Shoes too.So, that WAS you in the photo, Alex! <grinning> Initially, I thought it was your friend but when I re-read the post I saw that I missed the fact that you did the work. Your buddy has a good friend. <smile>
Damn good eye Bulutt, I certainly missed the the hood stripe connection to the shirt but OMG, the color matching comment had me rolling. :=)
UFB and the yahoo who installed that 30A breaker was clearly not a licensed electrician. Damn glad you didn't use that circuit too, especially with a high current draw device like the pw! You could EASILY have fried that #14 cable and it could have easily started a fire inside the walls!
FWIW Alex, I hate GFCI receptacles as they are usually way too trip sensitive. If I were you, I'd call up your guy and tell him that you would much rather have the 20A GFCI breaker in the panel than the damn receptacle.
Ah ha! <smile> And that's the largest iK sprayer rig I've ever seen! Do you like it? I have three various brands for weed killer and Roundup although I like the Echo sprayers the best so far.
Damn, there was some serious brake dust on those wheels, I've never seen that much RED!
Yes, as soon as I saw the 30 amp breaker(I had to get out my reading glasses, I thought it was a 20 due to the 20 amp receptacle at the other end), I immediately called a Mustang buddy that just got his electrical license and had him come over. He also recommended a 20 amp GFCI breaker and 12 wire, then going to do a quad box (4 outlet) at the other end to minimize my need for power strips..
. Same guy that did mine did his too, I was just able to save him a few bones on paying for the annual wash. My process, chemicals and procedure is the same, so all good. Plus I got to experience his awesome car. He picked me up at the dealer and took me back while they worked on mine, was a nice ride, makes me want a Mach 1 so bad ..
VERY ingenius, Alex!
Now that was FUNNY! Spend all that gelt on PPF and a coat of ceramic and then only give her a serious bath once a year! <smile>
Typically rinseless every few weeks, but ceramic needs a good deep scrub once in a while
. Its typically in the basement of his parking garage covered up. Hence the 2000 miles in a year;)
MOST happy to read that you talked to an electrician who knows WTF he's talking about. So, are you gonna go with the breaker then instead of the GFCI receptacle?
Yeah thats the plan. I had to wait til Friday to get paid to get him the rest of the cash. He is coming Friday afternoon to get er done
Almost... $600 was the quote with the GFCI outlet, it will probably go up a few buck with the breaker. I guess being that all is inside and my crawl space is chest high helps a bit on labor costs.
GFCI breakers are the way to go whenever possible thatâs for sure. The GFCI outlets donât last for shit. Iâve had a couple go already (we built our house just 8 years ago) and instead of installing a new GFCI outlet, I replaced the breaker with a GFCI and used a regular outlet. A little more expensive but the outlets should last a lot longer.
That definitely helped bring the cost down, Alex especially in summer. I know an HVAC guy who simply does not install attic AC units in the summer down here due to the heat and tight spaces.
Looks great! What dis you use on the plastic side skirts and front lower lip?- Are you trying to use the DI rig for washing as well as rinsing? No, only for rinsing. On bypass it works fine, it puts out enough flow. There is physically a reducer built in that purposefully slows it down..
- Does the A2.0 function normally when the DI rig is removed from the equation? Yes, it works fine, even if its on Bypass with it still inline. Definitely a new rig will be forthcoming. Gotta get my new outlet wired in first. That has turned into a Fuster Cluck in its own right. Gonna have to run a whole new line, the wiring for the one I wanted to use isn't big enough :( Oh well, buy once, cry once. And not burn the house down
On a side note, as I used my new Active 2.0 today, I was able to wash a friend's car while mine was getting some warranty work. Beautiful Fighter Jet Gray Mach 1. Stunning car. It was filthy, needed a bath, but some TLC and she was back to new again. Iron remover, CARPRO Lift, Reset, and a bit of Purge on the wheels and good to go. Then some Hydro for extra protection and KCx PSS on the tires...
I put Carpro reload on there every third wash or so. I believe the guy that did my ceramic did a coating over a year ago. He used DPC coatings at the time. Reload I have found works really great on plastics. Did DLUX on my Mazda trim over a year ago and topped with Reload once. Still holding up great.
Hi D. How about Gyeon Bathe +? Itâs been my favorite for a while but unfortunately it doesnât produce great foam.WASH AND WAX SERIES
Iâve never really been a fan of these soap. In my earlier years, a product like this would have been quite useful in topping up my Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wax I was using at the time. But, in recent times, more durable forms of protection have, in theory, made wash-n-wax soaps redundant. This is especially important on ceramic coatings due to the potential to cause streaking or smeary results. Iâve also found the use of a spray sealant as drying aid has eliminated the need for adding protection via the wash soap.
