[AuRavelling79]

Reading v8edd's "happy as a pig ... " thread made me wonder - is there a simple way of warming the water in your van tank overnight to say 30 degrees C so as you benefit from relatively warm water all day?

I'm thinking electric immersion heater instead of gas boiler? Any ideas?

[H h20]

Hi Malc,i`m not that electrical minded but have wonderd if this would work,Gaz
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIND-GENERATOR-TURBINE-12-VOLT-600-WATT-WATER-HEATER_W0QQitemZ190064748665QQihZ009QQcategoryZ48618QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[AuRavelling79]

Looks good - after all immersion heaters at home get far hotter than 30 degrees C don't they?

Something to dip in the tank?

And insulate it too.

[EasyClean]

Reading v8edd's "happy as a pig ... " thread made me wonder - is there a simple way of warming the water in your van tank overnight to say 30 degrees C so as you benefit from relatively warm water all day?

I'm thinking electric immersion heater instead of gas boiler? Any ideas?

Hi Malc,

That would work!! The heat of your water stored in your vehicle's water tank would depend on the volume of water your tank stores and how long you leave the immersion heater plugged in for. The larger the tank, the longer to heat up! All the hot water would be at the top of the tank and the cold waterwould be at the bottom near the outlet for your pump. A little tip would be to circulate the water around your tank prior to stating your journey to work and switching it off once you've reached your destination ready to start WFP work, that way the hot and cold water have mixed together leaving you with warmer water at the tank outlet  for your pump.
You could use an 'over the side' immersion heater but I would recommend that you buy one with an inca alloy stainless steel immersion heater if it's going to be fitted inside your water tank because of the de-ionised water. I have used one and found them very useful.
You could also consider fitting an indirect boiler and connecting it to your radiator hoses whilst still being able to use it as a normal immersion heater because of the immersion heater coil fitted inside the boiler.

[EasyClean]

Hi Malc,i`m not that electrical minded but have wonderd if this would work,Gaz
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WIND-GENERATOR-TURBINE-12-VOLT-600-WATT-WATER-HEATER_W0QQitemZ190064748665QQihZ009QQcategoryZ48618QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hi Gaz,

that would be okay for warming a small volume of water up, but not sufficient to warm up a large tank of water. It would be ideal for a small trolley system for taking the chill out of the water if the water is being transfered regularly. You could use the 600watt element as a frost protector for your vehicle tank overnight but wire it up so that you can use an on/off switch and run it from a separate battery/batteries as it would draw 50amps an hour.

[KarlJones]

I know nothing about WFP stuff.

How much water do you use on the average job though?
It seems a it much to try to heat all the water up in one go.  Would it not be better to feed it into a seperate smaller tank and heat it up in that one, then use a float of some sort inside to make sure you were using the water from the top?

[Roy Harding]

What about this but £240 + vat


http://www.andwat.co.uk/acatalog/WATER_HEATERS.html

Roy

[EasyClean]

Works fine!!

[Jeff Brimble]

Which the immersion, the 35/70 or both ?

[Mr. S]

ok so it could b beneficial heating your pure water in the van but what temp does it come out of the brush, by the time its gone down 50 to 100 meters of hose. Maybe a backpack might b better then.
Sorry maybe this should b a new post but it all ties in!

[AuRavelling79]

All good stuff - but that over the side heater seems a bit pricey (for a glorified kettle element - now there's an idea!) how much would a normal immersion heater element cost and could it be adapted?

[EasyClean]

All good stuff - but that over the side heater seems a bit pricey (for a glorified kettle element - now there's an idea!) how much would a normal immersion heater element cost and could it be adapted?

Malc, try using a £29.00 normal glorified kettle heating element in your tank of de-ionised water and tell us how you got on with it in 3months time LOL!!!!!!!
You have to use inca alloy or stainless steel because 'di' water will ruin the heating element protective sheath and could prove dangerous if it comes into contact with the actual electric heating element inside the sheath.
I don't understand why so many window cleaners who have switched to WFP who are working safer and probably earning more money than before are being so tight when it comes to trying to save a few pounds on some cheaper, less suitable, alternative method or equipment for their work. As a tradesman always says; the right tool for the right job even if it does cost a bit more!!! I use to be a metalsmith and I could buy a tool from a DIY shop and it wouldn't last 5 years or I could put the time in and forge one from scrap metal and it would and will last me a lifetime!

[macmac]

easyclean
i used to be a blacksmith at corus, and i agree.

[matt]

here is the solution, ive been exchanging PM's with some1 who has just done it

buy a normal immersion heater, this guy got his from a plumber, it was 1 he had from a copper tank he had changed ( paid 10 quid for it )

it was then painted with a " engine paint " which is ok for heat upto 300 degrees, its a ENGINE ENAMEL, this bit was my idea, dunno if it works or not, but cannot see why it wont

this our guess would stop the "pure water " eating into the element ( for 30 quid you could change it every winter anyways, and you would only need it for a couple of weeks a year, just remmber to take it out when you are not using it, this would prolonge its life)

[Perry Ashlington]

Does this help?  Seems a lot cheaper than the suppliers price I saw.

http://www.omega.co.uk/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=PTH_CTS_HEATER

[tartan cleaning]

Does this help?  Seems a lot cheaper than the suppliers price I saw.

http://www.omega.co.uk/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=PTH_CTS_HEATER

Looks the same to me and 150 quid cheaper!!

[AuRavelling79]

All good stuff - but that over the side heater seems a bit pricey (for a glorified kettle element - now there's an idea!) how much would a normal immersion heater element cost and could it be adapted?

Malc, try using a £29.00 normal glorified kettle heating element in your tank of de-ionised water and tell us how you got on with it in 3months time LOL!!!!!!!
You have to use inca alloy or stainless steel because 'di' water will ruin the heating element protective sheath and could prove dangerous if it comes into contact with the actual electric heating element inside the sheath.
I don't understand why so many window cleaners who have switched to WFP who are working safer and probably earning more money than before are being so tight when it comes to trying to save a few pounds on some cheaper, less suitable, alternative method or equipment for their work. As a tradesman always says; the right tool for the right job even if it does cost a bit more!!! I use to be a metalsmith and I could buy a tool from a DIY shop and it wouldn't last 5 years or I could put the time in and forge one from scrap metal and it would and will last me a lifetime!

Yeah, thanks ...

However I don't mind getting the right tool, or learning how to make it if I have the skill ... but if I can put the time in on here and get advice from others I can do it a lot cheaper for the same result. Otherwise I'd go out and buy Ionics ...

[EasyClean]

That website link with the heater is the exact same type of heating element and definitely cheaper!

[EasyClean]

easyclean
i used to be a blacksmith at corus, and i agree.

Hi Macmac,
nice to know someone else on this forum use to be a blacksmith. It's a good skill in decline unfortunately. I use to enjoy it but I must admit it's probably one of the most physically demandng jobs going. Window cleaning doesn't compare for job satisfaction but it's a darn site easier and more profitable. Merry Xmas to you and your family!!!!!

[macmac]

cheers easyclean
merry xmas to you & yours too.

yes, very satisfying work, but damn, it was hot!, i used to go to bed at night with old massey 25 hundred weight hammer still banging away in my head. Oh, those were the days.Ha,Har, not any more!