Water Softener Use In Mobile Auto Detailing

What is considered hard water and what are the degrees of hardness? Well very hard water would be 10.5 grains per gallon and 180 parts per million and above. But you need to realize that even moderately hard water of 3.5 to 7 grains per gallon and 60-120 parts per million will leave hard water spots. Slightly hard water such as 1 to 3.5 grains per gallon and 17.1 to 60 part per million will not leave noticeably hard water spots that you cannot cure with a chamois. But really as a professional auto detailer you are really looking for soft water of less than 1 grain per gallon and 17 parts per million.

What Makes The Water Hard?

Hardness in water is caused calcium and magnesium ions that form insoluble compounds; sometimes iron and even aluminum. There are many ways to soften water. Some are more complicated than others; Aeration, De-Ionization or ion-exchange, Distillation, Reverse Osmosis or Softening.

Softening by use of a water softener is the simplest concept used today; water softeners replace hardness ions like calcium and magnesium with sodium or non-scaling ions. The ion exchange resin used in the process is recharged periodically with salt drawn from a storage tank. Many water treatment experts agree and Lance Winslow concurs that softening can be most cost effective when the water has as few as one to five grains per gallon of hardness. Most mobile operators will be happy with one to three grains per gallon of hardness and probably won't even purchase a softening unit until the hardness is five plus grains per gallon. Their theory is well taken because, if the total dissolved solids (TDS) is that low, there will be little water spotting on cars anyway.

One reason to put in a water softener even if your water is 5 gpg or less is because you wish to prevent scaling in the coils of your steam cleaner or save your pressure washing pump on your auto detailing rig. On a cold water machine, this is not as important because 5 gpg or less won't ruin a pump. More than five can over time.

Hardness also hinders soap from doing its job. You may notice that your soaps are not cleaning properly. That's because they are cleaning the water first and combining with the compounds in the water rather than the dirt on the car. You see, the hardness in the water has a tendency to neutralize those cleaning compounds and you have to actually use more soap to offset the neutralizing effect of the hardness minerals.

With hard water, you will use more soap and the cars still aren't clean. I encourage you to talk to your soap vendors for helpful advice on water chemistry and treatment requirements. Your soap strategy should be custom tailored to your city and the hardness of the water you put in your tank.

Most independent auto detailing professionals agree that areas with hard water will also cause a film on cars that are washed when no softener is used. They also agreed at the annual conference that the decision to purchase a softener should be based on a real water test. You might wish to contact a water treatment dealer such as: Rain Soft, Culligan, Apollo, Calgon, Rayne water Systems or the Water Man in your area. They can help you by having the local water tested or ask city water authority for information on their supply. Once your decision is made to purchase a softener, selecting the proper equipment is easy. Softener sizes should be based upon two factors: Flow Rate (GPM) and Grains Per Gallon (GPG).

Flow rate would typically be six to eight gpm (gallons per minute) with your hose at your residence. We recommend you change your pressure regulator to 90-110 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch). This would give you approximately ten gpm. So you need a water softener that is a little bigger than the basic model.

Water softeners are basically like refrigerators; says Car Wash Guys Founder Lance Winslow;

"They could last two years or twenty years...and a lot depends on how much goes in and how often it comes out."

This is why you should monitor softening equipment. You can test the hardness with a testing kit or just pay attention when you're washing cars. Steel softening tanks last for years. Fiberglass units last well also. Plastic units crack. You may need to change resin every couple of years.

Chances are you will choose to rent softeners for $30 per month and let the exchange company recharge them for you. Be careful when hiring water softener vendors. Ask us for help. You may even be able to trade services for water softening rental plus make money on the account because water softener rental companies have lots of delivery trucks. In any case think on these issues when considering a water softening strategy for your mobile car wash or auto detailing business.

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Functions of Different Automobile Parts

Automobiles are commonly able to be seen in our daily life. With the development of the economy and the improvement of people's quality of life, more and more people choose to buy cars for their own usage. Therefore, automobile plays a more and more important role in our society.

There is no doubt that automobiles consist of complex subsystems that work together to provide efficient and reliable transportation. Many different parts have different functions and performance. Some of them are quite familiar to us.

Among all the auto parts, engine is the most important. Its right performance leads to the good condition of the automobiles. It can run on a wide variety of fuels such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and ethanol and so on. But do you know how it works? It takes air from the intake tract and fuel from the carburetor or fuel injectors and compresses it inside the cylinder. Then the spark plugs fire, igniting the air / fuel mixture and forcing the piston down in the cylinder, which turns the crankshaft.

In addition to the engine, the drive axle is also a necessary part as to the whole car. It cooperates well with the transmission to achieve the effects. Typically, the drive axle takes the power from the transmission and channels it to the tires, which in turn propel the vehicle. And the transmission can take the power generated by the engine at the crankshaft and relays it to the drive axle. These parts work together to drive cars.

As to the transmission, it can be further divided into manual or automatic models. The former type is one in which the driver selects gears through the use of a shift lever and clutch pedal in the passenger compartment. While the latter one can shift through forward gears by itself, and the driver only needs to select between drive (forward) and reverse. Obviously, it is more convenient when compared to the former one. Thus, the automatic models are more and more popular among people in recent years.

