FREQUENLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why do some other spray wash cabinets being sold elsewhere look nearly identical to ours?
A: Simply stated, our design has been unscrupulously copied and mass produced overseas, like many products unfortunately are. The copied cabinets are marketed under multiple names but they come from the same overseas source and are made with obscure pumps and motors as well as questionable quality steel that is prone to accelerated corrosion. For more information please see: American Steel vs Chinese Steel
We have been manufacturing our spray washing cabinets in the USA since 1992, we produce them with domestic steel as well as pumps and motors from well known suppliers such as Dayton, Gould's Water Technology and for our Vertical Pump Spray Wash Cabinets, we use Scot Pump, A Wilo Brand with very reliable Baldor Motors installed.
​
Q: Why should you buy a HotShot Spray Wash Cabinet?
​
A: We have been building parts washing cabinets for over 3 decades, it is all we do and we are good at it. If quality construction and made in America is an important part of your buying decision, we would truly love to have your business!
Q: Horizontal vs. Vertical Pumps - i.e. why we install spray nozzles on some of our models but not on others?
​
A: We frequently get questions about the two different types of pumps that we offer as well as get inquiries about spray nozzles installed in the spray manifolds. A common misconception is that installing the spray nozzles automatically equates to better cleaning performance. The truth however is that spray nozzles need to be paired with the correct type of pump in order to be an effective addition and not hurt or degrade the cleaning efficiency, therefore spray nozzles should only be installed with high pressure pumps. ​​
Why is this?
This is because a spray nozzle creates a fan pattern and unless high pressure is being supplied to it from the correct type of pump, the fanned out spray pattern does not generate much impact force to effectively clean and you end up with a fairly weak spray hitting your parts.
We manufacture two configurations of cabinets with them having either the horizontal style high volume pump or the vertical style high pressure pump installed. The high volume pumps do not have spray nozzles installed while the high pressure pumps do have them installed.
With our cabinet models utilizing the horizontal high volume pump, the pump and motor assembly sits on the back of the cabinet and it has external plumbing that draws the solution from the tank into the pump, it then pumps the solution into the cabinet spray manifolds at a high volume (70-140 gpm) through either 3/16" or 1/4" diameter spray ports to deliver a concentrated blast onto the parts.
With our cabinet models utilizing the vertical high pressure pump, the pump assembly is submerged inside the solution tank and all of the plumbing is located inside of the wash cabinet. These pumps deliver high pressure (52-78 psi) to the spray nozzles that are installed into the spray manifolds.
One advantage to vertical pumps is that they are seal-less, meaning that they have no seal in between the pump and motor assembly like horizontal pumps do, so there will never be a risk of a leak due to a failed seal.
In terms of performance, both pumps provide similar cleaning results since the two main factors that have the biggest effect on getting parts clean are the temperature of the solution along with the detergent.
​
Q: Do I need a Stainless Steel or Carbon Steel Cabinet?
​
A: Stainless Steel is extremely durable and it will last a lifetime, if your budget allows for it, stainless steel is a great option and has no disadvantages.
Carbon steel is very cost effective as well as long lasting when maintained properly and not abused (ie. running aggressive caustic cleaners with it) The majority of the cabinets that we sell are carbon steel and customers are very happy with them. You can expect to get many years of service out of our carbon steel cabinets.
​​​
Q: What items can be washed in spray wash cabinets?
A: Any cast iron, steel, and stainless steel items clean very well and items with enough mass will flash dry due to the retained heat obtained during washing. Aluminum items clean very well too but caution must exercised with certain aluminum items as discoloration can occur if the solution mixture is mixed too strong. Most plastic items clean as well but do not have the mass necessary to be able to flash dry so they will need to be manually dried after washing. Painted items can also be washed however long wash cycles can start to remove the paint from surfaces.
Q: How long should I expect my spray wash cabinet to last?
A: With proper usage and maintenance, you will receive decades of service out of your spray wash cabinet. We are still receiving calls from customers that have our cabinets that were built in the 1990s.
Q: What type of detergent do our cabinets use?
A: We recommend using our detergent that is specifically blended for spray washing cabinets. This detergent has foam inhibitors as well as rust inhibitors blended in. We mix our own proprietary detergent. It is an alkaline blend that is safe for use on cast iron, stainless steel, plastic and most aluminum when mixed properly.
​​​
Q: Do water based washers clean as well as solvent washers?
​
A: Yes, because of the high heat and detergent mixture, these washers are able to easily break down grease and oils, cleaning as good or even better than the solvent counterpart. The added health benefits of not using solvents is a very big advantage as well.
​​​
Q: How are warranties handled?
​​​
A: For any parts related warranties, any failed part within the warranty period will be replaced free of charge (excluding heating elements), however it is up to the customer to install the replacement part. See our Shipping and Returns Page
Q: What is the best way to place an order?
A: Honestly, whichever way is more comfortable for you. If you prefer to call and place your order over the phone, we can gladly take care of that and answer any questions you may have. If you like the convenience of just clicking a few buttons on our site and filling out your information to place the order, then that works just as well too, we will receive the order information and get it processed the same or following business day.
Q: What forms of payment do we accept?
A: We accept all credit cards, checks, ACH payments, as well as PayPal.
Q: Do we accept purchase orders?
A: We do accept them from businesses that would like their PO number referenced on their invoice for their own internal order tracking purposes. However, we do not accept them in lieu of payment before your order ships. Please do not email purchase orders with terms of net 30, 60, etc. days. All orders must be paid for prior to shipment. Local pickup orders can be paid for at the time of pickup if desired.
Q: Do we charge sales tax?
A: For businesses that are located in the state of Oklahoma, we do collect sales tax unless a tax exemption permit is provided. We do not charge sales tax for buyers outside of the state of Oklahoma and it is up to the buyer to pay their own state sales tax.