Show me your car wash setup, wall mounted pressure washers
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adrenalinejeeper
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I put a wall mounted pressure washer on the wall just inside the garage door that is fed from the whole house water filter and softener, makes it easy to pull out the hose and kick it on for washes in the driveway. It is definitely less power and a little plasticy compared to some of the other wall mounted solutions out there, including the DIY, but it was a heck of a lot cheaper. It has enough power for a foam cannon and routine car wash.
White Shadow
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Here's mine. I never found a need for a powerwasher to wash my cars. A regular garden hose supplies all the water and all the pressure I'll ever need.
That guy at Obsessed Garage just makes me laugh. He sells solutions to problems that don't even exist. Kranzle pressure washers, giant air compressors, wall mounted vacuums.
Although I will say this---my house has central vacuum and the unit is in the utility room in the basement, which shares part of a high wall with garage. So I did run an outlet into the garage to have central vac out there too. If it wasn't so close and so easy to do, I never would have done that, but I did. So maybe I shouldn't talk. LOL
But seriously, who really needs a pressure washer to wash a car? It reminds me of those guys that have to spray foam all over their car before washing it. The whole things is pretty pointless. A simple rinse with a garden hose is all you need to remove any loose **** before washing.
That guy at Obsessed Garage just makes me laugh. He sells solutions to problems that don't even exist. Kranzle pressure washers, giant air compressors, wall mounted vacuums.
Although I will say this---my house has central vacuum and the unit is in the utility room in the basement, which shares part of a high wall with garage. So I did run an outlet into the garage to have central vac out there too. If it wasn't so close and so easy to do, I never would have done that, but I did. So maybe I shouldn't talk. LOL
But seriously, who really needs a pressure washer to wash a car? It reminds me of those guys that have to spray foam all over their car before washing it. The whole things is pretty pointless. A simple rinse with a garden hose is all you need to remove any loose **** before washing.
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Everything is relative, and yes, I need a pressure washer to wash a car.
I enjoy detailing and keeping my cars pristine. Since I've gone down the rabbit hole of detailing, there are defects I notice now that most people won't even notice and washing a car improperly causes 90% of those defects.
Although I can't afford the full Obsessed Garage setup, he has put a lot of real research into finding the best of the best.
I enjoy detailing and keeping my cars pristine. Since I've gone down the rabbit hole of detailing, there are defects I notice now that most people won't even notice and washing a car improperly causes 90% of those defects.
Although I can't afford the full Obsessed Garage setup, he has put a lot of real research into finding the best of the best.
pcmeiners
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White Shadow
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My cars are pristine as well. Better than delivered new. And I wash with a garden hose and normal water pressure. Nobody needs a pressure washer to wash a car properly. That's ridiculous. Sorry, I don't buy into that ****. Here's my 2016 Audi, purchased brand new and only handwashed using a garden hose. This car is about as pristine as you'll ever see. No dents, no dings, no scratches (not even light spiderweb scratches). And this car has never even been paint corrected because I told the dealership to not remove the factory plastic upon delivery, so I got it in almost pristine condition. I just had a few small spots that needed light paint correction by hand since they don't cover ever inch of the car with plastic when shipping them.
Admittedly, white is an easy color to keep looking good. But close up and under brigth 5000K LED lighting, you can see every paint defect and my car really is pristine. The only real defects are a few small rock chips in the bumper cover that I've filled with Dr. Color Chip using the factory color code. And if you use it correctly, it's almost a perfect solution for eliminating rock chips.
So yeah, I still say that nobody needs a pressure washer to maintain a pristine car. My own vehicles are my proof.
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soloz2
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I don't have anything mounted and my pressure washer is a gas powered Ryobi with a Honda engine. Nothing too special about it, but it gets the job done.
