A workshop’s guide: Which parts washer should I buy or rent?
A mechanic’s life can be made a lot simpler when working with components that are clean and safe to handle. CI.N checks in with the market’s leading parts washer brands to find out what a shop should look for when shopping to buy or rent…
It’s every mechanic’s worst nightmare; watching a bike caked in muck from the road or trail wheeled across freshly hoovered showroom carpet towards the work- shop, perhaps pedal scraping few bits of product paintwork on the way through. Most of us will have that customer who wheels in a bike unfit to work on without a good scrub. It takes time to ready a bike and its component parts for service and therefore it costs money for the business.
A parts washer can take away some of that headache for the servicer, but where does one start when selecting what can be a big investment piece for the workshop? How do they work, what’s the upkeep schedule like and are they using sustainable cleaners, you might ask?
One of the best known in the marketplace is UK-made Rozone, part of the 130-year-old Rubery Owen family business. The West Midlands group operates seven companies but has a particular weighting towards innovative cleaning solutions and the manufacture of testing machines.
Rozone’s Beth Jones starts us off with a little science as to what Rozone’s products are actually doing: “The ROwasher parts cleaning machine, the ROwash degreasing solution and the Microbial Filter Mat are the three distinct elements in our system. Imagine having 200 million extra employees, not on the payroll, to help clean and degrease – giving all the bene- fits, working tirelessly 24/7. That is exactly what the ROwasher Microbial Filter Mat does as part of the parts cleaning system, with 200 million oil eating microbes delivered into the parts washer. These environmentally friendly organisms work in perfect combination with our ROwash Bike degreasing solution to quickly and effectively tackle all the oil and grease washed off dirty parts, reducing the need for hazardous waste disposal and keeping the parts washer fluid cleaner for longer and effective for every use.”
With the input of the University of Wolverhampton, Rozone has been able to achieve a scientifically proven 83% degradation of oils with its eco-friendly microbe formula and filter mats. Another boon to the system’s sustainability credentials is the option to realise a 42% energy saving on eco mode thanks to its insulated tank. With this in mind, the tank need only to be heated to 37-degrees on eco mode and 42-degrees on standard to remove even the most stubborn grime, all while remaining pH neutral and solvent free.
“We balance cleaning performance with bioremediation to achieve the best cleaning results and a 42% reduction in energy costs when compared to a leading competitor,” says Jones at Rozone.
Environmental kudos counts for a lot in what can inherently be a mucky process with lots of contaminants floating about. With this taken into account, Rozone’s technology is designed to keep on top of the grime by delivering the mechanic a low maintenance schedule and constantly providing an environment where the system self-generates prime conditions for cleanliness.
Jones explains: “Our Microbial Filter Mat not only delivers a precise amount of microbes into the ROwasher at each filter change, but it also acts as scaffolding, helping to create a breeding ground for the microbes which cling, grow and breed on the fibres of the mat to form a reservoir of oil eating microbes.
“This bio film of microbes means that, for the month-long life of the filter, there is a constant supply of healthy, oil loving microbes working to degrade the hydro- carbons and maintain the optimum cleaning performance of the parts washer. All of these are Bio-Safety Level 1 Microbes and are non-pathogenic and pose no risk to humans or animals.”
Likewise offering a one-month filter life and making some claims on eco- friendliness is the SmartWasher SW-23, a unit that is now obtainable to anyone with a Madison account. This system, which used to be part of the Rozone distribution for 20 years, boasts no flash point, no toxic solvents or caustic materials in its use. The parts washer offers an environmental solution to component cleaning and no added expense of disposing of degreaser fluid, as some parts cleaning systems on the market require.
In the instance of the SmartWasher, the formula passed through to clean goods is OzzyJuice. This is refreshed and cleaned within the machine as it passes through the OzzyMat where the specifically formulated microbes extract any dirt, oil and grime before the fluid is returned into the machine ready for use once again.
Inevitably the day will come when your system requires some maintenance and with this in mind Rozone has engineered its system to have a removeable electrical module housed in the control box unit.
“The benefit to the customer is next day delivery of replacement part if the user does experience machine failure. The unit can simply be swapped over without the need of a service callout and extended downtime while waiting for a service engineer to attend,” offers Jones on the Rozone own-label machine that came to market in 2019.
A more recent addition to the competitive landscape for parts washers comes from Muc-off, whose two sizes of system (40 and 100-litre) provide workshops a further solvent-free option that minimises wastewater and doesn’t release harmful chemicals.
Here maintenance is kept minimal to ensure your time is not sunk into further cleaning. A pre-filter situated in the sink holds thick elements, and a socket filter catches the finest particles. Therefore, to empty the gunk it’s simply a case of using the draining plug and integrated pouring spout for easy draining. Once more, an eco-mode features for those not using the machine throughout the entire day.
A key question for the trade, given the tendency for both retailers and solo mechanics to wish to expand their mobile services, is could a product like this ever truly go mobile?
Rozone has considered this scenario and is currently testing. Jones told CI.N: “We’re working very closely with one of our customers on a mobile trial. We’re at the point of trial prototype now – and hope to have a simple solution to taking a ROwasher mobile in the near future.”
Buy or rent your parts washer
Rozone Ltd
Phone: 0121 526 8181
Email: info@rozone.co.uk
www.rozone.co.uk
To purchase outright, the ROwasher range starts at £1,100. Workshops may find that the most cost-effective way to get up and running is by purchasing a Rozone “equipped” package; that includes a keg of fluid and six months’ worth of filter mats. “Equipped” packages start at £1,400 and save the user over £60 versus purchasing the machine and consumables separately.
Rental is also offered over both three- and five-year terms, which can also include the required consumables. This method enables smaller businesses to access the product, saving them the initial outlay of the machine, but also helping the business owner plan their monthly outgoings. Rental machines also come with a full-service agreement for the term of the rental.
A free month’s trial is offered so the customer can try the unit in their specific environment.
SmartWasher, Via Madison
Phone: 01908 326000
www.madisonb2b.co.uk
The SW-23 SmartWasher and OzzyJuice fluids are in stock with Madison and available to order now. Customers can order through the B2B site via the dedicated brand page, or through their respective sales agents. Any order will consist of the SW-23 machine and three pails of either SW-3 (truck grade degreaser) or SW- 6 (metals grade degreaser) along with the FL-4 filter mat.
Muc-Off
Phone: 01202 307799
www.muc-offb2b.co.uk
The Muc-Off 110-litre parts washer measures 1,080mm high, 650mm deep and 905mm long. Features include a mobile machine body constructed of PEMD, low-level fluid warning alerts, a lid to limit evaporation and a five- week recommended cycle between adding Eco Power Tabs to promote bioremediation. The Eco Parts Wash can be replaced one per year, while filters can be removed and washed.
