any Idea how I can paint the IBA? The Magic wand auto. Looks like it was originally like a light gray or aluminum colored paint but now is dark and worn off in 90% of the unit. Am planning on pressure washing the entire bay and equipment. But would like to repaint it to make it look better.

Is it an aluminum machine? What is the material and was it actually painted at some point?

 

[Nuphoenix]

Acid wash with something like Arcadian's nu wall it and then have it wrapped

That's a lot of stuff to wrap on this unit. Braces, cross bars, etc. Who would do that type of wrapping?

 

[washnshine]

I think a good cleaning/brightening would get you a lot of miles out of it - maybe even enough until it is time to replace it.

 

[soapy]

YOu can also buy some muratic acid at a local Home depot. Get the low FUme kind and mix it with one to 2 parts of water. Bruch it one the parts you want to be cleaned and let it soak for a couple of minutes then scrub it with a brush rinse it real well. It should be brite and shiny. Avoid getting any on the rubber and plastic. Some of the best advise I got when I started was from a old time car wash operator. Drain your money vaults often. No matter what you do you will eventually get broke into. If the thief gets any money he will be back. If he gets little to nothing he will never come back. Absolutely true advise. Establish the standard of soaps in the bay etc and then Keep it consistent and do not allow it to go up and down. Be like McDonalds and let people get the same product every time they come in.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Is it an aluminum machine? What is the material and was it actually painted at some point?

Yes, it's aluminum frame and it looks like it was painted when new. Looks real bad, should I use an acid wash or alum brite (Simoniz) on it? Most of the paint is gone except for like a foot off the ground, all gray and black from years of use. Maybe try to paint after acid wash?

 

[Nuphoenix]

YOu can also buy some muratic acid at a local Home depot. Get the low FUme kind and mix it with one to 2 parts of water. Bruch it one the parts you want to be cleaned and let it soak for a couple of minutes then scrub it with a brush rinse it real well. It should be brite and shiny. Avoid getting any on the rubber and plastic. Some of the best advise I got when I started was from a old time car wash operator. Drain your money vaults often. No matter what you do you will eventually get broke into. If the thief gets any money he will be back. If he gets little to nothing he will never come back. Absolutely true advise. Establish the standard of soaps in the bay etc and then Keep it consistent and do not allow it to go up and down. Be like McDonalds and let people get the same product every time they come in.

I empty ALL the money daily. even the 4 quarters in the vending machine!

 

[MEP001]

Yes, it's aluminum frame and it looks like it was painted when new. Looks real bad, should I use an acid wash or alum brite (Simoniz) on it? Most of the paint is gone except for like a foot off the ground, all gray and black from years of use. Maybe try to paint after acid wash?

Could it have been powder coated? The one I.B. pictured looks like bare aluminum. That one should clean up well with an aluminum cleaner.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Could it have been powder coated? The one I.B. pictured looks like bare aluminum. That one should clean up well with an aluminum cleaner.

That is Nuphoenix's wash. I lifted that picture from his FaceBook post.

The one I owned for a couple of months back in 2001 was bare aluminum IIRC.

 

[Greg Pack]

That's a lot of stuff to wrap on this unit. Braces, cross bars, etc. Who would do that type of wrapping?

If nothing else, I would wrap that horizontal bar in the front, just to give it some color. But in all honesty, if budget allowed I would buy a used machine with newer technology.

 

[kentsomners]

View attachment 1460

Needs some new paint and signage, But she's all mine. Been working at it two long days now, but am glad to be working again. Been a disabled veteran for nine years (almost exactly) and I'm glad to have a purpose in life again. Really beat, need to slow things down.

First of.. congratulations.... that is really great for you man.

So what have you learned till date..... what has surprised you.. and how much time do you spend on day to day operation?

 

[docopp]

Thank you for your service
I was looking for a job for a friend of mine who is a great detailer.
I didn't mean to buy the car wash !!!
I am so glad I did
I have owned it 3 years, It was very rough. I spent a lot of time redoing and fixing everything.
You will meet nice customers and develop a following, like a hair cut... cars get dirty and need your service over and over again.
I think the most important is keep it clean and well lit.
Tons of soap, products foam etc helps a lot also and if you adjust the water/air/products correctly, you don't use a lot of product.
I replaced my old lights with 100 eight foot double 600w LED lights from Alibaba, very reasonable cost, at night it looks like Jesus is arriving !!!!!
and my electricity bill dropped $100.00/month !!!
Better before cheaper
Revenue before cost
and your profit will start to show up and grow.
Best of luck and enjoy the journey
car wash people are a very helpful group, ed

 

[Nuphoenix]

First of.. congratulations.... that is really great for you man.

So what have you learned till date..... what has surprised you.. and how much time do you spend on day to day operation?

