Ric
Cantree Member
I am adding another iba to my wash. There is a possibility that my incoming water service is under sized. Have any of you added additional water storage to help out? Storage tank, booster pump, bladder tank...how did you do it?
water storage/booster pump
- Thread starter Ric
- Start date
robert roman
Bob Roman
When developing a new carwash or renovating an old wash, investors plan for great success not mediocrity.
If you’ve made the financial commitment to add innovation (new IBA), why saddle it with mediocre infrastructure – possibility of an inadequate water supply.
Not only does this create possibility of operations risk from insufficient sales it also creates the possibility of re-sale market risk as in fair value.
The best way to mitigate these risks is to plan for a reliable water supply (i.e. increase size of water main).
If you’ve made the financial commitment to add innovation (new IBA), why saddle it with mediocre infrastructure – possibility of an inadequate water supply.
Not only does this create possibility of operations risk from insufficient sales it also creates the possibility of re-sale market risk as in fair value.
The best way to mitigate these risks is to plan for a reliable water supply (i.e. increase size of water main).
Washmee
Fullservice Tunnel
You realize that sometimes that's just not possible. I had a similar problem after I bought my wash. There was not enough supply or pressure and the city water utility said too bad, they had no intention of doing anything about the problem. My wash was built in 1956 and over the years many other businesses were built and supplied by the same 4 inch main that supplied the wash. On certain days and times my water pressure would drop as low as 15psi coming into the building. I added a booster pump and several bladder tanks to help stabilize the flow and pressure. My final solution was to drill a well for wash water use only.
Waxman
Super Moderator
In my IBA I store my RO reject and use it in the IBA.
You could do the same thing; I use a 250 gal tote and pump it into my IBA feed tank via a Little Giant pump w/dual float setup.
You could do the same thing; I use a 250 gal tote and pump it into my IBA feed tank via a Little Giant pump w/dual float setup.
robert roman
Bob Roman
You realize the situation you described is a rare exception rather than the norm.
What municipality would allow water main pressure to drop below minimum standards without being due to external factors like drought, sinkhole, etc.?
I never heard of such a thing. How did the new guys obtain permits?
What municipality would allow water main pressure to drop below minimum standards without being due to external factors like drought, sinkhole, etc.?
I never heard of such a thing. How did the new guys obtain permits?
Jeff_L
Well-known member
Ric - I do something similar to Waxman. My RO reject goes upstairs to about 6-7 55gal drums all laying on their side and plumbed together with 2" PVC pipe. Since they are upstairs, they gravity feed into my two IBA's. I also have a 30gal drum right-side up plumbed into them that has a float that opens the valve to the city feed in case the tanks go low from a lot of use and not enough time between cars for the RO to regenerate enough. This, however, doesn't solve your hot water input, unless you plumb RO reject to both a holding tank and to a water heater.
Washmee
Fullservice Tunnel
I don't know, maybe you could ask them or the water utility. The wash wash built in 1956 and I would guess that at the time the line was big enough. The average water pressure is only 40psi to begin with.
ToFarGone
Member
If you build on the south end of my city you will be told to install boosters. It has been this way for years.
Ric
Cantree Member
What are you using for a float setup? Electrical, in order to tell the pump to turn on?
Washmee
Fullservice Tunnel
Thats how my water well is set up. Very efficient and makes the pump last longer.
pgrzes
Active member
I have reject going into tanks in the attic and just gravity feed into my auto's tank. I have a Jobe float valve on 1- 3/4" line and an overflow that just drains into the autos tank. I also have my reclaim going into attic tank for Undercarriage blast.
wash4me
Member
This sounds like a good idea. I would think that you could also install some sensors and have it where the pressure had to be low and the float tanks also had to be below a certain level before the pump came on. When the wash isn't busy even with low pressure the tank could recover.
