Car Wash Vacuums

[lux1521]

Do any of you like car wash vacuums? Has anyone considered mounting one in their driveway or somewhere else on your property? I have never seen any collectors talking about car was vacuums so I thought I'd bring it up. I think they can be cool looking with lots of metal and stuff depending on the model.

 

[compactc9]

I have thought about putting one in hte garage (the driveway might let people know how crazy I really am). I just have no Idea what I would use it for.

 

[ian88]

I'd say use it for vacuuming the car but that would just be silly.

 

[compactc9]

Well I typically use the central vac (same thing really) and it actually has about the same power.

 

[tolivac]

Yes,I have seen these machines and they are interesting-but-many have three phase motors that won't run off standard home power.you would have to get a Rotovertor or similar device to convert the single phase 220V home power to 3 phase power to run the car wash vacuum.Many have Spencer Turbine co. Blowers in them.They are powerful units-and can be more powerful than home central units.These vacuums were also used in industrial and manufacturing plants for dust and waste collection from machining and other processes.The materials were collected by these units for recycling.Esp if the metal worked was expensive or precious.also the fan systems of these have many more fans in series becuase of the slower motor speed-and larger in diameter.the fan-blower units were designed to run on 1800-3600 RPM induction motors.

 

[ian88]

Well it probably would Reggie actually, I mean the mechanics are probably the same with the two really..

Yeah that's a good idea actually, want a cheap central vac? hook ya best truck winch up and try to uproot a car wash one..

Ian

 

[compactc9]

I guess it all depends on what type of carwash vacuum you are dealing with. Most full service (other people work for you) have eithere a Spencet system or something similar to it. Typically the coin-op single user machines will have 2 7.2in Lamb peripheral bypass motors, usually 240V.

 

[ian88]

Well i'm thinking about the UK ones which seem to be (whilst still big) much smaller than a spencer turbine.

Ian

 

[ian88]

Such as this..

 

[vintagehoover]

The one at our local carwash just looks like someone's put a Henry (or one of his bigger brothers!)in a metal box! The hose and hose-end is definitely the same type Numatic use, and it sounds the same, too.

 

[tolivac]

It would seem like the "single user-coin operated" car vacuums could have hope used at home by collectors-would imagine they could run from a 220V 15A outlet?A car wash (Adams) downtown here has the three phase Spencer type machine-used by the car wash employees and not by the customer.You can see the Spencer turbine and large induction motor on it.Its quite impressive.The bypass motors in these would be a must-otherwise the heat and dust would kill them.

 

[compactc9]

Units like the one pictured use Lamb motors, and can be run on regular 240V current.

I personally love those Spencer Turbine units, I guess it al fits with the rest of my CVS obsession.