One issue we commonly see in carwash tunnels is the timing of equipment being off. Either equipment does not turn on when it should, or it stays on indefinitely. This results in excessive usage of chemicals, poorly washed vehicles and unsatisfied customers.
The culprit is often corrosion on the sensor connections that generate the pulse for the conveyor speed. The tunnel is a dirty place and over time, this is bound to happen. Start by checking the sensor’s connectors for corrosion. If they look good, follow the wire to the junction box and look for corrosion there. Where you find the corrosion is most likely your failure point.
An affordable step you can take to prevent a lot of downtime is keep an extra sensor on hand. Sensors are cheap and prone to breakage so Google the part number and order a backup. You can also shop around for a cheaper model provided it meets the following criteria.
1. It has the same voltage rating (120 vac, 24 vac, 24 vdc or other)
2. The contact configuration matches (PNP or NPN / normally opened or normally closed)
3. The physical size and mounting configuration is the same (30 mm, 18 mm or other)
Take our advice and don’t wait until you are in a bind to get a sensor. Trust us. We’ve seen the headaches it will cause.
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