Homemade 12 volt car wash. DIY high pressure washer

In our time, a very large number of cars are everywhere - this has long been not a luxury, but a means of transportation, as Ostap Bender said. Your car is certainly good where you need to sit down and go, but you often have to service it gasoline spare parts maintenance insurance and of course car wash so that the iron horse is always clean and tidy at a car wash puddles are not an option, although many do not disdain, washing from a bucket near the house is punishable, so what should a simple person do. Ingenuity comes to the rescue, as they say, the need for invention is generous. And now our author comes up with the idea, but whether he can make a car wash on his own and even work from 12V, this will be a breakthrough. The car can be washed without outside help and any consequences. The author searched for information on this topic, imposed his thoughts, made some drawings, picked up the materials he needed, and proceeded to create a car wash.

Materials: canister, hoses with a cross section of 6 and 10 mm 3 m, a brush, a two-wire wire, a pump from a glass washer with a Zhiguli, a plug for a cigarette lighter, a button

Instruments: knife, scissors, screwdriver, wire cutters, a set of keys.

All serious business begins, of course, with drawings and sketches.

Here the author shows that one canister remains intact, it serves as a reservoir for water, the second one is cut by the author, as in the drawing it will place a pump in itself, it is attached to the bottom of the canister and sucks water when the operator presses the button located on the sink handle.
So the author cuts the canister

Attaches to the bottom of the pump on the mounts, treats with sealant

Attaches hoses, plug, brush, button.

The result is such a canister with a brush and a hose with a plug connected to the connector in the car

The dream of our author came true, he personally assembled a very useful mechanism for washing a car from unnecessary rubbish and saved a lot of money in the family budget, both in the assembly and in the subsequent paid car washes go through the forest. And now the author is overwhelmed with happiness, washing his swallow with pleasure with a home-made sink.

In fact, buying a car wash is not the most expensive task. Now the prices for various washing devices are quite low. For example, from 5 thousand rubles you will find a good device. There may be difficulties with how to choose a device and which model to give preference to.

Relevant are the developments of Bosch, Stihl, Karcher, Huter and other brands. But there are car owners who do not want to spend money on ready-made solutions. They need to make everything by hand.

For me, a homemade car wash is something controversial. On the one hand, it shows your ability to create efficient and useful gadgets. On the other hand, it is much easier to buy a factory car wash, and not try to mold something from a high-pressure fuel pump (fuel pump, if anything), look for a suitable gun, pump and other spare parts for a future washing complex.

But since you want to do it yourself, I’ll tell you a little about whether it is possible to assemble a sink and how well such a household or stationary homemade product will work.

Main Components

Since we do everything from improvised means, problems can arise with such a parameter as reliability. I believe that any sink or foam generator should be assembled in accordance with GOST and other requirements. If you violate all the recommendations, and sculpt the structure from the first spare parts that come across, it’s better not to start.

If you are ready to act consistently and competently, then maybe something sensible will work out. Homemade sinks are not a myth at all. A lot of people, including my friends, collected them. They work well. Although my foaming agent works no worse. Yes, I bought it and I'm not ashamed of it.

So, since we are talking about homemade sinks, let's see what components they are assembled from.

pump or pump. The first task will be to find a pump. Since the sink is a water supply device, there is no way without a pump. Moreover, in order for the water to exit through the nozzle under high pressure, capable of removing dirt from the surface of the machine, we select the pump at 150 bar. Some take more, but it's overkill. Otherwise, the paint will come off along with the dirt. The block head must be made of brass or bronze. Such materials are the least susceptible to corrosion, and therefore the device will last a long time. Feeding at a rate of 15 liters of water per minute is enough to wash the car with high quality.
Electrical engine. The next in line will be a 220V electric motor. In addition to it, a capacitor unit is needed so that the sink starts without problems. The higher the RPM, the better the performance. Too fast pumps, giving out a huge speed, will wear out quickly. Don't take them. A consumption of 2-3 kW and a rotation speed of no more than 2000 rpm is considered optimal.
Coupling. It is needed to connect the pump to the engine. Some others install a belt drive in one step. With the help of this gearbox, the speed and load of the engine with the pump are balanced. The gear ratio must be selected based on the required output parameters.
Water tank. Use a tank that you can power from a constant source of water. It can be an ordinary crane or a well, for example. If the water is dirty, put a filter at the inlet. The main tank will serve to add washing shampoo for the car.
performance controller. A special valve must regulate the operating parameters and, if necessary, redirect the unused water pressure to the tank. This reduces the load on the pump.