Obsessed Garage is just that, obsessive and often pretentious. There is a Facebook group as well as the website, but there's another Facebook group, Obsessed Garage on a Budget which is frankly much more tolerable IMHO. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes, I like looking through pictures and seeing what is going on, but I'm not buying my Milwaukee tools from Obsessed garage at a premium to "respect the source" as they like to say.
To the point on pressure washer for maintaining vehicles. I 100% love and use my pressure washer often for vehicle maintenance. When you keep your vehicles clean you can do a 100% touches maintenance wash using a foam cannon, pressure washer and then a blow dryer. Yes, I use this method and then will use a 3 bucket method when hand washing.
Obsessed Garage is just that, obsessive and often pretentious. There is a Facebook group as well as the website, but there's another Facebook group, Obsessed Garage on a Budget which is frankly much more tolerable IMHO. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes, I like looking through pictures and seeing what is going on, but I'm not buying my Milwaukee tools from Obsessed garage at a premium to "respect the source" as they like to say.
To the point on pressure washer for maintaining vehicles. I 100% love and use my pressure washer often for vehicle maintenance. When you keep your vehicles clean you can do a 100% touches maintenance wash using a foam cannon, pressure washer and then a blow dryer. Yes, I use this method and then will use a 3 bucket method when hand washing.
BetterDays
Well-known member
Do you like this vacuum? I have one and loathe it... Not enough power/suction as all....
Try cleaning this off with a hose.
This is 3 days worth of about 25 miles driving.
zkdiesel
Well-known member
Aladin mounted On loft. water hard plumbed to it, control panel remote mounted in wallunderneath it, hosereel and holder. Kicks ***I require a pressure washer for washing, but as you can clearly see I have construction equipment. A hose doesn’t cut it for them
buzzworth
Well-known member
I pay $10 a month at the new local and drive through whenever I pass it. I carry a sponge and towels with me and usually hit the trouble spots before going through. Then use the (included) vacuums and dry it off.
White Shadow
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I've done much worse. And FWIW, I don't wash with a hose. I rinse with a hose. I wash with a bucket of soapy water and a wash mitt.
I agree, if people are washing with just water pressure alone, then a pressure washer is probably the better choice. I didn't really consider that there are people out there that will just spray their vehicles down to wash them and not use any kind of mechanical cleaning. I see that all the time at the self-serve car wash down the street. People spray and then drive away.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I've been thinking about a mounted AR blue setup for a while. I just wish getting 2.5+ gpm was more accessible for electric pressure washers. I get why they aren't though.
My portable electric had been working decently for light duty but when it dies, I'll likely go this route
That was only 3 days worth. We wash the truck maybe 3-4 times a year. Last time I did it, I used a shovel and ice chipper to clean out the wheel wells.
White Shadow
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Next time I get my Jeep all muddy, I'll share a couple of pictures. Jeeps like mud.
Dan in Pasadena
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My “set up” is a hose and bucket full of auto soap, a wash mitten and a chamois. Oh and a brush for wheels sometimes.
It’s only worked for about 50+ years so it’s unproven but I’ve never had a car that’s ever needed paint work. Of course that might be my practice of trying to wax one panel every time I wash, defaulting to hood & roof since they get the most Sun.
It’s only worked for about 50+ years so it’s unproven but I’ve never had a car that’s ever needed paint work. Of course that might be my practice of trying to wax one panel every time I wash, defaulting to hood & roof since they get the most Sun.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I love the ball.busting about using tools to wash a car from guys who spend thousands on tool boxes and hundreds on ratchets
Do you let the mud dry for a month or two, while reapplying more everyday? Maybe I'm just doing it wrong, but I tried rinsing it off in the building one day with a hose. It pretty much just made a mess inside and left the truck a bigger mess.
We use a gas powered Hotsy and it's still a bunch of work to get it to 50ft clean standards.
I'm by not means a car cleaning or "detailing" as some call it? pro. I wash my stuff maybe once a year. Use a leaf blower or air compressor to blow out the inside. It's a futile effort keeping something show room clean with a dog and a dirt road and dirt driveway.
