[Tom-01]

Hi everyone

Hope you’re all enjoying your bank holiday!

Can anyone recommend a company to configure and set up a van for pressure washing please?

Tank, engine, reels etc all professionally bolted in?

Thanks
Tom

[Smudger]

Ben Marriot - Rutland pumps

Not cheap but ive seen one of his set ups and its first class

Darran

[Splash & dash]

Easiest way is to do it yourself it’s not that difficult, buy the bits from Ben and away you go

[Tom-01]

Smudge and Splash, thanks for your replies - very helpful.

If I were to have a 650ltr tank for the pressure washer, and say a 350ltr tank for pure water for window cleaning, with all the gear one could need, what sort of van would I need to be looking at please?

Thanks
Tom

[Splash & dash]

You will need something with a payload of around 1500 kg , we have Renault master vans as there isn’t much option for large vans with decent pay load

[Smudger]

yes a f@@king big one - I have a transit jumbo - in there is a 1000 ltr IBC and a 300 ltr pure tank - 2 pressure washers and god knows what other bits and bobs - I had to update the springs and if we go with a full tank of pure then I can't carry more than 400 ltrs of tap water with being overweight ( jumbo despite its size will only take 1350 Kg )

we fill up tank while we work - which er led to the standard springs sort of snapping 

Darran

[Tom-01]

Thanks lads.

Been looking at some of the bigger vans.

I’m just reading up on the custom, and there are models just under 1500kg payload, that would work?

Perhaps a LWB high roof?

[Splash & dash]

Thanks lads.

Been looking at some of the bigger vans.

I’m just reading up on the custom, and there are models just under 1500kg payload, that would work?

Perhaps a LWB high roof?

The custom is a nice van but not a lot of room to fit everything you want to put in it have a look you will soon realise it’s to small ,

[Mike Halliday]

You need to buy a van mount drain jetter, not be making your own set up. Some nice units appear on EBay.

Put it in a big van,  I use a LWB high roof sprinter  but it’s big and has the turning circle of a cruise ship. I think it will carry 2.5tonnes.

[Tom-01]

Hi Mike

Thanks for your reply.

Would this be ideal? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Van-Pack-Drain-Jetter-3000-PSI-42-LPM-27-HP-Petrol-Engine-/293057513021

Or this from Rutland Pumps
https://www.rutlandpumps.com/A1C00.html

I do have a Honda GX390 which we set up with a barrel etc, but it’s a faff. We get a bit of work but I know with advertising we could get more.  And currently I have a Renault Trafic window cleaning van with a 650ltr tank, and a VW Transporter 850ltr tank.  I am selling the Renault and was thinking of using the tank out of it and my Honda machine in a new van as a PW setup.

Alternatively I buy a system brand new and sell my other gear, as it’s quite a few years old now. But new van AND new system = lots of £££’s, which I’m not saying no to, it’s just a lot of investment.

The new van would be for Pressure washing, soft washing and gutter clearing. Also I would need it for windows occasionally so a massive van doesn’t really appeal but needs must I guess.

Do you have any pictures of your van setup please?

Thanks
Tom

[Splash & dash]

You need to buy a van mount drain jetter, not be making your own set up. Some nice units appear on EBay.

Put it in a big van,  I use a LWB high roof sprinter  but it’s big and has the turning circle of a cruise ship. I think it will carry 2.5tonnes.

If you have a sprinter van with 2.5 ton payload it must be a 4 or 5 ton van , I was looking at sprinters and on a 3500 kg van the maximum payload is around 1200 kg most models it’s around 900 kg this is why I bought master vans as the payload on the ones we have is 1620 kg , I hate the renaults with a passion but it was the only decent sized van with a payload that would do what we need

[Mike Halliday]

Splash, you’re right I was thinking about the towing  capacity

Here’s my van, it’s messy as I just snapped a couple of shots on the job just now. I like the length as I can fit a full set of ladders inside 

[Tom-01]

Thanks Mike, looks good 👍

I was wondering about access through the side door or not.

What did you think of the systems I linked to earlier! ☝🏼

Thanks
Tom

[Mike Halliday]

The brain Nixon jetter is a good unit but a bit too powerful for general domestic  power-washing

Rutland pumps is ok but do you want to spend so much money.

This looks a good buy, can’t see the engine but it looks like a water cooled diesel, low hours and hot

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INDUSTRIAL-STEAM-PRESSURE-WASHER-HOT-WATER-CLEANER/113644957592?hash=item1a75c46f98:g:lcIAAOSwTIlcZ7pZ

Have you thought about using a trailer?

[Tom-01]

The brain Nixon jetter is a good unit but a bit too powerful for general domestic  power-washing

Rutland pumps is ok but do you want to spend so much money.

This looks a good buy, can’t see the engine but it looks like a water cooled diesel, low hours and hot

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INDUSTRIAL-STEAM-PRESSURE-WASHER-HOT-WATER-CLEANER/113644957592?hash=item1a75c46f98:g:lcIAAOSwTIlcZ7pZ

Have you thought about using a trailer?

Thanks Mike, perhaps it is a bit too powerful. It would be ideal with a GX390 I reckon.

I have thought about a trailer, so I could have a window cleaning van, and the PW setup separately. However, I think I would get annoyed quite quickly with a trailer and would end up having to change it all.

We have a lot of window cleaning customers, and we also do quite a few big jobs throughout the year: gutter clearing, pressure washing,  soft washing - so the van would be for these jobs and more of them.

[Mike Halliday]

I think the gx390 is slightly under powered it will drive a 200bar 21lt at it’s full potential but I think going up to a 18-24hp engine with a slightly bigger pump is so much better.

I have the 13hp gx390  in my unit and if my main machine is out of commission I chose to re-book jobs rather than use the smaller machine.

Although expensive I think this machine is the perfect size and a brilliant engine/pump

http://www.jet-wash-direct.co.uk/pressurewashers/thor-industrial-pressure-washer.html

[Smudger]

I disagree the gx390 range or Lonchin is more than capable of dealing with any thing your likely to come up against - you only need something bigger if your doing very large commercial works like shopping centre car parks ( unlikely as there are better ways to clean areas like this

the problem with higher flow machines is water supply - if its bad you'll be forever waiting for the tank to fill up - you could use a standpipe but these are £250 per application

Darran

[Tom-01]

I disagree the gx390 range or Lonchin is more than capable of dealing with any thing your likely to come up against - you only need something bigger if your doing very large commercial works like shopping centre car parks ( unlikely as there are better ways to clean areas like this

the problem with higher flow machines is water supply - if its bad you'll be forever waiting for the tank to fill up - you could use a standpipe but these are £250 per application

Darran

I agree with this. We have had the GX390 for over five years, and done some massive jobs with it. I'll see if I can find a company to build me a system using my machine.

What set up have you got Smudger? Do you have any pictures?

Thanks
Tom

[Mike Halliday]

The gx390 can handle any job if you have got all day but a bigger machine will do the job quicker, which if you have multiple jobs in a day is important.

 We carry a big water tank and if we connect the hose when we arrive so it fills as we clean we rarely run out of water, if we do we structure the job so we can do other work while waiting.

If you are using a big FSC then a bigger pump really helps it clean

[Smudger]

what do you call "BIG" ?

as per previous only around 50% of residential work have enough pressure to keep up with supply ( Norfolk )

so stopping every 45 minutes to refill would negate a machine with such a high flow rate - maybe get away with one tiny job after the other

I,m off down the unit later I'll snap a couple of picture of both vans - re-furb is in the offing so that are a bit tatty inside

Darran