USEFUL LINKS
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY – LINKS TO PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
•Power Washers of North America – A dynamic non-profit trade association representing the pressure washing industry.
•Cleaning Equipment Trade Association – An international non-profit trade association of manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers.
•RGF Environmental Links– Government site with state by state links for Environmental information.
•Pressure Washing Pros – This is a private (though we’d LOVE for you to join!) Facebook group operated by Jerry Kaifetz, the C.E.O. of Omega Chemical
TECHNICAL NOTES AND INFORMATION
THE ROLE OF GOOD CHEMICALS IN FLEET WASHING
The first thing we learned in our ten years in the truck washing business was that the brushes had to go! It rapidly became apparent that brushing was the single biggest limiting factor to achieving high levels of production in fleet truck washing.
The first principle to be understood is that it takes energy to wash anything. The dirtier it is, the more energy it takes. The old-fashioned axiom states that the best source of this energy is human input: “elbow grease.” In the truck washing business, this has most often translated into the need for brushing. Unfortunately, brushing is very hard, very time consuming, and leaves the most evident markings imaginable when not done to perfection.
Very often, you will hear people say that hot water is a must for pressure washing. (Interestingly, nearly all of those making this claim seem to be hot-water pressure washer salesmen!) Of course, hot water can help. A good way to understand the role of hot water in effective pressure washing with good chemicals is to think of sailboat underway in a ten knot wind. Would rowing help? Not that one would be able to notice. The point is that rowing would be unnecessary, (opinions of oar salesmen notwithstanding) just as hot water or brushing are both unnecessary once you have discovered the value of good chemicals at a good price.
We have always believed that it made the most sense to introduce energy into the fleet washing process chemically, not mechanically or thermally. Chemicals always show up for work. Chemicals have no moving parts to break down or malfunction. Using good chemicals is a far better value than any of the alternatives in terms of economy and the production rates are without a shadow of a doubt the highest.
With this in mind, we set out to create a family of pressure washing chemicals second to none. Our products cut their teeth in the Chicago area steel mills, making any fleet washing application easy by comparison. With good chemicals, costs per unit drop dramatically, as does the time it takes to do the job. We never had a problem washing five 53 ft. vans per hour. Figure out that income at today’s rates and you will see that truck washers can be up there with any highly trained profession in terms of income. The main factor, we believe, is the availability of good chemicals bought at a good price.
jk
HOW TO REMOVE ROAD-FILM
Most road film is in reality an early stage of oxidation. Another word for this process is “rust,” although this term is most often used to describe the decay of metal. The fact is, however, that it is oxygen that fuels this process.
The strange sounding fact is that you cannot tell how “dirty” a truck is by gauging the amount of “dirt” on it. A truck that has been recently washed and driven for a day through a rainstorm can probably be hosed off with a low-pressure garden hose. A truck that has been driven in dry weather for a number of weeks without encountering bad weather may well give the appearance of not being “as dirty.” The road-film on its surface, however, will give a far more determined effort to resist removal than the “dirtier” looking truck that has been more recently washed.
The real challenge in truck washing then, becomes the removal of road film. The battle is with the oxygenation on the vehicle’s surface, regardless of the composition of the surface material. The bond between the oxygen and the surface is an incredibly powerful chemical bond. This is the bond that must be defeated if the fleet washing process is going to be efficient, timely and profitable.
Acid-based products (low PH) have generally been applied to metal surfaces while alkaline products (high PH) have found their best use on synthetic surfaces. The acid -based products, such as most brighteners, use Hydrofluoric Acid to break the bond between oxygen and the vehicle surface. When the process operates efficiently, that is when the product is strong enough, the film is instantly removed without the need for brushing or hot water. Anything less simply means that you have not found the best product for the job. Other acids & components must also be present to strengthen the products ability to withstand dilution through a downstream injector or similar device. Good brighteners should easily be dilutable 25:1, or well beyond.
The Two Step Process involves the application of the Alkaline (No. 2) over the Brightener before any pressure rinsing. This is a true supercharging of the chemical cleaning process by harnessing the power of a very effective chemical reaction to add much energy to the cleaning process. This process is especially effective in defeating the worst road film. In any of these applications, the road film should instantly be defeated by the chemicals. The film should be seen broken up and running down the vehicle. At this point, the vehicle could well be rinsed with a garden hose. The pressure and volume of water from the pressure washer serve only to speed the rinsing cycle, not to cut the road film!
jk
CALCULATIONS OF PULLEY SIZES
BELT SIZE FORMULA:
Pulley diameter #1 + pulley diameter #2 x 1.57 + 2X distance between two shafts.
