Advice please! Getting ready for first clean.

[doeboy]

I’ve only ever washed a car with a sponge, that tells you how “green” I’ve been.

I have some shampoo; I’ve got microfibre towels for drying and a microfibre mitt, as well as a lamb’s wool for washing. I’m about to buy a Karcher 580m washer. I’m waiting on Meguiars quick clay to arrive.

The washer will do 120 bar, I know that’s too much for cleaning a car, what’s the best/safest range?

So far then I’ve got covered

1) Wash
2) Claying

I need some polish for step 3 and wax for step 4, what do you recommend? I have light scratches but hardly any swirls, I will by the time I attempt this clean have a Dual Action machine polisher too with luck. As per the guide medium abrasive polish seems best for my needs. But what brand?

Ta

Andy

 

[1210tech]

back to the washing process. have you got two buckets, one for the soapy stuff and another with just water to rinse the mitt before you put it back in the shampoo mix?

two good polishes i have used are Auto Glym Super Resin Polish and Zymol Cleaner Wax, the latter not only polishes but has wax in it to help protect the finish

for a wax you can't get much better (price wise) than Collinite 476s

 

[A3simon]

Also for drying you want some waffle weave drying towels

 

[doeboy]

I've got the 2 buckets, Why so i need waffleweave pads, will the microfibre towels not do?

I've just ordered Auto Glym Super Resin Polish too 2 x 325ml for £8.50 delivered!

I havent actually bought the Karcher yet, and when i looked at the recommended polisher Porter Cable 7424 it aint cheap! so when weighting up either the washer or polisher as i can only afford one right now. And given that the first rinse is quite quick added to the fact that we have pretty impressive water pressure here. I'm right in thinking that it's the polisher that wins here for priority?!?

 

[1210tech]

i agree, you should be able to get a good enough rinse using a hose set to 'jet' to wash off any loose dirt and if you use the microfibre mitt and the two bucket method it shouldn't cause any more swirling

 

[doeboy]

I've just noticed your a brummie too, where abouts? I'm in Kings Norton

Right done, Porter Cable ordered, Collinite 476s ordered. When it arrives i'm good to get started.

 

[A3simon]

I would of gone for the karcher myself as how often do you think you will use the PC whereas you will prob wash the car alot more

 

[doeboy]

Bu*ger! i've just bought the Karcher too, i'm going to be way into my O/D this month!

 

[1210tech]

I've just noticed your a brummie too, where abouts? I'm in Kings Norton

I'm in Castle Bromwich.

where did you order the PC from? did it come with a transformer and the 110v plug?

 

[doeboy]

From ebay for £130 i've ordered a transformer, What exactly do you mean by 110v plug? Surely it will arrive with one on? Don't tell me they take them off for sales purposes in the uk?

 

[1210tech]

From ebay for £130 i've ordered a transformer, What exactly do you mean by 110v plug? Surely it will arrive with one on? Don't tell me they take them off for sales purposes in the uk?

it will probably come with a US plug on it, you will need to cut it off and fit a round type 110v plug to fit the transformer, one of these jobbies:

http://www.screwfix.com/sfd/i/cat/23/p1471823_x.jpg

i would also advise making an extension as well with male to female plugs:



i've ordered one off ebay as well, but it comes as a whole kit with the transformer and plugs and extension cable but it hasn't been delivered yet. i asked if the one i ordered came fitted with the 110v plug and the guy said it doesn't but sent me wiring instructions so if you want me to email the instructions to you pm me your email address and i will forward them on.

 

[doeboy]

Thats interesting because the advert for mine says it comes with 2 prong plug, so i just orderer a standard plug converter.

Porter Cable

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=150091127755&rd=1&rd=1



Transformer

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=250082895035&rd=1&rd=1

I've seen the heavy duty transformers with the fittings you've shown, why not use the simpler and cheaper method i'm opting for, surely it works all the same?

 

[johnlondonw3]

Have a look on detailing world "Replacing the power cable on a PC 7424 + tranny info " thread it tell you all you need to know I did mine last week

 

[1210tech]

I've seen the heavy duty transformers with the fittings you've shown, why not use the simpler and cheaper method i'm opting for, surely it works all the same?

i thought the same as you until i looked on the website that is mentioned by johnlondonw3. everyone on that website (including professional detailers) convert the PC to the 110v industrial plug and use a 0.75k transformer but i haven't yet found the reason why and why they don't use the system you are gonna use, so i decided just to go with the tried and tested set up.

have a read of this:http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=136

and this: http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4717

according to the second thread if you plug the PC straight into the mains, and i quote, "it will damage it irrepairably"..........BUT whether that statement applies to the way you intend to use it, i don't honestly know, anyway, i will keep searching to see if i can find an answer but i think its something to do with wattage???

 

[doeboy]

my dads on engineer. he's said something about how heavy use an appliance it is against the wattage. ill read later

 

[A3simon]

You use the small coverters that just plug in then you will fry the pc. Also if you are going to buy a transformer then the best would be at least 1.5kva as i find the smaller ones over heat and switch off till they cool

 

[WX51TXR]

Wow, odd result, I only use a 750va transformer and I've never had any overheating problems, even with lots of prolonged, hard use. Might be a transformer fault?

On the PC power subject, you do indeed need to use a proper yellow 110V site transformer and replace the two pin US plug with the 110V plug shown above. It's easy to do, and works a treat; I wouldn't recommend powering it in any other way.

Lastly, useful guides to washing, claying, etc, on this link...

www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/guides.html

Hope that helps!

 

[doeboy]

My old man did the maths (which was way over my head volts times something Pie etc..) Worked out at 407 watts with peak of 500 so 750 should be fine.

He also went into some long technical explaination why you shouldn't use a 110v extension from the Transformer and instead replace the PC's own cable for a longer one. Ofcourse it went over my head but thats what we'll be doing when the gear arrives from CPC.

 

[1210tech]

My old man did the maths (which was way over my head volts times something Pie etc..) Worked out at 407 watts with peak of 500 so 750 should be fine.

He also went into some long technical explaination why you shouldn't use a 110v extension from the Transformer and instead replace the PC's own cable for a longer one. Ofcourse it went over my head but thats what we'll be doing when the gear arrives from CPC.

thanks for that bud, i was beginning to think that i had wasted my money buying the transformer and plugs but turns out that after looking at transformers and plugs on screwfix that i probably saved a bit of money buying the complete kit as one purchase.
can't wait for it to arrive now and hopefully we will get some good weather!