[lou75]

Hiya

Discovered the site recently, fantastic, love it. Hello to everyone.

Im planning on setting up a wfp system and am also in the process of replacing the family vehicles. I want to get a vehicle that covers both needs if possible. I was thinking about a renault kangoo mpv or peugot partner mpv with a trolley wfp system. Ive looked a little bit into the diy method and im picturing one of the above vehicles, large area in the back filled with the trolley and enough prefilled barrels of water in the back to keep me out working for the day. Do you think this sounds pheasible ? Are these vehicles large enough ? Large enough to hold water to keep me out working for the day that is. Can you clear all the work equipment from the back at the end of the working day and use it as a family vehicle ?
Im caught between this idea and a cheap large van set up and we`d just have to have a 2nd separate family vehicle.

Any advice welcome

[AuRavelling79]

Hi, Lou! Welcome to the funny farm. You'll get to realise that my posts are long and boring and that I am a windbag! Hopefully you'll find something of use in them - "hid treasures" and all that!

Yes you can certainly do what you are suggesting.
In the long run the van option will make you more money. (IME)

My experience as a family man.

When I was trad. I used various cars the last one being a Volvo 240 estate and then a Honda Accord Estate. The Volvo was a bit bigger and I went wfp and had a trolley with 8 barrels (200L) in the back folded down. The Honda would hold 6 but I put 1 or 2 in the front footwell.

Now this is the thing ... they would last me all day when I started but as I got used to the system and custies layout I sped up and found that by about 3pm I was running out of water. So I would start doing downstairs trad at about 2pm to make the water last.

Then I put a 175L tank in the back and with a few barrels I could carry 250L and so that meant I could work quicker (I now had a reel to the tank plus the barrels for the trolley).

This was very flexible as I could use the reel for speed and the trolley for awkward jobs.

A French lorry driver pranged the Honda and I bit the bullet and went for a van with a 400L tank and found that as I sped up again I was using that amount of water by 3pm on a busy day and now carry two extra 25L barrels for topping up. When my van changes this time next year I will have been wfp for 5 years and I think I will go for 650L/800L of capacity as I am thinking about occasional help on board and a less cramped work area.

We also have a big Pug 406 diesel estate family car.

Of course with an mpv you could probably carry a 250L tank in the back and a couple of barrels in the footwell but it will get knocked about and a pain when you have to take everything out for the family. It will also smell like a window cleaners car (damp and musty) after you have those inevitable leaks or bring dogs poo in on the trolley wheels or store the rags you've used to wipe the hose and said wheels!

Buy the van if you can - but use the car to start if you need to.

[Mike #1]

no offence but not the case i use a suzuki ignis use pf trolley and carry 12 containers car doesnt smell,  i have boot liner from halfords and heavy duty seat covers from argos , I look after my car always careful no knocks or scrapes apart those by other people in car parks brushing past , i can do a good days work with 300ltrs of water , i have a 10 mtr airhose retractable reel attached to trolley ideal , i take containers out to fill at night then store them in the garage also at weekends , i have been looking at new citoren berlingo multispace ideal for work and lesuire in opinion

[AuRavelling79]

no offence but not the case i use a suzuki ignis use pf trolley and carry 12 containers car doesnt smell,  i have boot liner from halfords and heavy duty seat covers from argos , I look after my car always careful no knocks or scrapes apart those by other people in car parks brushing past , i can do a good days work with 300ltrs of water , i have a 10 mtr airhose retractable reel attached to trolley ideal , i take containers out to fill at night then store them in the garage also at weekends , i have been looking at new citoren berlingo multispace ideal for work and lesuire in opinion

There you go! But I would respectfully suggest that a guy working quickly and getting through 400/500L of water from a van tank will earn more in a day than 300L from barrels. Just my experience - and time lifting and pouring barrels is time that could be spent earning.

[matt]

Hiya

Discovered the site recently, fantastic, love it. Hello to everyone.

Im planning on setting up a wfp system and am also in the process of replacing the family vehicles. I want to get a vehicle that covers both needs if possible. I was thinking about a renault kangoo mpv or peugot partner mpv with a trolley wfp system. Ive looked a little bit into the diy method and im picturing one of the above vehicles, large area in the back filled with the trolley and enough prefilled barrels of water in the back to keep me out working for the day. Do you think this sounds pheasible ? Are these vehicles large enough ? Large enough to hold water to keep me out working for the day that is. Can you clear all the work equipment from the back at the end of the working day and use it as a family vehicle ?
Im caught between this idea and a cheap large van set up and we`d just have to have a 2nd separate family vehicle.

Any advice welcome

i have a citereon berlingo multispace, it has 5 seats in, the rear seats fold up in the footspace of the seats, i have fitted a 400 L tank  in it with the seats folded

it takes 5 mins to remove the tank and put the seats back up to " driving position " that was the plan when we did long haul drives, we have done it a few times and it works well

the van just looked like a berlingo, but it has side doors

i fill the tank to about 300 L and the put my cart / trolley on top of the tank

i then sub-pump the water from the tank into the barrel, it saves lifting heavy barrels and it works very well, takes me under 3 mins to fill the barrel

i also have a reel in the rear and can use it as a van mount, BUT i find the hose gets caught on everything, i just find i am quicker with the trolley

[Mike #1]

i agree a guy with 400-500 ltr tank would make more money as they would have a longer working day i use 1/2 litre minute  I start at 8am and finish about 3.30-4.00 pm a decent working day

[lou75]

Thanks for the replies. matt/everyone, what trolley do you use ? Is it the diy one ?

Im in yorkshire and believe this is a soft water area. So with the above mpv and trolley set up i assume id just need the DI Resin system back at the house/shed/garage ?

[AuRavelling79]

Matt? How do you secure the 400 tank in your MPV - or don't you? Not making an issue here - in desperation I have used a 400 in the back of a mates 405 estate (after my Honda got pranged and before the van arrived) when I had to do a school one day, but not too happy about that as a permanent arrangement.

[matt]

Matt? How do you secure the 400 tank in your MPV - or don't you? Not making an issue here - in desperation I have used a 400 in the back of a mates 405 estate (after my Honda got pranged and before the van arrived) when I had to do a school one day, but not too happy about that as a permanent arrangement.

i consulted a mate of mine who makes roll cages for racing cars ( he understand stress loads and the like )

anyways, i have 2 high strength racing harness Eye bolts fitted to where the seat belt mounts are ( under a pillar of the car )

and i drilled 2 holes though the rear chassis of the van, the holes were in the chassis rail, i just drilled the vans floor, i fitted rather OTT spreader plates on the under side and 7 tonne heavy duty Eye plates ( used for lashing stuff to big lorrys ) they are a fair size and look rather stupid in the back because of the size of them

i then fitted a angled pallet style base to the floor, so the water allways runs to the outlet, it only has a 2" drop, but it helps ( this base thing also picks the tank up over the eye plates

then i fitted some 5 tonne tie down ratchet straps around it all

it works well, yes i know its not crash tested, but i only carry 350 L of water at most ( because of the angle of the tank and my van does like much more than 350 L anyways )