The parts mentioned above are mainly used to push the vehicle forward. However, what part do you need if you want to stop it? The answer is the brake system. It uses the power of hydraulic fluid to transfer the force the driver applications to the brake pedal to a clamping force that slows the vehicle. Then the brake pedal is attached to a master cylinder that pumps brake fluid through steel and rubber lines to each wheel. At each wheel, the caliper forces brake pads to clamp down on the rotor, a large steel disc that is attached to the wheel. This causes the vehicle to slow down.

Starting Out in Forex Trading

The foreign-exchange ("forex" or "FX") market is the place where currencies are traded. The forex market is the largest, most liquid market in the world with an average traded value that exceeds $ 1.8 trillion per day.

The forex market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week, with courses being traded worldwide among the major financial centers of London, New York, Tokyo, Zurich, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and Sydney - spanning most time zones . There is no central market for currency exchange. Trade is conducted over-the-counter.

The forex has been the domain of government central banks, as well as commercial and investment banks. It has also been used for hedge funds by large international corporations. The rules were revised during the 1980s to allow smaller investors to participate using margin accounts. It is because of these margin accounts that forex trading has become so popular. When you consider that a 100: 1 margin account allows you to control $ 100,000 of currency for just $ 1000, this has created an excellent opportunity for making a great deal of money. Of course, such leverage is also a recipe for losing a great deal if you are not properly prepared. Naturally this course is designed to help you become prepared.

FOREX traders usually require a broker to handle transactions. Most brokers are reputable and are associated with large financial institutions such as banks.

Like anything else, you should shop around for the best bang for the buck when looking for a broker. Here are some things you should look for when considering a broker:

A Respectable Quality Institution - Forex brokers are usually associated with lending institutions or large banks. The reason for this is that such institutions have the large amount of capital needed in order to provide the leakage needed. Look for brokers that are registered with the Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This information should be provided on the broker's webpage or its parent company page.

Lowest Spreads - Forex brokers do not charge a commission such as Futures brokers do. They make their money from the spread, which is calculated in "pips". The difference between what you can buy the currency for and what you can sell it for is the spread. PIP stands for Price Interest Point. It is the increase in which the currency pair will trade. For example, if you buy the EUR / USD for 1.2015 and it goes up to 1.2016, it has gone up 1 pip. When looking for a forex broker, find one that offers you the lowest spread for the currency pairs you plan on trading.

Types of Accounts - No two traders are alike. Some have a vast amount of money while others have smaller accounts in which to trade. Look for a forex broker that provides you with some account choices. For example, traders with small accounts or just learning how to trade in the forex should look for what many brokers call the "Mini Account". This type of account requires a small minimum to open, say, $ 250. This account allows for a high amount of leverage that you will need in order to trade with so little amount of money. In such an account, you can trade with a $ 1 pip, as opposed to $ 10 or higher pip value. Standard accounts have higher minimum balance requirements and allow for trading at different leverages. Read carefully the different types of accounts being offered.

Available Leverages - Leverage is important in forex because the price deviations (how you make your money) are merely fractions of a cent. Leverage is the ratio between the capital that is available and actual capital. The leverage depends on what the broker is willing to lend you. For instance, 100: 1 ratio means that for every 1 dollar of your money (actual capital) the broker will lend you $ 100 (available capital). Some brokers offer 250: 1 and even 300: 1 ratios. The higher the ratio, the more leverage (bang for the buck) you will have. Keep in mind that a high ratio not only gives you more bang for your dollar but it also increases your risk of a margin call. Lower ratio will lower your risk of a margin call, but it will also lower the power of your dollar.

Extra Goodies (Tools, Research) - To get your business brokers provide various free tools and information resources to their customers. You will want to find a broker that will provide you with free real-time price charts as well as an excellent online trading platform. One very popular platform and the one I currently use is FX Trading Station. But shop around and see what is being offered.

The best thing you can do is to ask around on various trading forums where forex traders haunt. This is because there does not exist any blacklist for those brokers that may commit acts of sniping or hunting, which is primarily buying or selling near preset price points in order to increase profits. Also, make sure that they are happy with the broker's margin rules. Some may be too strict and get you out when the market moves against you despite you still have enough capital to hold the position. The position may turn out in your favor had you not been exited by the broker. This can be costly. So ask around!

Six Tips On How to Avoid Auto Repair Problems

Have you ever thought an auto repair shop may have taken you? You took your car in for a simple oil change only to be told you needed additional, expensive work done. Every day, people are taken advantage of this way. It's estimated nine out of ten women believe they're targeted due to their gender.

Let's fight back! Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

1. Do your homework. Do some checking ahead of time by reading a car care guide for your make and model. In it you will discover some basic repairs so you can know what questions to ask the mechanic.

2. Use your senses. When describing your car's problem to your mechanic, use your senses. Tell how the car "feels" to you or if you have been hearing certain abnormal sounds. What this does is let him know you've been paying attention to your car's needs.

