[Heb Alpha]

I've been using a fairly basic system for past 3 years, but am getting a new van in next couple of weeks and wondered if it's time to change the set up.

We have a 1000 litre IBC tank of purified water which sits in the garage and is pumped into the van each morning. In the cold weather we put a small aquarium heater into the tank to take the edge off the water.

Short wheel base transit van - has a 650 litre flat bed tank sitting over the back axle. 4 ratchet straps holding it down although i'm not convinced the tank would stay in place if it were to have a knock at say 50mph with a full tank.

I've got an independant 12v leasure battery which i charge every night which currently just sits on top of the wheel arch in the van and i connect to a shurflo pump with crocodile clips. From there the purified water goes through the DI tank and into 2 hoses onto 2 wfp's for the 2 operatives.

Any advice on how to make sure the tank is as secure as possible and any better ideas than having it sit over the back axle?

Hose reels - we just have a bungee holding the 2 of them onto the bottom of the bulkhead - any better ways to store them - we take them out and sit them on the ground for every job, as it's easier to reel them back in.

Battery - the new van i'm getting has a second battery and apparently there is a connection to it via a cigarette lighter in the rear of the van - any ideas as to how i can connect this up to the shurflo pump so that it charges as i drive. It would be good if i don't have to charge up the independant battery every night.

Floor - we painted some protecta kote paint on the floor - the new van is coming with a rubber mat in the back - should i remove it and just paint with protecta kote or i was thinking of maybe painting with protecta first and then putting the rubber mat back onto the floor - any ideas?

Thanks

Rob
   

[Lee GLS]

I've been using a fairly basic system for past 3 years, but am getting a new van in next couple of weeks and wondered if it's time to change the set up.

We have a 1000 litre IBC tank of purified water which sits in the garage and is pumped into the van each morning. In the cold weather we put a small aquarium heater into the tank to take the edge off the water.

Short wheel base transit van - has a 650 litre flat bed tank sitting over the back axle. 4 ratchet straps holding it down although i'm not convinced the tank would stay in place if it were to have a knock at say 50mph with a full tank.

I've got an independant 12v leasure battery which i charge every night which currently just sits on top of the wheel arch in the van and i connect to a shurflo pump with crocodile clips. From there the purified water goes through the DI tank and into 2 hoses onto 2 wfp's for the 2 operatives.

Any advice on how to make sure the tank is as secure as possible and any better ideas than having it sit over the back axle?

Alot use just ratchet straps, they have a high SWL, but they will only be as good as the point they are mounted on, are the fixing point bolted through the chassis? Also move the tank so its up against the bulk head.


Hose reels - we just have a bungee holding the 2 of them onto the bottom of the bulkhead - any better ways to store them - we take them out and sit them on the ground for every job, as it's easier to reel them back in.

Not if you are lifting them in and out at each house, i have mine fixed in the back with the hose going through ports in the side of the van and wide them in with a drill.


Battery - the new van i'm getting has a second battery and apparently there is a connection to it via a cigarette lighter in the rear of the van - any ideas as to how i can connect this up to the shurflo pump so that it charges as i drive. It would be good if i don't have to charge up the independant battery every night.

you need to wire in a split charger that runs off the alternator, it will charge as you drive then.

Floor - we painted some protecta kote paint on the floor - the new van is coming with a rubber mat in the back - should i remove it and just paint with protecta kote or i was thinking of maybe painting with protecta first and then putting the rubber mat back onto the floor - any ideas?


My connect has a rubber floor mat in the back, so i didnt bother with protecta kote, the mat works fine.


Thanks

Rob
   

Answers in red.

[Slash]

I would definetly protecta kote the floor,I have a a rubber mat in the back of my connect but thats not enough,the water still gets underneath,I have put protecta kote on mine to be safe but each to their own eh!

[traps7]

I wouldn't bother with the protecta kote. When I went wfp everyone said I'd get loads of water in the back so I spent £90 odd on protecta cote. Stops you slipping but I don't think its needed really.

I'm gonna go back to ply as it should insulate better than the metal floor which my pipes lie on. I never get any water in the back. Not unless I spring a leak.

[Heb Alpha]

Thanks guys. This is an excellent site - thanks for all advice given to date.

The transit has 4 eye bolts through the chassis at the back which i use along with another 4 which i got a garage to put in. My problem with shifting the tank up to the bulk head is that the fuel tank sits directly under that area and i can't get any fixings under there.

I'll ask my local garage about the split charger - i guess there would be a switch in the back somewhere that i just switch on to get power to the pump? I mentioned this to the Ford garage a while back and they weren't happy about installing something like that incase we forgot to switch off the pump and it would screw up the electronics if we had the engine on at same time as pump?

I think I'll go with Slash's idea of protecta cote and the rubber mat - our floor is wet most days due to leaks coming from the main hose going into the hose reel leaking slightly and also the end of the hose losing a bit of water each time we disconnect the wfp.

Are there any window cleaners in the Glasgow/Inverness area that would be willing to show me their van set up? I'm down in Glasgow in 3 weeks and over in Inverness this weekend. Thanks guys

Rob

[SB Cleaning]

I wouldn't bother with the protecta kote. When I went wfp everyone said I'd get loads of water in the back so I spent £90 odd on protecta cote. Stops you slipping but I don't think its needed really.

I'm gonna go back to ply as it should insulate better than the metal floor which my pipes lie on. I never get any water in the back. Not unless I spring a leak.

I agree only water I get on the  floor is from the brush dripping