Car Wash Blog / Self Serve Industry Blog and Forum
We were having a problem already with the Wizard control unit not allowing us to test each function. Ends up that the Red Lion (1st picture, has a display on it) was not plugged in. The silver plug (2nd picture) was a little loose and that was the problem. So our first problem was solved!
We washed the first car today! Well kind of washed the car: the chemical tanks and holding tanks need to be cleaned. There is no chemical, the air is not connected (that is why the boom is pressure washing the ground in the 4th picture), and I do not have enough water pressure to wash my little car. I have a 1″ water line going into the building and Greg said that it should be enough to work so we will look at it tomorrow.
Okay I had a 1″ 2 wire hose that I needed 2 fittings crimped on to. I called a Napa and they said to bring it in. Ends up they have no fittings and they thought I had the fittings also. So I tried another Napa which had the fittings but they did not know how to crimp them. Then I went to a tractor supply place that freaked out when I needed a pipe thread fitting, but they did only had one fitting. Then I went to Applied Fluids Systems, who fixed me up and everything was fine. The only problem is this little process took 2 hours.
I installed the RO hose along with all the fittings.
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Soft water install with the Water Wizard install.
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The first picture shows the fitting that I broke off and how it connects to the automatic.
Today William and I installed part of the water lines for the Water Wizard. I am going to use softened water for my chemicals and street water for my high pressure water. We also setup the RO water for the Wizard.
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We added a tee and a 1″ water supply to the soft water supply for the chemical lines. I could not connect everything because I did not have all the correct parts.
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We added another tee for the RO water and I did not have all the pieces to finish the rest.
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I did not have all the correct pieces to connect the main water line either. Maybe tomorrow I will finish.
I labeled the “box of power” today, actually it has only 3 things and the electrician told me the answers. William and I turned the power on and moved the gantry for the first time today and there was a problem. The third picture shows how the gantry gearbox bolts hits the rail bolts. So William cut off all the bolts then the gantry can move back and forth.
Lengthened all the hoses to the Water Wizard unit today. We still have the rail heat, air line and high pressure hoses to go. Then I need to connect the soft water, city water, ro water, check the electrical, make sure the phone line works (which it does not), and get service for accepting credit cards. I also need the final building inspection. Also, in general, just see if the equipment still works after being transported and stored for such a long time.
As for the phone line I called yesterday about the line and they said it worked. So I plugged a phone into the phone box attached to the building and I did not get a dial tone. I assume this should work? But the person I was talking to could not answer this technical question. I did learn this though: when calling the phone company, “you should know your phone number”. I guess everyone gives me a hard time?
The electrician finished today which is great. But someone pulled out one of the wires on my Weep Mizer. Hardly worth complaining about but the only other thing I did today was spray down bays and dig out 2 pits.
I received some low and high pressure hoses and some fittings today along with some vending supplies.
I actually did not do anything today because I ran into a bollard and thought my leg was going to fall off.
I installed the unistrut to mount the 1″ high pressure line to run to the equipment room.