Understood the basic elements. But there is also a hose, nozzles and other components that are part of a homemade sink. Or think about which one to choose among ready-made and sold in stores sinks.

External car wash units

External components are mounted on a frame, which is better to do it yourself or choose a suitable finished design. Usually the frame is made on the basis of a profile or curved pipe. You can install wheels from below so that the sink is not stationary, but mobile. Stops, handles and clamps will help in moving the device.

Hose. If you figured out the water intake, you need an element through which the liquid will begin to flow to the machine. Choose reinforced rubberized hoses or plastic products. Just make sure the hose is durable and has tight connections to the water intake. If necessary, you should be able to quickly repair the hose, change it.
Connections. Areas where the elements are interconnected and in contact with water are best combined with fasteners made of corrosion-resistant materials. For example, bronze or brass.
Pistol and nozzle. You can take a ready-made sandblaster or another suitable gun that has a nozzle. Outwardly, they resemble pistols at gas stations. The jet of water should only come out when you press the button. It is better to take a ready-made gun and not bathe. My advice to you.

We do everything consistently and accurately, connecting the elements tightly to each other. In fact, picking up the details and creating a full-fledged sink from them is not an impossible task.

But you still need a hole cutter, a whole bunch of different components. It is far from a fact that they will be at hand or fit in size, type of material, and so on. Someone makes sinks from NSh 10 (gear pump) and enjoys the result. Others twist and turn something, but as a result they go to the store and buy a foaming agent, combining it with a purchased branded sink. Although the foam generator can be made from a compressor and auxiliary mechanisms, I would prefer the finished product.

In some cases, it is better to think about which sink from a leading manufacturer to take to wash your car than to unsuccessfully try to assemble a sink from improvised materials for several days.

I am not at all opposed to doing useful things with my own hands. But in terms of washing, there are many pitfalls. In my opinion, it is better to spend more money and less time on a trusted Karcher factory car wash, for example, than less money and more time on a homemade device. It is still unknown how this homemade product will work, and what surprises it will give out during operation.

The rating of factory washes clearly demonstrates the leaders of the segment. Can you achieve similar characteristics with such devices by doing your own washing? Unlikely. Can you save? Probably yes.

You decide. I voiced my opinion. By the way, I suddenly realized that it was high time to wash the car. Therefore, I went to put my horse in order, which is what I wish you.

Washing your car with a rag and a bucket is fine, but it's somewhat outdated. Have you ever seen such an old-fashioned way to clean cars at car washes? If so, then don't go back there. They obviously save on quality and neglect their employees. So, in this article we will talk about how to do a car wash with your own hands. The piece is very interesting and useful.

High Pressure Car Wash Features

We can say that such equipment is not a luxury. Today it is already a necessity. The fact is that this is the only way to qualitatively wash the engine compartment, the bottom and the body of the car. But most importantly, it does not require almost any effort. All you need is 20 minutes of attention.

The main components of a car wash

Although we will assemble the equipment ourselves, that is, in our workshop, we will need purchased parts, which, unfortunately, are often not possible to find in our garage. The first thing we need is a high performance pump. It must create a pressure of 100 to 200 bar. Such equipment will be quite productive and perfect for the implementation of our goals. When choosing a pump, you need to pay attention to what material it is made of. For example, the piston group is metal or ceramic alloy, and the block heads are brass. Of course, you can go the other way and use a compressor instead of a high pressure pump. It will be cheaper, but the system will be less productive.

