BUYERS GUIDE: Vehicle washing and chassis cleaning equipment
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TWO BASIC types of vehicle washer are offered—brush and brushless—and both use a "drive-through" double arch system. As well as dealing with conventional flat-sided vehicles the equipment can handle the awkward recesses and angled sections found, for example, on refuse collectors and road sweepers.
With the brushless type a pump is 'automatically actuated as the vehicle approaches the first arch which subjects the complete surface to a chemical treatment. The system allows a controlled pre-determined time for the solution to react before the vehicle proceeds through the second arch where it is spray rinsed with clean water. One advantage of this arrangement is that there is no possibility of damage to mirrors or other projections.
The brush type is again actuated by the approach of the vehicle, which receives a pre-soak prior to brushing. During the brushing operation, a detergent solution is applied from a high pressure pump unit—the solution being constantly filtered and replenished. Following this, the vehicle is pressure-jet rinsed from a 1,364-litre (300 gal) capacity tank. The unit can deal with vehicles up to 4.6m (15ft) high THE RANGE of mobile pressure cleaners from Applied Chemicals Ltd, 'includes hot or cold machines with operating pressures of up to 5,520kN/ sq m (800psi).
The Concorde Mk III Series Two is •a 3,500kN/sq m (500psi) hot/cold machine with oil-fired heating and in common with the complete range of Applied machines it meets the latest Water Board regulations.
Operating at 5,520kN/sq m (800psi) the Wizard 800, fitted with a three-cyl pump to give a flow TX 13 litres/min (2.9gpan) device for 'metering dete into the main water flow corporated.
The Wizard 500 is a h portable machine, weil only 46kg (1021b), and ates at pressures up 3,500kN/sq m (500psi). 500/S is similar but witi addition of an integral tank. TIDE range of machines is keted by AVW including Gantri Mk 2, where the plete washing operation is ,matic. This 'machine sures the length of the cle being washed and a -wheel device is incorpod in the brush-lowering em prohibiting excessive h load on the vehicle. The tri is available in single or yle traverse mode and is lue in having side brushes .83m (6ft) in diameter.
he Monarch Mk 2 is also keted as a single or double erse unit with machines liable in heights up to a :imum of 4.6m (15ft). The wash time is obviously dependent on the size of the vehicle but, as an approximate guide, AVW suggest about six minutes for a double deck bus.
The under chassis wash from AVW consists of a system of spray pipes set into the floor of the wash bay positioned so that the vehicle drives over the spray system as it enters the wash.
Designed to operate with all normal gantry-style washing machines, AVW have a water reclamation unit intended to recover up to 55 litres/min (12gpm) although larger units are available if required. THE M1 Mk 2 high pressure washer from Columbus Dixon operates at a pressure of 3,450kN/sq m (500psi) and has a pump delivery rate of 9.1 litres/min (2gpm). The 9.1m (30ft) delivery hose is fitted with a shut-off device which functions 'automatically on release and it has a "snap-on" coupling with the cleaning tool.
The tool can be a 610mm (24in) lance with a turret nozzle providing four different spray patterns or else a 0.9 or 1.am (3 or aft) steel wand with a brush for dirt removal by agitation. The M1 Mk 2 has a built-in automatic chemical metering unit.