Anyone installed a "lava arch" on their IBA?

[K Lazy K]

if it gets 12 degrees at my wash in FL i've got bigger problems than my Mr. Foamer!

 

[Jeff_L]

guys how much water is going to be wasted for weep on this Mr. Foamer in the winter and be able to go through all those 30 holes without freezing up when it gets 12 degrees outside plus the additional undercarriage weep and spray arm my water bills are extremely high this time of year I anyways I would have to charge more than $14 to break even and close down when its super cold I am not a fan of this concept yet. Someone help me or have we thought about this and I missed it ?? I agree alot with Robert Roman on this whole deal..

Do you have a rain arch? You have to keep that from freezing too, right? I put airlift doors on my bay that are frosted in color, that way I can get a greenhouse affect in the bay when it's sunny, and the floor heat keeps it 40+ in the bay. I don't see how anyone can weep these new automatics with all their nozzles. I would think it's cheaper to just use doors and heat versus weeping water.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

i am not buying doors I live in NC and it gets in the 20s and teens sometimes and other operators are closed and I am still running I have floor heat and with this mr former if it just gets in the 20s it will freeze I have a laser 4000 and we stop using triple foam in the winter through the pods and only out of the spray arch as a low pressure as anyone else in our area does the same thing every operator I talk to thinks the same thing you would have too weep a lot of extra water through it so it doesn't freeze up I am going to wait till they get it perfect. I don't want to be the test person in the winter with this

 

[K Lazy K]

Lava Arch Update:

After 12 days of offering my new Platinum Wash with Carnuaba Wax my average sale has gone from $9.15 to $10.48. My wash menu pricing prior to the change was $10.00, $9.00, $8.00, $6.00. Now it is $14.00 34%, $10.00 44%, $8.00 6%, $6.00 16% .
If this trend continues I will look to add to my other automatic to make the offering the same between the two machines.

K

 

[slash007]

I've had the lava on my Soft Gloss for 12 days now as well lol. My washes were $6, 8, 10 and $13 before. After, I went up to $6,9,12 and $15. lava is offered on the top 2. Sales are $15 - 26%, $12 - 16%, $9 - 24%, $6 - 34%. Average wash ticket is $9.93, was $9.48, so not a huge increase so far. It has been a very rainy month, so I'm hoping that is why so many people are getting the $6 wash as it's been a chance of rain almost daily. I am also thinking about raising the bottom wash to $7, but need to check the competition to make sure I don't lose people over $1. For comparison, in April with the older setup my wash percentages were 26%,25%,22%,27% going from highest to lowest. So it looks like the same amount of people are buying the top wash, but the 2nd wash took a big hit.

 

[mrfixit]

guys how much water is going to be wasted for weep on this Mr. Foamer in the winter and be able to go through all those 30 holes without freezing up when it gets 12 degrees outside plus the additional undercarriage weep and spray arm my water bills are extremely high this time of year I anyways I would have to charge more than $14 to break even and close down when its super cold I am not a fan of this concept yet. Someone help me or have we thought about this and I missed it ?? I agree alot with Robert Roman on this whole deal..

Use an air purge, linked to temp. Air blow down has worked well for me over the years. The whole machine blows down if it gets to 33 in bay.

 

[mrfixit]

The lava effect is not necessary to impart the attributes and benefits of super-hydrophobic products that contain carnauba or synthetic wax.

In short, it’s a gimmick to create “show” and sell equipment.

Yes, the lava effect helps to sell customers on the product but it doesn’t make the wax perform any better.

Actually, hot wax works as well as lava form when dispensed from a spray arch because water drops are negatively charged like flow/stream of water is, all things being equal.

So, if roll-over is $5.00 for soap, wash, drying agent and rinse, up-sell could be soap, wash, hot wax, rinse for $9.00.

So, at cost of good of between $0.75 and $1.25, selling hot wax for $2.00 is basically giving it away and selling short yourself.

Thanks robert, thats what i thought also.. Dealers saying you need lava arch, i highly doubted it..

So all i really need is hot water for the carnuba right? I should be able to apply right from the overhead on my ryko touchless??

The show wouldnt be as nice but im confident i can get it to foam well as i have air injection for what is now the Rainshield pass.

Dang it i was going to get a sample to try it like that but already ordered for this month..

 

[washnshine]

Lava Arch Update:

After 12 days of offering my new Platinum Wash with Carnuaba Wax my average sale has gone from $9.15 to $10.48. My wash menu pricing prior to the change was $10.00, $9.00, $8.00, $6.00. Now it is $14.00 34%, $10.00 44%, $8.00 6%, $6.00 16% .
If this trend continues I will look to add to my other automatic to make the offering the same between the two machines.

K

What brand are you using - Simoniz?

 

[DiamondWash]

I'm just curious to who invented the Lava Arch? was somebody's gutter full of leaves and the water started cascading over and bam there's a new idea for a piece of equipment.