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Suffolkcleaners

  • Posts: 750
Any Advice please
« on: September 12, 2008, 10:42:27 am »
Hi, everyone, just wondering if anyone can advise me on whether the shurflo backpacks are any good? I work with traditional methods on all my work but have a handful of houses with windows i just dont dare go up the ladder. Also a few houses with windows above conservatory roofs. I dont want to buy a trolley at this stage as its very few houses. I just want to know whether its worth buying a backpack and do any poles attach to them? One last question does anyone know where i can buy pure water in suffolk? Any comments greatly appreciated. :)

d s windowcleaning

  • Posts: 2782
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2008, 04:33:59 pm »
shurflo backpacks are good mate and so is the wcw backpack diffrance between them is around £100 and the shurflo is 4 speed , but for what you are after wcw pack would be ideal .
where theres muck theres money

tacky

  • Posts: 1575
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2008, 08:32:01 pm »
like dave said .go for wcw backpack .u can spend the money u saved. onpole n bits n bobs .i olso prefer the wcw backpack .

Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2008, 08:37:44 pm »
Use trad poles, results are good, maybe not perfect. Backpacks are rubbish especialy if you don't have a clue about zero tds and don't really want to learn.

trike

Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2008, 10:43:56 pm »
i have never used one,but it will be back breaking to carry dont you think,or am i wrong,i allso think you can get trollys to carry them ,save your back.

Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2008, 10:47:41 pm »
Use trad poles, results are good, maybe not perfect. Backpacks are rubbish especialy if you don't have a clue about zero tds and don't really want to learn.
Clive that really is mis info there m8, Backpacks have there place in some business, my it does not as does not hold enough water and takes to much time messing about, but for this guy it would be a very good idea for him, he will use it test water and in time will go for complete change IMO, if not hes made himself work safer

Ian

jefftemperley

  • Posts: 277
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2008, 08:10:08 am »
i started out with a backpack and it was good for awkward places, the downside is waiting for it to fill,and lugging it in and out of the van also i had to replace the tank as i wore holes in the bottom corners just through sensible use i wasnt abusing it but grit on the van floor took its toll

they are handy sometimes for awkward jobs , however with 100m van mount i havent used mine for over a year.

buy a van mount

easier
quicker
more earning potential
bad weather always looks worse through dirty windows

Suffolkcleaners

  • Posts: 750
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2008, 01:09:54 pm »
Thanks guys for your advice.

Tim82

  • Posts: 535
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2008, 02:15:09 pm »
shurflo backpacks are good mate and so is the wcw backpack diffrance between them is around £100 and the shurflo is 4 speed , but for what you are after wcw pack would be ideal .

how long does the water supply and battery last? are they easy to carry? I usea trolley you see...

d s windowcleaning

  • Posts: 2782
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2008, 04:46:05 pm »
shurflo backpacks are good mate and so is the wcw backpack diffrance between them is around £100 and the shurflo is 4 speed , but for what you are after wcw pack would be ideal .

how long does the water supply and battery last? are they easy to carry? I usea trolley you see...
water supply i can do 2 3 bedroom semis with , battery will last for 400 ltrs of water .
where theres muck theres money

Feen

  • Posts: 562
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2008, 08:50:46 pm »
Superb bits of kit if used right.
Pros : flexibility - you can go awkward places more easily than a full van system
Very cheap to start up and if you like it, you still have poles, brushes etc to take to van system
You don't have to buy, tax, insure a van dedicated solely to window cleaning
Cons: not many really. Time spent filling. Loses me 1 minute every 20. No big deal.
Have to filter water at home so time spent in the evening.
Shurflo switch has gone on both mine. £48 ish to replace.
I know there's always the "who can earn the most" type threads on here, but with the right customers you can do very well with this type of set up.
If you want to try wfp, I wouldn't argue against a backpack. Remember you need to treat the water. Depending on your water type you may need RO system or just a DI vessel The info is all out there.
Feen

davids3511

  • Posts: 2506
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #11 on: September 13, 2008, 10:04:28 pm »
I used a Shurflo backpack on all my customers until about 2 months ago. It got me through about 200 3 bed semis a month. It has its place and is a great way to get started. It will hold alot of its value too if you do decide that you want to go van mount in the future.

mci services

Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2008, 11:32:28 pm »
dont use back pack myself but a trolley, i think they have a place for what your suggesting i use a 30ft trad unger pole for my work and cant see why you cant use that with backpack, i started doing awkward windows with wfp then i thought if doing one window might as well do them all wfp, i still do loads of the ladder but if a house needs wfp for one its quicker to do whole house wfp. now i have a van mount

Tim82

  • Posts: 535
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2008, 05:10:24 pm »
shurflo backpacks are good mate and so is the wcw backpack diffrance between them is around £100 and the shurflo is 4 speed , but for what you are after wcw pack would be ideal .

how long does the water supply and battery last? are they easy to carry? I usea trolley you see...
water supply i can do 2 3 bedroom semis with , battery will last for 400 ltrs of water .

How do you refill it? does it get tedious? is it heavy? Would you say it's better than a trolley?

d s windowcleaning

  • Posts: 2782
Re: Any Advice please
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2008, 07:03:30 pm »
shurflo backpacks are good mate and so is the wcw backpack diffrance between them is around £100 and the shurflo is 4 speed , but for what you are after wcw pack would be ideal .

how long does the water supply and battery last? are they easy to carry? I usea trolley you see...
water supply i can do 2 3 bedroom semis with , battery will last for 400 ltrs of water .

How do you refill it? does it get tedious? is it heavy? Would you say it's better than a trolley?
fill from a 25 ltr container just tip it in , no it dont get tedious , i dont find it heavy im a big strong lad but i dont wear it on my back either i just carry with the handle , i would say on some jobs it would be better than a trolley hope that answers your questions mate .
where theres muck theres money