3. Check your warranty. Be careful of paying too much for your auto repair needs. Check with your automobile dealership to make sure your repairs aren't still covered by a warranty. If you choose to take your car to an independent business the parts may be covered by the warranty, but you will most likely need to pay them for the actual cost of fixing it.

4. Get a second opinion. If you still aren't sure if you're being taken advantage of, don't hesitate to get a second opinion. And for goodness sake, don't tell the second mechanic what the first mechanic said was wrong with your car. Wait for the diagnosis from the second one and how much it will cost.

5. Ask to see the part. If you're still uneasy, you can always ask to look at the part, where exactly it is in the car and why they believe it needs replacement. And ask them to show you the old part once the replacement has been done.

6. Run away. If you sense any sort of pressure from the auto repair shop to have your car fixed for things you never knew were wrong with it, walk away as fast as you can. Your good sense and intuition will often be your two best friends in these situations.

A good, honest mechanic will be certified and licensed, have a nice clean garage and communicative employees who can look you in the eye. Two more important things to look for are a written estimate for all the work to be done and, after the work is done, a complete invoice showing the charges for parts and labor.

None of us is born with the knowledge of how our automobiles work. We just want them to get us safely to our destination. But it would behoove us to be as familiar with them as possible. That way, when an unscrupulous auto repair person does cross our path, we'll be able to back away from them as fast as we can.

Can Forex Robots Help Your Earn Money With the Foreign Exchange?

Foreign exchange, sometimes referred to as Forex trading or FX, is a complex trading market for foreign currencies. As the world's currencies are traded against each other, their exchange values ​​raise and lower at different rates. Forex trading occurs 24 hours a day every day, and the rates change continuously. All foreign currency exchanges are done via banks and other financial institutions, each with slightly varying rates from the others.

Once you understand Forex, it is easy to see that it is one of the world's largest and most flexible markets in the world, which grows on a daily basis. The transactions take place globally, with minimal regulation between countries.

You must monitor a variety of constantly changing details in order to make money in this complicated market. If he fails to notice an essential fact, he could suffer incredible financial loss, from which he may not recover. The complexities involved are causing an increase in the number of traders using automated software, or Forex robots. This market requires unwavering attention to the details and beneficial data accumulation, so that trades can be made on facts instead of guesses.

Forex robots can reduce and sometimes even prevent the errors caused by human analysis. The robot can give a trader all the data he or she needs, which reduces the stress associated with working in the foreign exchange market. These machines monitor the marketplace even when their users are not working, using logic to decide whether to buy or sell.

Forex automation has been heavily promoted recently. It is very difficult to determine which computer program, out of the multitude of programs currently promoting excellent results, is going to be the most effective. Can the work involved in this complex market really be automated?

It is true that Forex robots provide the trader with many advantages while managing their accounts. However, they do not have one very important quality - human instinct. Seasoned traders know that things are not always as they appear, and sometimes you must take a risk.

Therefore, although Forex robots can help gather data and compile statistics, they can only serve as a tool for trading and can not replace traders.

Choose a Good Auto Repair Shop to Keep Your Car Working Properly

Have you ever been out driving on the road without a care in the world and suddenly your car starts to make a funny noise? While you turn down the radio so you can hear the sound clearly, do you start to think about all the things that could be wrong with your vehicle? Maybe you start thinking about the last time you took your vehicle in for repairs. No matter what you start to think about during that time, one thing you can not ignore is the fact that your car needs to go to an auto repair facility.

Instead of taking any chances on the problem getting worse, you need to contact your local auto repair shop and find out when it is a good time for you to bring your vehicle in for service. The longer you drive around ignoring the issue, the larger your repair bill will be. If you do not have a good auto repair facility that you can take your car in too, it is time for you to start looking for one.

Any auto shop that you decide to take your vehicle to needs to be run and managed by state certified mechanics. You do have the option of choosing to have your vehicle serviced at the dealership or at an independent shop. You may want to check around and get some recommendations on where you should go so you do not end up wasting a ton of time. Some places are pretty fast when it comes to repairing your vehicle and others may be a bit slower. Some places require that you leave your car with them and others will fix it while you wait.

Keep in mind that all auto repair shops are not the same. While many of their workers may hold the same credentials, the rate charge for service can differ greatly. Do not be so quick to go with a facility that charges rock bottom prices, because you may not be happy with the end result. You need to make sure that any parts they are using on your vehicle are new unless you have specified otherwise.

Pay attention to how you are treated when you visit different auto repair facilities. No matter what type of vehicle you have or what type of work needs to be done on your car, you should be treated as if you are the best customer in the world. That means that any questions or concerns you have should be addressed promptly. You should be treated as if your time and patronage are very valuable. If there are going to be any delays or unexpected issues relating to your vehicle's repairs you should be informed as soon as possible. A good shop is one that communicates with its customers every step of the way and charges them fair and competitive prices. The work they perform should be exceptional quality and they may even offer warranties with their work. The bottom line is you should end up a happy and satisfied customer after having your car worked on.