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Vehicle Detection Sensors for Car Washes
Banner’s T30RW Wash Down Series Radar Sensors keep car washes moving smoothly, reliably detecting vehicles entering and exiting despite water, mist, and steam.
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Industries
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Car Wash
Car Wash
Vehicle Detection and Predictive Maintenance
Increasing vehicle throughput in a car wash while maintaining consistent, high-quality service requires minimizing equipment downtime and maximizing operational efficiency. Water supply quality, chemical delivery, air pressure and vacuum system health, conveyor operation, and vehicle positioning—Banner can optimize them all.
Banner’s large selection of rugged, reliable sensors and easy-to-implement monitoring solutions is helping car wash operators avoid wasting water and chemicals, perform time-saving predictive maintenance, and improve customer satisfaction.
Discover how Banner’s condition monitoring and vehicle detection solutions can optimize your car wash facility. Download the Car Wash Solutions brochure to learn about:
- Knowing when maintenance is needed to avoid significant downtime
- Maximizing operational efficiency
- Reliable vehicle detection in challenging conditions
Vehicle Entry Detection with Radar Sensor
Challenge
A car wash needs to know when a vehicle approaches not only to make sure entry doors open and close at the proper times, but also to let the wash system know when to begin its cycle. Doors that don’t open can quickly lock down an operation or damage vehicles by closing too soon. The wash may not start at all if it doesn’t know a car has reached the correct location.
Solution
- Mounted at the car wash entrance, T30RW Washdown Series Radar Sensors can trigger critical process functions, opening and closing entry doors at precisely the right times
- Radar technology in the T30RW excels both inside car washes and right outside the doors, reliably detecting vehicles despite changing temperatures and the presence of water, mist, and steam
- The IP69K-rated housing resists harsh conditions, ensuring durable, dependable sensing even in moisture and spraying water
Featured Product: T30RW Washdown Series Radar Sensors
In-Tunnel Vehicle Detection with Photoelectric Sensor
Challenge
Extreme conditions inside a car wash—high pressure spray, drastic temperature changes, mist, steam, and high humidity—can hamper vehicle detection. On top of environmental challenges, the limitless variations in vehicle color, shape, size, and surface reflectivity, plus movement through the wash cycle, make vehicle detection and positioning challenging.
Solution
- For decades, QS30 High-Performance Long-Range Sensors have been the industry standard for vehicle detection, using high-powered infrared technology to verify vehicle positioning and provide a reliable sensing field even in mist and steam
- The rugged housing and IP69K-rated quick disconnects withstand the constant presence of water and extreme temperature swings for dependable detection throughout the wash
- Multiple sensors can be used concurrently, able to eliminate false trips by outside sunlight, ignore electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI and RFI) from other automated car wash equipment, and be configured to eliminate crosstalk
Featured Product: QS30 High-Performance Photoelectric Sensor
Vehicle Exit Detection with Radar Sensor
Challenge
As soon as a vehicle leaves the tunnel, the wash system needs to know it can start the conveyor and bring the next car in. If the car wash has incorrect vehicle location information, the exit door may not open when needed, or the conveyor could push a vehicle into one stopped at the exit. Also, a car can be stuck waiting too long at the entrance if the system doesn’t realize the tunnel is available.
Solution
- T30RW Washdown Series Radar Sensors mounted at the exit can monitor vehicle flow and let the wash system know to trigger functions
- The T30RW’s radar technology mitigates environmental challenges that can affect other sensing technologies, dependably detecting vehicle positions near the exit despite swirling mist and noise from dryers
Featured Product: T30RW Washdown Series Radar Sensors
Vacuum Pump Motor and Filter Monitoring
Challenge
Vacuum motors and filters are two potential failure points that can impact the quality and availability of this service. Early motor wear, loose fittings, poor alignment with the vacuum pump, and other problems can cause unexpected system failure. Also, filters require periodic maintenance, but cleaning them too often is costly, and waiting too long can impact system performance.
Solution
- Installed near the filters, the Q45 Wireless Differential Pressure Sensor can precisely measure buildup and indicate appropriate times for servicing
- A wireless vibration and temperature sensor installed on the motor can detect tiny vibrations from worn bearings and loose parts, allowing maintenance to be scheduled before failure occurs
- The wireless sensor easily deploys on motors and filters, even on existing systems in remote and hard-to-access locations
Featured Products:
Q45 Wireless Differential Pressure Sensor
Q45 Wireless Vibration and Temperature Sensor
Vacuum Pump Monitoring at the Motor Control Cabinet
Challenge
A vacuum system helps deliver a great customer experience, so the impact of unexpected motor failure is felt immediately. To maximize uptime, the electric motor powering the vacuum pump must continue functioning properly.
