Finally tried out the Panel Bright from Russ at Southside Equipment today

Christopher

Moderator
I got a 5 gallon sample kit from Russ at Southside Equipment a while back to try out to see if I like it and to see what it would do on some vehicles I wash. It sat in the storage building for a while, not sure how long but it seems like months if not longer. hahahahaha

I got it out, mixed it and took it with me to wash some solid waste trucks today. I talked to Russ about how strong it should be, the order of mixing the components and the color of the suds to look out for to tell you it is too strong. Thanks Russ!

When I first tried it, it was too strong so I turned down the metering valve 1/2 turn each side of a truck until I got it where I wanted it to be.

Maybe next time I am washing trucks, I will try to bring the camera and take some video or some pictures.

I have to say that this is some good soap! With the trucks in this condition, this soap makes them about 90% brushless, some parts have so much road grime on them it is just amazing!

I tried downstreaming the soap on them but found a way to make it work a little better than just downstreaming the soap then trying to rinse.

I ordered a drum kit from Russ earlier this week because I had a feeling that it would be some good soap, that an Russ telling me over and over that it is some good soap so it should be here next week, I wish it was here already so I can use more of it on these trucks.

The part that was custom built for me by a specialty parts manufacturer arrived today just before I went out to wash the trucks so I did not have time to give it a try but hopefully I can this weekend. It should make all kinds of washing easier, more efficient and actually save some soap in the process if things work out correctly.

If you have not tried out Panel Bright, you should give it a try if you have some trucks that have tons of road grime on them. You might need to brush a little bit here and there but I have found that to be the case in 2-stepping also.

Thanks Russ! I really wish I would have tried it a while back so when I had the money I could have ordered a drum kit and have it here already. Better late than never.
 
I second what Chris said about the Panel Bright. We have picked up one very small fleet account so I don't use alot of fleet soap YET. But I worked with Dave Olsen earlier this year for a day and was just absolutly amazed at how effective that panel bright is. It is just one of those things that you have to see for yourself. :yes4:
 
Here is Russ's contact info from his signature, he is the equipment expert here on the bbs, look in the forums for equipment help and you will find him there helping people.

Russ Johnson
Southside Equipment, Inc.
Pressure Washers & Chemicals

Louisville, KY
888-243-6506
502-231-6506

Southsideequip@cs.com

He is out of town until January, send him an email or call and leave him a message but you might not get a response back since he is out of town.

That is a good soap and it does go far, I used about 3 gallons on three very, very dirty solid waste trucks about the size of those trucks that pick up the dumpsters from the front of the truck. Since I only got a 5 gallon sample kit, I will not be able to wash but another 2 or 3 trucks until my drum kit arrives, should be here sometime next week.
 
I'm glad it worked to your liking, Chris. All my local customers who wash garbage trucks swear by it.


If anyone is wanting to try it, the first "Mini Kit" to make 5 gallons is free, I ask only that you pay shipping.
 
Chris

If you are not down strea
ing the soap how are you doing it?

You said
you had something special made for you?


With the 5 gallon sample kit I got, I downstreamed it. If you are going to downstream it, more than likely you will need to get a metering valve (not very expensive at all) also because you don't want to apply it too strong, Russ will talk to you about it when you call him.

I have the downstream injector suction hose to the meter valve then the downstream injector connecting between the jumper from the burner and the hose reel with qc's so I can take it off when I don't need it there, fix it or replace it as/when needed.

The part that I ordered will not be in service until maybe Sunday if that soon, lots of modifying to do to the trailer before that part and the other special ordered part can be used.

You can do the fleet washing as simple or as complicated as you want. You can downstream the Panel Bright but have a metering valve so you can adjust it and just change out tips at the end of the wand or you can use a dual lance wand or you can upstream the soap through the pump with a block valve on the source tank or use a solenoid with a wired switch or a remote control, you can downstream at the gun and switch at the gun, etc......many, many, many ways to apply your soap.
 
Chirs if it anit top secert.........could you post some pics on how you changed your trailer.......what you added, moved, ect.... ???? :yeah:

Thanks
 
It is a work in progress and with all the rust, I am ashamed of how it looks so I will not post any pictures of it. I can sand down the metal and paint it but a few weeks later it is rusting again.

I have tried the ospho and a couple other products and the same thing.

I got the sand blast attachment from Russ at Southside Equipment but have not got around to using it, the yard where the bucket truck is kept has too many vehicles there right now so they told me to wait a month until some of those vehicles are gone then I can do what I want. I really need to do the whole trailer.

I was thinking of using that bedliner stuff or herculiner, heard that the herculiner is good but not as good as what the pro's spray. I am planning on getting another trailer soon, same size but with 5200 or 6000 pound axles so I can put more equipment on the trailer but not worry about bending another axle.
 
Cool I understand....Doing flat work now, thinking of going to fleet just need to round up some business And find a GOOD soap.......I am going to try Russ kit, he will ship it to me after Jan.6

Thanks
 
That is some good soap. You might need to get a metering valve so you can adjust how much you use, you don't want to go too strong with that soap.

I was using a downstream injector, I am not setup to run anything through my pump.

I really like that soap. I got the drum kit, just have to mix everything together now so I can use it this coming weekend.
 
I just tried it last weekend. I have to say I was blown away by the way it worked. I have used many soaps to clean fleets, but this one is by far THE BEST Ive ever used. I will be ordering the drum kit as well. Thanks Russ J. for your help.
 
I have ordered some drum kits and something to think about here is that you should only add 45 gallons of water as the powder and liquid will displace volume and you will end up with 60 or more gallons of volume so the panel brite will be just a little bit weaker if you add 50 gallons of soft water when making up the kits.

I don't have the cool and fancy drum mixer to make up the drum kits, just an attachment for the drill and it is a pita when mixing up the drum kits. I will be ordering a drum mixer from Dultmeier this week so you can add the contents as it is mixing instead of trying to hold the drill with one hand and pour the powder and liquid with the other hand.

I have used 2 drum kits so far and the Panel Brite has been doing a great job (I am still having to brush these trucks but no other chemical has gotten them brushless and I have tried a lot of chemicals).

With the drum kit, you don't have to have it trucked in, UPS can bring it which will save you money until you are ordering more than 3 or 4 drum kits, then it is time to send them by truck and it will be cheaper than UPS for the truck freight. I am not there yet but will be within a few more months.

Thanks again Russ!
 
Hey Chris, I am having a hard time finding a open top drum in my area to use a mixer in. I am needing to mix up my drum kit of panel bright as soon as possible. Do you think I can get by with adding some of the powder via a funnel in the bung hole then adding some water and back and forth until I get it filled up. I was thinking I could add the water using my Pwasher and wand so that it stirs it up at the some time. Your thoughts? I am afraid that it could be a dangerous mess or it might go perfectly smooth. I just don't want to start mixing it and things go crappy and half my kit mixed up.
 
cut a hole in the lid of your drum big enough for your mixer and mix a way.
I use the plastic drums.
 
i just turn the pressure down and burner on, fill it up that way. mixes clean...
 
Rocking the drum will not mix the chemicals, just waste your time.

You can get drill attachments, they are a pita but will work but you need to mix for a long time to make sure that the chemicals are mixed good.
Russ recommended a drum mixer from Dultmeier and Chris Tharpe got one and really likes it as you can set it to mix for a long time and not have to watch it.

I just ordered one last week so I can mix up my next drum kit and mix up some powdered chemicals I bought a while back.
 
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