*Cheap* replacement for CRSpotless

Kean- I'm using the hose and nozzle that came with it, cheap stuff, but I figure it's specs are inline with the desired flow rates.



My "fan" setting seems more aggressive (if that's the right word) than my "shower" setting.



And yeah, I have scads of quick-disconnects too :D
 
Accumulator said:
Kean- I'm using the hose and nozzle that came with it, cheap stuff, but I figure it's specs are inline with the desired flow rates.



My "fan" setting seems more aggressive (if that's the right word) than my "shower" setting.



And yeah, I have scads of quick-disconnects too :D
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The nozzle that came with my system broke quite a while ago. I bought a couple of these Gilmour nozzles as replacements:



034411143278xl.jpg




I suppose I could do a simple test filling up a bucket with each setting and timing it. ....although I will likely wait until I get some sort of restrictor on there first to ensure some sort of consistency in the flow through the filters. I like the shower setting since it seems to flush/push water over surfaces better than the fan setting (which tends to create more standing water droplets).



Some time ago I also started to use my DI water throughout the process (with the exception of the wash solution and rinse bucket). Even though I wash indoors some days it can be a battle with water spotting using tap water run through my pre-filters (before I can get a chance to do a final DI rinse). ....it's just easier for me to use the DI water from start to finish (so I don't need to rush). The exception might be if the car is quite dirty (i.e. after a first rain) in which case I will do a pre-rinse using my tap hose.
 
Kean- You're serving as a reality-check for me, sure glad my water isn't that bad!



Ever think about getting a softener?



I always figure that my good nozzles (and your Gilmour looks nice) flow more water than the cheapie they gave me, do I'm being careful to not break it.
 
I had thought about a softener and I may still end up doing something like that. I do have a small softener cartridge I use for mixing my soap solution, filling my rinse bucket and sometimes for an initial rinse, but for its size it really doesn't do much. ....although it did drop my TDS reading by ~100 from 500+. I certainly could use some sort of "whole house" solution in either case.



I also worried about the new nozzles possibly flowing more water than the old one but I've been using them for quite a while now without any notable difference in the life of my resin. I still need to get going on some sort of restriction device though.
 
Accumulator said:
No, sorry, I haven't gotten into the whole digital-imaging thing...(yeah, I know :o ).



It just looks like a a brass quick-disconnect fitting- cylindrical piece with female hose-end threads on each end. Srews onto the supply hose where it goes into the DI unit. The guys at the RV store will know exactly what it is, or I bet you can figure it out with a quick google. "Water pressure regulator, 40 psi" pulled up this- David's RV Tips: Water Pressure Regulators . I have the cheapie one that he says is available at Walmart; it's held up fine for me.
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So basically one of these would be good?



http://www.amazon.com/Camco-40053-Brass-Pressure-Regulator/dp/B000BQ7WH2
 
Ever since my spilled resin disaster with my CRS last year and now having *two* replaced clear plastic cartridges, I'm a bit apprehensive about using the darn thing again, lest it spit the resin again.



I guess I'll try it on the house windows first,once the season of film build-up arrives, and cross my fingers.



Gosh, what hoops we wont jump through just in effort to get our vehicles spot free!
 
So I've been looking, and the filter I have is supposed to be limited to 1 GPM, but a 40PSI restrictor would flow higher rates than this, so I was wondering if anyone could help me find a cheap hose attachment that would restrict flow rates to 1gpm?
 
Nopstnz8 said:
So I've been looking, and the filter I have is supposed to be limited to 1 GPM, but a 40PSI restrictor would flow higher rates than this, so I was wondering if anyone could help me find a cheap hose attachment that would restrict flow rates to 1gpm?
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The output flow volume and the input water pressure are two different things covering two different concerns. Just sayin'....because it's not like using one will negate the need for/benefit of the other.



I don' thave an optimal answer to the 1gpm output, but I somehow think it's gonna be really simple, like using a small diameter hose and a nozzle's "lowest ouput" setting (like "gentle shower"). I'm dealing with this by using the hose and nozzle that came with my CRS, and that seems to be all there is to it... Basically, just not spraying a lot of water.
 
Accumulator said:
The output flow volume and the input water pressure are two different things covering two different concerns. Just sayin'....because it's not like using one will negate the need for/benefit of the other.



I don' thave an optimal answer to the 1gpm output, but I somehow think it's gonna be really simple, like using a small diameter hose and a nozzle's "lowest ouput" setting (like "gentle shower"). I'm dealing with this by using the hose and nozzle that came with my CRS, and that seems to be all there is to it... Basically, just not spraying a lot of water.
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Ok. That's what I already do now, but I'll try it when I can get my hands on a restrictor too.
 
So I never solved my problem regarding the hard spotting even at my house where we have the exact same unit as superbee posted in the OP, the one that should be flowing up to 2 GPM. If I run the water pressure relatively low with the shower setting on the nozzle, my car will still hard water spot during the wash cycle within minute, where I have to use EZ Creme glaze just to get rid of the spots, which is not feasible for every wash.



Is anyone else having these problems? Any solutions? I know I posted this a while ago, but I'm about to give up on this unit as it's only been good for ONRing sadly, and hell, I think without the unit in general, I actually don't get **HARD** waterspotting during washing, just maybe some spotting here and there, but I forget as I've been ONRing for years, since my car didn't get dirty enough then to force me to bring out the hose... Guess it's back to washing my car at night in the dark when it's too dirty to ONR =(



I also feel if I was to purchase a CR Spottless, I'd probably have the same problems yet again?
 
