Spotless water thing.

O-cha · 05-31-2011, 02:12 PM

Some of you may have seen the CR spotless thing for $500 that lets you wash your car and not dry it with no spots. Well, it does work, except its $500.

All you are buying though is a tube that holds some tiny beads, runs water through it and then comes out the other end through a filter. That's not worth $500.

So what did I do? I just made one instead. Except mine has 4x the capacity which means it lasts WAY longer and almost more importantly can be used at a much higher flow rate but still keep the water clean. The pvc cost me around $60.

Really you can make it anyway, but the key is for the ends to be removable so you can put resin in and out, have open cell foam filters to keep resin from flushing through (resin is little tiny beads) and a T so you cant get a TDS (total dissolved solids meter) in the in and out to read purity.

You can get resin anywhere, but it's worth it to get better stuff. You can also regenerate it with lye and HCL if you are proficient with chemicals and not have to buy resin again. 1 cubic foot lasts about 600 gallons. and costs about $270 for good stuff, if you use 10-20 gallons to rinse that's 30-60 washes. So to some people it wouldn't be worth it to buy over and over, but it's definitely worth it if you can regenerate it (for like 20$).

I'm going to build another one, but I'm going to use clear tubing instead of plain PVC and use a color changing resin, just so I can see what's going on.

vasaline · 05-31-2011, 05:10 PM

Always wanted one of those but they are so expensive. Maybe u can post up a diy

beta · 05-31-2011, 05:17 PM

Great post, thanks for sharing!

Can you give more info on the TDS meter you're using? Are you using something like this? This is the cheapest color changing resin I found, although I'm sure a better source in bulk could be found.

arggg45 · 05-31-2011, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasaline

Always wanted one of those but they are so expensive. Maybe u can post up a diy

+1

O-cha · 05-31-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beta

Great post, thanks for sharing!

Can you give more info on the TDS meter you're using? Are you using something like this? This is the cheapest color changing resin I found, although I'm sure a better source in bulk could be found.

It's the first one, but I payed 19$ shipped. DO NOT cheap out on the resin. Next resin I get will be from here. Either mixed bed color change (since I'll have clear tubes) or the semiconductor grade resin. They seal it in metalized bags which is good because you want to protect it from the air (the cheap shit I got was in a sac and I'm pretty sure was heavily degraded)

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasaline

Always wanted one of those but they are so expensive. Maybe u can post up a diy

Quote:

Originally Posted by arggg45

+1

Not much to it really. I used
4 inch PVC pipe with
4" male NPT fitting glued to it, then
4 inch female NPT (now you can screw and unscrew this portion) fitting glued to a
4" to 2" reducer then I think it was a
2" to 1 inch reducer, which I glued a
3/4" x 1/2NPT x 3/4" T into then a hose barb on the end of that.
A 1/2NPT x 1/4 quick connect fitting went into the T and the TDS meter goes into that.

I used 4" drain grates to sandwich open cell foam and stuck that in behind the 4" female fitting.

dekaliber · 05-31-2011, 09:26 PM

Does your system store 1 cubic foot? (Didn't bother doing the math on your pipe dimensions)

krnnerdboy · 05-31-2011, 09:37 PM

awesome! I actually rent mine from a detailing store. It's a zero ppm mixed tank that puts out about 800 useable gallons. 200 refundundable deposit 5 a month and 50 to service the tank...this may be an option for some as well...cars are always shinier and dont have that haze after washing with hard water

O-cha · 05-31-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dekaliber

Does your system store 1 cubic foot? (Didn't bother doing the math on your pipe dimensions)

No, about half I think. Not too sure really.

Quote:

Originally Posted by krnnerdboy

awesome! I actually rent mine from a detailing store. It's a zero ppm mixed tank that puts out about 800 useable gallons. 200 refundundable deposit 5 a month and 50 to service the tank...this may be an option for some as well...cars are always shinier and dont have that haze after washing with hard water

Details on this? There's no non industrial product that can do 800 gallons...

l4zy · 06-02-2011, 07:58 PM

ohhhhh very interesting. i never thought to make my own. thanks for the info!

XMetal · 06-02-2011, 09:18 PM

Cool project! But doesn't a water softener will accomplish similar results?

esqu1re · 06-03-2011, 02:33 PM

Never knew such a product existed. I always just rushed to dry my car before evaporation.

Swashplate · 06-03-2011, 03:04 PM

I tried a project similar but the sealed canisters from US Filter proved prohibitive. Griots sells something similar but I have no experience with it. Nice work Ocha, as usual.

O-cha · 06-03-2011, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XMetal

Cool project! But doesn't a water softener will accomplish similar results?

Not at all, in fact I think you would get worse water spots.

ZStig · 06-03-2011, 04:24 PM

So you're spending $9-$18 in consumables on every wash, if you're not good with chemicals? Sucks

Z4Murder · 06-08-2011, 04:05 PM

isnt that mr. clean carwash supposed to accomplish similiar results?

