Spot-Free Glass: Z-Series Key Maintenance Tips
Your Billco Z-Series Washer is a critical component in ensuring high-quality, spotless glass. To maximize its efficiency and longevity, regular maintenance is essential. Proper care of the rolls, brushes, and water system will not only enhance the cleaning process but also reduce downtime and extend the life of your equipment.
Keep Your Rolls Clean
The last stop after the glass has been cleaned are the conveyor rolls. Dirty rolls or those with cuts and gouges can cause streaks on the glass. The Z-Series features interchangeable rolls, which help reduce parts costs and prevent glass steaks. For optimal glass quality, rotate the rolls by moving newer ones to the back end of the washer, closer to where the glass first comes exits.
Clean roll coverings with a mild detergent and rinse with water. Follow up by wiping down lightly with denatured alcohol. Be sure never to soak the rolls, as this could damage the roll coverings.
Keep Brushes in Check
Periodic checks are crucial to ensure proper contact, which means proper cleaning of the glass. Worn or incorrectly adjusted brushes leave contaminates on glass, wear down the bristles, damage drive components, and even scratch coatings. Brushes should sweep the glass surface, not mop it. Too much engagement or mopping reduces the brushes effectiveness, wastes energy, and accelerates wear on the drive components and bristles. However, insufficient engagement reduces efficiency, preventing the entire glass surface from being uniformly cleaned.
Another common cause of worn bristles is consistently running the glass through in the same location in the washer. While there are several ways to test the wear of the brush, we recommend the Talcum Powder Test. Here’s how to perform it:
Talcum Powder Test Procedure
- Open the washer manually and allow to dry. Washer internal brushes and rolls should be dry, as well as the spray lines empty so as to not drip during the test. Make sure it is in a safe state before proceeding, power off and locked out, with appropriate glass PPE.
- Carefully and manually place the glass lite(s) onto the conveyor rolls of the brush zone(s) being tested. Span the width of the washer with a large glass lite, or multiple lites.
- Prepare a mixture of talc (i.e. talc, baby powder, etc.) and isopropyl alcohol at approximately 20% (80% IPA: 20% talc) concentration. Shake well, and spray uniformly on glass surface. (This can be done before placing in washing if desired.) The ideal coating is a light and uniform white chalky residue left behind after the water dries. This residue will easily show the brush marks on stationary glass.
- Once dry, lower the top of the washer to the working height for the thickness of the test glass. If ¼ inch or less plate glass is being used for the test, this will be the “down” position (zero position.)
- Power on the washer and put the top in the down position. Start the brushes in manual mode, but ONLY for a few seconds. *Note ONLY the brushes should start
- Once complete, raise the washer top to reveal the test results.
- Turn off the washer before reviewing the glass.
- Inspect the swath width of the brushes by observing the top surface where the talcum was removed or where the brushes made contact with the surface of the glass. The swath width should fall within ½ in- ¾ in. *Note range varies for different washer series
- Make any necessary adjustments to brushes. The goal is for the bristle tips to engage the glass, not the sides. The brushes do not “mop” the glass – they are “sweeping” with the tips. In theory, the lateral force applied perpendicular to the surface particulate is greatest at the tips of the bristle.
Swath Interpretation
Uneven wear across the brushes makes adjustments more difficult and may indicate the need for replacements. Refer to the swatch interpretation chart to determine whether the brushes need adjustment or replacement.
Keep Your Glass Sparkling
Water from the city supply, plant water, often contains minerals like calcium and limestone, which leave behind white, chalky residue on the glass once evaporated. Some companies attempt to treat this water by softening the water, replacing minerals by chemically treating the water. However, chemically treated soft water replaces these minerals with salt. While this might seem like a solution, soft water still leaves spots on glass and can contaminate the rolls and brushes, causing deterioration over time.
The best solution? Deionized (DI) water. DI water is pure H2O, absent of all minerals, salt, and other contaminates. Using DI water assures that no residue remains behind when it evaporates, leaving your glass streak-free and spot-free. Plus, it prevents the concerns of plant water fogging up the glass.
Another option to consider is reverse osmosis (RO) water. While RO water is not as pure as DI water, it significantly reduces the number of minerals and contaminants in the water. RO systems can be used in conjunction with DI water systems to further reduce mineral content, ensuring that your washer operates efficiently, and your glass remains clean.
Adding a DI or RO water system to your washer can help remove harmful minerals, improving overall glass cleanliness and lifespan of your system.
Conclusion
Regular checks, proper cleaning techniques, and the use of deionized water will keep your Z-Series washer running smoothly and reduce the risk of unnecessary wear and damage. By staying proactive with maintenance, you’ll get the most out of your washer, delivering optimal results every time.
For more information and maintenance solutions, contact Billco Support Specialists.
