Univalve

[wenson]

I have used my gardiners slx-18 3 times since xmas as I only clean my own house. I did not purchase a univalve as some members said it would be a overkill for just my house but I did buy a tubeless kit from exceed kit and overall be happy with setup. However unknown to me my stepson got me a univalve for xmas but I never fitted it. After constant flea in ear from wifey and s/son I decided to fit it and boy am I having problems, like a lot of members. I fitted it with the blue exceed hose which is my pole hose and tried it out. univalve works perfectly when pole is closed fully but put extend pole to 1st floor which is under 18 feet and boy do I have problems turning on/off. I thought it was off and turned brush around to use scraper and got soaked. My feeling is the valve works ok but the blue exceed hose at 18 feet is just too stretchy so may try someone’s orange hose or gardiners green hose. I only need 10 meters so not expensive to experiment

 

[ched999uk]

Double check you have a small gap between the hose and where the univalve widens. If the bottom hose is butted up against the bottom of the valve it can stop it closing.
The longer the hose between the univalve and where you are pulling will have a slight impact on how much you have to pull depending on how stretchy the hose is but you should still be able to shut it off.
Before buying some new hose, the blue exceed hose has a good rep, practice with the pole extended and see if it's just a bit more of a tug required.

 

[WindyinNorfolk]

double check you have it fitted the correct way round.

 

[Marko067]

Here's a couple of pictures that may help. It's how mine is set up and shows the correct way up it should be fitted plus where the hose should be when open and closed.

#1 shows the valve in the closed position. In this position the hose (red in picture) should not butt up to the valve body.


#2 shows it in the open position.


#3 shows an alternative way to go tubeless. It does not require any bung in the top section of the pole. Just fit a long enough length of hose to the bottom of the Univalve so that it sticks out the bottom of the pole when it's closed by about 8 inches and fit a John Guest red hose-tail and straight 8mm connector to it. PU pole hose will push straight into the black connector but sometimes pulls out when tugging on it to operate the U-Valve. (Some also use the rectus type fittings at this position) The John Guest fittings are also sold on Gardiners website.
This simpler arrangement causes me fewer problems than other setups.

 

[wenson]

double check you have it fitted the correct way round.

I took hose out of pole and checked it was installed the correct way round but thanks for input

 

[wenson]

double check you have it fitted the correct way round.

Here's a couple of pictures that may help. It's how mine is set up and shows the correct way up it should be fitted plus where the hose should be when open and closed.

#1 shows the valve in the closed position. In this position the hose (red in picture) should not butt up to the valve body.
View attachment 30160

#2 shows it in the open position.
View attachment 30161

#3 shows an alternative way to go tubeless. It does not require any bung in the top section of the pole. Just fit a long enough length of hose to the bottom of the Univalve so that it sticks out the bottom of the pole when it's closed by about 8 inches and fit a John Guest red hose-tail and straight 8mm connector to it. PU pole hose will push straight into the black connector but sometimes pulls out when tugging on it to operate the U-Valve. (Some also use the rectus type fittings at this position) The John Guest fittings are also sold on Gardiners website.
This simpler arrangement causes me fewer problems than other setups.
View attachment 30162

Double check you have a small gap between the hose and where the univalve widens. If the bottom hose is butted up against the bottom of the valve it can stop it closing.
The longer the hose between the univalve and where you are pulling will have a slight impact on how much you have to pull depending on how stretchy the hose is but you should still be able to shut it off.
Before buying some new hose, the blue exceed hose has a good rep, practice with the pole extended and see if it's just a bit more of a tug required.

After I checked everything was the correct way round and gap between hose & univalve I pulled the hose about 6 inches away from valve. It was opening but not staying openso to plan B. I spraayed some silicone down the body of univalve and left it for a couple of mins. when I tried again it iopened/shut perfectly I could even hear a slight click. I then extended pole to fule height and connected to outside tap and tried the valve. Again it worked like a treat. Wondering if springs were a bit stiff/rusty although being only used onec they should not be rusty and they sell a lot so cannot be old stock but could be Chinese springs!!!.

 

[Marko067]

There have been a number of posts since they were introduced with some members lamenting that the newer ones don't last like the original ones with pictures of rusted springs etc. I have no experience of this as I still have the three original ones I bought when they came on the scene and they still work.
Personally I prefer the Gooseneck valve that Gardiner sells as it suits me better, so my univalves don't get a lot of use now, but they did before I switched over. I pulled one out of my box of spares last week as my gooseneck valve failed after much use and it worked straight off. It leaked a little until I took it apart and re-greased it with a little silicon grease, but otherwise it turned on and off as it should. Lovely clean spring, no rust.

