what's in 'spotless rinse' that makes it work?

I

imported_roadk

New member
in new jersey, we can't wash our cars unless at the coin op.

i wouldn'nt be a this forum if i took it through one of those rag/rubber

scratchola car wash machines,

but mine has a no work spotless drive thru .

i know it's high pressure, but i have very few options.



but here's the question:

the last rinse is called a 'spotless rinse'.

the last time i went, i wjust wanted a fast wash to get all of the bird crap off my car and didn't have time to dry it.

but it dried as i drove on to work and it did

dry SPOTLESS, like advertised.

how is this? they even use well water and that tends to be harder than most tap water....

thanks for any help.



--roadk





:confused:
 
IMO, most spotless rinse cycles are code talk for "your paying us to turn off our pumps." The pumps don't run, and your left with the pressure avaliable before the pump. I think the idea is the fine droplets of water will bead up together and roll off the surface, much like the free flow rinse most autopians do, except your using fine drops of water instead of a sheeting action. Then as you drive the air flow around the car takes care of the rest.



It's possible they are injecting some alcohol or some other agent to reduce the surface tension of the water, but I doubt it.
 
laynlow said:
It's possible they are injecting some alcohol or some other agent to reduce the surface tension of the water, but I doubt it.
Click to expand...

Alcohol :scared

I hope not.... there goes the Zaino if that's the case.



Hand wash or no wash for the Z28 but I have used these touchless automatic washes for the Lexus. Work good enough until able to hand wash or my detailer has time.
 
My guess would be a tiny bit of detergent in the water or a commercial surfactant.



When I used to develop my own black & white film, I would add a drop of dishwashing detergent to the rinse water to prevent water spots. It was a lot cheaper and seemed to work as well as the stuff they sold at the photo supply store.
 
Taxlady,



I am somewhat familiar with what you are talking about. I use Kodak Photo-flow in the camera at work. I think they are just providing un-pressurized water though.
 
What about some dishwashing product like Jet-Dry that is just some kind of agent to speed evaporation with out the use of something like alcohol or acetone?
 
Spot free rinses are de-ionized water - they remove all the minerals and change the charge of the water so it's positively charged (I think, or is it negative) to prevent stuff from adhering, which means there's nothing left on your paint after the water evaporates.
 
If they change the charge to positive or negative, it would be re-ionized water. ;)



Maybe it's the change to no charge in de-ionized water that does the trick.
 
forrest said:
Spot free rinses are de-ionized water - they remove all the minerals and change the charge of the water so it's positively charged (I think, or is it negative) to prevent stuff from adhering, which means there's nothing left on your paint after the water evaporates.
Click to expand...



Well, there ya have it! Thanks forrest! :D
 
I think the spot free rinses are some form of purified or distilled water, but mine here will still spot a little on very hot days. So now I just dry in the bay with BBTs and JT waffle weaves. I just give the manager a quart of Old English a week and that keeps us on good terms :up.
 
Forrest is right..It is sometimes de-ionized water.



Go to Google.com and type in "spot free rinse".



You will probably have to ask the owner/operator of the car wash what system they use.
 
Laynlow said:


It's possible they are injecting some alcohol or some other agent to reduce the surface tension of the water, but I doubt it.
Click to expand...



Wadda ya know, I was right too. :D Check this out:



Applied Hydro Technologies, Inc. Rinse Additive 6126 is designed for use with applications requiring a water rinse that dries spot free. When used at the recommended dosage, formula 6126 lowers the surface tension of the rinse water allowing it to more completely "sheet off." Drying time is reduced and spotting is either eliminated or greatly reduced.



Use Rinse Additive 6126 in the final rinse at 1 ounce per 25 to 50 gallons of water



A 55 gallon drum of this stuff will treat up to 351,950 gallons of water. That means it would cost the car-wash operator .001336 per gallon of water to sell you a spot free rinse (does not include the water). If I were a betting man, I would guess the majority of car washes use the chemical solution because they only have to purchase a cheap chemical and inject it into their existing system. The other options would seem to require more maintenance and raise overhead. I guess the smart thing to do is ask your car-wash operator if they are using a chemical or reverse osmosis spot free system.
 
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