Miscellaneous questions for Razor install...

[Bubbles Galore]

• Do I HAVE to have the handheld programmer to set up my credit card account for my ACW-5?
• I have to get my 15 hp blower motors up on top of the dryer rail...any ideas on how not to kill myself?
• I have to load my impellars onto the motors via the front of the casing I'm assuming (Dryer Pros Tempest System)...no idea really what I'm doing, any advice?
• Is it pretty standard practice to use a piece of 4" pvc as the height guard?
• I forgot about a dryer countdown timer...how necessary is it?
• Toss out any other nuggets of wisdom since I will be flipping the switch here in the next couple of days.

Thanks!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

• Do I HAVE to have the handheld programmer to set up my credit card account for my ACW-5?

I think this answer is yes isn't it?!? I can't find them on Hamilton's website...how much are they and what are they used for besides initial programming?

 

[Waxman]

Here's what I know:

~ I took down a 15hp motor on my top blower last fall. Parked a jacked up Dodge Ram under blower and put a ladder in back. We had 3 guys remove and reinstall. Hard yes, but we survived.

~ The impeller is no big deal. hardest part is lining up shroud and screen so they do not touch impeller.

~ Use plenty of Nev R Sieze on motor shaft, key and allen screws that lock key in place.

~Lots of customers don't even look at countdown timer, but once they start (or care to) they like it and they feel they are getting the time they paid for. I would have one, but you can open w/out it.

Be ready to have someone on site ALOT to teach customers, look for gaps in what your signs explain and what customers do wrong.

Test a dozen or so cars before you open to the public. Keep your traffic cones handy when testing; eager beavers might pull in and fire things off when you are not ready and you don't want any injuries or problems or crushed cars due to forgetting your cones and/or disabling the doors or some other safety precaution.

That touchfree is a robot. Sometimes robots go off unprovoked and exhibit bad behavior. TRUST ME. SAFETY FIRST! If you get frustrated (IF; haha.lol), take a break, put your cones out and take some deep breaths and take a walk.

Proof this works; My touchfree has been glitchy and driving me f!@#$%g bonkers. Last night I went home and took my daughter swimming at the YMCA. I got in the pool and swam for an hour non-stop. Got ourselves all floppy-tired and feeling good; laughing and playing. Came in this morning refreshed and made good progress on my machine problems.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I have an older acw, and added credit cards a couple of years ago. you should be able to use my programmer.. when i did it-- i was on the phone with hamilton, and the programmer was used quite a bit, but only took 10 min to do.
With a new acw--they didn't send the programmer? We put my dryers up there with a skidsteer and forks. You should be able to rent a skidsteer, or manlift, or forklift for the job. Postguard has nice yellow height guards

 

[car washing systems inc]

I think this answer is yes isn't it?!? I can't find them on Hamilton's website...how much are they and what are they used for besides initial programming?

You should have one if you have to go in and reset or give credit, i think they are around 430.00.

 

[MEP001]

Do I HAVE to have the handheld programmer to set up my credit card account for my ACW-5?

Yes, and you'll need it in the future. I've only needed it a few times in seven years, but you will need it eventually.

I have to get my 15 hp blower motors up on top of the dryer rail...any ideas on how not to kill myself?

I've replaced blower motors by myself many times. You could disassemble them on the ground and put them up piece by piece.

I forgot about a dryer countdown timer...how necessary is it?

I think it's more like countdown timers in the SS bays - a convenience for the customers but not necessary. We have a timer and I see lots of people leave with half the time on it. I also see a lot who pull halfway through and just sit there for half a minute after it shuts off. I'd say only one out of ten will pull through slowly watching the timer and use the whole minute across the entire vehicle like you're supposed to.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Thanks for all the info guys! Those of you that sent me PM's, I will get back to you asap!

 

[waright]

as for the blower motors, place the fan face down on a pallet, motor is up.

lift pallet up to the underside of the beam, attach the mounting bolts, and you should be able to rotate the fan up with one hand. works great if you have round mounting beam.

customer really like to have a countdown timer, but it is not required. Biggest pain is to get a condiut out to where you want to mount it, or come up with a custom bracket to mount it to the wall.

 

[mac]

Just a little note about getting blower motors down and up safely. The method I use is to place a 5 or 6 foot piece of steel ( a stout one, like a Johnson bar) above the ceiling and laying on the roof trusses. You may have to cut a small hole in the ceiling, or if it's paneling, just peel a piece back. Put a hand held come-a-long on it and connect to the lifting eye on the motor. If the eye has been removed, you can get one at almost any hardware store. You can safely move these this way. It takes about as much time to rig it as it does to describe it.