Pure freedom reel

[P4dstar]

I’m looking at getting a PF reel. I can see it has a controller in the front of it, I don’t require this if it’s for the system. Can anyone advise me what the craic is with the controller portion of the reel? It seems to me you usually pay in excess of £100 for a pump controller and I simply don’t need it ??‍

 

[ched999uk]

The controller has soft start, and anti trap (it shuts off when a restriction is 'felt'). It also has the speed settings but I've got mine on 99
I do think the soft start would start and ramp up a bit quicker but the anti trap or what ever it's called is good in case any one steps on the hose or it gets trapped on wheelie bins as you wouldn't want it dragging a wheelie bin back to you ?
I think I paid about £25 extra for a longer loom and bracket to move the controller to the side of the van.

 

[P4dstar]

The controller has soft start, and anti trap (it shuts off when a restriction is 'felt'). It also has the speed settings but I've got mine on 99
I do think the soft start would start and ramp up a bit quicker but the anti trap or what ever it's called is good in case any one steps on the hose or it gets trapped on wheelie bins as you wouldn't want it dragging a wheelie bin back to you ?
I think I paid about £25 extra for a longer loom and bracket to move the controller to the side of the van.

Thanks Ched. So is the controller purely linked to the reel and nothing to do with the pumps? Also interested in your thoughts about the reel itself.

 

[THL4KEL]

The bad thing about it is when it freezes you need to drain water out of the brass fitting, the carbon washer gets damaged inside it. So either drain it or make sure van does not freeze at night. Other than that it's very well built and is very reliable.

 

[Part Timer]

If you can wait you can see ours next month, in Bristol on Sunday May 22nd

 

[marlowswindows]

The bad thing about it is when it freezes you need to drain water out of the brass fitting, the carbon washer gets damaged inside it. So either drain it or make sure van does not freeze at night. Other than that it's very well built and is very reliable.

Don't be a fool wrap your tool comes to mind

 

[dazmond]

I’m looking at getting a PF reel. I can see it has a controller in the front of it, I don’t require this if it’s for the system. Can anyone advise me what the craic is with the controller portion of the reel? It seems to me you usually pay in excess of £100 for a pump controller and I simply don’t need it ??‍

It's nothing to do with your pump!it's for reel speed and battery reading.i also have mine on 99.i usually have the battery reading display on mine.?

 

[ched999uk]

Thanks Ched. So is the controller purely linked to the reel and nothing to do with the pumps? Also interested in your thoughts about the reel itself.

It's just for the reel. Think of it as a pump controller i.e. it does control speed and dead end detection but for the hose reel. A wfp pump controller is normally controlling less that 10 amps, the reel controller is more like 50 Amps!
As others have said don't let it freeze as the swivel coupling is vulnerable.
Just so you know if you use or intend to use hot water get the appropriate version as it adds stainless discs to the reel to stop it expanding due to the heat in hot water.

In my experience it works well although it's the only elec reel I have tried. There a few things that could be better, the swivel joint could be smaller as it sticks out a long way, the soft start - when you first press the button, takes a bit too long to ramp up speed, especially when you are getting close to the transition from reel to pole hose and you want to ease off the speed so your hand doesn't get stuck holding your cleaning cloth and smack into the top roller, you release the button then press again and although it starts instantly takes about 4 seconds to get back to normal speed. Lastly it is heavy but once it's bolted in it's not an issue.

Pure Freedom will do modifications to a reel when you buy, so if you want/need anything specific just ask. I didn't have much room in the back of my van and wanted floor rollers so I asked if the controller had to be on the front and they said no problem we have a wall mount bracket and how long do you want the cable loom? I think I paid an extra £25 or so but that was discounted in the Black Friday sale when I bought my reel. Mine arrived on a pallet and was very well packed, I ordered a new hose and fittings and they fitted the hose to my reel which I thought was nice of them.

I did look at the other manufacturers and rear some things that put me off the one with the motor in the spindle and a 2 year warranty but I nearly went with the xline one but it was not as cheap as it first looks as I believe it needs the controller to stop over spooling.

 

[Pjj]

You can also move the controller to the side of the reel if it’s in the way that’s what I have done with mine

 

[Ian Sheppard]

Thanks Ched, PJJ.

