[Brian Nunn]

I have a small window cleaning round done traditionally and have bought a WFP for the odd window above a Conservatory and Porch where it is not safe to use a ladder. I use a Liquidator and Fliq on a  pole in those instances.

I know I live in a hard water area. East Lincs.
Last weekend I had a practice with the brush cleaning my U.P.V.C FSG with water straight from the outsdie tap, it came up well and I do not see a marks left on the FSG. Not surprisingly the water that dripped on the windows did leave white marks.

Today I got my TDS meter and it is showing about 240 PPM. Is that what you would call a high reading?
From reading over the weekend I assume it would not be economical to purify the water with resin  with a TDS at that level.

I may get a couple of conservatory roofs and a couple of FSG to clean next year but most my work will be traditional window cleaning.
RO kits seem pricey for the amount of water I would get through a year.
I did use a search engine to see if anyone sold pure water in my area but did not find anyone.

Are there any other options for a small one man band?

[Dry Clean]

If you can collecting rain water would be a cheap option for somebody who only needs the occasional tank of water.
240 is fairly high and it will be costly to go DI only.

[Brian Nunn]

I just checked the water from my water butt and it shows a TDS of 42.
Would that still need running through resin to prevent leaving marks on windows, how low does it need to be?

[Shrek]

I think the majority of people use 000ppm

[p1w1]

I just checked the water from my water butt and it shows a TDS of 42.
Would that still need running through resin to prevent leaving marks on windows, how low does it need to be?

42 is still too high but that could be more cost effective to just run it through a di vessel , however ideally you would be better off having the rain water go through something that could filter any large sediment/crap thats in it (even something like what tights are made from) stick it on the end of the down pipe or whatever is going into the water butt. However i would still look into buying it from another window cleaner they may not advertise they sell it but i bet there is someone out there who would sell you some now and again.
Or just keep your eye out for a second hand 300gpd ro system would be cheap as chips, stick some new membranes in it and it will last you a long time.
Pity you dont live closer to me i have an old 450gpd r/o system with booster pump and auto switch off and all the pre filter housings that i dont really use anymore.

[nathankaye]

As above, you want to fit a filter at the top of your down pipe and then fit a filter before the water runs intonthe water butt. That will greatly reduce the tds.

If your serious about water butt collection it would be idea on a heavy rainfall to allow the first 5 or 10 min of downnwater to divert to drain as this will contain more bits than the later .

[CleanClear]

Not sure i'd be wanting to purify water to clean SFG and conny roofs. I've cleaned windows with a TDS of 34 and had no problems, that was a re clean though and i'm not saying anyone should go out using water like that. But its still a fact i've had no problems with water that high, i'll bet there's loads more here who have too.

[Brian Nunn]

Thank-you for the replies and information.

I can certainly place a filter in the running outlet and at the other end in the  downpipe diverter, that will give me some water that can be run through a DI vessel.

Thanks for the offer P1W1.

I have been looking at a 4 Stage RO reverse osmosis unit with DI resin chamber 150 GPD for about £90.
Maybe I could get by with that and store some in 25L containers.

Just seen you reply CleanClear. From the experience of cleaning my own FSG at the weekend with 240 TDS water the results looked good, it would probably be OK on a Conservatory with plastic roof sheets but a glass roof would leave marks on the windows.

[NBwcs]

"Today I got my TDS meter and it is showing about 240 PPM. Is that what you would call a high reading?"

Thats  actually quite low for an Anglian Water region, its around the 300 mark in south Lincs but has been as high as 400 .AW has some of the "hardest " water in the uk

[Brian Nunn]

"Today I got my TDS meter and it is showing about 240 PPM. Is that what you would call a high reading?"

Thats  actually quite low for an Anglian Water region, its around the 300 mark in south Lincs but has been as high as 400 .AW has some of the "hardest " water in the uk

Could be worse then.
I ived on the Suffolk coast for many years and the amount of build up on the Kitchen and bathroom surfaces was horrendous, never did measure the levels but suspect they were higher than here.

[p1w1]

"Today I got my TDS meter and it is showing about 240 PPM. Is that what you would call a high reading?"

Thats  actually quite low for an Anglian Water region, its around the 300 mark in south Lincs but has been as high as 400 .AW has some of the "hardest " water in the uk

Mines around 550-570 and can go over 600. None of this wimpy 400 stuff