In Bay Windshield Washer Dispensing Idea

[bigleo48]

I?ve been toying with a windshield washer fluid dispenser for a while now and since I have a couple of extra selections on my coin box that are not used, I figured I would offer it in the SS bays directly.

It?s a simple setup, use a 55 gal plastic drum, a Hydrominder to mix from the concentrated WW fluid?a FlowJet pump and a hose bus across the top of the bays. Tap off to a solenoid (wired back to the bench) and to a curly hose and a gun in the bay. Some signage and you?re done! All equipment comes in at about $800 for 8 bays.


You then adjust either the pressure (FlowJet pump pressure) or restriction to the solenoid to adjust for the amount of volume you want to dispense based on your time/quarter charge. I figure here it would need to be $ 2 per gallon (yet to get good pricing on the winter WW concentrate mix). My problem here is that at 60 cents/min, it could take over two minutes per gallon to fill, people may think it?s not dispensing fast enough and that they are getting short changed. Really clear signange would help


I also like the fact that it would not need to weep up here in the cold north east!

Any suggestions on making it better? Do you think it would get used enough? Anybody gotta a line on bulk winter WW fluid?


BigLeo

 

[Waxman]

sounds like a great idea.

here are 2 prices I just got from auto parts: $135 for 55 gal. ready to use. $385 for 55 concentrate.

get going on it so i can copy you.

Thanks!

 

[Parker]

2 mins is a long time to wait for a gallon of washer fluid..... off the top of my head I cant think of a way to make it any better while still tieing it into your bay timer.

I just could see it causeing some people to shy away from it some what

...of course I could be wrong

 

[bigleo48]

2 mins is a long time to wait for a gallon of washer fluid..... off the top of my head I cant think of a way to make it any better while still tieing it into your bay timer. I just could see it causeing some people to shy away from it some what...of course I could be wrong

PArker,

Yes that's why I'm a little hesitant to pull the trigger on this one and move towards something like this

and attach a coinbox to make it self-serve, and unattended.

BigLeo

 

[Parker]

I think you would have better luck with one with a seperate coin acceptor like you said... would probably cost less to make then to out fit all your bays with seperate dispensing guns

I have a old fragrencer that has been dead for a while and I have been planning on making into a air/washer fluid machine by putting in 2 seperate coin acceptors for each function then running the lines back through the wall into the contorl room and right to the barrel of washer fluid.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Some timers will allow you to vary the price/minute based on which rotary selection is chosen. I believe an IDX two timer is an example of this type of timer. Etowah Valleys timer can also do this. Their thinking was that functions such as presoak cost more, so you could charge the customer more. I've always thought that the customer would never be able to understand what was going on if someone were to actually do that. However, if you varied the price/min only for one product such as your windshield washer fluid and had very clear, simple signage, I believe it would work. By doing this, you would be able to acheive the flow rate you desire and charge the appropriate price.

 

[Parker]

well that solves some problems lol I'll have to check those timers out..

 

[Randy]

It?s a great idea but I don?t think it?s going to get used enough to make it worth doing. We have 4 vehicles here. I buy 1 bottle of 20/10 windshield concentrate a year for $2.49 or $1.99 when it?s on sale. In all the years I?ve been driving I?ve found 20/10 to be the best windshield cleaner you can use. www.2010products.com

 

[Eric H]

All of the oil change places in my area top off the WW with an oil change. Then some of them will even top off between changes. I haven't bought WW in years.

 

[bigleo48]

Not sure where you guys are located, but up here where it snows...we use a lot of WW fluid when the roads get slushy!

Anyway, I think I know what I'm gonna do. A company that supplies the above mentioned stations will provide me one free of cost and charge me a per gallon cost of $2 (for that winter stuff with methanol). I will hook up a solenoid, coin mech/box & timer and vend for $4 a gallon. I know that sounds expensive, but it's kinda the going rate at gas bars in the area. Sure you can get it for less at Wal-Mart, but we are selling convenience. Also, people would be able to buy by the $1 amount ($1 a quart) and just fill their tank directly...so no need for a jug unless they want more to go.

Since I already have most of the stuff, it will cost me about $200 (not much risk) and offer something my competitors do not. It's also low maintenance, since they come and fill up the big tank once a month. So I just collect the cash! They even supply the used jugs! I can also spin it as an environmentally safe way (no or recycled jugs).

If it doesn't get used enough, I'll just have them remove it and keep my coin box for something else. I even have a perfect spot for it!

BigLeo