White Shadow
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Try not to. But in all honesty, if it's a huge mess, I'll just go down to the local car wash and spray if off there just to avoid messing up my driveway. I'm sure the car wash owner hates guys who do that, but I guess that's par for the course.
I don't regularly muddy up my Jeep. Just once in a long while.
Don't have a choice with the work truck, there's hundreds of miles roads, all dirt. It's either dust, mud or frozen. Frozen is the best one.
Jswain
Well-known member
No ****, easy to keep a street queen clean with a hose but unfortunately everybody can't only drive on the pavement.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Regardless of why, this is a comical group to be kink shaming on any tool
Dan in Pasadena
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I'm definitely not THAT guy. Taken me the same 50 years I mentioned to acquire what I have. No apologies for that.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Nor should you apologize for what you have.
insidethehoax
Member
I mean it doesn’t take that much time to test psi and gpm? Unfortunately they even made a spreadsheet with all their results but come to find out they didn’t calibrate the gauge they were using for the tests and never retested the units nor posted the correct output results.
tig
Well-known member
I actually haven't final-mounted the power-washer, nor acquired a hose reel, but I mounted my CR Spotless system like this. The power-washer will be mounted just below it.
soloz2
Well-known member
I'm pretty happy with my Active pressure washer
codeadidas
Active member
I built this setup a couple years ago with the Active 2.0. Still works great today, would recommend.
I hear good things about the active washers, any complaints? What reel is that?
logan_gibson
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Greenworks pressure washer, Flexzilla Hose, and One of the more generic reels off amazon. Really just to speed up cleanup and storage for me, Planning to plumb it and move the electrical up this month.
codeadidas
Active member
No complaints on my end, works well. That is a cox hose reel, a little pricy but very well made.
Impressive system !I built this setup a couple years ago with the Active 2.0. Still works great today, would recommend.
What filter is the small one ?
Did you add a pressure regulator to the system to slow down the filtering ? I’ve read to much water pressure won’t allow for a good water filter - passes thru the media to fast and a 35 PSI regulator (RV style pressure reg ) solves that. Typically water pressure is 60-80 psi
I have a buddy that washes (more like details ) his car every Saturday in his garage, it’s a stress reliever for him ….
He has had more cars in the past 10 years than I’ve had my whole life & I’m 57 …
We both have the big boi heated blowers - they work great !
but I sent him this pic - Big Boi set up
He has had more cars in the past 10 years than I’ve had my whole life & I’m 57 …
We both have the big boi heated blowers - they work great !
but I sent him this pic - Big Boi set up
I love my kranzle power washer. I use it for more than just car washing but it works great. I love that you can rebuild the dang thing if it wears out rather than buying a plastic disposable piece of junk. Hook a foam canon up to it before you start scrubbing and its a dream. I'm not obsessive enough to worry about a filter system yet...
codeadidas
Active member
The small one is a sediment filter (probably not needed). My water pressure is around 60 psig.Impressive system !
What filter is the small one ?
Did you add a pressure regulator to the system to slow down the filtering ? I’ve read to much water pressure won’t allow for a good water filter - passes thru the media to fast and a 35 PSI regulator (RV style pressure reg ) solves that. Typically water pressure is 60-80 psi
Assuming the same nozzle diameter and the pressure washer pump suction has a positive net positive suction head (enough pressure to prevent pump cavitation). The active 2.0 should provide the same volumetric flow rate (2 gpm)regardless of inlet pressure. So if the volumetric flow rate (2 gpm) is constant, and the orifice diameter is constant, then the water velocity passing through the DI beds would also remain constant.
I have TDS meters on the inlet to the sediment filter, downstream of the 1st DI resin bed and downstream of the 2nd DI bed. I never had any issues with TDS breakthrough. I use the meters as an indication of when to change out resin.