If you're considering building an automated truck wash for your business, there's a lot of planning that needs to be done before you can start installing it.
A functional, efficient and safe automated system is more than just deciding what truck wash equipment you need.
But the more planning you do before installing it, the faster you can build your truck wash.
It begins with having a thorough understanding of your design space so that you can accurately evaluate potential solutions and make the right choice for your needs.
In this guide, we'll cover the key considerations and factors to keep in mind when designing and building an automatic wash; whether your fleet includes semi trucks, school buses, or heavy-duty equipment.
The single biggest benefit to having your automated truck wash is that you can clean your fleet at least nine times faster than doing it by hand.
What used to take you 45 minutes, depending on the size and shape of your rig, can be done in 3-5 minutes.
But when you have dozens of vehicles in your fleet, the advantages of an automated system expand beyond saving you hours of downtime.
You can schedule your fleet operation well in advance, and do it with more accuracy because you can predict how long one of your trucks will be sidelined.
An automated wash system also makes it easier to clean your undercarriage. This is can be very beneficial if you operate trucks in deep snow or heavy mud as it helps protect against rust, corrosion, and malfunctioning parts.
Finally, they require much less time and labor by the professional, which often ends up being your driver.
It's hard to estimate how much the total cost of your automated truck wash will be.
Beyond the price of the system itself, you have to factor in plumbing, electricity, and wash bay construction.
Even then, the size and shape of the system depend on the type of vehicle you want to clean.
But if you were just to purchase the system itself, the cost of your automated truck wash can drastically vary, from under $100,000 for just an undercarriage wash to over $400,000 for a system with all the bells & whistles.
The specific permissions and permits that a business will need to build a new wash will depend on the location of the construction project and the type of business that is being established.
Here are some general steps that businesses may need to follow in order to obtain the necessary permissions and permits for new construction:
The ideal wash bay size for a 2-step automatic system is 100 feet long and 20 feet wide. However, systems can be designed to fit in smaller wash bays. The ideal size for a standard 1-step wash bay is typically a minimum of 50-60 feet long.
We do suggest saving some additional room on the side for an equipment room to store the pumps and controls -- about 40ft by 12ft should be good enough.
If you’re thinking of building a truck wash facility, regardless of whether it is a drive-thru truck wash or a walk-in truck wash, you need to make sure you have easy access to water, electricity, and drainage.
You can use city water or well water for your truck wash, but your water source needs to be capable of handling at least 50 GPM at 50 PSI.
You'll also need a decent amount of electricity to power your truck wash. Any 3-phase power supply will do, but we recommend a 480V 3-phase power supply to run your rinse pumps at optimal performance.
With proper planning and sourcing, you’re able to produce a truck wash with high uptime and great labor retention.
There are many different truck and fleet washing companies to source your equipment from, including Hydro-Chem Systems. But here is a quick cheat sheet to help you objectively choose the right partner for your business:
This really depends on whether you want a brushless 2-step system, a 1-step with a brush, or a conventional touchless 1-step.
In a 2-step system, you coat your rig with a low pH acid pre-soak, then layer that with a high pH alkaline detergent to loosen dirt, grime, and road film so they can easily be removed with a quick rinse.
The reason why more and more organizations choose the 2-step system isn’t just because it’s faster, it’s because it won’t scratch or damage your paint.
There are many different low-pH and high-pH detergents, so make sure you get the best truck wash soap combination that meets your needs.
The final step in planning out your truck wash is making sure you have a regular automated truck wash maintenance schedule.
We recommend that your fleet is cleaned regularly. This typically includes washing each unit every week or two.
Similarly, if you aren’t maintaining your automated wash system, it can slowly deteriorate over time — and the cost of repairing it will increase.
Here are the two key inspections you need to schedule:
Now that you have a comprehensive plan, it’s time to build your automated truck wash.
Once you do these six things, not only does it help you mitigate any potential mistakes or delays, but it also sets you up to see the return on your investment quicker.