[Robin Ray]

Not starting a general portable vs TM debate. Just wondering if the Bane Clene system is better than a modern high powered portable in terms of performance or vice versa. Obviously there is the advantage from a set up point of view however on a bit of paper they seem to be a bit under powered. Is this the case in reality?

[john martin]

Iv just had a go with one once ..perhaps others have owned one . But a modern portable is more powerful . It seemed to have lift but slow rise and bad airflow . I don't think anyone aver developed an efficient 230v version though ? Like direct drive on a big motor .
However ... The water tanks and heating systems are still the best attempt of how an etm should be Imo .

[Lewis Newby]

What exactly is the bane clene system? I know Adrian near us uses one. It looks like quite a dated tm , I don't like the look of the tools/wand either compared to a regular type

[john martin]

What exactly is the bane clene system? I know Adrian near us uses one. It looks like quite a dated tm , I don't like the look of the tools/wand either compared to a regular type

Small tm blower belt driving by an electric motor ...1.5 kw I think ....   not enough for good suction . Development was in the USA.  Where 1.5 kw is about all they can use on one cord @ 110V .
The fresh water tank contains a heat exchanger  which is plumbed to the vans cooling system so heats water the more u drive . Also has emersion to plug into cust house.

[Lewis Newby]

Thanks for that John. My father in law used to have his water tank setup like that for hot water when valeting around 20years ago. He swore by it in the winter

[Mike Halliday]

I used a Bane for 5yrs, I still use the tanks connected to my van radiator to heat the water, it is a very good system, I plug it in over night and it keeps it hot and in winter it acts like a huge radiator.

It has the same blower as a blazer or other small truckmount but it only runs at 1500rpm.

You need to remember it is a hot water truck-mount  that runs on a single power cord, there are more powerful portables...... but any that only uses1 power cord? . Connect  a booster box and you have a formidable machine

In the end I used the bane aqua mount in parallel to the bane so it had 2 blowers creating the vacuum

[Robin Ray]

Sounds like the new higher powered porties have superseded the bane then in terms of power. I do like the heated tank idea and the vehicle heat exchanger.

Mike, is the heat exchanger a plate heat exchanger which attaches to the vehicle heater supply and a 12 v pump circulates the tank water through the  heat exchanger? does it have an immersion heater too? How quickly does the vehicle heat exchanger work?

Lewis, I see Adrian driving about all the time. I have never had the chance to have a chat to him but if I get the opportunity I will ask him about his Bane. From what I understand he loves it, and hes had it about 20 years or so.

[Lewis Newby]

Yes the van must be about 20years old. A testament to the vw transporter vans

[Mike Halliday]

It's plumbed directly into the radiator hose with a T junction then returns to the radiator outlet. so the same water that flows through the van radiator travel throught a stainless steel coil in the freshwater tank. It is circulated by the van water pump that cools the engine.

Basically I have 2 one inch hoses running from the engine under the van, up through the floor into the fresh tank.

Have you ever taken your radiator cap off after the engine has been running? That the temp the water in the tank gets.... Very hot. I also have an emmersion element fitted with no thermostat, which boils the water ( if I forget I've got it plugged in)

[jasonl]

I am selling a bane £500 if anyone wants it , the hoses are worth £200 and the blower must be worth at least 300 .

[gwrightson]

My first machine was a bane, didn't have it for too long as some prats nicked my van and all the contents, I found it adequate, but as I was only a newbie then I would think that     .

Thinking back It did have a reasonable suction at a distance.

Geoff.

[Robin Ray]

Thanks Mike, Presumably you could do the same thing with a indirect hot water cylinder as they have a coil and an immersion heater fitted.

[Mike Halliday]

Yea you could do that, if it was big enough and it would benefit from having a good insulation foam around it to keep the water warm

[Lewis Newby]

There's also the option of running an immersion tank off an inverter whilst driving and can plug in before work for an hour each morning.

Toyed with this for car valeting a few winters ago as I didn't wanna invalidate my vans warranty. This was suggested by my local garage instead

[Lewis Newby]

Robin, if your thinking about trying a van mounted porty you can borrow my jag for a few days to see how you would get on.

[Robin Ray]

Hi Lewis, I would like to have a go with a Jag. Thanks for that I will give you a call when I get a moment.

[terry barnes]

spurgeons upgraded their Banes to run on 2.2 kw motors - had mine for over 15 years - very quite and cheap to run
Terry

[Ian Gourlay]

Mike

Not sure I understand your connection to Van Radiator . Do you keep your van running at night to stop the water freezing?

I was under the impressione Banes are no longer?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Ian at night time you plug in the immersion heater when you do your first job of the day the 60 gallon tank is red hot then as you drive round the heat from your engine keeps heating up the water.

I had 2 banes I found the smaller one which had a smaller vac blower was actually more powerful it is turned faster.

Shaun

[stuart_clark]

It must cost a fortune on electric bills !