Maintaining your equipment at a coin-op car wash is important. We are working with heat and high-pressure and water. The same forces that build mountains and tear them down again. This is probably why your equipment cleans so well, but un-maintained these tools of the trade can truly become the machines from hell. Broken down or inoperable equipment in an un-maintained car wash will attract vandalism, crime, graffiti and additional abuse from patrons and derelicts alike.
VACUUM
Most coin operated vacuums have two motors in the top. They are good usually for about 400 hours. They are easy to replace and are not expensive. They cost between $39-89 each. If you replace one, you should replace both because their useful life is highly predictable. If one goes chances are, the other one will soon. If you want to replace your entire vacuum and go to a three motor vacuum, youll probably want to go with the oval shape style vacuum. Round style three motor units need more space due to their large diameter. Youll need more room to mount them at your car wash.
Vacuum Motors
Worn carbon brushes in these motors cause the motors to fail prematurely. You should inspect both carbon brushes in each motor at least every two months. If you are washing in excess of $10,000 in personal car washes monthly, we recommend brush inspection once per month. You should also maintain spare carbon brushes or entire motors in your inventory at the car wash. The average coin op car wash does $1,000 to $1300 per bay per month, so a six bay car wash usually will burn through the vacuum motors in about 45-60 days.
When you check brushes also check to make sure motors are securely fastened. Loose motor mountings can cause poor suction because the motor impeller is not centered over an inlet. Most multiple motor vacuums will still run even if only one motor is working. Suction will be poor, but it will still turn on. If a ground wire comes off or a motor burns up it could cause another motor to fail.
Usually, if pressure is down, its because: You have a hole in your hose; Your hose pulled out of the base of the unit; The trap door to the waste area is ajar; Your pressure washer is idling or it is running at the wrong rpm for maximum efficiency; The belt to your generator is loose; The ground wire on your generator is broken; Your generator is loose on its mounting; Your motors need replacing; Something is clogging the hose
Vacuum Filters
If you find dirt around the vacuum motors, one of the filters is either torn or it is not seated properly. If you allow this condition to continue the motors will fail and self-destruct in approximately 10.2 to 30 operating hours. If the vacuum filter is wet constantly, you should remove it and blast the outside of the filter first, from a distance of three meters, then turn it inside out and blast it and leave it out in the sun to dry for an hour or in Arizona Summers, ten minutes.
If you shake the filter, the dust should drop away from the filter. If dust and dirt cling to the filter, shake it more. If that doesnt work, blast it. If the filter is as gray as the dirt it is supposed to be separating, clean it gently with a soft brush. If this doesnt work, blast it and brush it. If that doesnt work, replace it. The cost for a good cloth filter bag is about $10.00. Make sure it is a wet and dry filter. Dont buy a dry filter bag to save money. You need one that is water resistent. We recommend that you stock at least two filters or three if you buy a three motor machine.
Appearance
Keep all vacuum decals looking good. Not torn. Rub silicon on the decals to keep them shiny and un-oxidized. Remember, you are selling clean. If they are ripped, replace them. This prevents customers from abusing them, it makes them feel that you care so they in turn treat them well. It is an innate characteristic of human behavior.
If you have a hole in your vacuum hose, buy some clear silicon. Blast the hose with your pressure washer to clean it. Turn the vacuum on for thirty seconds to dry the outside of the hose. Use clear fast drying silicon pipe sealer or over night clear silicon caulking compound. Do not push it in to the hole as it will dry inside and cause things to clog the hose when you are operating the vacuum unit.
You should stretch out your vacuum hose and blast it from a foot distance. Put your foot on the hose and roll it from side to side while blasting. When you put the hose back, have a towel in one hand and pull the hose through the towel to dry it off from the wet parking lot grime. Its best to clean the hoses on concrete (a sidewalk) rather than asphalt.
Cleaning Out Vacuum Hose
Detach the hose. Put one end on a lawn and hold the other side in your hand at three and one-half to four feet high. Put your high pressure water hose in the vacuum hose and pull the trigger. Be sure the first two feet of vacuum hose has no kinks or turns in it. Otherwise you will shoot a hole on the vacuum hose. Be sure to shoot the water gun directly down the center of the vacuum hose.
If you think that a piece of trash or a paper cup is clogging the vacuum hose, switch sides of the hose when connecting the hose to the vacuum and vacuum the item back out the way it went in. Try this before you try blasting it out.
What kinds of things clog vacuums: Upside down paper cups with openings of one and a quarter inches (only when attachment is off); Toys; Underwear, bras, pantyhose; Screw drivers; Dead fish; Bags of marijuana (it happened, customer was very upset, we didnt know it was under the seat); Ping pong balls; Paper bags; Glad trash bags, unused; Etc.
If you maintain your car wash vacuums you will find they continually bring in revenue. The industry average for coin op vacuums is $400 per month in earnings. If your facility has five bays and 8 vacuums you can understand why preventative maintenance is so important, that is over $3,000 per month. Think about it.
Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
