Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: david jones on October 10, 2009, 09:27:42 pm
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Hi all,
It's soon going to be in those minus figures again and I'm really not looking forward to carting my kit in and out every night. Anyone got any better ideas to stop kit freezing?
Also, thanks to the 2 guys who answered my last question on here. Great help.
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Starting to thonk the same,cost me around £200 this year in repairs :( .Will having ply lining make any difference ?
Don`t think i will be leaving my stuff out though,nightmare when pumps and k valves burst.
Suppose you could run some anti freeze through the pump,to purge out any soloution
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Insulate it and put an electric fan heater in at night. The ones used in greenhouses.
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Use loft insulation between the ply lining and also insulate the roof and if possible the floor too.
Put high tog duvets over and around you equipment
Put a oil filled rad in you van on frost protection mode.
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For security reasons and for stopping the effects of condensation ingress in my motors in the summer months, I haul my kit in and out of my van every morning and night! It's really no hardship and in the long run it just might save you losing out on work if ice does knacker your machine, or even worse still, some chav nicks your gear.
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1st line of defence: insulate the interior roof and sides
2nd line of defence: old quilts over the kit that needs it
3rd line of defence: electric frost stat heater
4th line of defence: when it gets really cold I cover the transit with a large tarpaulin
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I just use an oil filled rad with frost protection and never had any problems, last year it dropped to -9 up here in the sticks, so it should be suffice for everyone
Mark
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same as mark. oil rad, got a 5 degrees setting to keep the back of the van constant at that temp.
derek
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same as mark. oil rad, got a 5 degrees setting to keep the back of the van constant at that temp.
derek
But if you insulate the van too you'll keep the running costs down on any heaters, hence why I go as far as sticking a tarpauling over the van come the really cold nights.
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Will have to get some for the roof,and line that with ply,sides are not coming out,riveted on and don`t fancy drilling them all out.
Have a spare leccy rad,but think i might just keep bringing the machine in.
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same as mark. oil rad, got a 5 degrees setting to keep the back of the van constant at that temp.
derek
But if you insulate the van too you'll keep the running costs down on any heaters, hence why I go as far as sticking a tarpauling over the van come the really cold nights.
costs £1 a night neil, we have about 25 minus nights a year (if that), so it costs me £25. i'm happy with that, all factored in to my pricing.
derek
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I've been wondering if there are any covers made especially with carpet cleaning kit in mind but haven't really come across any. Another experienced carpet cleaner who's been in the game over 20 years told me he just made sure everything was fully drained of water but I think I would be a bit nervous about using this method.
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If you can be bothered run some windscreen cleaner through the porty pump does the trick.
mark
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Just heat the van, so long as you have off street parking. It's not just your portable it's your wand, hand tool chems etc. And in the morning no defrosting winscreens etc.
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I run a heavy duty extension lead into the van parked on my garden from an outside socket and connect it to an electric convector heater again set on frost setting. Think it kicks in at about 2 degrees.
All the best,
Jason.
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Tried a few heaters and found a little 400 / 800watt convector to be best . There's been quite a drop in temperature over the past week, hope it's not going to be a long cold winter.
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Think we are due a long cold winter this year :( I had a full 5 ltr of pre spray gold freeze this jan,had to chuck it out as it went all weird,and granually.
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Apparantly we expected to have a cold winter- with even some sleet/light snow mid-end of november in some regions. Dont fully belive this greenhouse warming thingy!
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Greenhouse warming thingy indeed, What a load of rubbish... But hey, we're all falling for it and will end up paying "MORE" taxes because of it.... Scam of the century!!!!!!
Rant over.... I needed that ;D
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You could always rent a small lock up if you dont have a garage i guess.
It will also add to the security and for a small fee per month it wont cost much ???
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Agree with you Colin.
From what i can make out (may have read it wrong) were heading into another ice age-or mini one- in around 2025-30 ish. Through out history the planet has had 'warm' and 'ice' periods, no different now.
Maybey an idea for some of us to expand our services to snow clearing-gud selling point for an ad, Free snow clearing if your driveway cleaned at same time ;D
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Yeah I'm seriously looking into renting a garage. I think this will have other benefits too, such as storage and maintenance space. Not to mention some where to escape to when the kids are driving me crazy!
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When I had a Combo it fitted in the garage which is brick and a bit of insulation on the roof. Anyway I put a cup of water in there one night it was cold and the next day it was frozen solid so it's no guarantee.
If it's in a block and there's no electric you would have to have a parafin heater or something to be 100% safe.
