[lee_dewing]

https://www.guttervacuumsystems.co.uk/product/51mm-cyclonic-side-entry-kit/

Anyone used this kit to modify their
Gutter vac?

If so was it worth it? Better suctioning?

Less blocks appose to front port

I still thinking about gutter vacs
And like the price and kit of gutter cleaning systems

Come across this vac looks ok 🤔


http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=351895601007&category=20614&pm=1&ds=0&t=1573635159000&ver=0&cspheader=1

Thanks

[Mike Halliday]

Does  the inside of you container not have a deflector ( where the original connector fits it looks like a plastic elbow that deflects the dirt entering sideways away from the filter) this will do exactly the same thing although I think that ‘thing’ is nothing. ‘Cyclonic action’ has this been shown to actually happen as the crap enters the holding tank?

[lee_dewing]

Good points there Mike

I have no equipment at the moment just ideas 😁

So it doesn’t matter where entry port is on vac as long as it has a dirt
Deflection plate fitted inside by vac port?👍

Thanks

[Spruce]

Good points there Mike

I have no equipment at the moment just ideas 😁

So it doesn’t matter where entry port is on vac as long as it has a dirt
Deflection plate fitted inside by vac port?👍

Thanks

Our Vac has an elbow inlet into the tank. It does get blocked up from time to time so I have considered a side entry. Grippa also sell this conversion.
We have found an easy solution is to clean the gutters when the contents are wet and to regularly 'drop' the nozzle into a bucket of water to 'flush' the system.  The elbow entry does create a cyclonic effect inside the drum.

Personally, I would try to buy a system already set up.  A mix and match will create other issues for you.
For example, what size pipe does this vacuum cleaner you linked to have - it doesn't say.

I can't remember the company's name Nick Day runs which supplies gutter vacs. I like the idea of his using an adjustable cross brace on the elbow that the gutter suction nozzle fits into. Without it you have very little control - experience.

(I found it;  https://www.guttercleaningsystems.co.uk/about-us/
I would also go for carbon poles. No matter what they say about ali being better (less fragile,) they are very heavy especially when the inside of the pipes clog up with silt. Carbon poles are heavy enough.

Trust me, you also need a camera setup, so all in all, its an expensive bit of kit.  You will also need to add a heavy duty cable drum to your kit.

I find the clean up of the equipment afterwards takes about 45 minutes which we don't think about at the time. In winter it means you have to come home early to do it whilst you still have the light.

Other things to consider:
Have you got the room to carry it around with you in your van?  Having to come back to a job when the home owner is in if they haven't an outside socket is time wasted.
If they do have an outside socket and you don't have the gutter vac with you, test the outside socket for power when you get the job.  You can buy a cheap plug tester.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZPCT1806A-Automatic-Electrical-Socket-Outlet-Tester-With-UK-Plug-230V-65mmx65mm/323598774438?hash=item4b57fd70a6:g:LjkAAOSwOw5deJ3G

We came back to one as we don't have the vac on the van only to find that the outside socket was switched off at the consumer unit inside.

Truthfully, my advice based on my experience is just to concentrate on window cleaning and remove gutter clearing from your portfolio.

 

[lee_dewing]

We always configure our machines for gutter cleaning. We cut out the entrance bend and then the muck either hits a deflector that we set 4-5 inches from the entrance with a foam filter or use a bag filter with a piece of scouring pad sewn in to prevent blockages. The flexible bag acts as a deflector.The side entry does the same but is very expensive way of doing it. It is advertised as cyclonic but is not, We have had both nu-matics, the side entry makes no difference to the power.

Answered my questions about side entry vs side port

[lee_dewing]

Spruce thanks very much for all the info

Plug tester 👍

Yeh, gutter cleaning systems are top of the list: they are a lot cheaper than competitors

Which made me nervous 😟
But looking at the facts

Alex I believe is owner🤔
Was a window cleaner who added gutter vac service as an add on.

Then went on to run and employ for his gutter clearing company

So actually are hands on gutter clearing service

They source there own equipment and make there own 100% carbon poles

They have some unique tools
Weed hook and downpipe clearance
Tool
A little drill with a long screw thread.

May not be as pretty as some of the competition but £95 (drill downpipe tool).

Also go pro camera setup is £69.50

I might be exaggerating but I’m sure I’ve seen some camera units for £500 😬

I take on board Spruce about stick to window cleaning

This is why 2 years and counting I’m still looking at gutter vac 😬😁

Spruce what was you charging for say 3 bed semi.

I was thinking £60 - £75

Others say £3 - £5 a metre
Too expensive 🤔

Need to get one of those metre measuring Clicky wheels 😁

I’ve read that add ons should be twice your windows hourly rate
As not bread and butter

So worthwhile when doing and don’t resent it!

