[Ged Ellis]

Hello folks,

WOW all this actvity on this forum makes for interesting reading.

I'm new to this biut if anyone can help me out with some advice that'd be great.

I recently leased a 45' Tucker pole system pack with a DI tank to run off an outside tap. At the moment i'm just using it for larger jobs, the pole is doing a great job, only problem is that now i'm realising that not everywhere has outside taps!!

Now i'm thinking i need a backpack/trolley or boot system??? I have a Vauxhall Astra estate car. Have you got any suggestions that could help?

I've thought about a trailer, but am a bit concerned about it getting stolen?
The backpack idea on a trolley sounds good.

I think i would fill up at home with water from the DI tank and then transport the water in the boot. What do you think?

[H h20]

Welcome to the forum Ged,if you click on search at top of page and type in a question about tour needs you will find lots of answers and may be even more,Gaz

[windows_chepstow]

Now i'm thinking i need a backpack/trolley or boot system??? I have a Vauxhall Astra estate car. Have you got any suggestions that could help?

I've thought about a trailer, but am a bit concerned about it getting stolen?
The backpack idea on a trolley sounds good.

I think i would fill up at home with water from the DI tank and then transport the water in the boot. What do you think?

Ged,

I'm as new as you can get to WFP, with only around seven hours experience.

But welcome to the forum, fill your profile in so we know what sort of accent you have and don't be frightened to ask any daft questions.  I've just asked how hard you have to push the brush against the glass; you can't get any more basic than that!

Anyway, the backpack/trolley/boot system sounds good, but remember that 1 litre of water weighs 1 kg, so be carefull not to overload your car.  I know a few guys that work using system including myself.

Personally, I'm going to get a trailer.  My trolley has big thick 'cross country type' tyres and ran over a massive lump of dog poo on Friday; I wasn't happy about putting it back in the car.

I'm sure you could come up with some device to stop the trailer being stolen (a big chain and padlock for example).  You could still keep your poles in the vehicle.

The backpack cost me £215 from Shurflo and appears to be a brilliant bit of kit.  It has a four speed pump, operated by a button at the base of the backpack; but you can shut the motor off by just folding a piece of water pipe.  I've not used it much yet, so can't comment on the battery life, how much water you'll need, how many houses it'll do, but I plan to do tops only; mostly anyway.

I'm also using a typical WFP trolley which means I can pack an extra 25 litre container behind the back pack.  It seems pretty good so far, but as I said; I'm brand new to WFP.

I hope I've been some help.

Which part of the country are you from and where do you live.

[matt]

i work out of a VW passatt estate

2 X 25 L barrels in passenger footspace, 2 in each ot the rear foot spaces, 2 in the boot with the Trolley and a Bucket
It leaves the rear seat empty for warning sign (for commercail) and a jacket

i built my own system, it works well

http://www.d.co.uk/

[Simon Carter]

I agree, the Surflow back pack is great. You say you leased a 45 foot pole. Why?. You would only need that for some serious commercial work. Is that you focus?. If not, my advice is wherever possible, use a pole which is long enough for what you need it for & no longer. My business is entirely residential & I use an 18 foot pole which reaches 98% of residential work. The other 2% I can live without.
The advantage of a back pack is that you can switch it off regularly between windows, thereby conserving water, although I haven't tried switching mine off by folding the pipe. I'll have to give Williams Pumps a call to see if this is ok to do. If you don't waste water, it's amazing how little you need, especially on follow up cleans, in which case why go to the expense of a van. Don't be over sold a van mounted system until you are familiar with the technology. Even then, unless you plan to go the commercial route, I wouldn't bother. It isn't necessary.