Solution
- The Q45CT Wireless Current Sensor can measure vacuum pump motor current at the control cabinet
- This gives operators another data point to determine overall system load and understand if service is needed to avoid unplanned downtime
- The wireless connection simplifies installation and communication with the monitoring gateway
Featured Product: Q45CT Wireless Current Sensor
Main Water Line Pressure
Challenge
Pressure fluctuations in the main water line can cause inconsistent wash quality and operational inefficiencies. A complete loss of pressure can indicate a major problem upstream.
Solution
- A Q45 Wireless Pressure Sensor installed on the main water line reports pressure levels to the monitoring system every 10 minutes
- Water pressure measurements provide operators and maintenance teams the data they need to respond to problems as soon as possible
Featured Product: Q45 Wireless Pressure Sensor
Car Wash Conveyor System Monitoring
Challenge
The conveyor system inside the car wash tunnel requires all parts to work together as one continuous process. Any downtime due to a failed conveyor motor or gearbox completely halts operation and revenue generation.
Solution
- Adding a Q45VAC All-in-One Vibration and Temperature Sensor to the hydraulic motor and gearbox allows car wash operators to be notified if vibration levels and temperatures go outside specified ranges
- Because even very small vibration changes can indicate wear and other problems, advance warning of potential issues allows downtime to be planned, minimizing disruption to car wash operation
- The rugged wireless device is IP67-rated for dependable operation and communication in challenging car wash environments
Featured Product: Q45VAC Vibration and Temperature Sensor
High-Pressure Water Pump Monitoring
Challenge
High-pressure water pumps are susceptible to performance degradation over time, whether from normal mechanical wear, poor water quality, or high temperatures. Pumps that are not functioning properly may not deliver proper water pressure, which can compromise the cleaning process.
Solution
- A Q45VTPD-QM30 Wireless Vibration and Temperature Sensor can be installed on the electric motor that drives the pump
- Operators can see if the system is operating within normal vibration and temperature ranges
- VIBE-IQ machine learning technology simplifies the setup process by forming a baseline, then setting customized warning and alarm thresholds
Featured Product: Q45VTPD-QM30 Vibration and Temperature Sensor
Air Compressor Current Monitoring
Challenge
Sudden air compressor failure can quickly halt an entire car wash operation. Compressed air systems are typically always on, even when the facility is closed. This means that, over time, any air leaks can cause compressors to run unnecessarily and shorten component lifespan.
Solution
- A Q45CT Wireless Current Sensor can monitor current draw on an air compressor’s power supply lines
- Any current draw outside specifications can indicate a problem early, allowing maintenance to be performed and minimize downtime
- Operators can monitor current data trends over time and know at a glance if compressors are running when they shouldn’t be
Featured Product: Q45CT Wireless Current Sensor
Compressed Air System Pressure Monitoring
Challenge
Beyond the compressor, problems can arise in the compressed air delivery system. Leaks can make the compressor run more often than needed, leading to excessive energy use. If the leaks become severe, they can impact the performance of downstream equipment.
Solution
- Monitor pressure levels with a Q45 Wireless Pressure Sensor installed on the compressed air lines
- If the pressure readings deviate from the selected range, a notification can be sent to maintenance staff so they can quickly respond to the issue
- Tracking pressure trends over time can show changes in the compressor duty cycle, indicating possible leaks or water in the tanks
Featured Product: Q45 Wireless Pressure Sensor
Water Supply Pump and Buffer Tank Monitoring
Challenge
Unexpected issues with water supply pumps or buffer tank levels can hinder efficient water delivery, negatively impacting the quality of the wash process. Significant operational disruptions may occur if the main water supply becomes unavailable.
Solution
- Installed on the water pump, a Q45 Wireless Vibration and Temperature Sensor can let car wash operators know in real time if the motor is showing signs of wear or is not running at all
- A Q45 All-in-One Wireless Ultrasonic Sensor installed on the buffer tank can indicate if there are ample water reserves for peak wash times, and can also let operators know if the main water supply goes offline
Featured Products:
Q45 Wireless Vibration and Temperature Sensor
Q45 All-in-One Wireless Ultrasonic Sensor
Tank Level Monitoring for Reverse Osmosis System
Challenge
The reverse osmosis system relies on semipermeable membrane filters to provide pure water for effective cleaning. If scale builds up and clogs these filters, less pure water gets through to the storage tanks which may negatively affect car wash operation and quality.