As you say Spruce, machine maintenance/tidying up 

Obviously seeing turfs growing out of gutters affects quotes 😁

Thinking of offering customers gutter inspection £15

And if they have gutters cleared within a year then £15 off

So £75 job is £15 inspect and £60 to
pay on gutter vac day

Easy enough to stick go pro on wfp
While cleaning customers windows
Even email footage to customer

See one of my customers having gutters cleared while eating lunch
Just before cleaning there windows

He needed to move ladder at least six or seven times as he was just bucket and hands (nothing wrong with that 👍)

But he only went up 3 times
Maybe moss dirt sludge was only in them 3 sections in gutter 🤔😁

Thinking more profitable doing inspections and telling customer gutters are lovely and won’t need cleaning for years 😁

Thanks again Spruce👍🎄⛄️

[lee_dewing]

Good point about modifying vac

Don’t 😁

[Splash & dash]

 

We have been vaccing gutters for over 20 years and side entry is vital in my experience all front entry will block no matter what the make , the side entry port in your pictures looks fine , side entry will cause a vortex in the drum with the dirt going in , front entry it doesn’t it just goes everywhere,

[Smudger]

Lee - your best off giving it a miss

Darran

[lee_dewing]

side entry will cause a vortex in the drum with the dirt going in , front entry it doesn’t it just goes everywhere,

Thanks Splash 💦👍

[lee_dewing]

Lee - your best off giving it a miss

Darran

😁👍

Thanks Darran
 Keep on omni vaccing 🙂

[Spruce]

Spruce thanks very much for all the info

Plug tester 👍

Yeh, gutter cleaning systems are top of the list: they are a lot cheaper than competitors

Which made me nervous 😟
But looking at the facts

Alex I believe is owner🤔
Was a window cleaner who added gutter vac service as an add on.

Then went on to run and employ for his gutter clearing company

So actually are hands on gutter clearing service

They source there own equipment and make there own 100% carbon poles

They have some unique tools
Weed hook and downpipe clearance
Tool
A little drill with a long screw thread.

May not be as pretty as some of the competition but £95 (drill downpipe tool).

Also go pro camera setup is £69.50

I might be exaggerating but I’m sure I’ve seen some camera units for £500 😬

I take on board Spruce about stick to window cleaning

This is why 2 years and counting I’m still looking at gutter vac 😬😁

Spruce what was you charging for say 3 bed semi.

I was thinking £60 - £75

Others say £3 - £5 a metre
Too expensive 🤔

Need to get one of those metre measuring Clicky wheels 😁

I’ve read that add ons should be twice your windows hourly rate
As not bread and butter

So worthwhile when doing and don’t resent it!

As you say Spruce, machine maintenance/tidying up 

Obviously seeing turfs growing out of gutters affects quotes 😁

Thinking of offering customers gutter inspection £15

And if they have gutters cleared within a year then £15 off

So £75 job is £15 inspect and £60 to
pay on gutter vac day

Easy enough to stick go pro on wfp
While cleaning customers windows
Even email footage to customer

See one of my customers having gutters cleared while eating lunch
Just before cleaning there windows

He needed to move ladder at least six or seven times as he was just bucket and hands (nothing wrong with that 👍)

But he only went up 3 times
Maybe moss dirt sludge was only in them 3 sections in gutter 🤔😁

Thinking more profitable doing inspections and telling customer gutters are lovely and won’t need cleaning for years 😁

Thanks again Spruce👍🎄⛄️

TBH I bought this to use for my existing customers I've done gutter clearing for in the past.

In our area we have a specialist company doing gutter cleans. They quoted £65 to clear the gutter each side of this house and the garage gutter with his gutter vac.

 

The price was rejected and eventually they settled on £45.00. Its 2 lengths of gutters around 10 meters each and the gutter over the double garage.
The garage is joined to the house so the gutters over the garage are a challenge to reach. Honestly, it just not worth the effort for the price perceived by the customer as fair. They don't see the extra time needed to clean up afterwards.

I cleared a short run of guttering today off my ladder. I wasn't going to vacuum it out to begin with but the downpipes were all blocked. When they installed the guttering they fixed them in place with long screws. Each one of these screws had to be unscrewed to let the muck above clear.

We often have to get up on ladders and clear tuffs of vegetation as the vacuum isn't strong enough to remove them. There seems to be a company installing gutter trays in our area. These trays go under the last row of tiles and they sit in the gutter. The trouble is that the roots grow behind these trays and have to be removed with 'force.' IMO and experience, our gutter vac isn't the Bee all and end all of clearing gutters by hand. We still have to use ladders on occasion.
 

[Mike Halliday]

Cyclonic action is a load of nonsense, just think about it, air enters the chamber and swirls around the barrel... what a load of snake oil 

What is causing the air to enter the chamber and where is it situated? The vac motor is located in the centre of the drum as soon as air enter the chamber  it is pulled towards the force creating the vacuum,  the solids held in the air fall out  as it is no longer restricted (as when in the vacuum tube) the damp air is sucked & expelled out of the container by the vacuum motors.

