[sunshine windows]

Hi guys,

I currently have a Purefreedom diesel heater but can only get a few hours out of it before the battery dies.

Has anybody replaced the supplied battery with a longer lasting one and what did you use?

Thanks
Lance

[simon w]

Hi Lance

I've had the 2KW PF heater since 2010 and although it's a fantastic hot water heater I'd always had problems powering the heater with batteries. I have used a variety of leisure batteries since getting it and have found that powering the heater for even short periods was very hard even if bench charging the two batteries with a smart charger every night.

It was always the two volt meters flashing "BATT" that would lead me to believe the batteries were not charged up, until recently I bought a hand held volt meter which when connected up to the battery terminals told me in fact the batteries were fully charged, for me the problem lays with the wiring behind the Flow Masters over heating including the little plugs the flow master volt meter can be reading 11.8 volts then if you wiggle the wires and plugs it's suddenly 12.5 volts. So for myself the problem is not with the batteries being discharged too quickly but the flow master volt meter giving a misleading reading. Two of us have been using hot all day for the past two weeks with no problems from the batteries, fiddle with the plugs and you'll get a more accurate reading.

I bench charge the two batteries all weekend with a smart charger and once over night mid week if the heater is being used for more than a few days. As soon as I get chance I'll be getting the wiring behind the flow controllers up graded so they don't heat up.

The batteries I use are beasts and not cheap at over a hundred pounds each, I'll get the spec on the batteries for you tomorrow and post on here if you like?

Hope some of this makes sense and may shed some light on your charging issues

[dannymack]

I'd chuck it couldn't be arsed with all that messing about, don't know how much you paid for it but I went for the cheap portable shower that gives hot water only cost £180.00 had no probs. I would say you pay for what you get but in this case maybe NOT !!!

[simon w]

I'd chuck it couldn't be arsed with all that messing about, don't know how much you paid for it but I went for the cheap portable shower that gives hot water only cost £180.00 had no probs. I would say you pay for what you get but in this case maybe NOT !!!

Your DIY set up's fine for a one man band like yourself but when you've got employees working from your vans the cheap option is not always suitable. The PF heater above is an amazing bit of kit once you've learnt how to use it properly you'll get the best out of it.

I've got two guys using my set up 8hrs a day 5-6 days a week and as long as the system is maintained including the charging of batteries I've got piping hot water for two window cleaners to use all day.

Lance I see your from Swindon so not far from myself, if you'd like to pm I'll give you my phone number and can talk you through what I've done to get the best from the heater.

[sunshine windows]

Thanks for your input Danny 

In all honesty though, I'm tempted to get rid and replace with gas. Can you set these up with an autostart facility to stop the lot freezing in minus temperatures?

Simon, would live to chat to find out exactly what you mean.

Thank you
Lance

[sunshine windows]

Just realised I can't contact you Simon, could you either email or text me your number please 07717756357

Thank you

[simon w]

Thanks for your input Danny 

In all honesty though, I'm tempted to get rid and replace with gas. Can you set these up with an autostart facility to stop the lot freezing in minus temperatures?

Simon, would live to chat to find out exactly what you mean.

Thank you
Lance

Lance

All the pure Freedom heaters have built in thermostats if the temperature in the van drops below the pre-set temperature the heater starts up and circulates hot water around the system and back into the tank. I think PF set them to come on at something like 2 degrees but you can easily change the temperature for the frost protection state. I've set mine to come on at 0 degrees as anything below this is pointless, remember the anti freeze mixture in the header tank is good for -20 degrees! Don't often get that cold in our part of the UK

I'll PM my number feel free to call anytime during the day. Chances are your batteries are OK and the wiring is causing the volt metres to give you a mis leading reading, easiest way to check this is when the flow masters are flashing low "batt" put a hand held volt meter on your battery terminals and see if the readings are the same

[simon w]

Just realised I can't contact you Simon, could you either email or text me your number please 07717756357

Thank you

Sorry just read this. I'll text you my number now, call me anytime tomorrow during the day

Simon

[dd]

Personally I think this is really poor from PF and has put me off using them in future.

I have the 1 man Isothermal heater, but gave up using it because of battery problems. I did not even realize it had a frost stat as this was never mentioned or explained, so the batteries got knackered without me realizing during an extended cold spell.

Very poor that you should have to alter their wiring just so you can use an expensive, professionally installed piece of kit.

The other thing I found with the 1 man unit is that it did not heat the water enough to make an appreciable difference on conservatory roofs, which was the main use I had in mind.

[simon w]

To be fair I spent a bit of time hanging around their workshop whilst mine was being fitted and Andrew explained how to operate the machine including the frost stat. An instruction sheet also came with it on how to operate the heater change settings ETC and Andrew Bramley has always been easy to get hold of on the telephone and explain in detail any issues I've had. Not sure why your water doesn't seem hot enough, ours on full heat is almost to hot to touch. I agree the wires from the back of the flow controllers could be a bit more heavy duty but there not really part of the heater as such and many others will have these on their systems who don't have the heater.

There are simple things you can do to power the unit without unnecessarily draining the batteries like don't turn the heater on from cold the minute you want to start the first job, switch it on when you leave home so the heater can reach it's full heat whilst the engine is running and your not using the pumps, when you get to your first job start working with full heat so you can get the hottest water running through your hose reel and out the pole then you can adjust the heat to where you think it's best on any particular job.

Like I've said mine is working really well and doing all I expect from it it's paid for itself a long time ago and I certainly don't regret buying it. I can fully understand the guys who use the shower/gas type heaters it's a case of finding and choosing what's best for your needs.

[david washbrook]

Simon please can you txt me you number so I can give you a call tomorrow as I have the pf 2 opp orator hot system and I also have problems with the batteries and it also keeps turning itself on and the only way to turn it off is to take the fuses out

Thanks
Dave
07789114272

[Aqua Power Solutions]

Simon, i have a two man hot system from PF, will you text me your number so i can ask you about the heater settings cheers

Ed
0752 158 3240

[simon w]

Ed I'm more than happy to speak with you on the phone. But the basic questions your asking should have been explained to you like they were to me. Andrew Bramley Pure Freeedom  will talk for hours call him and he'll explain all you need to know regarding the heater.

The two man 2KW PF heater is an extremely hi-tec piece of kit learn how to use it and you have piping hot water in minutes that last the day.

[Aqua Power Solutions]

i will give PF a ring tomorrow, never spoken to Andrew before, as for the heater controls it was a matter of just  turning the taps inside the heater box for the desired heat ( i don t think it gets that hot from water leaving the brush head) .

[CLEANCARE WC]

Thanks for your input Danny 

In all honesty though, I'm tempted to get rid and replace with gas. Can you set these up with an autostart facility to stop the lot freezing in minus temperatures?

Simon, would live to chat to find out exactly what you mean.

Thank you
Lance

sunshine i thought you had a campa geyser?