Frequently asked questions

WashSignal is a monitoring and management platform for car wash operators running PDQ LaserWash equipment. It combines a Windows desktop app (installed at your site) with a web dashboard you can access from anywhere.

With WashSignal you can monitor bay status in real-time, access the LaserWash HMI remotely, view wash analytics, manage your team, and control LED queue signs — all from your phone, tablet, or laptop.

WashSignal is built and tested on the PDQ LaserWash 360 Plus. Other models in the LaserWash range (G5, M5, base 360) may be compatible as they share similar web interfaces, but we haven't been able to verify this yet.

If you're running a different model, get in touch and we can work out whether it'll work for you.

Basic is for monitoring — you get real-time multi-site bay status, today's wash counts, remote commands (maintenance mode, free wash), team management, and 2FA. No LED signs required.

Pro adds full operational control — remote HMI access from your browser, detailed wash analytics with historical trends, technician access grants, and complete LED sign control including the Matrix Editor, Media Manager, and IDLE content rotation.

The free trial unlocks all Pro features so you can try everything before deciding.

No. The Basic tier doesn't involve LED signs at all — it's purely for monitoring and remote management. Many operators start with Basic just to get visibility across their sites, then add signs later if they want.

No. WashSignal is independent software. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by PDQ Manufacturing, OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions, or Dover Corporation. WashSignal connects to your LaserWash equipment via its standard web interface — no modifications to PDQ hardware or software are made.

The 14-day trial starts the first time you launch WashSignal. All features are unlocked, including Pro tier. No credit card required — just download, install, and go.

WashSignal uses yearly licensing. Each license covers one physical site (all bays at that site, up to 4) and is tied to one computer via hardware fingerprint. Licenses include all software updates while active.

If you need to move WashSignal to a different PC, you can deactivate and reactivate on the new machine.

Yes. Each physical wash site needs its own license and its own installation of WashSignal. However, all your sites appear together on the web dashboard — so you monitor everything from one place.

You'll get a 7-day grace period to enter a license key. After that, WashSignal will stop functioning until a valid license is activated. Your settings and data are preserved — just enter your key and everything picks up where you left off.

Yes. Upgrading is seamless — no reinstall required. Once your license tier is updated, the Pro features unlock automatically within 24 hours (or immediately if you trigger a license refresh from the app).

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
• 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended)
• Network access to your LaserWash units (Ethernet)
• Internet connection for license activation and cloud sync

Most operators are up and running in under 15 minutes. The installer takes about a minute, then you enter your LaserWash IP addresses and credentials in Wash Settings. We recommend creating a dedicated user account on each LaserWash unit (rather than using the default "owner" account) to avoid session conflicts.

Yes. WashSignal runs continuously on a PC at your site. If the computer is off, sleeping, or logged out, monitoring stops — no remote dashboard, no analytics data, no sign updates.

To keep things running unattended:

• Disable sleep and hibernate in Windows power settings (the screen can turn off — that’s fine)
• Set up automatic login using Microsoft’s free Autologon tool so the PC logs in on its own after restarts
• WashSignal auto-starts with Windows, so combined with auto-login, everything recovers automatically after Windows Updates or power outages
• A basic UPS is recommended if your site doesn’t already have one

No. If you can access your LaserWash web interface and know your wash bay IP addresses, you have everything you need. The software is designed for car wash operators, not IT professionals.

Internet is required for license activation, cloud sync (remote dashboard), and software updates. Once activated, WashSignal works offline for up to 30 days for core functionality like LED sign control and local monitoring. The remote dashboard and HMI access obviously require an internet connection.

The desktop app at your site pushes bay status data to the WashSignal cloud. The web dashboard at dashboard.washsignal.com shows all your sites in one place. Updates are real-time via WebSocket — you see status changes within a second, not on a delay.

The dashboard works on any device with a browser — phone, tablet, laptop.

HMI Remote Access lets you open the LaserWash touchscreen interface from your web browser — anywhere in the world. It uses secure SSH tunnels so your LaserWash doesn't need to be directly exposed to the internet.

This is a Pro feature. It's useful for diagnosing faults, changing wash settings, running maintenance, or giving a technician access without them needing a physical visit.

Yes — this is a Pro feature called Technician Access Grants. From the Team page on your dashboard, you can grant a technician remote HMI access to specific sites. They get their own simplified dashboard showing only the sites you've given them access to, with HMI buttons for each bay.

You can revoke access at any time.

You can invite as many team members as you need. Each person gets their own login with a role — Owner, Admin, or Staff — which controls what they can see and do. Team management is included in both Basic and Pro.

Two configurations are available:

• Wide (240×80 pixels) — approximately 960mm × 320mm display area. Landscape format, common for queue entry signs.
• Tall (160×120 pixels) — approximately 640mm × 480mm display area. Portrait-ish format for sites with limited width.

Both use P4 outdoor LED panels, are IP65 rated, and have front-opening panels for easy servicing.

When a bay is washing, the sign shows a live countdown timer. When a bay is open, closed, or in maintenance, it shows clear status text. When idle, you can display your own content — your logo, promotional messages, custom text, or animated GIFs.

The Matrix Editor lets you design pixel-perfect custom content, and the Media Manager handles images and GIF uploads. You also get animated border effects and transition animations between content.

Each sign connects to your site PC via a single Ethernet cable (CAT6). The WashSignal desktop app sends display data directly to the sign's controller. No internet connection is needed for the signs themselves — just a local network connection to the PC.

All licenses include email support at [email protected], built-in help documentation, and all software updates while your license is active. Pro licenses get priority support.

Yes. Each license is tied to one computer via hardware fingerprint, but you can deactivate it and reactivate on a different machine. Contact support if you need help with this.

Yes. All communication between your site and the WashSignal cloud uses TLS encryption. Dashboard accounts support two-factor authentication. LaserWash credentials are stored encrypted on your local machine using hardware-bound encryption. Software updates are cryptographically signed so you always know you're running authentic code.

WashSignal is hosted on dedicated infrastructure in Germany (Hetzner) and proxied through Cloudflare for DDoS and WAF protection.