Vehicle Detection in a Self-Serve Car Wash
Application: Detecting vehicles when they enter and leave a car wash in order to reset the timer
Challenges: Large vehicles in wet environment
Solution: Wireless M-GAGE Node
Benefits: Fully potted and sealed housing with long battery life
High temperature and moisture levels inside a car wash pose many challenges to traditional sensing equipment. A heavy-duty solution is needed that can detect a vehicle that enters or leaves a self-serve car wash.
Description
The M-GAGE was created to detect the presence of a large metal object, like a car or a truck, and to be installed into concrete and asphalt pavements. This sensor is activated when the customer deposits payment in the pay box. The M-GAGE sensor detects the presence of the stopped vehicle as the patron washes it. When the vehicle beings to leave, it detects the shift in the wash bay's magnetic field and signals the timer to reset. It is also encapsulated in rugged epoxy in order to prevent moisture damage and built to withstand rapid temperature swings, both of which are essential in car wash applications.