TO FIND PULLEY SIZE:
Motor RPM X Motor Pulley (inches) divided by pump RPM = Pump Pulley
TO FIND MOTOR RPM:
Pump pulley X Pump RPM divided by motor pulley = Motor RPM
TO FIND PUMP RPM:
Motor RPM X Motor Pulley divided by pump pulley = Pump RPM
TO FIND MOTOR PULLEY SIZE: Pump RPM X pump pulley divided by motor RPM = Motor Pulley
jk
THE TWO-STEP CLEANING PROCESS
While most anyone can clean an over-the-road tandem tractor if given enough time, a bucket of soap and a generous amount of determination, cleaning large fleets in an efficient and cost-effective manner is an altogether different undertaking. The great division between those who have managed to do this with both ease and striking efficiency may well be the adaptation of the Two-Step cleaning method.
The Two-Step method relies on the chemical reaction of two chemical products applied one over the other to achieve the supreme cleaning power attributed to this system. Omega Chemical has over a period of several years developed two specific chemicals for use in the Two-Step system that have brought a new level of ease and efficiency to truck washing. These two chemicals each have phenomenal cleaning properties when used in stand-alone applications. In fact, each of them has found an appreciative and growing market and has fared extremely well in the highly competitive field of chemical cleaning products. When used together in the Two-Step system, however, we have found in test cleaning over 50,000 tractors and trailers a minimum 200% increase in cleaning power and efficiency over tests involving either of these chemicals, or any others, in traditional stand-alone applications.
The results that are consistently obtained in the use of these two products within the Two-Step system are so remarkable that they must be seen to be believed. In cold water washing at 2000 p.s.i. at 4.75 g.p.m. washers are regularly washing five to six 53 ft. vans an hour using one man with no brushing! Production has gone up to 10 to 12 units per hour washing single-axle tractors.)
First we apply the primary application product. This is done through a downstream chemical injection system of our own design. It has the unique feature of allowing us to control not only the precise dilution ratio, but can also allow us to choose from two different chemicals with great ease and rapidity. We can cover an entire 53 ft. trailer in about three minutes. We then apply the secondary chemical directly over the first. This is also done in about three minutes. At this point, the dirt, grime and most stubborn road film are completely defeated. The dirt and road film has been thoroughly loosened and can be seen running down the sides of the unit! The corrosion on aluminum rails is gone and the rails are shiny as well as spotlessly clean. Another benefit is the complete neutralization of both chemicals, leaving a rinse water free of acids or alkalis when used properly.
The rinsing procedure now begins. The dirt is so thoroughly defeated at this point that the unit could be easily rinsed with a garden hose. The only reason for the high-pressure rinse is to quicken the rinsing process. The pressure is not necessary to do the cleaning in most applications. The only purpose of the high pressure and volume of water are to speed up the rinsing. On the average, a 53 ft. van can be rinsed by one man in about six minutes. Even stainless steel doors come out immaculately clean and brilliantly shiny.
The two secrets to this system are, 1) the chemicals themselves. Each is produced and balanced uniquely to complement the other and , 2) a good chemical injection system. Using the power of this approach to solve your truck washing needs will produce results and efficiency unequalled by any system that we know.
jk
MOBILE WASH TRUCK SETUP
This is a photo of a mobile wash truck belonging to one of our customers. This is our design and is based on the kind of setup we had on our own trucks during our ten years in the business. It is among the very best designs you will ever see.
The motors are 12 hp Kohlers with electric and pull starts. The stacked setup is very compact and saves space, yet allows for maintenance access. The high-pressure hose reels provide the same benefits.
The downstream injector setup is very impressive. Normally, the manifold only provides for two chemicals, but this one provides access to several. Whichever valve is on will determine the product coming through the dual-lance wand when the wand is on low pressure. Care must be taken to have only one valve on. The metering ratio will be determined by the injector itself located below the valves. This setup is perfect for the “Two-Step” method. Notice the use of quick-couplers throughout.
The chemicals on board are Omega’s AB-55 and No. 2 Truck Wash Plus, providing a tremendous one, two punch. (makes hot water and brushing completely unnecessary — pressure washer salesmen’s opinions to the contrary notwithstanding!)
You will have to go a long way to find a mobile-wash rig set up as nicely as this. There should not be the slightest problem in a one or two man operation working a truck like this and grossing between $75 and $125 an hour. We speak from experience.
A close-up of the downstream injectors. There are two injectors, one for each machine. each one can inject any of four different products.
Although we do not sell any of this apparatus, we often work with our customers in helping them achieve the most efficient designs and in steering them toward equipment suppliers that we know to be reputable with the best prices.
jk
Click on the picture above!
This is a totally-unsolicited video. It's only a minute-long, and the picture is worth a thousand words, as they say!