Preparing to wash bus exterior

[GSwaim]

Washing any vehicle is a pain with the water we have now a days. Spotting usually forces us to dry immediately after washing. I am a clean freak so I want to wash the bus all the time. Drying make the proces hectic and exhausting.

After some research I found I wanted a de-ionizer system that allows me to wash, rinse and walk away with no water spot issues. Since my Royale has a exterior washing port I am currently looking at installing a deionizer that utilizes that conenction. I have settles on a dual de-ionizing system that does the job fine but now I'm looking at incorporating it in the bus. Does anyone have any experience in this aveniue?

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

Gary, go to the thread "MPD, Stainless and Rivets". There is a section full of "how members wash their bus". Hope this helps.
Sandy

[GSwaim]

Thanks for the tip. I read most all of MPD and couldn't fined any suggestions on how one would install a de-ionizing water system. I don't mind washing but hate to dry the bus. I have a de-ionizer and I'm in the process of deciding where to install it so I can wash the bus anyqhere with de-ionized water. Since the Royales and I suspect most other converters have provided a exterior pressurized wash connection I want to enhance it by setting a plumbing system up to allow de-ionizded water to be discharged when desired. Anyone out there that has done this?

[Roadpilot]

I was considering doing the same thing myself after seeing many Millennium's that have both on-board pressure washers and deionizing systems built in. I'm now leaning towards either a portable deionizing system or a built in system that has a bypass for the deionizer. Refills for the system are expensive and you don't need it for the wash - just the rinse. That saves the use of the chemicals for when it counts.

[truk4u]

I have rigged up a split hose arrangement for my deionized water system for rinsing only.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I certainly hope you guys trying to avoid wiping down a freshly washed bus aren't spending money to go to the gym. It's good exercise climbing up and down a ladder and stretching and moving around to get it dry.

Reminds me of the people that almost park on top of the doors at the local health clubs instead of parking at the back of the lot and walking in to get some exercise.

[GDeen]

I certainly hope you guys trying to avoid wiping down a freshly washed bus aren't spending money to go to the gym. It's good exercise climbing up and down a ladder and stretching and moving around to get it dry.

Reminds me of the people that almost park on top of the doors at the local health clubs instead of parking at the back of the lot and walking in to get some exercise.

Hand waxing with pure carnuba paste wax is the best excercise.....glad I don't need that workout again for another year or so.

[dmatz]

I alway wash my coach with a Deionization no need to wipe down and no spots. Works great. I do not have one on board however this looks like a nice units to install on the buss http://www.clearinse.com

[truk4u]

Old guys living near Knoxville shouldn't be on a ladder!:p

[rfoster]

Truk:

I'll say amen to that!!

[garyde]

There are several companies available for this; http://crspotless.com/
and
http://www.portablewaterdi.com/deionizers.php

[GSwaim]

As I suspected, a lot of you have found not drying there bus leaves time for many other things in life. Coming from the show car side of life, I also think it makes the finish far superior than washing the bus with ordinary water. The reason I started this thread was to get good ideas on how to make a clean installation on the bus so the system could travel with the bus. I believe a lot of the bus conversions have exterior wash hose connections and some even have power washers and de-ionizers from what I'm reading. Although Royale did put a water filtration and softener onboard I haven't seen any deionizers. I'm now am in the process of upgrading the water filtration bay with a deionizing system. I spent the day yesterday with my PEX tools making a bypass manifold that will allow me to send softned water to the bus wash port or softened and deionized water to the port.

BTW, The best place I have found to purchase a deionizing system is good ole COSTCO.COM. They sell the DIC-20 CR Spotless system (Costco Item # 180790) that is over $450 for $369 and even give you a refill kit! I purchased this system a couple of months back and have been very pleased with it. I feed the system with water from my well that goes through filtration then a home softner and is about 6 PPM when it enters the CRSpotless system. When the water exits the deionizer system it is 0 PPM and leaves no spots what so ever even on the windshield in the sun. I can make about a thousand gallons of deionized water with the system before needing to recharge it. That may sound like a lot of water but when you start washing all your cars as well as the bus it doesn't last more than a couple of months if your careful with it.

SO are there any guys out there that have adapted the system to their bus?

[JIM KELLER]

Gary, I have to ask. What is that High Tech Apparatus that is flashing in your Threads ?

[ajducote]

I'm now am in the process of upgrading the water filtration bay with a deionizing system. I spent the day yesterday with my PEX tools making a bypass manifold that will allow me to send softned water to the bus wash port or softened and deionized water to the port.



Gary,

How bout some pictures of the installation? We like pictures. I would like to see how you squeeze it all into the water bay.

[hillndale]

Has anyone tried using a backpack type leaf blower to help dry? I've been using that in combination with rinsing with deionized water and it seems to leave a really clean nice finish. The problem i had with towel drying is that even the softest cotton towels seem to cause minute scratches.

[GSwaim]

Jim,

I'm own and operate an electronics company that focuses on the RV industry. Satellite, cellular TV & Internet, surround sound and such. One of the oldest and most prized electronic systems we have marketed for year is the DataStorm 2-way internet satellite systems. a friend of mine made that Avatar for me displaying what he imagined a Datasotrm would look like if you could see the microwaves coming off of it.

[GSwaim]

Andre,

Pictures are coming, probably tommorrow. I did a dry run install of the system hardware and plumbing today. Tommorrow I will tap it into the existing F/W plumbing on the bus and mount it permanently. Pictures and a description will follow.

Judging by the responses on this thread I guess nobody has tried this before, can't imagine why.

[JIM KELLER]

Thanks Gary. Very interesting and I had no idea you were in a business relating to our hobby. Perhaps you should be a Sponsor on the Home Page for all to see and do business with !

[truk4u]

Gary,

Mango already has done this to his bus, so maybe he'll jump in here.

[GSwaim]

The Deionizer is installed and my bush washing hose-connection is dispensing filtered/softened water or with the twist of a valve pure deionized water with zero PPM of dissolved solids. Now I can rise the bus even in the direct sunlight wihtout the thread of the dreaded water spots.

I even did up an article for those of you that are interested in doing this yourself or just curious on how I did it. although your installation will probably be in a different location than mine the principals will be the same.

Go to this link to view the PDF - http://swaimquest.com/Documents/Deionizer%20install.pdf

[ajducote]

Gary,

Real Nice article. I really like the way you installed it. I guess I have a new winter project to do!

[MangoMike]

Gary,

I have a pressure-washing system I installed in H3. I've included a how to: over at Prevoman.com, with links, pricing and details.

http://www.prevoman.com/Pages/PowerWasher/Washpg1.html

6706

Mike

[Kenneth Brewer]

[QUOTE=MangoMike;64517]Gary,

I have a pressure-washing system I installed in H3. I've included a how to: over at Prevoman.com, with links, pricing and details.

Where are your coach batteries then, please?

[MangoMike]

I took them out to make room for my bus washing system.

Much more productive.

[rfoster]

That kinda sounds like a Pork Barrel answer to me-ya know like were is the money gonna come from for you to pay for this program. The tooth fairy will bring it.

[Kevin Erion]

I am with Mike, he has his priorities in order!