[AuRavelling79]

I carry an Aquatec/Broxburn trolley system and trad. stuff in my Honda 1991 Aerodeck Accord Estate (Like a cross between a Mondeo and a 3 series BMW in size)

8 x 25L Barrels      200kg
1 x Me!                    80kg
1 x Trolley                  5kg
1 x Battery               15kg
1 x pumpbox              5kg
1 x Pole/brush         10kg
Trad stuff                 15kg
Ladders                   20kg
Roof bars                   5kg
Other rubbish            5kg


360kg in total - wouldn't wanna go any higher. (But if I was 5 up and they were all my size then that'd be 400kg)

[Ged Ellis]

Nice 1 Lads for the replies,

I'm based in Manchester, one man band again. I have a lot of 3 storey work, some 4. So the 45' pole i thought would be good enough for owt. I have had another lad working with me for a while but now he's left and i've got the pole i figure i might just try and do all the work myself.

Mmmmmmm decisions to make. Do you reckon its possible to put a 250L tank in the boot of an estate? or is this not wise, just stick to 25L containers?

I'm thinking of perhaps using a smaller pole on domestic.

I had NO idea that there was so many different types of poles etc on the market, the Tucker one seems sound. I told a couple of other lads about 3 months ago about the poles, when i saw them the other day they had the whole lot, van, 3 poles, big tank and said they were loving it!!

[windows_chepstow]

although I haven't tried switching mine off by folding the pipe. I'll have to give Williams Pumps a call to see if this is ok to do. .

I'm sure it is, remember it was originally designed as a crop sprayer.  I've just had a look at the crop spraying attachment.  It seems to seal off the water jet, untill you depress the handle and allow the water to squirt.

I can't see how this could be any different than bending a part of the WFP pipe that comes from your pole.

Just as a matter of interest, the Shurflow guy who sold me the backpack said for every one he sells to a 'crop sprayer'; he sells twenty to window cleaners.

[AuRavelling79]

Mmmmmmm decisions to make. Do you reckon its possible to put a 250L tank in the boot of an estate? or is this not wise, just stick to 25L containers?

IMO it's a lot over the back wheels - however a guy I work with on a few commercials we share has a Pug405 estate with a 350/400L tank but he has put the back seats down and it goes in against the back of the front seats. He (only!) fills it to 250/300L max and feeds the hose out the back side windows.

250L in the very back of the biggest of estates might be OK though if not too much other kit on board. (ladders etc)

[matt]

thats the best thing about the 25 L's barrels, it spreads the weight over the car

[windows_chepstow]

thats the best thing about the 25 L's barrels, it spreads the weight over the car

Bugger!  I've got 125 liters in the boot of my Rover 214, plus 25 kg of back pack plus water on my rear seat.  Wor Lass will add another 200 kg (don't say I said that).

I better get rid of some ballast.








Looks like Wor Lass has the day off.

[Chris Cottrell]

of the top of your head would anyone hazzard a guess at the load capacity of my volvo 850 estate

I havn't a clue

[matt]

thats the best thing about the 25 L's barrels, it spreads the weight over the car

Bugger!  I've got 125 liters in the boot of my Rover 214, plus 25 kg of back pack plus water on my rear seat. 

125 KG is only the same as a big-ish bloke i think its when you start to get to the 200 - 300 mark in a car you should be thinking about it

[AuRavelling79]

of the top of your head would anyone hazzard a guess at the load capacity of my volvo 850 estate

I havn't a clue

Not sure really, but in barrels I would have thought 250L would be reasonable. I carry 200 in my Honda estate.

[Chris Cottrell]

that'll be ok then

I dont think i'd use more than 6 or 7 in a day 

[AuRavelling79]

But spread the load - I can carry two barrels side by side in the front passenger footwell and then it's five or six in the very back with the trolley.

[windows_chepstow]

MalcG said:

125 KG is only the same as a big-ish bloke i think its when you start to get to the 200 - 300 mark in a car you should be thinking about it

My boxing weight (I only lost three fights) was light-middle weight which meant I had to be under 72 kg and worked out at just over 11 stone.

So 125 kg is a BIG bloke.

PS.  I only had four fights.

[Moderator David@stives]

of the top of your head would anyone hazzard a guess at the load capacity of my volvo 850 estate

I havn't a clue

550 kg i think i have the 240 estate with 250l in the back ,never quite full ,remember most of the weight is over the rear axle ,so you could still get prosecuted if you overload an axle even though you are under your gross payload for the total car

Dave