Motor selection

We can not do without a good engine. It makes sense to stop at a single-phase motor of low power. By the way, you can find it in your garage or remove it from an old washing machine or similar equipment. In general, the power of 200-300 watts is quite enough. A single-phase motor is an order of magnitude safer than a three-phase one in terms of connection and somewhat more economical, so we will focus on it. But whether a condenser and a gearbox will be provided in your car wash is up to you. Such equipment can extend the life of the system, but significantly complicate the design. In addition, these elements are not mandatory at all, everything will work fine without them. In any case, do-it-yourself car wash is not so difficult. Let's move on to the practical part.

DIY high pressure car wash

Before proceeding directly to the assembly, it is necessary to acquire additional elements. We need a coupling to connect the pump and the electric motor together. It is best to take the so-called soft coupling, which will compensate for the slight misalignment of the shafts.

Another important element is the water tank. In this case, the ideal solution would be a plastic tank. It is easier to carry than metal, and in terms of durability it is not inferior to the latter. It must be connected to the water supply network so that there is always water in our tank. At the outlet of the tank, we install a fine mesh that acts as a filter. It will protect the pump from damage by foreign bodies. Well, now let's see how a do-it-yourself high-pressure car wash is assembled.

Construction assembly

In general, there is nothing complicated here. By the way, it is desirable to install a performance regulator. This element is optional. The fact is that an automatic unloading valve is supplied with it, which, in which case, relieves pressure and relieves the load from the pump. The regulator is necessary in order to change the pressure in the system. Therefore, you can set it to the maximum - and the jet will be very powerful - and to the minimum - in a weak mode of operation.

A metal frame is used as a single base for all assembled parts and assemblies. An electric motor, a pump and a gun with a nozzle are fixed on it. All this is interconnected with the help of high pressure hoses. Pay attention to the quality of the connections, as they will be subjected to serious stress during operation. After the structure is assembled, the mini-car wash is ready to go. Check it out. If everything is in order, then you can use it. In case of insufficient pressure, we check the tightness of the connections and the operation of the pump.

Homemade car wash and its features

We have already figured out that it will be much cheaper to buy all the parts and assemble them yourself and get the finished equipment. But I would like to note that a homemade car wash has a number of features. Firstly, its repair is greatly simplified. In particular, we are talking about the replacement of failed nodes. Secondly, you can use any nozzle. If you need to get a concentrated jet, one type will do, if a scattered one, another.

Many people make mistakes at the stage of connecting the sink to the central water supply. The fact is that the length of the hose should not exceed 7 meters. This will eliminate possible pressure surges. If you neglect this requirement, then nothing good will happen. In the case when the mini-car wash is powered by a tank, you need to carefully choose its volume. It is advisable to take a container of at least 30 liters and equip it with a check valve so that during operation it is possible to build up pressure. If you often wash a heavily soiled car at low temperatures, you will need a homemade car wash foamer. The price of purchased equipment is about 5-9 thousand rubles. Agree, the amount is rather big. It can be made from a conventional plastic sprayer, which is then connected to the sink.

Need to take into account

In general, we figured out how to make a car wash. There is nothing complicated, as you can see. But there are a few simple rules that will help extend the life of such equipment. Periodically it is necessary to check the reliability of connections, including threaded ones. If they are loose, don't forget to tighten them up. Since the tank has a filter element in the form of a mesh, it will gradually become clogged. If it is not cleaned, then in the end the permeability of water to the pump will decrease. Do not forget to periodically inspect the filter, if necessary, change or clean. Well, when assembling the structure, use the popular drawings of car washes, one of which you can find in this article. They will help you navigate what's what, and carry out the installation correctly.

Conclusion

Do-it-yourself car wash is easy. How much longer can you sit and think: “Why don’t I do the sink myself?” If in the end you take it and start, then the assembly work will end in a few hours. In any case, it makes sense to remember that the paintwork of your car is not eternal and needs to be carefully monitored. By the way, many car enthusiasts do not recommend using car washes with a pump that creates a pressure of more than 200 bar. If such equipment is used at full capacity, then there is a chance of damaging the paintwork of the car. And the loads on the engine and working bodies of the units increase significantly. Even if it becomes necessary to create a high pressure, use it in short-term modes. In principle, this is all that can be said about how to build a car wash.