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Thanks for that info! Odviously shelter helps but it seems some kind of heat source is needed, unless I carry on with my old method.
Cheers for all comments.
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I would prefer an electric greenhouse fan heater that only kicks in at low temperature. With the fan this means the air movement gets to the corners and not just localised.
However, I dont like the thermostat on the fan heater I have - it causes a little spark and when you have a petrol engined truck mount in the van thats not a healthy option. OK for a porty tho.
So I use a oil filled radiator and try to get a near the TM as possible.
Wands come in at night but still have hoses to worry about - but didnt have a problem last year.
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Can't believe in these times anybody leaves kit, especially your porty and wand. in your van overnight, unless it's locked in a garage.
If it's going to be a cold night mine sits in the utility room with the washer, and so does most of my gear.
It's no more hassle, at least for me, to bring it indoors as opposed to locking it in garage.
John
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John
Im with you.
If you have the space, bring the porty in at night, even if its for security reasons.
Its not that much bother but it would be if its nicked or you forget to put the heater in the van.
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The ultimate answer , albeit expensive , an Eberspacher heater, that is what I will be fitting.
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£1000 is it Jason? + fitting.
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£1300 all in
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Goingh to continue bringing my stuff in i think,but that is how i got caught oyut last time,didn`t think it was going to be frosty,and it turned during the night.
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£600 when i enquired but the other one i think, can't remember the name of it.
derek
ps..... looks like louis a know show :o
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Derek you probably mean the Webesto. I heard they are not as good with cheaper components but have no experience of either directly.
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I got a quote of a guy from Glasgow about a Eberspacher Heater got his number from Eberspacher Uk he first quoted me £880+vat but if he fitted it to he would give me it for £700+vat but he said the labour charges were quite high also said if i wanted it plumbed into the fuel tank he would have to have the van for 2 days by the end of it i would probably be cheaper building a garage for the van.
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The ultimate answer , albeit expensive , an Eberspacher heater, that is what I will be fitting.
Being an ex BT Transit mine came complete with this heater system.
But I never leave anything to chance hence why I back with frost stat heater and cover the vehicle.
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i love my machine so we live together
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Interesting thread this, and its not even cold yet, as before I bought myself a 2nd hand eberspacher cab heater and works (usually), but is fairly reliable.
I have to park on the road so a cable is not an option.
Does anyone know what the WFP boys use to keep all their kit frost free? Do they pump the water in and out everyday or do they have a heated mat or similar to put over it, any ideas?
Murky
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Murky
"a heated mat"
immediately thought of an electric blanket.
Could get this UNDER the Prowler (hot air rises).
Now theres a thought - thank you.
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Spoke to Webasto and there could be a discount if a few get installed, pm me if interested ;)
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Does anyone know what the WFP boys use to keep all their kit frost free?
See my replies above.
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Could be interested Dave but Liverpool bit far what's cost before discount?
mark
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http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2552831/Trail/searchtext%3ELEXIBOOK.htm
Just picked on of these up , may come in handy to know exactly when Mr Frost is kicking about.
8.2 and dropping
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I got one of those min-max thermometers for greenhouses. Reckoned -5 one night and there wasn't even any frost >:(
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what do you reckon to one of these guys. theres dearer ones but this seems ample. opinions before i order.
http://www.ultrasecuredirect.com/acatalog/Temp_XL_Alarm.html
might get one. you go to bed and think it won't freeze tonight, and wake up to a frozen van. bit easier than setting up the oil rad every night.
derek
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http://www.metcheck.com
I find this works better ;)
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Derek
Sian will be well pleased when the temp dips and the alarm goes off at 100 decibels at 4 o'clock in the morning. ::)
Baby then awake. :o
You in the dog house (again) I rhink. ;D
Jim
I like that link
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joe
it has 2 settings, read!
When used in a full alarm mode with the XL control panel, it will give a 100Db siren in the event of a temperature problem, or used in the alert mode will give an audible and visual chime or bleep.
derek
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I reckon you should still be in the dog house ;D
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Thats it Joe, he can take his heater to keep him warm in the dog house!!!!!!!!!!
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i use a single electric blanket with an old duvet over the pipes wands and porti
used this system for years never had any problems
Steve
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And here's a nice little tax dodge which will please the Mrs.
Buy brand new all singing dancing quilts (which go down as use in the vehicle for protecting your kit bought on the business account) but these 'new' ones go in the house whilst the old house ones go in the van.....All legal