Nothing swirls around the tub, it’s marketing BS .....and imagine if it was true why? What does it achieve? it won’t increase the vacuum power that is set by the output of the vac motors........ James dyson has a lot to answer for

[Dave Willis]

The idea is that the crud fires around the cylinder sides. The normal deflectors are at 90 degrees and block for a pastime.
Guys in my area easily earn £300 for five hours work on full cleans.
I used to do it but gave up for various reasons,
A) it’s hard work, B) doesn’t work on every
 job
C) just didn’t have the nerve to change such prices.

[Splash & dash]

Cyclonic action is a load of nonsense, just think about it, air enters the chamber and swirls around the barrel... what a load of snake oil 

What is causing the air to enter the chamber and where is it situated? The vac motor is located in the centre of the drum as soon as air enter the chamber  it is pulled towards the force creating the vacuum,  the solids held in the air fall out  as it is no longer restricted (as when in the vacuum tube) the damp air is sucked & expelled out of the container by the vacuum motors.

Nothing swirls around the tub, it’s marketing BS .....and imagine if it was true why? What does it achieve? it won’t increase the vacuum power that is set by the output of the vac motors........ James dyson has a lot to answer for

Trust me mike it does go round the drum in a vortex I will take some pictures on the next job we do and prove it , it’s scientifically proven fact, over 29 years I have had most vacs out there , front enter Maude entry side entry always works far better and I have never had a blockage in the vac ever , with the front entry blockers every other time .

[lee_dewing]

Spruce

What gutter vac do you have?

Was it gutter cleaning systems?

Yeh people can be tight, also with gutter vac unless your just offering to window Customers and their neighbours

You enter the world of riding around
Quoting bit hit and miss

We’re not use to this working in a repeat business

Eventually if you stick with it you’ll build up a client base 🤔

I remember one of my customers telling me how they’d cleaned all their gutters out

They obviously hadn’t as there were turfs popping out every where 🙆🏻‍♂️

They’d  asked me, I said being alone worker it was dangerous

Passed a number of a window cleaner to them he’s trad always has trebles on board and sends one of he’s merry men up top 😬

He quoted £100
For detached 4 bed house

So £25 a side
Less actually as bit of guttering on lower double garage

He said my customer thought was expensive 🙇🏻‍♂️

I think if you speak to Decorator’s, plumbers, etc etc
They’d all tell you a lot of messers out there

The mobile mechanic I use is a guy in he’s late 20s

He’s very good and too cheap sometimes, I do tell him and over pay him when necessary
As I like what he does and want to keep he’s service

He tells me people er and Um over he’s prices too 😁

I would hate to be in a business where you are constantly searching for work

My old neighbour is a plasterer and gave up being self employed
He works on the books for building company now and just does the odd cash job on the side.

(Probably end up hating that 😒)

He told me at the end of a working day he would get home wash change clothes

Go out quoting  and most of the time was a waste of time

Broke him.


Looks like the jury’s out on side vs front port entry on vacs 🤔😀⛄️❄️

[Smudger]

Side entry - 2” hose - c/f poles and a solid Ali 135 swan neck

Any vac of 3k plus will them zap 99% of gutters

You can get a wet/dry vac from £180
Go to carbon fibre tubes for poles at “trade” price 5 x 6 footers are about £340 + vat - mine have lasted 6 years so far (we vac approx 6 domestics a week - summer and from mid jan to March 10 a day) + commercial stuff

HTH


Darran

[TomCrowther]

My side entry vac also has never blocked in nine years. The vortex thing is true Mike. If you have a job where there is very little in the gutters and you wizz round in no time. When you look in the vac you can see the pattern of debris "spinning" round the drum.

[lee_dewing]

Darran

Thanks very much 👍

Any vac of 3k plus will them zap 99% of gutters

Darran
Do you mean 3000 watt or £3000

Not being sarcastic 🙂
Some guitar vacs are £2500 🤭

I know you bought omnivac believe
Off brother in law

[Spruce]

Mine is a Spacevac.

The company was initially on one of Mark Munro's early window cleaning shows and a couple of us bought the kits.

There was a drama regarding this company. They marketed the product on the show and taking orders which were delayed due to a business take over. It took a few months and numerous phone calls before they came up with the goods. Never heard so many pathetic excuses by the staff. I did complain to Mark as I believe he has a duty to vet the credentials of all the suppliers on his stand. He didn't believe he did.

I see what we got is not what they sell now. I have a 1500 watt single motor 30 litre drum with 38mm hose. TBH its worked well, but I have no idea where we will get replacement tubes in the future for the kit we have.

This is why I recommend you deal with a company that has an industry track record. Don't get taken in by sales spiels at the window cleaning show or anywhere else unless they are well known and respected by us in the industry already.