Today, you no longer need strength and time to fight dried-on dirt and dust that has clogged into nooks and crannies, because every year new models appear on the market. high pressure washers. These devices are used to wash windows, cars, walls and doors of houses, barbecues and other items that are difficult to clean with a rag or brush. A strong water pressure copes with this task much more efficiently and saves money spent on washing a car in a service, while water consumption is also minimal. Therefore, it is useful for everyone to have such a sink in their arsenal.

The leading companies in the production of high pressure washers are the German companies Bosch, Karcher (hence the second name of the sink - Karcher) and Elitech. The average price of these sinks on the market starts from 10,000 rubles. Inexpensive car washes cannot be used for more than one car per day, and the most expensive models are limited to seven cars.

Washing device

The main component of the sink (or Karcher) is the engine that creates the necessary water pressure. A pump or a motor is suitable (it is not necessary to buy a new one, take a working one from an old car), the motor is built into the sink body and must be connected to a power source. For the sink body (body), choose a durable material, thick plastic or metal. Even if you get a durable case, it's best not to use the sink for more than three hours in a row. This will disable the sink in a short time.
Hose attachments are available to facilitate the cleaning process - brushes of various hardness, soft rollers, standard sprayers. With the purchase of a couple of attachments, you can expand the functions of your sink, using it as an automatic mop or steam cleaner (it is required to supply the sink with a heater).

Internal pressure

The higher the pressure inside the housing, the stronger the jet of water from the hose, which means that the dirt lags behind more easily. Set the pressure carefully, because water can simply break a fragile car part or glass, leave dents. Manufacturers set the pressure at 150-170 bar, but 100 bar is enough to clean the car.
If the contamination cannot be cleaned with a jet of water, purchase a special nozzle for a hose, a turbo cutter. It will help wash tires, wheels, remove dirt accumulated in the cracks. You can use the mini-sink both outside and inside the cabin. If you are using a turbo cutter, you will need 160 bar pressure.

Electric pump

Before purchasing and using a pump in a sink design, read how to choose the right device.
The material of the pump determines the wear resistance. The unfortunate option is a plastic pump, which will soon fail if used for more than 20 minutes at a time. Expensive, but reliable pumps are made of brass, because it does not corrode. These pumps are rarely found in commercial car washes.

How to use the mini sink

To wash worked properly follow these guidelines.

Be sure to check the performance of the sink before using it, this will save your time and health.
The filter installed in the car wash should be cleaned and replaced after each use.
If the washer uses electricity in operation, and the source is unstable, supply it with a battery.
Do not let children use the sink.
If repairs are needed, don't hesitate to do so. Replace failed sink components.
Update your device pads.
Protect your sink from temperature fluctuations.

How to make a karcher yourself

Although car washes have achieved widespread use, their cost is high. So, if you want to do your own washing, you need:

canister;
irrigation hose with a gun;
pump;
union;
cover for the canister;
tubeless wheel fungus;
rubber gasket;
coupling.

These are the components of the future car wash. Materials that come in handy during the manufacturing process:

drill;
sealant.

First stage. The choice of components.

The required volume of the canister depends on you and the purpose for which you use the sink: a five-liter canister is enough for a car. Drivers carry a car wash in their luggage, and therefore choose a case both in terms of volume and dimensions.
The irrigation hose must be strong and flexible, it must not be twisted or broken. Nylon-braided hoses are considered durable. A hose consisting of several layers is more reliable. Don't skimp on this part. There is only one requirement for a pistol: it must be firmly attached to the hose.

The pump can be foot or automatic. The high power of this pump will not be useful to us, so do not buy an expensive one. Using an automatic pump is much more convenient than using a foot pump, since you do not have to constantly drag the pump from place to place and do unnecessary work with your foot. However, the decisive role is played by the cost of the pump, automatic is three times more expensive.
Choose the fitting and the coupling at your discretion, the main thing is that they are in close contact with each other. It is preferable to purchase both the fitting and the coupling from the same material (plastic or metal).

