Flex Wands

Why Use Flexible Wands at Car Washes?

Car wash operators sometimes choose to offer flexible wands to customers in self-serve bays. They connect the same as a standard wand but offer extra functionality. Being able to spray difficult areas like wheel wells, undercarriages, and bumpers with a flexible wand is not only convenient; it also means customers aren’t using a non-bending straight lance in way that might damage their vehicle or bend the wand. This provides the dual benefit of creating an excellent customer experience while helping you avoid insurance claims and equipment repair or replacement.

Flexible wands can also be useful for prep stations in tunnel car wash applications. They give the attendant the ability to truly pinpoint the high-pressure spray and attack trouble areas that the tunnel equipment won't hit. You're making the effort to prep cars, so why not do it as effectively as possible!

Why Use Flexible Wands While Pressure Washing?

Professional pressure washers come across a variety of challenging cleaning jobs that require special solutions. A flexible wand is the answer for many of these formidable tasks. For example, cleaning gutters, especially when the roof isn't accessible, can be real nuisance. While you may be able to spray water down the gutter with your normal wand, you often can't direct significant pressure to specific trouble spots and truly get the gutter clean. Similarly, the inside of a window casing, eaves, or the spindles on a deck are notable spots where, no matter how much you try, you just can't hit them the right way with a standard wand. Of course, trying to clean those areas also means you're twisting your body, standing at odd angles on a ladder, and otherwise putting yourself in dangerous positions.

For tasks like this, a flexible wand gives you an edge that allows you to safely and quickly get the job done with ease. Add flexible wands to your pressure washing supplies today and be ready to tackle anything your clients throw your way!

Types of Flexible Wands

We offer a few different types of flexible wands, each with a distinctive design. Read below to find out what will work best for your application.

Hamel Flex Wands

Developed by Hamel Manufacturing, the original Flex Wand is an innovative bending high-pressure wand. The simple but clever design consists of two stainless steel pipes connected with a special crimped fitting and hose barb encased in a thick rubber grip. This design allows the user to hold the comfortable grip and curve the wand to the angle of their choosing. If no force is applied, it stays straight and functions like a traditional wand. Hamel Flex Wands come in 18", 21", and 24" lengths. Choose from the most popular diameter sizes offered in both MPT and FPT thread types. Plus, a variety of grip colors are available - great for branding purposes!

Feedback from Verified Kleen-Rite Customers

These wands are my favorite. They are so durable. The flex action lets you get the wheel wells of the car very clean. They never wear out!

-Dave M.

 

Durable and the customers like them. I find these last a long time. Great quality.

-Tyson H.

Flexible Spring Wands

This style of bendable wand uses a large, sturdy spring with a hose inside to transport fluid. Each end of the hose has inlet and outlet fittings crimped on, functioning like a regular wand's threads. The spring is tightly coiled near the bottom of the wand, providing rigidity, and the coils get further apart towards the nozzle to allow for more movement. The user manually bends and curves the wand while spraying, changing the angle of attack as needed. The spring and hose return to their original shape when the user lets go, staying mostly straight (with some slight droop) and functioning similarly to a regular wand.

Feedback from Verified Kleen-Rite Customers

Without a doubt, the best quality wand available. Very durable, customers love the flex for getting into the wheel wells.

-Lorne S.

 

Rugged and durable. I upgraded all of my wands with these units. They're working out perfectly!

-Thomas M.

 

Both Hamel Flex Wands and spring wands are most commonly used in self-serve car wash bays but can be a valuable tool for complicated pressure washing jobs.

Spray-Flex Wand Attachments

These ingenious pressure washing accessories have a ribbed stainless steel design with a double wire braid hose inside and fittings on both ends. The main difference between these and other flexible wands is that Spray-Flex wand attachments keep the shape that you choose without having to manually hold them while in use. This allows them to function well as a wand extension or attachment. For instance, many pressure washers attach a Spray-Flex to the end of a large telescoping wand for things like gutter cleaning. You have the benefit of a very long reach while also having the attachment on the end, bent to your preferred shape. You can also keep the Spray-Flex straight and just use it as an extension if you need an extra foot of reach. Of course, they can also be attached directly to a spray gun and act as a short wand. Spray-Flex wand attachments are primarily used in pressure washing applications.

Quick Info About Telescoping Wands

If you aren't familiar, telescoping wands are helpful pole-like accessories for pressure washing. They have several tube sections built into them that nest inside each other. As you need more reach, you unscrew the plastic coupler and pull out more length, then retighten the coupler. They almost always have a built-in spray gun that attaches to the hose and your pressure washer just like a regular wand, either by twisting threads or snapping in quick connects. The end of a telescoping wand has a port that accepts nozzles like a standard wand.

