How to Safely Shut Down and Store Your PurWater and PurClean Systems

Dear valued carwash partners,

As we all struggle to navigate through these trying times – taking care of family, buying toilet paper, and maybe even catching up on things that may have been neglected in the past, we at New Wave Industries would like to help.  We can’t help much with the first two, but we can certainly try to help with the third.  In an effort to assist you in getting your sites running optimally during this slow period NWI will be posting valuable maintenance tips and procedures to ensure your sites run more efficiently and with better wash results. In light of many sites closing down for possible prolonged periods of time we’ll start with How to safely shut down and store your PurWater and PurClean systems.  We’ll be following up regularly with new tips, if you have any topics you would like to see covered please contact us at sales@purclean.com and we will do our best to address them.

How to safely shut down and store your PurWater and PurClean systems

PurWater Water Recovery Systems:

1. Run the system in freshwater bypass mode. (This allows the reclaim water to be flushed from the car wash plumbing.)
2. After running in freshwater bypass mode, shut down the reclaim at the disconnect switch
   
3. Drain the reclaim system:
   1. Disconnect the prime solenoid at the union
   2. Disconnect the motorized ball valve at the union to drain the cyclones through the underflow
   3. Remove the poly line connected to the basket strainer from the prime solenoid
      
   4. Remove the plug on the pump volute
      
   5. If there are high-pressure pumps that are not direct fed, drain the water storage tanks for the high-pressure pumps

Note: This would be a good time to go through and pump out and clean the underground tanking

PurClean Spot-Free Rinse Systems:

Option 1:

1. Power down the RO and drain the membranes and pre-filter housing
2. If shutting down long term, add a preservative such as Sodium Metabisulfite available from Grainger here: https://bit.ly/39kRraA (or a product from King Lee Technologies called MEMSTOR available here: https://bit.ly/2UjfGlu) to the membranes housing(s).

1. 1. To store membranes, remove the hose connections to drain the membrane housing and mix the preservative according to manufacturer instructions/recommendations
      
   2. Fill the membrane housing with the preservative for storing

        Option 2:

1. Run the RO system every week or so to flush the membrane housings with freshwater
2. Do not allow the membranes to dry out as this will close the membrane “pores” and result in membrane damage most likely requiring replacement.

A note about PurWater Water Recovery systems:

Even though we have given advice on shutting down systems for Washes that will not be used or attended for possibly and extended time, one of the best things for our equipment is to let them run.  If an owner or operator of a wash is visiting regularly to check that the facility is secure and looking presentable a good option may be to leave the reclaim system running and recirculating water.  This will keep the water in the tanks useable and allow quick startups when needed.  Some tips below for running in recirculation mode.

• As suggested in shut down procedure, run the system in hand mode and wash a few cars.  This will flush the lines of reclaim water to the wash with freshwater while running in bypass mode.
• If possible after previous step shut off the Reclaim output line to the wash. This will prevent reclaim from pushing through to other pumps systems if there is any leakage and keep them filled with fresh water.
• You may shut off fresh water supply to the fresh water bypass.  This will keep from using unwanted fresh water should there be a leak. 
• Put the machine back in Auto mode and let it recirculate the water at low speed.  If you have ozone addition you might be able to turn down the ozone output after a few days but will want to judge the condition of the water first.
• The reclaim has enough safeties to protect itself should the water run low or have any electrical problem so that should not be a concern.  Installations that are more susceptible to water damage in the equipment room or may not have good drainage will have to judge for themselves if they are comfortable running without personnel frequently checking it.
• If possible once a week it would be good to run a few  of your own cars through the wash to keep mechanical things free and liquids flowing.  When doing this turn the valves , Reclaim and Fresh water, back on and place the unit in Hand Mode.  This way the wash will be run with fresh water and flush everything with the better quality water.  After washing return the system to Auto mode to recirculate water, and shut valves again.

Following the above procedure should keep the wash in running order and ready to start up full time when it is prudent to do so.  There should be a lot of business coming judging from all the dirty parked cars in my neighborhood that are usually kept shiny.  (Ken Moss, Engineer, New Wave Industries)