ZStig · 06-08-2011, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z4Murder

isnt that mr. clean carwash supposed to accomplish similiar results?

thats exactly what I was thinking too, at a much lower consumable cost

05-31-2011, 02:12 PM	#1
O-cha Brigadier General 218 Rep 4,726 Posts Drives: Mcoupe Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In front of you iTrader: (2)	Spotless water thing. Some of you may have seen the CR spotless thing for $500 that lets you wash your car and not dry it with no spots. Well, it does work, except its $500. All you are buying though is a tube that holds some tiny beads, runs water through it and then comes out the other end through a filter. That's not worth $500. So what did I do? I just made one instead. Except mine has 4x the capacity which means it lasts WAY longer and almost more importantly can be used at a much higher flow rate but still keep the water clean. The pvc cost me around $60. Really you can make it anyway, but the key is for the ends to be removable so you can put resin in and out, have open cell foam filters to keep resin from flushing through (resin is little tiny beads) and a T so you cant get a TDS (total dissolved solids meter) in the in and out to read purity. You can get resin anywhere, but it's worth it to get better stuff. You can also regenerate it with lye and HCL if you are proficient with chemicals and not have to buy resin again. 1 cubic foot lasts about 600 gallons. and costs about $270 for good stuff, if you use 10-20 gallons to rinse that's 30-60 washes. So to some people it wouldn't be worth it to buy over and over, but it's definitely worth it if you can regenerate it (for like 20$). I'm going to build another one, but I'm going to use clear tubing instead of plain PVC and use a color changing resin, just so I can see what's going on. __________________
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05-31-2011, 05:10 PM	#2
vasaline Private First Class 7 Rep 167 Posts Drives: 06 M Roadster Join Date: May 2009 Location: So. Cal iTrader: (0)	Always wanted one of those but they are so expensive. Maybe u can post up a diy
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05-31-2011, 05:17 PM	#3
beta Lieutenant Colonel 80 Rep 1,663 Posts Drives: 2006 M Roadster Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: CA iTrader: (2)	Great post, thanks for sharing! Can you give more info on the TDS meter you're using? Are you using something like this? This is the cheapest color changing resin I found, although I'm sure a better source in bulk could be found. __________________ modification journal
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05-31-2011, 09:26 PM	#6
dekaliber Major 75 Rep 1,143 Posts Drives: '07 Z4MC, '11 JCW, '18 Z06 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (1)	Does your system store 1 cubic foot? (Didn't bother doing the math on your pipe dimensions)
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05-31-2011, 09:37 PM	#7
krnnerdboy Colonel 190 Rep 2,431 Posts Drives: v10 m6 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: so cal iTrader: (10)	awesome! I actually rent mine from a detailing store. It's a zero ppm mixed tank that puts out about 800 useable gallons. 200 refundundable deposit 5 a month and 50 to service the tank...this may be an option for some as well...cars are always shinier and dont have that haze after washing with hard water __________________ F80 m3, 997 gt3, 14 ram ctd, f15 x5, drz400sm Gone:z4m, boss 302, c6 z06, m6,z3m
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06-02-2011, 07:58 PM	#9
l4zy Captain 42 Rep 881 Posts Drives: 95 M3, 15 i3, 17 M3 Frz Wht Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chino, CA iTrader: (11) Garage List 2017 BMW M3 [0.00] 2015 BMW i3 REX [0.00] 1995 BMW M3 [10.00] 2013 BMW X3 xDrive35i [7.00]	ohhhhh very interesting. i never thought to make my own. thanks for the info! __________________ BMW CCA ///Member #440690
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06-02-2011, 09:18 PM	#10
XMetal Colonel 1138 Rep 2,867 Posts Drives: Anything Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 Z4M Coupe [10.00] 2018 Audi S3 [0.00] 2004 X5 [8.50]	Cool project! But doesn't a water softener will accomplish similar results?
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06-03-2011, 02:33 PM	#11
esqu1re Lieutenant Colonel 44 Rep 1,855 Posts Drives: M Coupe Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: East Coast iTrader: (0)	Never knew such a product existed. I always just rushed to dry my car before evaporation. __________________ ///M Coupe: RPI Scoop, OE Strut, CDV, Volk RE30, SS Brake Lines, Stromung Exhaust
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06-03-2011, 03:04 PM	#12
Swashplate Major 111 Rep 1,351 Posts Drives: in Anger. Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Newcastle, WA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2009 Mercedes ML320 ... [0.00] 2013 BMW M5 [0.00] 2007 BMW M Coupe' [0.00]	I tried a project similar but the sealed canisters from US Filter proved prohibitive. Griots sells something similar but I have no experience with it. Nice work Ocha, as usual. __________________ Gone (2006 STI, 2008 EVO MR, 1968 Mustang) AFE Intake/Euro Cats/CSL Headers/Sportline CSL/H&R Springs 1217/1815 !!! BOILER UP !!!
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06-03-2011, 04:24 PM	#14
ZStig instagram 997turbotom 279 Rep 7,377 Posts Drives: Interlagos Z4MR Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delray Beach, FL iTrader: (4)	So you're spending $9-$18 in consumables on every wash, if you're not good with chemicals? Sucks __________________
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06-08-2011, 04:05 PM	#15
Z4Murder Major 28 Rep 1,110 Posts Drives: > speed limit Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Buffalo, NY iTrader: (1)	isnt that mr. clean carwash supposed to accomplish similiar results? __________________ 2007 TiAg ///MCoupe * Dinan strut bars * ZHP knob * RPI scoop * Ultimate Pedals * RE Diablo * 3.91 TMS gears * Apex PS7 * Eventuri intake* Nitto NT05 * TMS pullies * Zeck CDV * RE tranny mounts * Tekarbon * Mstache 2 * '14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi... No more snow for the M!
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