But, as coatings have become the norm, the manufacturers have updated the concept of a wash-n-wax by swapping the wax for Si02 ceramic chemistry. However, the concept remains the same, the soap being a convenient way of maintaining your LSP.
So, how do these soaps stack up against regular wash soaps? Are they worth the bother these days? Can they transform unprotected paint? Letâs find outâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ
(Note â I have resubmitted Inspiration Radiance and KCx Nano Magic to fit in with this collection of soaps)
P&S Radiance Wash & Wax â This is NOT a modern product and has actually been discontinued. I was actually sent a bottle of this in error instead of the newer Inspiration Radiance. I subsequently threw it into the back of the cabinet and forgot about it. In the end, I grabbed it and took it to work to clean the company delivery vans with. I was pleasantly surprisedâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ..
The moment you open the bottle, you can tell this is an old-school car wash soap, the dated fragrance is straight out of the 90âs. I used this soap on completely bare, unprotected paint and came away impressed. Firstly, it cleaned quite well, felt nicely slick. The finished result actually added some decent water sheeting to the paint and glass, not to mention a boost in gloss and slickness. Overall, I enjoyed using this soap. But it also left me with a theoryâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ..
As mentioned, Radiance Wash & Wax was recently replaced by Inspiration Radiance Coating Maintenance Wash. In theory, the new product was reformulated for modern paint coatings in mind. ButâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ..having used both, well they feel, smell and work exactly the same. So, did they just change the name and put it into a new bottle. Or have they in fact reformulated it. In any case, both are nice to use, both increasing gloss and slickness, they both require generous dose rates.
Lubrication â 9/10
Cleaning Ability â 8/10
Scent â 1/10
PH Level â 7.5
Consistency â Medium thickness
Overall Rating â 7/10
P&S Inspiration Radiance â this is an update to the older P&S formula, the original being a wash-n-wax type of soap. Because waxes and conditioning agents donât always play well with ceramic coatings, P&S reformulated Radiance with Si02, in the process making it suitable for vehicles with an existing ceramic coating. That doesnât mean that it must be used on ceramic coatings though, its use will add some short-term protection and gloss enhancement to any LSP.
Iâll be honest in saying that I have never been a fan of this style of soap, but Radiance was a pleasant surprise. Foaming wise, this is a very running product, so donât expect shaving cream foam. The scent is also very dated in having an old-school car wash aroma. And the lubrication is only fair. But once the car has been rinsed and dried, the boost in gloss and slickness is very hard to ignore. So while some of the below scores are middle of the road, the final score reflects what it does to the visual and tactile qualities it brings to the table.
Lubrication â 6/10
Cleaning Ability - 7/10
Scent â Berry, quite muted
PH Level â 7.0 (as tested)
Consistency â Runny
Overall Rating â 8/10
Carpro Hydr02 Lite â Carpro were one of the pioneers of spray and rinse type sealants with their Hydr02 line. In addition to Hydr02 (concentrate) and Hydr02 Lite (RTU), Carpro also created Hydr02 Foam. As the name suggests, this takes the water delivered Si02 sealant and pairs it with a pH neutral soap. In addition the âsignificant UV protectionâ, Carpro say Hydr02 Foam is resistant to acids, alkaline chemicals and solvents. They also suggest it produces âamazing rich foamâ. UmâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠ..
Like Reset, Hydr02 Foam is a clear, runny liquid that makes it easy to pour. Unlike Reset and despite the name and claims, Hydr02 Foam DOES NOT foam. Itâs seems to be even worse than the others, the below shot was taken seconds after application, the foam generated is super thin and simply does not cling to the surface of the vehicle. In its defence, Hydr02 Foam(ish) is said to last up to 3-months and seemed to provide the most obvious before and after by improving gloss, slickness and hydrophobics after use.
Overall, I just couldn't get past the lack of foam on the surfaces I was cleaning. I think I will reserve this soap for neglected customer cars as a final step instead of maintenance washing my own coated vehicles.
Lubrication â 6/10
Cleaning Ability â 6/10
Scent â Not scented, smells the same as other Hydr02 variants
PH Level â 7.5 (claimed)
Consistency â Runny
Overall Rating â 3/10
3D Si02 Ceramic Wash â Recently released, the soap joins a wider range of Si02 slanted products from 3D. Apparently this is a âgame-changing ceramic car wash soapâ with an âadvanced Ph-neutral formulaâ that will offer deep cleaning ability. Naturally, there are claims of increased gloss and slickness, an âunmatched glow and superior protectionâ.
