Car wash owner/operator duties often include that of a “service technician” as well. When tackling electrical issues, always remember these basic steps:

• Disconnect breaker before beginning any service.
• When unplugging a wire, cable, or connector, label it and the contact before it is disconnected so you know where to reconnect.
• Take a picture of the connections before unplugging or unwiring connections. This is helpful when hooking it back up.
• If you have a wiring diagram, you can use it to help find the wires that you need to check.
• Use a digital multimeter (DMM) to check that you have the right wires. With a DMM, you can check the circuit polarity and verify that the proper voltage is present.

And when you’re finished, it’s on to water and chemical matters!