Nopstnz8 said:
So I never solved my problem regarding the hard spotting even at my house where we have the exact same unit as superbee posted in the OP, the one that should be flowing up to 2 GPM. If I run the water pressure relatively low with the shower setting on the nozzle, my car will still hard water spot during the wash cycle within minute, where I have to use EZ Creme glaze just to get rid of the spots, which is not feasible for every wash.



Is anyone else having these problems? Any solutions? I know I posted this a while ago, but I'm about to give up on this unit as it's only been good for ONRing sadly, and hell, I think without the unit in general, I actually don't get **HARD** waterspotting during washing, just maybe some spotting here and there, but I forget as I've been ONRing for years, since my car didn't get dirty enough then to force me to bring out the hose... Guess it's back to washing my car at night in the dark when it's too dirty to ONR =(



I also feel if I was to purchase a CR Spottless, I'd probably have the same problems yet again?
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I can’t speak for Supe’s system in the original post, but I do have a CRS DIC-20 and it does work IMO/IME. The last time I measured my tap water I saw PPM readings over 500. ….pretty bad as far as hard water goes. With my pre-filters I drop down ~100 and with the CRS system it’s down to zero. I don’t begin to really notice spotting (from the filtered water directly) until the PPM reading reach 10-20. ….once it begins to read above “000” it starts to fluctuate and I usually have time for 1 wash before I replace. However, even when I have over-used the resin, any spotting I found was quite easy to remove.



Spots that I do encounter with fresh resin I attribute to hidden tap/dirty water left in crevices that will become dislodged during my drying process. However, this “contaminated” water is usually well diluted with DI water so any drips or spots are localized, soft and easy to remove.



Some things off the top of my head that I might question on your homemade system are: What is your actual flow rate? What is the confirmed maximum flow rate your filters actually can handle while still being effective? Are your cartridges (including seals, etc.) working properly (is unfiltered water bypassing the media somehow)? Do you have a TDS meter to test your water? ….if so, what are your readings (before/after)? Obviously, something is not working right.
 
Nopstnz8- Refresh my memory if you will (in other words, save me from rereading a lot of this thread ;) )....why don't you just run sediment filters and a softener, and then DI that filtered/softened water?
 
So I just took a day and a half to read through this entire post and what looked promising in the beginning seems to have come to an abrupt stop at "buy a CR unit". I'm only a weekend warrior so spending $430 for a water system just isn't going to happen. However the first page lists the parts that could get something going for less than $150. I don't really use a pressure washer to wash my vehicles unless there is mud caked on there. If all I needed was enough to fill a few buckets with DI water for my wash and then enough pressure to rinse the vehicles clean would the first page of this post be sufficient in doing so? I haven't tested my water here, but I can almost without question guarantee it's super hard water between 4-500ppm. I just was curious. I might wash my vehicles every 7-10 days in the spring-early fall so I don't go through a ton of water. Thanks for the great read over the past few years on this post.
 
Actually I had thought about trying something "new" when the weather gets a little nicer out. But I have a few 55gal plastic barrels lying around. What if I were to put DI water in them though the means of buying one of these filters, filling it with resin and SLOWLY letting it fill one of the barrels. Then, attach a spigot to the bottom of the barrel or just have a hose placed inside the barrel so when I turn the pressure washer on it "sucks" the water from the barrel. The only reason I mention this is I vaguely remember the last time I used my pressure washer my wife identically turn the water off while I was using it and the hose flattened out. This to me shows the machine "sucks" the water from the hose. I'd think as long as I primed the hose first it might work. I'll have to test it first before I start anything big, but it's worth a shot. Figured a few 55 gallon barrels would last me a while if I'm just rinsing the vehicles with it. Just a thought.....what's everyone else think?



I got my idea from here by means of just putting the resin in the casing with that rod down the middle. Mine will only be a one (maybe 2 later on) filter system and I'll recharge the resin according to the instructions found her using lye.
 
jayhkr- Are the time, hassle, and inconvenience (55 gallon barrels as opposed to a compact, cart-around system) really worth the ~$300 savings to you? If so, I sincerely wish you good luck with the project.
 
Ummmm........$300 is a lot of money where I come from.......what's the inconvenience? I hook a 50-100' hose to the bottom of the barrel and start spraying. To fill it, I connect the hose from the faucet, to the DI unit that then leads out to the barrels. All I do is turn the water on and fill. This is just a home project, nothing for business. Seems as though I could take that extra $300 and be happy with something else. I thought it would be a no brainer....but I seem to get a lot of resistance no matter where I post this at. Guess some people are made of money.
 
jayhkr- Didn't mean to come across as snotty or anything...wish I'd worded things differently and not come across as "resistance" let alone elicited that "made of money" remark. Things don't always come across right over the 'net and I understand that I can sound like a jerk if I'm not careful.



As for the convenience issue, I just thought that a large barrel full of water is less convenient than a compact cart on wheels, but I guess that's just in *my* garage and if it's gonna work OK for you in *yours* then cool! (I'm just working in a home shop too.)



If your water's really hard, I wonder how long a (single) cartridge will last :think: You think your resin-recharge will work OK? IIRC (and I might be misremembering :confused: ) it didn't work all that great for SuperBee364. Resin is kinda pricey though, so if the lye approach works you might end up having DI water at a reasonable price.



Ever give any thought to a) filtering your water to get the "big stuff" out, and/or 2) softening the water? Either (or both) might cut down on how severe your spotting issue is, and maybe even help the resin last longer between rechargings.
 
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