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MTDC Portable Vehicle Washer System: Operator's Manual

Setup

Setting Up the Containment Mat

• Read the manufacturer’s instructions before starting to set up the mat.
• Look over the location and toss aside any sharp rocks, sticks, or other items that may puncture the mat.
• Lay out the felt underlayment.
• With the containment mat still on the trailer reel, position the trailer over the underlayment so that one end is in the correct location. Unlock and remove the reel handle by removing the two pins on the handle. With one person holding the containment mat, slowly drive the trailer over the underlayment to unreel the mat. Stop before unreeling the entire mat. Remove the rod holding the mat to the reel by removing the cotter pin and sliding the rod out. The containment mat now may be fully removed from the reel.
• Unfold the containment mat, being careful not to drag it.
• Place foam inserts in the pockets on the underside of the mat to create the lip that will keep water on the mat. The blue cylindrical tubes go in the side pockets, while the square foam in plastic bags goes in the end pockets. The cylindrical tubes will deteriorate very quickly if they are used on the ends rather than on the sides, where they belong.
• Position the containment mat. If necessary, stake its corners and sides with the tiedowns and stakes that are supplied.

Positioning the Trailer

The trailer should be positioned so that its right side (looking from the back to the front of the trailer) is close to the containment mat, allowing the operators easy access to the water control valves, pump, and engine. The hoses to the underbody washers, wands, and sump pump may not be long enough if the trailer is too far from the mat or is not positioned with its right side by the mat.

Underbody Washers and Wash Wands

• The wash system comes with two high-pressure underbody washers and two wash wands.
• Connect the ½-inch hose lines to the underbody washers and place one washer at each end of the containment mat.
• Insert the hose from each underbody washer into the slot of the orange hose protection ramps. One ramp is needed for each underbody washer.
• Position the ramps so that the black belting attached to the ramp (figure 8) is in front of the ramp. That way, the vehicle’s weight on the belting will keep the ramp from slipping.
• Connect the other end of each ½-inch hose from the under- body washer to the high-pressure water manifold.
• Connect a 3/8-inch hose to each wash wand and to the water manifold.

Sump Pumps

The vehicle washer includes two sump pumps. One pumps water from the containment mat to the settling tanks. The other sump pump is in the overflow tank. It pumps water through the filters to the main holding tank.

Containment Mat Sump Pump

• Place the sump pump on the lowest part of the containment mat. This spot should be close to the trailer so vehicles do not run over the hose between the sump pump and the settling tanks.
• Connect the 1-inch hose to the sump pump’s cam-lock fitting.
• Connect the other end of the hose to the cam-lock fitting on the trailer bed near the filter assemblies.
• Plug the sump pump into the switched outlet on the trailer (located near the water manifold). Make sure that the switch is in the OFF position.
• Plug the blue cord from the outlet box into the ground fault circuit on the generator.

Overflow Tank Sump Pump

The overflow tank sump pump should be in the overflow tank. Plug the black cord from the sump pump into the generator.

Filter Housings

Two filter housings on the trailer allow filters designed to remove different sizes of particulate to be used in each housing. The first filter should remove the larger particulate (larger than 100 microns, for instance) and the second should remove smaller particulate (larger than 50 microns, for instance).

• Open the filter housing by unscrewing the four screws on the lid and lifting the lid.
• Place the appropriate size filter into the filter basket and ensure that the filter seats properly at the top. If the filter is not seated properly, particulate may not be filtered from the wash water.
• Ensure that the O-ring is seated in the groove at the top of the filter housing and replace the lid.
• Secure the lid and tighten the four screws hand tight.
• Follow the above procedure for the other filter housing.

Filling the Tanks

Fill all the tanks with water before operation. The main holding tank can be full. The settling tanks should be filled to the overflow level. The overflow tank can be filled about halfway.

Empty water from the tanks before towing the vehicle washer. The washer weighs 3,800 pounds empty and 11,000 pounds when the tanks are full.

Grounding the Generator

To prevent electrical shock, the generator should be grounded at all times. See the generator operator’s manual for guidance.

Fuel

Fill the generator fuel tank and the external fuel tank for the Kohler engine with gasoline.

Operation

Before operation, the operators should be thoroughly familiar with all the equipment and have reviewed the operator’s manuals for the Hydra-Cell pump, Kohler engine, and generator.

Once setup is complete, you should be ready to begin washing vehicles. If you have many vehicles to wash, you’ll want to leave the generator and Hydra-Cell pump engine running all the time. However, if vehicles show up sporadically, it is best to shut off the Kohler pump engine when you’re not busy. Shutting off the engine reduces the wear on the overflow bypass valve (which has a yellow or green spring) and on the pump and engine. Constant flow over the bypass valve will wear its seals and internal stainless steel parts, which will have to be replaced.

The containment mat sump pump only needs to be running when the containment mat has enough water to pump. During washing, watch the water level on the containment mat. Turn the pump on only when there is enough water to pump. When you start the pump, you may have to turn the priming valve (figure 7) on the pump’s outlet to prime the pump.

During operation, monitor the flow of water from the settling tank overflow tank. If water is flowing over the sides of the overflow tank:

• Check to see if the sump pump is operating. If not, check to make sure it is plugged in, the generator is on, and the float is set correctly.
• Check the pressure gauge (figure 9) on the filter housing. If the pressure is higher than 15 to 20 pounds per square inch, the filters are clogged and need to be replaced.

Figure 9—If the pressure at the filter assembly is higher than 15 to 20 pounds per
square inch, the filters are probably clogged.

Washing Procedure

1. Start the generator (refer to the operator’s manual if you have questions). Make sure that all cords are plugged into the generator.
2. Check all hose connections from the manifold, wash wands, and underbody washers.
3. Start the Kohler pump engine (see the operator’s manual if you have questions).

• If the engine will not start, make sure the supply line to the pump has water. A vacuum switch (figure 10) in the supply line prevents the engine from starting or running the pump when the supply line is dry.

Figure 10—The vacuum switch stops the engine when the supply line is dry. The
strainer removes floating materials before filtered water enters the main holding tank.

• Check the battery and check the fuel and oil levels.

4. Direct the driver of the vehicle to slowly drive onto the containment mat with the underbody washer centered under the vehicle. The more slowly the driver drives the vehicle over the sprayer, the cleaner the vehicle will be underneath.
5. Open (down position) the appropriate valve on the manifold, allowing water to flow when the front of the vehicle crosses the underbody washer.
6. Continue directing the driver to drive forward until the vehicle is centered on the containment mat. Turn the underbody washer off by closing (up position) the valve.
7. Open (down position) the valves supplying water to the wands.
8. Use the wands to spray the vehicle, removing all dirt. Concentrate on the wheels, wheel wells, and bumpers. On the underside, concentrate on cleaning all drive axles, suspension parts, and the inside of the wheels, removing all mud from these areas.
9. When the vehicle is thoroughly clean, close (up position) the valves supplying water to the wands. Move the wands out of the way so the vehicle does not drive over the hoses leading to the wands or over the wands themselves.
10. Open (down position) the valve to the front underbody washer and direct the driver to drive slowly off the containment mat.
11. Close (up position) the valve to the underbody washer.
12. When another vehicle is ready to be washed, repeat steps 4 through 11.
13. When no vehicles are waiting, turn the throttle on the Kohler pump engine to slow (picture of turtle) momentarily. Turn the engine off.
14. Turn the generator off when power is no longer needed for the sump pump or other appliances.

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