The foam is of the runny kind, much like Nano-Magic or Inspiration Radiance and considerably better than the disappointing Carpro Hydr02 Foam. However, it doesn't quite transform the paint like Hydr02 Foam does, at least how I used it without contact on this occasion. I also didn't care for the dated fragrance, so overall not a winner for me.
Lubrication â Not Assessed
Cleaning Ability â Not Assessed
Scent â Like laundry detergent, very dated
PH Level â pH neutral (claimed)
Consistency â Medium
Overall Rating â 5/10
Shine Supply Shine Soap â said to clean and enhance any wax, sealant or ceramic coating, Shine Soap is pH balanced and apparently wonât alter the protection already on the vehicle. Strangely, the product description suggests this is a âlow-cleansing soapâ, in theory not diminishing waxes and sealants. As such, you would probably need to team this soap with a pre-wash soap if added cleaning power is needed. Shine Soap is said to be a polymer-based product, but I donât see any mention of their being Si02 within the formula. Able to be used in a bucket or foam cannon, just donât expect shaving cream foam.
The first thing to note with this soap is the near-identical scent used in Inspiration Radiance. Thatâs to say a very subtle but dated aroma. Secondly, it does not foam, rather it produces soap water from a foam cannon. That aspect is par for coarse with this segment, so I guess its no better or worse. Slickness I found ho-hum, almost sticky under the wash media. The lack of foam does mean itâs extremely free rinsing. Gloss and slickness afterwards middle of the road, Inspiration Radiance easily eclipses it in that regard.
I also found Shine Soap altered the characteristics of the underlying protection more than the others in this comparison, as in smaller beads and reduced hydrophobics. That may or may not bother you.
Lubrication â 5/10
Cleaning Ability â 5/10
Scent â 1/10
PH Level â Listed as âbalancedâ, so expect 7.0 to 8.0
Consistency â Runny
Overall Rating â 3/10
Ethos Ceramic Shampoo â While specifically designed to work with ceramic coatings, this soap will also play with waxes and sealants. With Si02 in the formula, Ceramic Shampoo will enhance and prolong the underlying ceramic coating, while also providing sufficient cleaning ability and foam. Unlike other products here, Ethos Ceramic Shampoo has a less obvious look and feel after use, Ethos suggesting the âhydrophobic effects increase with every wash, water beading effect does not appear instantaneously upon first use.â To me, this means it contains less Si02, so donât expect this to transform bare paint.
Of the soaps tested, this is the one I liked the most, and by a clear margin too. The fact it actually foams is a big part of that! The pleasant âcucumber-melon" scent of Ceramic Shampoo is quite subdued compared to other Ethos products. Slickness was decent too. Probably the only one of these I would buy again.
Lubrication â 8/10
Cleaning Ability â 8/10
Scent â 8/10
PH Level â 7.5 (claimed)
Consistency â Medium thickness
Overall Rating â 8/10
Koch Chemie Nano Magic â Described as a high-gloss soap with long-term sealing properties, it wonât strip previously applied waxes and sealants. Donât go into this product expecting GSF levels of foam quality, but it does blanket the vehicle in a thin layer of soap that holds on quite nicely. Using the wash mitt and then rinsing activates that Si02 element.
In use, the soap is decently slick, but again, not to GSF levels. The scent is that very distinctive and pleasant KCx aroma. Interestingly, the pH level is acidic leaning. Nano Magic is best used as a light maintenance rather than a heavy-duty cleaning soap, just don't expect it to transform flat, un-protected paint. I've also found it to induce sheeting rather than ultra strong beading like Hydr02 Foam does.
Lubrication â 8/10
Cleaning Ability 7/10
Scent â Hard to describe
PH Level â 5.5
Consistency â Thin
Overall Rating â 7/10
Conclusions -
I've come to the realization that these soaps are not for me. While they certainly add some protection and slickness to the equation, they lack the foaming ability that I prefer and have a strange feeling underneath the wash media.
Of the soaps used for this comparison, the clear winner for me was Ethos Ceramic Shampoo, primarily because it foamed properly and felt the nicest to work with. Carpro Hydr02 Foam seemed to have the most protection potency, but was a letdown in every other way. Inspiration Radiance produced the most visible gloss and slickness improvement. Of the products that produced watery foam, Nano Magic seemed to have the most holding power.
While I can see these soaps have a purpose, they are targeted at a very specific user who just wants some beading and gloss without having to apply a ceramic coating, wax or sealant. For me, what they bring to the table does not out way their lack of foaming ability, lower cleaning potential, so-so slickness or weird scents.
