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Help Selecting New Self Serve Equipment

S

Splash2019

New member
Hi Everyone, I have an old Self Serve unit (20+ Years) that I am looking to replace. I am looking at National Pride, Ginsan, Custom Kraft, and D&S. Looking for any feedback or recommendations of which system might be the best or any other systems I did not mention that I should look into. My main concerns are price, dependability, and ease of service. It would be for a 5 bay self serve site. Thanks!
 
The current system was somewhat pieced together it is a Ken Ledford self serve system that is in rough shape. It wouldn’t be impossible by any means to keep it and refurb it. I just don’t want to dump the money into the cat pumps and low pressure side at this point. Looking to start over with quality equiptment and go the next 30 years.
 
Splash2019 said:
The current system was somewhat pieced together it is a Ken Ledford self serve system that is in rough shape. It wouldn’t be impossible by any means to keep it and refurb it. I just don’t want to dump the money into the cat pumps and low pressure side at this point. Looking to start over with quality equiptment and go the next 30 years.
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In that case I'd probably go with Custom Kraft, or Ginsan.
 
Splash2019 said:
Looking to start over with quality equiptment and go the next 30 years.
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If I were to buy equipment, I'd probably go with National Pride. It's by far the most solidly built stuff out there. The only thing I don't like about it is getting to the high pressure motors on the bottom shelf. If you have enough room that you can leave space behind it to get to the motors, there's really no downside. I can name several really bad design flaws of almost anyone else's. My second choice would be Ginsan. I don't like the manifold-style solenoids they and almost everyone else uses. I'd be happier if they'd use Kip instead of GC which have high failure rate of the coils and brass seating surfaces that erode. Avoid D&S equipment. You won't get 30 years without replacing a simple regulator, and it's a nightmare to do. I serviced their latest system a few times, and since they didn't or couldn't install individual shutoffs for the hot, cold, and spot-free supplies, the entire wash has to be shut down for the hour it takes to change one of the solenoids, and they've had to change many of them.
 
MEP001 said:
I'd be happier if they'd use Kip instead of GC which have high failure rate of the coils and brass seating surfaces that erode.
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We've haven't used the GC(or CFA as they used to be called) in quite a while. I think it was 16 or 17 years ago we switched to Kip.

Splash2019 said:
Hi Everyone, I have an old Self Serve unit (20+ Years) that I am looking to replace. I am looking at National Pride, Ginsan, Custom Kraft, and D&S. Looking for any feedback or recommendations of which system might be the best or any other systems I did not mention that I should look into. My main concerns are price, dependability, and ease of service. It would be for a 5 bay self serve site. Thanks!
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If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me.
 
Splash2019 said:
The current system was somewhat pieced together it is a Ken Ledford self serve system that is in rough shape. It wouldn’t be impossible by any means to keep it and refurb it. I just don’t want to dump the money into the cat pumps and low pressure side at this point. Looking to start over with quality equiptment and go the next 30 years.
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Mark VII... Awesome as well as Elite Pro from Kleen Rite..
 
I’m a vote for Ginsan. 17 years old and very few problems. I must have gotten one of the last stands with the GC solenoid valves. I switched them out with Kip. Dan K. is a book of knowledge when you do have problems.
 
Splash2019 said:
Hi Everyone, I have an old Self Serve unit (20+ Years) that I am looking to replace. I am looking at National Pride, Ginsan, Custom Kraft, and D&S. Looking for any feedback or recommendations of which system might be the best or any other systems I did not mention that I should look into. My main concerns are price, dependability, and ease of service. It would be for a 5 bay self serve site. Thanks!
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Carolina pride
 
Hey… 25 years ago I shopped 10 different mfg’s for new equipment … and went with Ginsan… as some of my engineering friends have said, “it’s over engineered “ and has worked well for me….

Good luck on your decisions!
 
water guy said:
We have had A Ginsan Champion ss 17yrs we have been Blessed!! Thanks Dan for the Good Customer Service.
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Since we no longer can look to our OEM installer Specialty Equipment ... we very much hope that Dan from GinSan & Jim from Etowah Valley continue to make sure that our choice with them remain affordable-reliable & not unnecessarily obsolete. If they retire ... hopefully they will have a great hand off ... a bit like a top notch relay run on track field across our USA.

We had a scare yesterday ... where my brand new part timer came through noticing that we had to re-do one of Specialty's original quick 6 pin disconnects that went back to our equipment room from one of our most used bays. I took some good eyesight to spot how the stranded wires were frayed inside of that specific 6 pin connector. Thank the Good Lord for that considering it could potentially be a very insidious hidden troubleshooting nightmare!!!

We will be more on the alert for that specific problem from now on .... including Specialty's adjacent 8 pin connector leading back to the equipment room from each of our 6 self service bays.
 
Ginsan has been very good to us as well. We purchased a direct drive ultimate system from them in 2018, as well as a low pressure system and RO. We have been very happy.
 
I looked at my 40 year self-serve equipment yesterday thinking that I might replace it with new pumping equipment. Then I thought that my old pumping equipment will do the same thing as new pumping equipment so why spend the big money and replace it. I think I’ll keep my old equipment and invest the money that I would have spent on new equipment. I can buy a lot of spare parts for what new pumping equipment would cost.
 
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