Spotless Car Wash

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by BTB

You folks are so funny - 200 gallons indeed!

So "de-ionized water" is Reverse Osmosis water. Water is forced by pressure through a membrane with vewy vewy tiny holes in, so only the water, and not the salts and other stuff can get through. So when the water dries, nothing is left behind, i.e. no spots!

Same thing as under your sink.

The 100 gal or 300 gal will be a supposed measure of how many gallons per day the system can produce.

Toweling dry has the same effect, as virtually nothing is left on the vehicle to evaporate and leave pounds of salts behind.

.......water from the AC? It must be worth something.


Bob

[BTB]

Condensate from the A/C is essentially distilled water - should be fairly de-ionized - worth a try.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by BTB

Condensate from the A/C is essentially distilled water - should be fairly de-ionized - worth a try.

Just how much condensate does your A/C produce?

[Mr. B]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Just how much condensate does your A/C produce?

Haha )))
Free spotless car wash... on the 1st of September every year.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Just how much condensate does your A/C produce?

In NOLA in July, probably a lot.

[John&Vicki]

The CR system seems like an expensive way to do an easy job. I've won Porsche Concours events with no fancy equipment, just a bit of elbow grease.

[drboyd]

Roughly a dollar a gallon for DI water. You could use RO water from your under-sink unit for only the very final rinse to achieve much the same result.

[Boxster1971]

A spotless car wash must be something you owners of black vehicles worry about.

I washed my silver Interstate yesterday to get it clean, photo below. Today it rained most of the day and it sits outside. I never worry much about making it spotless as with 67,000 it has more than a few dings now.



- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Mr. B]

Silver is different.

I like you batteries, Mike.
And what is a rounded on your AC cover?

[73shark]

Originally Posted by Mr. B

And what is a rounded on your AC cover?

TV antenna

[Mr. B]

Interesting. What is the kind?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Attachment 263802

Did you rotate your MaxxFan hood 180 degrees? It looks like it opens to the front instead of the rear.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by Mr. B

Interesting. What is the kind?

It's the original one that used to reside on a tripod where the rear solar panels are now. He mounted on top of A/C w/o the tripod.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Did you rotate your MaxxFan hood 180 degrees? It looks like it opens to the front instead of the rear.

Yes it can be flipped 180 deg very easily by removing four screws that hold the core unit to the mounting frame that is attached to the vans roof. I had to flip the MaxxFan to make room for the solar panels in front of the A/C unit. Only limitation is I don't leave it open when driving. I newer left it open anyway since it puts a lot of strain on the mechanism.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by 73shark

It's the original one that used to reside on a tripod where the rear solar panels are now. He mounted on top of A/C w/o the tripod.

Right on 73shark - it's a Winegard omni directional antenna that they don't make any longer. I think the replacement is a Roadstar model on newer Interstates.
http://www.winegard.com/roadstar

I moved the antenna after I saw Lew Faber do it to make room for more solar behind the A/C unit. There are other solutions using a smaller antenna, but I wanted to work with what I had and it works very well.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, deionized water does work. This is what was used at one of the Ford dealers that I worked at. In Southern California the Sun could dry your car faster than a chamois or towel leaving water spots that are very difficult to remove. Sometimes the water spots can't be removed. The lot men could go down the line and wash every car on the lot, one right after the next, and not worry about damaged paint jobs. I would love to have one, but for the cost, I just learned to wash when the weather was just right. In the morning before full Sun or in the evening as the Sun is nearly setting. And dry them fast.

[Mr. B]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Did you rotate your MaxxFan hood 180 degrees? It looks like it opens to the front instead of the rear.

I also paid attention for it but thought wanted to ask him later.

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Yes it can be flipped 180 deg very easily by removing four screws that hold the core unit to the mounting frame that is attached to the vans roof. I had to flip the MaxxFan to make room for the solar panels in front of the A/C unit. Only limitation is I don't leave it open when driving. I newer left it open anyway since it puts a lot of strain on the mechanism.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

Yes there are two screws in metal holders on each side keep the fan unit. Simple to remove and insert back when putting more black silicone around the unit to patch leaking on a new vehicle haha ))) But it is probably to the AI FLAWS thread

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, deionized water does work. This is what was used at one of the Ford dealers that I worked at. In Southern California the Sun could dry your car faster than a chamois or towel leaving water spots that are very difficult to remove. Sometimes the water spots can't be removed. The lot men could go down the line and wash every car on the lot, one right after the next, and not worry about damaged paint jobs. I would love to have one, but for the cost, I just learned to wash when the weather was just right. In the morning before full Sun or in the evening as the Sun is nearly setting. And dry them fast.

Waiting for my 100 Gal unit next week