[M.Acorn]

First job of the new year at 11am this morning,got there parked in driveway turned off van,custy asked me to move so he could get his car out,got back in van turned key ,nothing,van dead.So connected up my jump leads,started fine.
unpacked everything took it into the house,got to work on the red wine stains,all came out ok 
Set machine up,nothing happened,had just filled with 30 ltr of soloution ! flipped up machine the head of the pump had split away from the base,and was frozen solid (i know my fault for leaving it in van) had company last night so i couldn`t bring it in while they were here,as i leave it in the kitchen.After a few beers i had forgotten all about it !
Had to appologise to custy and re book her for end of week,just after she had said she wants me every 6 months,how un professional !
packed everything back up again,went to start van,dead again so had to get him out to jump me again,also had look under bonnet,and noticed earth wire had snapped off altenator,so bodged it with a cable tie to get me home.
Had 2 more booked for tue,and one on fri,Olympic had run out of pumps ,so might not be here till thurs !
Also popped out the brass plug that holds the spring in the k valve had frozen solid and bust that too !
not a good start to the year !

[mark shannon]

Mark try running some car screen washer through pump if you have to leave on van.

[Mike Osbourne]

That's a real per Mark

I use a greenhouse convection heater, settings are just a few degrees above zero. Takes 2 mins to put in van and next day your screen is clear and it's warm inside. About £20

[M.Acorn]

Yeah had thought of running some anti freeze through it,but knowing me i would prob forget it was in there and try cleaning with it !
Graham @ olympic said it`s really unusual for it to go where it had gone,it`s the square block type bit that holds the pressure release valve,it`s cracked around where it screws onto the head of the pump.
It`s getting on for nearly 18 months old now,so will prob strip it and get new bushes and a head so i have a spare.
And yes going to get a parafin heater this week,so i don`t have to bring everything in every night.as i get moaned at for having it in the kitchen !
At the moment my house is not much warmer than it is outside though !  15th centuary cottages are not very draught proof,and there is no insulation,and the bedroom wall is only 1 course of bricks thick ! nice in summer but v cold in winter,i refuse to use the leccy convector heaters,as they just eat power

[rob fryer]

Thats a twat of a thing two happen, last year my frost watcher heater fuse blew at some point in the night and it was -4 scraped the pump which i had just rebuilt, now cover with double sleeping bag and still use heater but im going to insulate van soon as i get a min.
Rob 

[stevie wonder]

Have had all those problems this year with my two machines and even my hoses split.So I was looking for a decent calor gas fire I could put in my shed.I found a supplier of a fire in my yellow pages for 95.00 plus a bottle of gas that lasts 80 hours .I put it on sat afternoon and the next day ,my portys and solutions had all defrosted without any damage.This is a fantastic heater.I wish id had it a few years ago ,but I didnt think it would be safe in my shed.Also a refill is only 20.00.If you are leaving your machine in your shed this is a really good means of protecting your gear.Steve.

[M.Acorn]

Wish i had room in the shed ! full of stuff for my rocco,although don`t think i would be able to sleep at night knowing it was there,very easy to just take down 1 of the walls to get in,if they were determined enough !
My mum just got back from Stafford and said it was -7 there didn`t even warm up during the day !
My van heater is not much cop,as water in rad does not get hot enough (need to blank off some of the radiator) can see there being probs during the day if it gets like that here !

[Ricky M]

Mark thats bad look for the start of 2009 hope it turns round for ya pal 

Ricky

[sherco]

My garage  has a tiled floor with electric underfloor heating, to keep my bike and car and cc machines nice and warm...the wife reckons its warmer in there than in the house 

[Jim_77]

Mark I'd think twice about a paraffin heater, you've got 3 potential problems...

Naked flames will cause condensation, so the inside of your van will be damp and cause other problems.  Burning paraffin will lead to a thin film of soot all over everything, more potential problems.  You've also got quite a significant fire risk.

It is a hell of a pain in the bum, but bringing susceptible things inside really is the best option.  You can set up an electric heater in the shed/garage and do it that way - you don't have to have it pumping out on full power the whole time, just get one with a thermostat and keep it set to maintain 4 or 5 degrees.

If you can do it, running an extension to the van and having an electric heater inside it would be another option, but obviously only if it's practical/possible to park up right next to the house.

Obviously an electric heater is still a fire risk, either in the shed or van but it's far lower risk than a naked flame and doesn't lead to the other problems.

Oh what fun our lovely country's climate is!!

[Jim_77]

p.s. i bought a heater very similar to this..

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4150729/Trail/searchtext%3ECONVECTOR+HEATER.htm

...and have it set up in the garage, running on half power and set to keep the air temperature around 4 or 5 degrees.  It works great, I have my spare machines and chems all in one corner of the garage, and bring in the stuff off my van overnight and group it all around the heater.  Works great for me

[M.Acorn]

Cheers Jim,going to continue binging it in the house.Best for my pocket leccy wise,and the reasons you mentioned -6 out there this morn according to the wifes car 

[dave123]

Mark  what a lousy start to the new year.Don't you just find that ,the pump always seems to go when you have just filled up the machine .Thing can only go on the up after that start .

[M.Acorn]

Yes 30 ltr of sol wasted + de foamer,and looking like a prat into the bargain 
Managed to get all the red wine stains out though,the job involves 2 large nearly room size rugs and a massive sort of z shaped runner which goes all the way through their downstairs corridor,hoping i don`t shrink them when i clean,they have been made up by a carpet fitter and all the edges are sewn up,is there any possibility they will shrink a bit ?
That would top it off !

[M.Acorn]

The saga continues ! Called olympic this morning to get an update on delivery,was told it would be with me Thurs at latest,turns out Prochem have a large backlog of people wanting thease,had re booked all my customers for end of this week as i thought it would be here by then.Turns out i am looking at early next week at the earliest now,had to call my customers again and appologise for looking like a complete t#@t,and also give them £10 discount for inconvenence.AGGH

[Ian Gourlay]

if it is a shurflo pump phone williamson pumps you might get it on wed or thursday

[murky]

Try Altech theyre not far from you , normally do same day service on pumps, vacs etc.

Though you might be in a bit of a queue by the look of things.


Murky

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Mark

Sorry to hear all about your bad news. Why is it that bad news always seems to go in cycles and like buses 3 bits of bad news will turn up together?

The moral of the story is of course, that since we know vacuums and pumps are consumable items and will "die" periodically, the answer is always to carry spares at home. Then there is no rush go get replacements from suppliers.

Roger

[John Kelly]

Some sensible advice form Roger. For the sake of a few hundred pounds you could have a spare vac and pump. Must be better than turning away work and losing money.

[Ian Gourlay]

Try Altech theyre not far from you , normally do same day service on pumps, vacs etc.

Though you might be in a bit of a queue by the look of things.

I ordered new hoses yesterday got them by 10am today.

Qas tempted to drive over if I had been desprate I would have done.

If I lived in Cambs I would have driven to Alltec and Woodbridge if required.  If it is an emergency I would certainly do it.

Thats the idea of using semi local suppliers use them or loose them


Murky