Vending Air

[sparkey]

Those of you that vend air to pump up tires, does it get much use? I think it would be easy to add with spare parts laying around. Coin mech, timer, solenoid valve off my current air compressor. Just wondering if it just brings in the low lifes with junk vehicles full of trash that buy nothing else but fill your trash cans?

 

[2Biz]

Most people that fit that profile usually have flat tires...At least you might get a buck out of them on the way through! LOL! They could care less about washing their car.

I've been thinking about adding Air too. But didn't give your concerns a thought. You'll get the trash dumpers regardless!

My biggest dilemma...Whether to put in a retractable hose reel? I can only imagine how long it would last.

 

[slash007]

I put one in last year next to my vacuums. Debated the retractable hose, decided it wasn't worth the cost and extra expense down the road. Adding air has been great, get a lot of use. Machine should pay for itself in 15 months. Bought it new from KR with the stand and free shipping.

 

[Earl Weiss]

No additional issues with Pay Air machine. Perhaps not as lucrative as a vacuum, but about as maintenance / labor free an income source as you can have.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Why not add the air hose onto an existing vacuum? That way, all you would need to do is get the air to the vac and add a toggle switch. Bolt an old foam brush hook on the side of the vac to hang the hose and you would be all set. Seems simple to me, especially since I haven't done it

 

[chaz]

I've done it, credit the idea to Brian at Eagle express in New Albany.

Ran a rubber air hose from my main compressor through the attic to an outside wall, where it goes to pipe to the vac against the building. A KIP solenoid and a double throw toggle switch connected to my vac timer. Works great and customers can use extra time to vac. It gets plenty of use and costs be nothing.

I was planning a sign "free air" ... with vac purchase. But never did. At one point I was monitoring usage with an "hours" meter but haven't look at that in years.

You can also do this without the toggle switch and just allow the vac and solenoid to power simultaneously.

My vav dome is clearly labeled with the word AIR

 

[MEP001]

People tend to go to a convenience store first for air, but if there's not one nearby with a machine they'll come to a car wash.

I just replaced an old mechanical dryer timer box with an Adams coin box so he could charge more than 25 cents. He gets about five people an hour coming through to use it, sometimes the same person at the same time every day for weeks.

I know a couple guys who service a bunch of machines, and they hate the retractable reels. People are stupid and lazy, they just let go of the hose and let it whip back to the machine which tears up everything. If I had the place to do it I'd mount a 360° boom and use a fuel pump hose lifter to keep the chuck off the ground.

 

[chaz]

I added air to a vac because I had many asking for air. My initial thought was not to, as I hate paying for air. I had an air hose off my compressor for free use when someone was on sight. But too many issues with non monitored air line.

My air shares a timer etc with a vac, so the set up is very minimal and cost to operate is zero. $2 vac or air or switch between the two.

The gas/conv store in either direction offers air only at a comparable price.

 

[pgrzes]

I have been thinking about putting air in the bays. We have everything we need available allready. If people need air they will pay a liitle extra for it. Has anyone ever done this?

 

[chaz]

I think people understanding air is available in bay would be a struggle.

 

[Mel(NC)]

My air machine gets a lot of use. I dismantled an outside bay and converted the box to sell air. It is piped in to the main air compressor for the car wash. I considered using a retractable hose but decided against it. Most customers hang the hose back on the hook before leaving.I have someone steal the air chuck/gage once every couple of years but for the most part, it is trouble free.

 

[sparkey]

Why not add the air hose onto an existing vacuum? That way, all you would need to do is get the air to the vac and add a toggle switch. Bolt an old foam brush hook on the side of the vac to hang the hose and you would be all set. Seems simple to me, especially since I haven't done it

I really don't want to cut my parking lot up to get an airline to a vac. Its much easier in my situation to put it on the side of the building.

 

[mjwalsh]

I've done it, credit the idea to Brian at Eagle express in New Albany.

Ran a rubber air hose from my main compressor through the attic to an outside wall, where it goes to pipe to the vac against the building. A KIP solenoid and a double throw toggle switch connected to my vac timer. Works great and customers can use extra time to vac. It gets plenty of use and costs be nothing.

I was planning a sign "free air" ... with vac purchase. But never did. At one point I was monitoring usage with an "hours" meter but haven't look at that in years.

You can also do this without the toggle switch and just allow the vac and solenoid to power simultaneously.

My vav dome is clearly labeled with the word AIR

The setup we have with our air pretty much follows Chaz. One thing about mine here ... we did go for a 100' retractable hose reel. If the customer does not start the retract process properly ... we walk by it often enough so it is super easy to let the internal spring do the work either way not worrying about too much recoil force. With this retractable reel ... we can let the customer do it ... only because it actually is a more expensive in the short term SAFETY RETRACTABLE from CoxReels. We like it ... a little on the spendy side initially ... no problems or regrets ... so far... over two years now.

Here is a YouTube link on the safety CoxReels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtubpihM2ac

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I really don't want to cut my parking lot up to get an airline to a vac. Its much easier in my situation to put it on the side of the building.

I guess I was just thinking of my washes. All but one have a vac on an exterior wall so no cutting would be needed for me.

 

[chaz]

Yeah, likely I'd look at other options if there wasn't a vac (I have just one) against the outside wall. I ran my air line as described above with rubber hose to the outside wall, then into pipe. But all this discussion reminded me that when I built 10 years ago, I ran and extra conduit (still unused) to all my vacs, using that would have aced me a trip to the attic. Oh well!

 

[Waxman]

I bought a used air machine for $40. My friend Eric put in a new lock and I got it wired and installed. Customers use it

 

[docopp]

I added free air 6 months ago and it gets a lot of use,
I put a sign "Free Air" on our street to promote it's use
No one has stolen any part of it and I would say maybe 10 to 15 cars use it per day.
I look at it as great, virtually free to me, marketing.
It gets people to our car wash to see how clean and well run we are.

I also eliminated tokens a few months ago, best idea ever !!!
I never hear "I don't want tokens.. I don't live near here... can you trade them for quarters... etc "
If a few people each month change dollar bills for quarters and leave, they have at least seen and experienced our car wash
back to great virtually free marketing