Coleman Water Wizard 1.0 stops during wash, help ideas!

[Morqtrs]

So we have a WW one that has been running for many years. We are having an intermittent issue. We’re on any of the four cycles. It will be washing the car, then stop mid car and exit the program or go to the rear of the car and turn on spot free and go to the front, sometimes the boom will come down facing the car, then go back up and then come back down and facing the entrance, then go up go to the front of the car with spot free and exit the program .completing the cycle but missing many of the cycles. We have replaced the count wheel checked all of the proxies change the input card in the gantry ID 16 card and it’s still doing it however it is very intermittent. Does anybody have any ideas of what else we could check or what it might be .
View attachment 20240816223108019_LHVZ7361A07E5BA.mov

 

[Morqtrs]

This is a video in short

 

[Greg Pack]

I'd be suspicious of home or end of track proximity switches giving an intermittent signal. If that doesn't fix it I'd replace the communications cable.

Whenever I chase a gremlin I usually also clean and check all electrical connections on the terminal strip in the gantry.

 

[Morqtrs]

I'd be suspicious of home or end of track proximity switches giving an intermittent signal. If that doesn't fix it I'd replace the communications cable.

Whenever I chase a gremlin I usually also clean and check all electrical connections on the terminal strip in the gantry.

Will the end of proxies causes to stop in the middle of a wash? I have replaced the rear one, but the lights and everything appeared to be working on them correctly.

 

[Greg Pack]

First, I am real rusty of first generation programming and I don't know exactly how they wrote the logic for this machine. But if I recall if one of the proximity switches (home or end of track) came on it would essentially tell the PLC it was at the end of that pass. That would cause it to start the next pass, regardless of the gantry's actual position on the track.

 

[toddmullens]

Whenever I would have issues with the boom spraying the wrong way, it was always problems with the measurement eyes or the count prox. It would take on a mind of its own and do all kinds of crazy things.

 

[Morqtrs]

Thank you for every ones ideas. Coleman Tech support has no interest in really offering good support for a machine that's 30 years old so how is one to earn enough money to buy a new automatic if the old one is down, Ask the fellow members who have been dealing with this beast from the start! Might think twice about another Colman unit after this! I got this WW1 when I bought my wash 7 years ago and have figured out most things but this one really stumped me. I ended up replacing the top prox sensor on the boom as it was still original I'm thinking looking at the color of it. It seems to be working now and has for the past 15 cars! Fingers crossed. I do have many parts for this unit including 2 Red Lion Control Panels, drive motors, VFD drives and lots of main control I/O parts. If someone is looking for something I bet I might have one. Ill keep you posted if it acts up again but Running today! Thank you to all.

 

[Greg Pack]

The first generation water wizard hasn't been made since around 2005 or so and the people that knew the machines and quirks have retired or moved on. Coleman's tech support for their 2.0 is far from stellar. They seem to be focused on the tunnel side of things.

I sold my last first generation wizard about ten years ago. I do like the 2.0 and it's now getting where you can buy a used 2.0 for less than 10K and it would be an easy upgrade and most of the parts are interchangeable with the first genertaion. They're not sexy but they are solid machines that do a great job washing, better than most touch frees.

I've started a small Coleman Facebook group to help support and I sent you a link.

 

[Waxman]

My old automatic was 'repair and maintenance heavy' right from the start! When I replaced it after 15 years of stress and hard work repairing and re-engineering the machine I borrowed money from my bank to rehab the automatic segment of my business. I had good credit and enough of the loan paid down to borrow more.

The decision to reload the auto made a huge difference in my business, revitalizing my site and improving my income. It also lowered my stress and allowed me to slow down and enjoy my business alot more. I use the spare time to improve the business; landscaping, adding new equipment, buying and repairing used cars to sell, work on my apartment buildings, etc.

 

[Morqtrs]

I appreciate the input just don’t know if after 35 years running 2 carwash locations then sell one a few years ago that I want the debit of a new automatic . a few more runs like this and I might however!