Spot Free water is the result of a treatment process which removes (or greatly reduces) the dissolved solids from the incoming water supply. There are two processes that can provide “spot free” water. Water softeners do not provide “spot free” water.
Deionization (DI) is a physical process utilizing special ion exchange resins that bind to and filter out the mineral salts from water. The resulting water is of high purity that will be spot free. DI water is ideal for vehicle washing, window washing and detailers as there is no need to spend valuable time drying the finish. DI water is not recommended for human consumption.
CleaRinse Spot Free DI units are cartridge based systems that utilize semiconductor grade mixed bed exchange resin for ultra pure water.
The amount of water CleaRinse DI systems provides varies with the TDS of the incoming water supply. Once exhausted, the cartridges are replaced and the system is ready to go.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a process in which water passes through filtration cartridges and then through a membrane that retains minerals and contaminants. The water that passes through the membrane is pure and free of minerals and salts that cause spotting.
CleaRinse RO systems are not “on demand” systems, meaning you can not hook a hose to the unit and expect it to produce water as needed. Water is produced throughout the day and the overall production capacity varies by unit.
RO systems vary in their efficiency with some units using up to 4 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of pure water. Excess water which usually flows into the drain can be circulated through the system reducing overall water consumption and improving efficiency.
As the system purifies the water, it is collected in a holding tank which can then be used from there or transferred into smaller holding tanks. A delivery pump is usually required to transfer the water to another tank or to generate the necessary pressure for washing or spraying from the main holding tank.
If the incoming water supply is extremely hard (over 10 grains of hardness), the use of a softening system may be required to reduce the hardness. This will improve efficiency and increase longevity of the membrane and filtration cartridges.
Either system will provide the end user with water pure enough for a “spot free” rinse.
For auto enthusiasts and low volume vehicle washing, CleaRinse DI systems are ideal as they require a lower initial investment and no additional equipment.
For higher volume users including mobile detailers, fleet and window washers an RO system will prove to be more cost effective over the long run.