I run a 25 hp central vac for my free vacs and have it on a seperate meter. I have the goodlin systems timer with the loop system to cut it on and off. It runs about $180 to $220 per month. That's just a ballpark, but maybe it will help. Before we put in the loop it was around $425 a month because we just let it run all day. I would really look at some type of system to cut it on and off.
That's a question alway had.
Lets say a central Vac will run 10 drops. what percentage of the time do you need all 10 andwhat percentage are only a few going. The initial purchase is a lot cheaper, but everytime you have one customer you pay to run all that HP. Even with a loop system the thing runs whenever a car is there even it no one is actualy using it.
So, it would sem a lot cheaper to have the seperate vacs. You also would have flexibiliy of offering free vac on a combo shampoo / frag unit which could still make $ or offering free vac only with a wash via a
token.
I can't help but wonder if the free vac concept is drinking the Kool Aid. Then again, if my base was $1.00 a car higher and I could maintain the volume I would do free vacs. Competition and site constraints make this imposssible so use pay vacs.
