DRB-Tunnelwatch basics - queuing & sending a vehicle

TunnelWatch  and Queuing Basics

Once a transaction is processed at a sales terminal the vehicle is entered into a stack of vehicles lined up in the software to be handled at the entrance of the tunnel and receive the wash package the customers have paid for, we refer to this as the ‘Wash Queue’.  The Wash Queue is the list that we can manipulate to send a vehicle to TunnelWatch (our tunnel controller software) or edit the sale before it’s sent.  When a vehicles is ‘sent’ it leaves the queue in SiteWatch and enters the queue in TunnelWatch. We can monitor this queue form the 'Show Wash Queue' button on the 'Tunnel' tab of the Terminal Controller.

TunnelWatch is our tunnel controlling software, it consists of a box of hardware known as a ‘Tunnel Control Station’ (or TCS for short) and the TunnelWatch PC.

Note: An advanced TunnelWatch page is available to learn more about the TunnelWatch software and its functions.

To log in to TunnelWatch you will use the following credentials: User: Operations / Password: Whitewater1

TunnelWatch is responsible for turning on the appropriate devices depending on which wash type was selected for the vehicle being sent down the tunnel from the queue.

Prepping and Sending a Vehicle Process

At the entrance of the tunnel when a vehicle is queued into TunnelWatch the grand entry arch sign should illuminate highlighting the guide on instructions and indicating which package the customer is going to receive in the tunnel.

As the vehicle approaches the neutral position most cars are serviced with our Bug Prep removal brushes/sprayers, during this time the vehicle’s tire will cross over a pad on the ground, also referred to as the 'Auto Roller Switch', that monitors the vehicle entering the sending position...once the vehicle triggers this pad twice (front and rear tire) it automatically tells TunnelWatch to issue a roller to begin pushing the vehicle down the tunnel.  This is called 'sending' the vehicle.

As the vehicle begins the ride down the tunnel it next crosses a set of photo eyes we call the ‘Enter Switch’ which essentially measures the length of the vehicle as it begins receiving its wash.  This measurement is critical to apply the services to the vehicle in a safe and efficient way, reducing damage to the car and use of excess chemicals and water.   Once a vehicel reaches approximately 6' into the entrance of the tunnel it will be removed from the SiteWatch Queue and change from Q1 position in TW to W1 indicating the services are sent and the vehicle is being washed.
*Note only overrides/traits processed while the vehicle is in the Q1 position, meaning it hasn't gone 6 feet in the tunnel, will apply to the current vehicle, once it is in the W1 position you can no longer assign any traits such as a retract.
**See the section marked 'Troubleshooting the Enter Eye' below for further information.

TunnelWatch monitors the position of the vehicle in the tunnel via a system called Pulse timing.  Your Pulse Switch turns when the conveyor is active generating a repeated interval input signal telling the TunnelWatch system that a vehicle is traveling a fixed number of inches per every cycle, thus we time everything off of this pulse.
See the section marked 'Troubleshooting the Pulse Switch' below for further information.

When the vehicle exits the tunnel it is removed from the TunnelWatch queue and the system no longer monitors that transaction.

At any time if there is an emergency the ‘STOP’ buttons located along the wall in the tunnel will halt the conveyor.  Often cycling a stop/start is requested to clear issues with hardware and restart the tunnel system.

The TCS encompasses all the physical switches to turn on/off any service in the tunnel as well as the hardware that monitors the inputs of the enter switch, pulse switch and other inputs described in detail in our advanced TunnelWatch topic.

Troubleshooting and Clearing the Queue

Many times after troubleshooting issues with sending vehicles or vehicles not getting the correct services its advisable to clear both the SiteWatch Wash Queue and the TunnelWatch Queue (especially after power outages or network issues).  If clearing both the SiteWatch and TunnelWatch queues don't fix the issue then continued troubleshooting should be performed on the hardware involved with sending a vehicle (the Auto Roller Switch, The Enter Eye and Pulse Switch as described later in this topic).

Clear both queues from the 'Tunnel' tab on your Terminal Controller as indicated below:

Troubleshooting the Enter(Entrance) Eye Input

If the Enter Switch is failing to detect vehicles properly often you will have an ‘Enter Switch Always On’ error or you will see vehicles being sent down the tunnel with no chemicals/equipment turning on.  Follow these steps to troubleshoot the issue.

• Send a vehicle and monitor the input (typically 1D) to see if it is detecting a vehicle that passes the photo eyes.

  • If the input is always on, likely you have soap buildup on the photo eyes or they need adjusted to make sure they are pointing at each other.  Attempt to correct the issue until you get a proper on/off of the input when the photo eyes are blocked

  • If cleaning the device does not fix the problem, make sure the photo eyes haven't been moved and they face each other.  Improperly aimed photo eyes will cause the always on input issue.

  • If neither of the above work you may have an issue with the input wiring, create a MaintainX ticket and a service technician will follow up to inspect the input.

    • An IT technician will need to put your location into 'Simulated Enter' for the time being which means that we will be ignoring the enter switch entirely and making an assumption that every vehicle being sent is approximately 20' long.

      • Simulated Enter should only be used sparingly, it will negatively affect wash quality as the timing of the vehicle will not be accurate.

      • Simulated Enter also requires you use the 'Send Car' button on your tunnel keypad rather than relying on the auto sending of rollers via the switch at the tunnel entrance.
        *Note retracts and open bed sensor will likely not work during a simulated entrance situation.

• If the input never captures a vehicle present it may need replacement.  In that scenario contact your IT technician and have them put your system into simulated enter (see notes from above).

Troubleshooting the Pulse Switch Input

If you are having a pulse switch failure your system will likely automatically put itself into simulated pulse mode.  If you are in simulated pulse and the timing of the equipment is off check the simulated pulse conveyor speed on the operations page and make sure it matches the suggested speed on your printed instruction sheet hung near the TCS (illustrated below).

Conveyor Won't Start Troubleshooting Tip (TWReset)

If you run into a situation where you cannot start the conveyor, double check the operations screen in the conveyor enable section to see if any of the stop lights are lit.  If so identify the offending stop and isolate the issue with the hardware whether it be a stuck stop or a low oil/air sensor.

Many times after a power outage the TunnelWatch PC does not restart properly and the software that runs your system does not load properly.  In those cases you typically see a 'stations no response error' or 'tunnel handler not active' error.  In either of these cases it is advised to perform a TWReset by closing the TunnelWatch software down by swiping from the bottom left of the screen to the top right corner.  Once you exit TunnelWatch you will be on a normal windows desktop, find the TWReset icon on the desktop and launch it, it will ask you if you want to shut down and reset TunnelWatch, press Y on the on screen keyboard to continue.  Once complete you should be able to send cars.