Nothing surprised me much, first day someone died right in front of the wash. Day to day ops really take max 2 hours. All the cleaning and and upgrades I'm doing take many hours. I'm retired so it's no big deal if I spend six hours a day there. I love it, I miss working and as the saying goes "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life".
The only thing confusing me (besides how this presoak system in here supposed to work) is the dilution rates companies like KR state. First it's a concentrate, so you mix 10 gallons and put in a yellow tip. Sounds easy enough. Now another says dilution ratio 12-30/1 and use a blue or tan tip. Do i first mix the concentrate 12-30/1 in a drum and then put a blue or tan tip in my hydrominder? On a 511 that would be 25/36-1. Doesn't sound right to me.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Thank you for your service
I was looking for a job for a friend of mine who is a great detailer.
I didn't mean to buy the car wash !!!
I am so glad I did
I have owned it 3 years, It was very rough. I spent a lot of time redoing and fixing everything.
You will meet nice customers and develop a following, like a hair cut... cars get dirty and need your service over and over again.
I think the most important is keep it clean and well lit.
Tons of soap, products foam etc helps a lot also and if you adjust the water/air/products correctly, you don't use a lot of product.
I replaced my old lights with 100 eight foot double 600w LED lights from Alibaba, very reasonable cost, at night it looks like Jesus is arriving !!!!!
and my electricity bill dropped $100.00/month !!!
Better before cheaper
Revenue before cost
and your profit will start to show up and grow.
Best of luck and enjoy the journey
car wash people are a very helpful group, ed

Do you have a link to the LED lights on Alibaba?

 

[MEP001]

The only thing confusing me (besides how this presoak system in here supposed to work)

Can you describe it? I've seen some unusual presoak systems. One I've seen has a tank with an immersion heater and a pump that runs continuously. Instead of separate tubing for each bay there's a hose that loops all the way back and forth the entire length of the wash, and the solenoids are near the booms tee'd off the loop. Part of the thought process behind all that mess might have been for it to double as a heating system to keep the lines from freezing, and it's also instant hot presoak at the bays. Maintenance-wise, it's a nightmare.

What's the story behind someone dying in front of your wash?

 

[Randy]

Nothing surprised me much, first day someone died right in front of the wash. Day to day ops really take max 2 hours. All the cleaning and and upgrades I'm doing take many hours. I'm retired so it's no big deal if I spend six hours a day there. I love it, I miss working and as the saying goes "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life".
The only thing confusing me (besides how this presoak system in here supposed to work) is the dilution rates companies like KR state. First it's a concentrate, so you mix 10 gallons and put in a yellow tip. Sounds easy enough. Now another says dilution ratio 12-30/1 and use a blue or tan tip. Do i first mix the concentrate 12-30/1 in a drum and then put a blue or tan tip in my hydrominder? On a 511 that would be 25/36-1. Doesn't sound right to me.

The Presoak system for a 2 bay car wash should be a no brainier. The dulution rates that the chemical companies use are at the tank. It's basically just a starting point, there's to many varitables. I run my chemicals at a higher dulution rate than what is recommended by the manufacture. I run it so there is good show and cleaning.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Can you describe it? I've seen some unusual presoak systems. One I've seen has a tank with an immersion heater and a pump that runs continuously. Instead of separate tubing for each bay there's a hose that loops all the way back and forth the entire length of the wash, and the solenoids are near the booms tee'd off the loop. Part of the thought process behind all that mess might have been for it to double as a heating system to keep the lines from freezing, and it's also instant hot presoak at the bays. Maintenance-wise, it's a nightmare.

What's the story behind someone dying in front of your wash?

They are still investigating the death. Wanted to see my camera footage but I was in the middle of installing my new camera system. Looks like a suicide but witnesses say someone put the body in the passenger seat of his own truck. Either way, it wasn't on my property, but the pizza joint in front of the wash.

My presoak runs from the tank with 1/2" hose to a Flojet, then up to the bays with solenoids over the bays, then back to the back of the presoak tank. I don't go in the attic due to PTSD with heights, ok to go up but can't get back down ladder. Wanna move solenoids to ER, and I'm thinkinking the 1/2" hose is too much. Maybe go with 3/8"? No pressure, just weep spray from flojet. Have no clue how it supposed to spray and be set up. It is also pre-heated but I turned the immersion heater off.

Also not sure of tire/wheel cleaner. Is it supposed to be foam or watery foam? I fixed all the leaks and plumbed one with 3/8 hose from the ER with a Y at the air and product solenoids, other I kept with the two !/4 poly to the manifold above the bay. Gotta play with the air/product settings I guess, but It is not consistent throughout the time. It'll start nice and foamy and then change to watery foam, and then spurt on and off. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Fatboy769]

Could it have been powder coated? The one I.B. pictured looks like bare aluminum. That one should clean up well with an aluminum cleaner.

All of those machines produced at the factory were bare aluminum. Definitely not an eye catcher, but a true work horse.