What's new
By:
Car Wash Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Do you heat your IBA water?

No hot water available near the pump stand. I'm going to need to install some kind of heater, whether tankless, conventional water heater, or otherwise.
 
A tankless is going to require a gas line probably 1 1/4 inch and then it's going to require a vent pipe to the outdoors and I would assume a plumber could run a hot water line and a circulation pump for way less than half the cost of a tankless. Your circulation line can be 3/4 inch.
 
Last edited:
We've already got gas in the room. The only hot water in this building is from a small electric water heater a few rooms away (20 gallon, I think). I don't suspect it would be able to keep up even with presoak on busy days...

In either case, is there any reason for the hot water to go to a tank or could I have it plumbed in directly to the low pressure pump?
 
I think the book said that the default settings use around 70 gallons. We run slower than default, so it would be more. It says that the presoak only uses around 2 gallons per pass, which sounded low to me... But that would be nice if I only need to heat the presoak.
 
Just a natural gas standard residential water heater 40 gallon 40,000 BTU's will likely work. Just look at the first our ratings on the water heater keeping in mind if it doesn't keep up when you're super busy you're still going to have hot water It just won't be quite as hot.
 
wash4me said:
Just a natural gas standard residential water heater 40 gallon 40,000 BTU's will likely work. Just look at the first our ratings on the water heater keeping in mind if it doesn't keep up when you're super busy you're still going to have hot water It just won't be quite as hot.
Click to expand...

I installed a 50 gallon Bradford White Defender tank with a power vent in my home and it works extremely well. The power vent is nice in that it exhausts directly through a pvc pipe that comes out the side of the house - just like the high efficiency furnaces. No pilot light to worry about and it is 40,000 BTU.

You should be able to keep the presoak temp. up on busy days - you won't want the water coming 100% from the tank anyway - that would be too hot. Just like when you wash your hands or take a shower - you'll mix the hot and cold to get the 110 degrees or whatever you want for your presoak.
 
I've been reading this thread with interest.
I have a WW HV, my presoak uses heated water via a Lochinvar electric water heater. It uses about 7 to 10 gallons of water per pass, it uses a total of about 70 gallons of water per car total.I keep the water temp at about 115 degrees. The HV selects which water source to use via the built in controls. It does a pretty good job cleaning cars.
 
Do you notice any difference using only cold water? What HV controls are used to select water source? Thanks!
 
Yes I think the presoak does better with hot water. One of the things i learned from this fourm is to mix my own soap. I use In bay turbo powder, and Purple Passion, works great! And saves me alot of money.
The controls are your WW cabinet that turn on the different solinoids and pumps. My low pressure pump is plumbed to my hot water supply, the main pump is plumbed to the cold water tank located on the WW pump station.
 
My low pressure pump is plumbed to the cold water tank as well. Is it OK to plumb that directly to a hot water supply? (As far as pressure goes -- I understand that I don't want the temperature too high.) No need for a tank, I assume?
 
You can use a tempering valve to pre-mix hot and cold water if the incoming water is too hot to use directly from a heater at its lowest setting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top