Second phase. Canister preparation.

Drill a hole in the canister that fits your coupling. Insert a coupling with a screwed fitting into this hole. Secure the structure with a sealant so that the coupling does not pop out during operation, and the desired pressure is maintained in the canister.

Third stage. Cover collection.

The lid needs to be strong, solid and suitable for the canister. To prevent air from escaping from the canister, attach a rubber gasket to the bottom of the lid. Then make a hole in it and insert the fungus of a tubeless tire into it.

Fourth stage. Construction collection. Additional functions.

Tighten the canister tightly with a lid, connect the cord from the pump to the fungus, attach the free end of the hose to the hole made in the canister using a fitting. Homemade sink is ready. The principle of operation of such a sink is simple: using a pump, air is pumped into a canister of water (while the canister is not filled with water to the brim). Pressure up to 0.3 bar or higher if your canister can handle it. Under the influence of pressure, water shoots out of the gun when the handle is pressed.
If you will use the sink during the cold season, equip your sink with a special burner for heating water. For these purposes, you will need a larger canister, it will lose mobility, but with the help of hot water, the car is cleaned of heavily dried dirt.

Provide a power source for the sink. If the sink runs on fuel (gasoline or diesel fuel), then there will be no problems with moving. When planning an electric car wash, take care of a serviceable and affordable source of electricity. In this case, you are unlikely to be able to freely transport the sink from place to place, but you do not have to spend money on expensive fuel.
Decide in advance for what purpose you use the sink. If you want to clean the windows of a house or the wheels of a car, then a compact, mobile washer on wheels and with a long hose will suit you. When using a sink on an industrial scale, you will not need its ability to move, so it is better to design a stationary sink. It connects directly to the water supply. If necessary, set the automatic water supply to save.
If it is possible to save on water consumption, then it is impossible to save on the purchase of washing components. To prevent the item from becoming dirty after washing, purchase special filters. You do not need an expensive filter that purifies water to a drinking state. The filter is needed to purify water, at least from litter, which will disable the sink.

You can even earn money by designing a pressure washer if you open a car wash. The main thing is that the sink you made works. Using the car wash, you can clean bicycles, mopeds, cars, trucks and their components.

How to make a karcher powered by a cigarette lighter

This sink design is cost-free. The following is an instruction for creating a more complex model:
Us you will need:

windshield washer motor;
irrigation hose with a gun;
cigarette lighter (motor power supply), cigarette lighter plug;
two hoses 3 meters long, one hose must fit freely into the other;
corrugated hose with a diameter of 25-30 millimeters;
switch;
M8 bolt, washer and nut;
two plastic canisters (volume 10 liters);
6 screws;
two-core electric wire 5-7 meters long;
plastic sleeve;
power cable;
car wash brush

Additional materials:

sealant;
drill.

First stage. Create a hose.

We make a small hole in the bottom of one of the canisters. Inside a thick hose (diameter 10 millimeters or more), a thinner hose (up to 6 millimeters) and a two-wire wire are placed. Then the hoses fastened by us are inserted into the opening of the canister. A plastic sleeve is threaded into the free end of the hose. Further, a thin hose is attached to the washer motor, the wires are also attached to the motor.

Second phase. Creating a canister with a double bottom.

The second canister is cut approximately in the middle in order to subsequently make a second bottom out of it with a shuttle. The motor is fixed on the second bottom of the canister; for this purpose, a home-made clamp is used, which can be made from the remains of a cut canister. To do this, we need an M8 bolt and some sealant.
The wires are also fixed with self-tapping screws and sealant. Then they connect, again using self-tapping screws, the body of the structure: the second bottom and the hinged lid.

Third stage. Completion.

Using the power cord, the wires are connected to the cigarette lighter. A hole is made in the brush for the button, the switch is fixed. The brush itself is mounted on the edge of the hose with a plastic sleeve. Use the attached diagrams in your work to better understand the text.