As the comments above the controller on the Reelmaster is sepcifically designed to work with the high current motor on the reel. There was a lot of testing prior to the product going on the Market of both the reel and controller. A power reel motor has a lot of Torque and will easily pull someone of their feet. The Controller has snag protection so in the event the hose gets caught the motor is stopped before the hose parts or a person is pulled over. As mentioned there is a soft start, variablle speed control, Battery voltage monitoring.

 

[P4dstar]

The bad thing about it is when it freezes you need to drain water out of the brass fitting, the carbon washer gets damaged inside it. So either drain it or make sure van does not freeze at night. Other than that it's very well built and is very reliable.

Thanks mate. Just chatted this through with them. This reel is for a cold water van currently but it should hopefully be hot water with frost protections very shortly which should resolve this issue.

 

[P4dstar]

If you can wait you can see ours next month, in Bristol on Sunday May 22nd

It's a little more urgent than that mate. That van is the only one that fits the vac but it currently needs a manual reel also, it's just a massive PITA. I rang PF to ask some questions, I name dropped you.... The cheeky buggers put the price up!

 

[P4dstar]

It's just for the reel. Think of it as a pump controller i.e. it does control speed and dead end detection but for the hose reel. A wfp pump controller is normally controlling less that 10 amps, the reel controller is more like 50 Amps!
As others have said don't let it freeze as the swivel coupling is vulnerable.
Just so you know if you use or intend to use hot water get the appropriate version as it adds stainless discs to the reel to stop it expanding due to the heat in hot water.

In my experience it works well although it's the only elec reel I have tried. There a few things that could be better, the swivel joint could be smaller as it sticks out a long way, the soft start - when you first press the button, takes a bit too long to ramp up speed, especially when you are getting close to the transition from reel to pole hose and you want to ease off the speed so your hand doesn't get stuck holding your cleaning cloth and smack into the top roller, you release the button then press again and although it starts instantly takes about 4 seconds to get back to normal speed. Lastly it is heavy but once it's bolted in it's not an issue.

Pure Freedom will do modifications to a reel when you buy, so if you want/need anything specific just ask. I didn't have much room in the back of my van and wanted floor rollers so I asked if the controller had to be on the front and they said no problem we have a wall mount bracket and how long do you want the cable loom? I think I paid an extra £25 or so but that was discounted in the Black Friday sale when I bought my reel. Mine arrived on a pallet and was very well packed, I ordered a new hose and fittings and they fitted the hose to my reel which I thought was nice of them.

I did look at the other manufacturers and rear some things that put me off the one with the motor in the spindle and a 2 year warranty but I nearly went with the xline one but it was not as cheap as it first looks as I believe it needs the controller to stop over spooling.

Thanks for the detailed response mate. This will be my 3rd electric reel manufacturer. No other one has come as highly rated so I have high hopes!

 

[Part Timer]

It's a little more urgent than that mate. That van is the only one that fits the vac but it currently needs a manual reel also, it's just a massive PITA. I rang PF to ask some questions, I name dropped you.... The cheeky buggers put the price up!

Got to get my share of the commission

 

[Pjj]

Thanks for the detailed response mate. This will be my 3rd electric reel manufacturer. No other one has come as highly rated so I have high hopes!

Let’s hope so , pure freedom have been bought out by window cleaning warehouse so let’s hope there service doesn’t go down the pan ???

 

[P4dstar]

Anyone got any idea the difference between the hot water version and the standard? I thought the hot water one had stainless steel discs?

 

[Pjj]

Anyone got any idea the difference between the hot water version and the standard? I thought the hot water one had stainless steel discs?

It does they are mounted on the outside of the plastic side discs, the cold water one just has plastic side disks

 

[P4dstar]

It does they are mounted on the outside of the plastic side discs, the cold water one just has plastic side disks

This thing? Doesn’t look stainless steel which is why I was questioning it.

 

[Part Timer]

Can you wait till this Sundsy this time and I'll show you mine ? ?

 

[P4dstar]

Can you wait till this Sundsy this time and I'll show you mine ? ?

Fine. But how will that help me with the reel?

 

[Part Timer]

You can see if there is a difference between yours and mine, which is a hot water one. As I have only had a hot water reel I don't know the difference.
There is a stainless steel and hot water option when you buy and I took both options