Can a 1 1/4" line supply a 4 bay ss and 1 iba?
- Thread starter APW
- Start date
soapy
Senior Member
It should be able to handle it but a lot depends on the type of automatic you are using and the pump. Yoou can always add a holding tank for the automatic to level out the demand and keep pumps from starving.
wash4me
Member
We have a 1.5 inch line that's about 175 feet from the main (the distance is relevant.....a 1.25 inch line that's 50 feet long will flow more water than a long 1.5 inch line.) With 6 manual bays and 1 auto if all bays are actually pumping (which is very rare even during busy times) the self serve tank can run dry momentarily. Like soapy said I'd just do it and just be sure you have functioning low water cutoff system to protect your pump and a relay or something connected to a counter so you know if the lwco was activated.
GoBuckeyes
Self-Serve and Automatics
Short answer is yes it can. Long answer depends on your set up. We have a 4 bay SS (4 gpm each) and an automatic. Self-serve pumps are all pressure fed and the automatic has a gravity feed tank. I put in a bladder tank, 600 gallons of storage and a booster pump however, the booster rarely kicks on the way I have it plumbed.
Stuart
Member
As stated above the distance of the line and the type of automatic can be a factor.
Other factors such as, is there to be an RO unit, chamois sink with fresh water, a water softener which has some pressure drop and will require some volume of water during recharge cycles.
Make sure you get all of your specifications on water use for all pieces of equipment which may be in use at the same time and determine your total pressure and GPM needs. With this information your plumber can easily tell you if your supply line is enough.
You may need to install a water holding tank with a booster pump to provide pressure and volume at peak times. hope this helps
Other factors such as, is there to be an RO unit, chamois sink with fresh water, a water softener which has some pressure drop and will require some volume of water during recharge cycles.
Make sure you get all of your specifications on water use for all pieces of equipment which may be in use at the same time and determine your total pressure and GPM needs. With this information your plumber can easily tell you if your supply line is enough.
You may need to install a water holding tank with a booster pump to provide pressure and volume at peak times. hope this helps
GoBuckeyes
Self-Serve and Automatics
These are valid points but don't worry yourself into a tizzy. My last post should have mentioned the 4 bay SS with automatic has a 1" line.
We also have an 8 bay with pressure fed pumps that was fed with an 1 1/2" line. We added an automatic with its own 1 1/2" which ended up being compromised and could no longer be used. That wash now gets by with one long 1 1/2" line feeding 8 pressure fed SS bays and one automatic and two RO units. If there is a will, there is a way. I just wanted to point this out because a lot of times on paper, things simply don't pencil out. I can't tell you how many systems we have that seem to defy the laws of engineering limitations.
Stuart
Member
no tizzy here buckeye. your post was not here as I wrote mine.
Being in the carwash business I know all too well things do not go as things are supposed too. Good Luck Almaprowash !
Being in the carwash business I know all too well things do not go as things are supposed too. Good Luck Almaprowash !
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
You can make it work, but will likely need auxiliary equipment.
60 psi static pressure on a water line means very little though. It's the residual pressure when water is flowing at a high volume that will indicate how healthy the flow really is. Four bays of SS plus a touchfree could max flow at up to 60 gpm. Add enough flow for a few hydrominders to flow and the demand is even more. As others have mentioned you'll likely need a booster pump/tank setup to get reliable pressure for the hydrominders to operate consistently. A second option that might work is a gigantic holding tank feeding the auto that you can refill slower (around 10 gpm) than the pump demands. You can also dump your RO reject water in there for recapture. It will still cost a lot less than a 2" supply line from the street.
60 psi static pressure on a water line means very little though. It's the residual pressure when water is flowing at a high volume that will indicate how healthy the flow really is. Four bays of SS plus a touchfree could max flow at up to 60 gpm. Add enough flow for a few hydrominders to flow and the demand is even more. As others have mentioned you'll likely need a booster pump/tank setup to get reliable pressure for the hydrominders to operate consistently. A second option that might work is a gigantic holding tank feeding the auto that you can refill slower (around 10 gpm) than the pump demands. You can also dump your RO reject water in there for recapture. It will still cost a lot less than a 2" supply line from the street.
MEP001
Well-known member
About the only way you'll be able to determine if you'll get enough water is to open it up to flow 25 GPM plus whatever the bays will call for (typically about 3.5 GPM each) and see if there's still good pressure. As previously mentioned, static pressure on the line is meaningless. The shutoff at the city can leak by at a drip and still pressure the line to 60 PSI.
wash4me
Member
Well on an automatic you don't need the flow steadily it just has to put some water in the tank before the next high pressure spry function. Tank size and the flow characteristics of your backflow, plumbing and float are all relevant and anyone you pay to design it will have a big fudge factor. Hook it up and try it knowing you may need (25% chance IMHO) to spend a little more money.
