I have well water,softener system,r.o. for drinking.The undissolved solids count is high,which brings me to my problem.I cant wash the tractor unless I go over it with windex or something to take off the water spots/film.And yeah it happens on my other vehicles also!I have heard of a deionizer system but understand they are costly.Does anyone have any experience with water systems? Any input would be appreciated! Tom
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water spots/film
- Thread starter Blu21
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ERNIEB
Platinum Member
Tom,
As far as deionized water, I once worked in a soil and material testing lab where we had one of these devices. I can tell you what I saw and was told. What it is suppose to do is remove positive or negative ions from the water, thereby rendering a water that is neutral in Ph. It was something more than a box to which was conected two large (about 3 foot tall} cylinders. It had a water inlet and at the other end was a small hose with a small push button spigot. The water was used mainly in testing, and I bet we didn't use more than 5 gals a week. We had a service that came around and changed the cylinders about every two months, if my memory serves me right. I never saw a bill, but was told it was very expensive. I was told each cylinder contained an electrode , one cylinder for positive, one for negative. Evidently, its these cylinders and whats in them that is so expensive. Our unit which was probably an older one, plugged into a 110 outlet and had an idiot light to tell that it was working. Have you had the Ph of your water checked?
Ernie
As far as deionized water, I once worked in a soil and material testing lab where we had one of these devices. I can tell you what I saw and was told. What it is suppose to do is remove positive or negative ions from the water, thereby rendering a water that is neutral in Ph. It was something more than a box to which was conected two large (about 3 foot tall} cylinders. It had a water inlet and at the other end was a small hose with a small push button spigot. The water was used mainly in testing, and I bet we didn't use more than 5 gals a week. We had a service that came around and changed the cylinders about every two months, if my memory serves me right. I never saw a bill, but was told it was very expensive. I was told each cylinder contained an electrode , one cylinder for positive, one for negative. Evidently, its these cylinders and whats in them that is so expensive. Our unit which was probably an older one, plugged into a 110 outlet and had an idiot light to tell that it was working. Have you had the Ph of your water checked?
Ernie
DVerbarg
Platinum Member
Blu21,
I have the same problem and as a result only wash my car at home ---maybe twice a year /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif.
Would love any ideas for how to fix so that the fix can be incorporated at the new house we are building. Does anyone use an ozonation system? I seen claims in literature but have not heard any testimonials.
DaveV
I have the same problem and as a result only wash my car at home ---maybe twice a year /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif.
Would love any ideas for how to fix so that the fix can be incorporated at the new house we are building. Does anyone use an ozonation system? I seen claims in literature but have not heard any testimonials.
DaveV
Branch
Silver Member
As far as water spots and film when washing your vehicles you might try adding a little surfactant (Jet Dry dishwasher additive) to a bucket of water and using that for the final rinse. It only takes a little to make the water sheet off. Not perfect but a lot cheaper than treating a lot of water that goes down the drain.
scruffy
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I use an air hose and do the old blow dry trick. What's good enough for some car washes is sure good enough for home!
W5FL
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I have the same BIG water softner and then RO unit for drinking water and icemaker. All outside faucets are on the well water without the water softner for obvious reasons. If you are using softened water to wash your car, I would quit. I like the idea of using a blower to dry the car. I have never tried that, but will now.
PH of 7 sounds pretty ordinary and should not be a problem. An acid ph will not work with some water conditioning equipment (iron filter).
PH of 7 sounds pretty ordinary and should not be a problem. An acid ph will not work with some water conditioning equipment (iron filter).
W5FL
Veteran Member
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Tom,
You do NOT want de-ionized water system. DI water is very non conductive, but very corrosive and it will pick up ions from almost anything that it can.
Softened water will not normally spot, but has a fairly high chance to contain salt (NACL) in the output after a regeneration and that it hard on metal parts. Best not to use it unless you can control this problem.
The way the car wash companies get around this is by naming it the "SPOT FREE CAR WASH" which doesn't mean it won't spot, but that is just their name. Clever these marketing types.
You do NOT want de-ionized water system. DI water is very non conductive, but very corrosive and it will pick up ions from almost anything that it can.
Softened water will not normally spot, but has a fairly high chance to contain salt (NACL) in the output after a regeneration and that it hard on metal parts. Best not to use it unless you can control this problem.
The way the car wash companies get around this is by naming it the "SPOT FREE CAR WASH" which doesn't mean it won't spot, but that is just their name. Clever these marketing types.
Thanks for the input guys, The outside faucets are seperate from the softener system.I really think this film, when dry comes from the undissolved solid count being high(what exactly the solids are I don`t know)With winter on the horizon I will probably wait to address this.Many years back my property was all farmland(still have the furrows in the woods)maybe that has something to do with it! With all the different backgrounds on this site I was hoping someone knows more on this subject than I do! Tom
P.S I will try the air compressor next time.
P.S I will try the air compressor next time.
Roy
Platinum Member
Having washed my vehicles over many years, in various municipalities and on various wells, the only way that I ever found to prevent spotting is by immediately towel drying. It's a pain, so I only have towel dried prior waxing (and I haven't even performed that one for a couple of years). Now, it may lift the solids off the vehicle prior drying OR it may be simply spreading them so thin that they are unobservable. Either way, it appears clean.
Now, I have noticed that since I have switched to detergents formulated for auto bodies, the spots have greatly diminished, but not totally disappeared. (Currently using Armor All Car Wash Concentrate, but I'm not brand partial. Just pick up what ever is on sale at the time. Says on the bottle "Brilliant Spot-Free Shine'. Goes with the next thought…)
Von, I like your observation about the "SPOT FREE CAR WASH'. Maybe they are being honest, because they don't charge for any spots they leave. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.
Now, I have noticed that since I have switched to detergents formulated for auto bodies, the spots have greatly diminished, but not totally disappeared. (Currently using Armor All Car Wash Concentrate, but I'm not brand partial. Just pick up what ever is on sale at the time. Says on the bottle "Brilliant Spot-Free Shine'. Goes with the next thought…)
Von, I like your observation about the "SPOT FREE CAR WASH'. Maybe they are being honest, because they don't charge for any spots they leave. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.
