In for answers as well. I have a water softener and I never get hard water spots on cars, but I have always dried them well and never truly tested it
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deionized water system for car washing
I am wondering if anyone uses a deionized water system for car washing for spot and if so which one. I know about the CR spotless one and the Simple Chuck. Has anyone made a home made one that works good I have seen a few DIY ones online and they do not look too hard to make its just getting the right filters and fill it looks like. I have hard water and my Black car gets spots like you would not believe even if I dry it quick.
Thanks
Thanks
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I have CR Spotless. I usually wash whole car first then rinse with DI...saves a lot of filter life. I never really dry anymore. Cant help on custom made ones.
I have really hard well water and have used a CR DIC-20 for at least 15 years, wouldn't be without it !!
I use it to wash & rinse here. If you use a cheap electric power washer it uses way less water.
I replace the resin with a 'generic' version from a place called Windows101 (pro window washer supplies). Works the same & costs way less.
I use it to wash & rinse here. If you use a cheap electric power washer it uses way less water.
I replace the resin with a 'generic' version from a place called Windows101 (pro window washer supplies). Works the same & costs way less.
Will look into resin alternative...thanks for the info.I have really hard well water and have used a CR DIC-20 for at least 15 years, wouldn't be without it !!
I use it to wash & rinse here. If you use a cheap electric power washer it uses way less water.
I replace the resin with a 'generic' version from a place called Windows101 (pro window washer supplies). Works the same & costs way less.
Thanks for that insight. So you can hose it down and wash it with the reg water and then just use the CR system for the rinse and it works good with controlling the water spots.I have CR Spotless. I usually wash whole car first then rinse with DI...saves a lot of filter life. I never really dry anymore. Cant help on custom made ones.
Thanks for the info...The cost of the resin is what got me thinking when you only get 300 gallons to it I was thinking it will need to be changed often and will add up.I have really hard well water and have used a CR DIC-20 for at least 15 years, wouldn't be without it !!
I use it to wash & rinse here. If you use a cheap electric power washer it uses way less water.
I replace the resin with a 'generic' version from a place called Windows101 (pro window washer supplies). Works the same & costs way less.
Yes, I try to wash early in the morning and out of the sun...gives me plenty of time to rinse with DI. Then I finish wheel cleaning with DI while rest of car is drying. Started doing it that way as I blew through DI cartridges quickly...must have hard water as well.Thanks for that insight. So you can hose it down and wash it with the reg water and then just use the CR system for the rinse and it works good with controlling the water spots.
I try to wash early the sun is a killer on the water spots for sure. I have a few products I am using for the paint and have not put them all on yet but I will look and see how well they bead the water off. Thanks for the info I will look into those things.Water spots form quickly if the surface of the car is hot or the conditions for evaporation are high. What time of the day you're washing it, (early morning is best before the sun gets to high in the sky and shaded from direct sunlight and temperatures are cooler or better late late in the afternoon just before the sun sets). Do you have a hydrophobic coating on the finish that sheets the water off and leaves fewer water droplets behind?
If you don't soften the water first you'll kill the beds/cartridges quick. Twin bed ( separate cartridges for the Anion / regenerated with sodium hydroxide and Cation / regenerated with sulfuric acid ) vs Mixed bed where the two resins are mixed together. TB will have a higher capacity and lower quality whereas the MB lower capacity but higher quality , I would consider rinsing the car with Reverse Osmosis water. You can buy a small system at any big box store. Save the water in gallon jugs to rinse the car with. As with most water treatment removing the chlorine from the water with a Carbon filter is the first step.
Softened water is okay, the only difference is, instead of leaving behind calcium hardness you now leave behind sodium hardness. Whereas the sodium hardness is the lesser of the two evils
Here is a very interesting vid. on water spotting...think I'll try some of this stuff since my car is black.
Thanks for the info I have seen some simalur things like this. I am going to look into it....
I use CR the double tanks on wheels system...I use it sparingly for the whole car....I do use the softened well water hot for the soapy buckets, I do use the 2 bucket system.
300 gallons is a guess at best, how long it lasts depends entirely on how hard/level of TDS the water is to begin with.Thanks for the info...The cost of the resin is what got me thinking when you only get 300 gallons to it I was thinking it will need to be changed often and will add up.
If your TDS is 2000, it will last 1/2 as long than if it's 1000.
Also, how far the gallons go is also dependent on the spray rate. If you use a garden hose with a std nozzle, you won't get many washes as it uses a lot of water. That's why I recommend the small, cheap electric pressure washer with a variable (aka 'turbo') nozzle. You can fan the spray out which gives great coverage, is not hard on the paint, but uses a minimal amount of water. I bought a cheap-azz SunJoe 1200psi (WAY more then you'll need for car washing) for like $55.
Windows101 sells the resin for less than 2/3's what CR charges. There is no need to replace the canisters, just dump the used resin into a strong trash bag, rinse out the canisters & refill with the bulk resin.
The double tank on wheel is the one I am looking at also and I do the two bucket was also as my car is black and I can see every little thing on it...I use CR the double tanks on wheels system...I use it sparingly for the whole car....I do use the softened well water hot for the soapy buckets, I do use the 2 bucket system.
I am going to have my water tested and see where it is at. I kind of figured that the 300 gallons was not the normal unless you have the good water. I am going to have to look into that electric power washer $55 to get more life out of the resin is not too bad plus I can use it on the wheel wells for a better cleaning if by chance I do get anything in there (my car don't come out unless its nice and sunny so it does stay clean in the wells but there is always something Lol)300 gallons is a guess at best, how long it lasts depends entirely on how hard/level of TDS the water is to begin with.
If your TDS is 2000, it will last 1/2 as long than if it's 1000.
Also, how far the gallons go is also dependent on the spray rate. If you use a garden hose with a std nozzle, you won't get many washes as it uses a lot of water. That's why I recommend the small, cheap electric pressure washer with a variable (aka 'turbo') nozzle. You can fan the spray out which gives great coverage, is not hard on the paint, but uses a minimal amount of water. I bought a cheap-azz SunJoe 1200psi (WAY more then you'll need for car washing) for like $55.
Windows101 sells the resin for less than 2/3's what CR charges. There is no need to replace the canisters, just dump the used resin into a strong trash bag, rinse out the canisters & refill with the bulk resin.
Any pool place can test your water for TDS - they typically do this for free.
Just collect some from the spigot in a small, clean (important so sample is not contaminated), plastic container.
Just collect some from the spigot in a small, clean (important so sample is not contaminated), plastic container.
Thanks Mike for all the info I will be going to the pool place this week.Any pool place can test your water for TDS - they typically do this for free.
Just collect some from the spigot in a small, clean (important so sample is not contaminated), plastic container.
You sure are correct with that they are pretty when they are clean.But when she is clean....Black is incredible! View attachment 511363
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