Solution
- A Q45YAA All-in-One Wireless Ultrasonic Sensor mounted on top of each storage tank can monitor water levels in real time
- Operators can be notified when tank levels drop below the specified range, indicating a clog
- The semipermeable membranes can be cleaned or replaced right away to maximize uptime
Featured Product: Q45YAA Wireless Ultrasonic Sensor
Monitoring Gateway
The many different sensors in a car wash monitoring system connect to a gateway, such as the DXM1200 Asset Monitoring Gateway with CLOUD ID. This gateway collects data from each sensor and sends it to the cloud via either a hardwired Ethernet or cellular network connection. The built-in display aids setup and diagnostics, such as the onboard site survey tool which shows wireless sensor signal strength between the sensor and gateway. Providing clear signal strength feedback helps make optimal device placement easy.
Featured Product: Asset Monitoring Gateway with CLOUD ID
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Tank Level Measurement in a Car Wash
Banner’s K50R radar sensor is a reliable, cost-efficient, externally-mounted solution for precisely measuring levels of car wash chemicals in storage tanks.
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Illumination at a Car Wash
WLS27 LED strip lights provide brilliant, even illumination in difficult environments like this. Each light is protected against environmental challenges and corrosion by a shatterproof, water-resistant polycarbonate shell. A redundant sealing method prevents water ingress to achieve IEC IP66, IP67, and IP69K ratings. These cost-effective LED light strips will provide vivid, low-power, maintenance-free illumination throughout their 50,000 hour or more lifespan.
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Sensing Vehicle Position Within an Automated Car Wash
T30R sensors from Banner Engineering excel in vehicle-detection applications, even in harsh environments like car washes. As a radar sensor, the T30R detects the position of cars, trucks, and other large objects despite the presence of excess water, mist, and steam.
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Truck Wash Efficiency Boosted by Visible Indication
Indicator lights intuitively direct traffic through truck wash stations to ensure efficient flow of vehicles through the wash. However, high-pressure washdowns, cleaning agents, and outdoor environments make status indication challenging. Learn why the WLS27 segmented strip lights are a better alternative to traditional stoplights and can help improve efficiency at truck wash stations.
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Precise Vehicle Positioning in Extreme Car Wash
Detect vehicles as they travel through a car wash. Sensor solution with IP69K-rated housing and infrared light to burn through mist and steam.
Banner CDS: View Your Car Wash's Data Remotely
Banner CDS is a web-based monitoring service that lets you view equipment health from anywhere. It pairs with Banner’s sensors and gateways for a complete end-to end monitoring solution. Preconfigured dashboards and simple drag-and-drop widgets simplify customization and setup so you can quickly start viewing trends and setting condition-based alerts. These alerts notify staff to perform timely maintenance that avoids unplanned downtime.
CLOUD ID: Recognize an Array of Compatible Wireless Sensors
CLOUD ID technology simplifies setup by allowing gateways to automatically recognize sensors and configure a cloud dashboard. This technology is found in many of Banner’s wireless sensors that measure vibration, differential pressure, temperature and humidity, tank level, and more.
VIBE-IQ: Take the Complexity out of Vibration Monitoring
VIBE-IQ vibration monitoring software uses machine learning to simplify the process of setting warning and alarm thresholds for rotating assets like motors and gearboxes. The software continuously monitors vibration for changes, automatically sending warnings and alerts to ensure optimal performance and prevent unplanned downtime. VIBE-IQ does all the complicated analytical work, making the process effortless for users.
Build Your Car Wash Monitoring Solution
This tool will help you build out your car wash monitoring system. Start by choosing one asset monitoring gateway, then add up to 40 sensor nodes to monitor all critical assets in your facility. If you have any questions, please contact a Banner engineer and we will be happy to help you build your car wash monitoring solution over the phone or via chat.
Three Simple Steps
Step One
Add Asset Monitoring Gateway
Step Two
Add Sensor Node(s)
Step Three
See Your Bundle
Configuration Ideas
- Asset Monitoring Gateway
- Battery-Powered Sensor Node
- 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz Wireless Technology
- Ethernet
- Cellular Connectivity
- Banner Cloud Data Services
Step One
Add Asset Monitoring Gateway
Choose one of the Asset Monitoring Gateways, either 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz, depending on your wireless connectivity needs. You can only select one gateway to add to your bundle before proceeding to your next step. If using a cellular provider, refer to the carrier listed in the second bullet of each gateway to ensure you choose the correct one.
In the next step you will select the sensor node(s) for your specific monitoring system. The sensor node selection will automatically be filtered to match your Asset Monitoring Gateway frequency.
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Your Bundle
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