Specifications to Keep in Mind with Flexible Wands

Below are the most important specs to be aware of when choosing a flexible wand. The vast majority of wands are interchangeable between pressure washer brands and car wash systems, but it's crucial to understand the key specifications for both safety and compatibility.

PSI - Knowing the pressure tolerance of your flexible wand is imperative for safe operation and effective spraying. The pumps in your high-pressure system have a maximum PSI capability. The components you use with those pumps, like hoses, spray guns, fittings, and wands, should at least meet the pressure level being produced by the pumps. Ideally, those components should have a PSI rating a bit higher than the pump's maximum discharge pressure. For example, if you have a pump putting out 2800 PSI, you'd probably want to use a wand with a maximum pressure rating of 3000 PSI.

Inlet and Outlet Ports - Be aware of both the diameter (most commonly 1/8" and 1/4") and thread type (most commonly MNPT and FNPT) of connection ports on your flexible wand to make sure it will be compatible with the spray gun and nozzles you're using. You may need to buy additional fittings and couplers to connect everything.

Length - Knowing how long your flexible wand is important to understand if it's effective for the application you wish to use it with. If you're pressure washing in tight spaces, a shorter wand may be optimal. In other cases, you may want additional length if you need to stand at a distance from the surface being cleaned. For car wash bays, you'll probably want to offer wands of medium length. You don't want a wand so long that it's awkward to move around or too close to the vehicle surface. But you also don't want the customer using a short wand, as water may spray back on them, which is unpleasant and potentially dangerous.

Maximum Temperature - If you're using hot water, pay attention to the max temperature of your flexible wand. If the fluid exceeds that rating, it will likely damage the wand.

How to Replace a Wand

Changing or replacing a wand is very simple. Make sure that the sizes match up and the genders are compatible. For example, if your spray gun has a 1/4" female inlet port, your wand should have a 1/4" male connection. Simply twist the wand into the port until it's snug and won't leak (but don't overtighten as it may damage the gun or wand). If you're using quick connects, you simply insert the wand into the fitting/coupler and it should snap in securely as long as the sizes match.

Quick Price Comparison Between Flexible and Regular Wands

As you're considering adding flexible wands to your supplies, you're probably wondering about the price difference. Taking a look at two comparable Hamel products may give you come context. The 291S18MF BLUE is about 1.5x the cost of a similar 721S18MF BLUE. Both are 18" long, include a grip, and have 1/4" M x 1/8" F ports. The primary difference is that the more expensive product is flexible, while the other is a standard straight wand. As you can see, the price difference is not extreme, so if the added functionality is desirable to you, it's probably worth the additional cost.

Maintenance and Care for High-Pressure Wands

Wands are pretty simple accessories, so there isn't much to be concerned with as far as maintenance and care. To prevent clogging, always remove residue or buildup if you see any inside the wand. Make sure inlet and outlet connections don't get banged or hit with other equipment. Doing so may result in damage that causes improper connection and leaking. Store spare wands in safe spots where they aren't rolling around or having other supplies stacked on top of them. Be careful the wand isn't hitting the ground or wall when changing out nozzles and spray guns.

If your wand gets damaged or is leaking for any reason, repair is not recommended. Even if a repair seems like it worked, your wand has been compromised, and you can no longer trust the maximum pressure rating. You're likely sacrificing performance and creating a potentially dangerous situation. Instead, replace any damaged wands immediately and have peace of mind.

Quick Troubleshooting

Here are some easy tips if you're having any trouble with your wand!

Poor Spraying Performance

Start by making sure your pumping system and other accessories like nozzles and spray guns are working correctly. If you've checked all of that, visually inspect the inside of the wand to make sure there is no blockage. If it's a new wand, make sure the pressure rating of your wand is appropriate for your system.

Leaking Wand

If you've noticed water leakage, your wand may have a crack in it. Even a small hairline crack that's not immediately visible to the naked eye can still cause significant leaking, especially under high pressure. If you don't find a crack, the wand threads may be degraded or damaged and be causing leaking at the ports. Check if water is coming from the connection points at the spray gun or nozzle. If you see cracks or impaired threads, it's time to replace your wand.

Is a Pressure Washer Lance the Same Thing as a Wand?

Yes, these terms are often used interchangeably in the pressure washing industry. Both refer to long tube-like components installed on the end of high-pressure spray guns. You will see both terms when shopping pressure washing accessories, and often it's simply because manufacturers have different preferred terminology.