Anyways, I'm glad you've got yours going. They are a neat bit of kit.

 

[francie]

There have been a number of posts since they were introduced with some members lamenting that the newer ones don't last like the original ones with pictures of rusted springs etc. I have no experience of this as I still have the three original ones I bought when they came on the scene and they still work.
Personally I prefer the Gooseneck valve that Gardiner sells as it suits me better, so my univalves don't get a lot of use now, but they did before I switched over. I pulled one out of my box of spares last week as my gooseneck valve failed after much use and it worked straight off. It leaked a little until I took it apart and re-greased it with a little silicon grease, but otherwise it turned on and off as it should. Lovely clean spring, no rust.

Anyways, I'm glad you've got yours going. They are a neat bit of kit.

Could you show us your goose neck valve setup mark,I also have an original univalve still going after 7 odd years

 

[francie]

Iv just been on looking at the gooseneck valve,first time I seen one in action,how does people rate them against univalve?

 

[WindyinNorfolk]

Both have advantages and disadvantages - comes down to your personal feelings on how you work - I'm not keen on the twist action ive always done lots of s/f/g work and the water flow can keep getting knocked off.

Ive had aquataps, aqua adaptors, univalves and the gardeners twist - univalve altho not perfect is the one for me

 

[Marko067]

Could you show us your goose neck valve setup mark,I also have an original univalve still going after 7 odd years

Here you go. I also use the angled swivel pictured below from Gardiners. I increase the angle of the brush still more as can be seen in the last picture by adding three screws to the flat part of the adapter. This mod allows for fine adjustment of the brush angle to suit my working style.
It means I can keep the angled adapter as straight with the pole as possible whilst doing 95% of my work. For me this makes the twist valve work perfect with the swivel. It may not work for everyone this way, but it does for me.

It is set up like this. The twist valve works quite well with the swivel as long as you don't crank the angle too much on the gooseneck. It will work but the greater the angle the more fiddly it gets. The only problem I have as a consequence of this, albeit a small one, is doing the odd Velux windows in extension roofs where I need to turn the brush so it faces 90 degrees from the pole. It can make turning the valve on and off a bit of a challenge. It is doable but it needs a bit of finessing. Other than that I have very little issues with it.

 

[Marko067]

Both have advantages and disadvantages - comes down to your personal feelings on how you work - I'm not keen on the twist action ive always done lots of s/f/g work and the water flow can keep getting knocked off.

Ive had aquataps, aqua adaptors, univalves and the gardeners twist - univalve altho not perfect is the one for me

Agree with WndyinNorfolk. It is very much a matter of what works for the individual.
When my daughter first started working with me she used my poles which are both set up with twist valves and swivels. She got on with them straight away. The first time she tried to use a univalve she said "How can anyone work with that. It's so irritating having to keep letting go the pole to pull on the hose."
I have to say, that though my preference is the twist valve I think the Univalve is the more versatile of the two.

 

[Pjj]

Here you go. I also use the angled swivel pictured below from Gardiners. I increase the angle of the brush still more as can be seen in the last picture by adding three screws to the flat part of the adapter. This mod allows for fine adjustment of the brush angle to suit my working style.
It means I can keep the angled adapter as straight with the pole as possible whilst doing 95% of my work. For me this makes the twist valve work perfect with the swivel. It may not work for everyone this way, but it does for me.
View attachment 30177
It is set up like this. The twist valve works quite well with the swivel as long as you don't crank the angle too much on the gooseneck. It will work but the greater the angle the more fiddly it gets. The only problem I have as a consequence of this, albeit a small one, is doing the odd Velux windows in extension roofs where I need to turn the brush so it faces 90 degrees from the pole. It can make turning the valve on and off a bit of a challenge. It is doable but it needs a bit of finessing. Other than that I have very little issues with it.

View attachment 30178View attachment 30179

That’s an unusual set up never seen a gooseneck like that what make is it ?

 

[ched999uk]

That’s an unusual set up never seen a gooseneck like that what make is it ?

It's the Gardiners QUICK-LOQ GOOSENECK TWIST VALVE. You twist the pole to shut off water flow! They are good but tricky to get used to with a swivel.

 

[francie]

Thank you mark