Advice on flat tank air locks please..

[Chris Ashurst]

I was just about to pull the trigger on a Pure Freedom 350l flat tank delivery only system with electric Reelmaster attached on top when I read a few problems with flat tanks and air locks.
Do these air locks only happen when the water is run too low or if parked on a hill with the tank fairly low? Also does a flat tank put more pressure on the pump? If I were to only use around 280l of the 350l would it be ok?
I only have a SWB Ford Connect so if I went for an upright system and Reelmaster bolted to the floor I wouldn't have any room for much else.
Facelift do a system which is kind of in-between a flat and upright which sits sideways with the PowerUp reel attached on top coming out of the side door but the hose is going to be exiting the side door at a height which could be hazardous. The Reelmaster can be attached on the swivel base which would allow it to be used out of both the side and back doors.
Any advice is much appreciated..

 

[Deleted member 16610]

I have a tap to shut water off just below my brush head and I've found on the rear occurance I get an airlock (only if the tank gets to low does this happen) I just open the tap put the pump.on full shut tap open tap and you can hear it pushing the air out usually within 30 seconds airlock gone

 

[Part Timer]

If you have work in areas with steep inclines it's not always easy to park in the correct direction so flat tanks are a problem in this case, also when you are getting low when you drive around it is easier for air to get into the system with the water sloshing around and exposing the outlet pipe.

 

[Iron Giant]

When the water level gets reasonably low turn the controller off when driving between jobs you'll also have an isolating tap on the tank outlet close this and you won't have many issues at all.

 

[Chris Ashurst]

If you have work in areas with steep inclines it's not always easy to park in the correct direction so flat tanks are a problem in this case, also when you are getting low when you drive around it is easier for air to get into the system with the water sloshing around and exposing the outlet pipe.

Litre wise what would be considered low in a 350L flat tank. Around 50 litres?

 

[Part Timer]

Litre wise what would be considered low in a 350L flat tank. Around 50 litres?

I wouldn't know but would think 100 litres would cause problems without having to do what @Iron Giant advised. I know with a 650l upright once we get below 100 litres we turn the isolating tap off to prevent airlocks

 

[Iron Giant]

I wouldn't know but would think 100 litres would cause problems without having to do what @Iron Giant advised. I know with a 650l upright once we get below 100 litres we turn the isolating tap off to prevent airlocks

100ltrs definitely, my tank is neither upright or flat but roughly 100ltrs in mine will cause issues if I have gone up and down a decent inclines

 

[Chris Ashurst]

100ltrs definitely, my tank is neither upright or flat but roughly 100ltrs in mine will cause issues if I have gone up and down a decent inclines

How do you know when you're getting down to 100ltrs with your tank being black?

 

[Deleted member 7446]

I was just about to pull the trigger on a Pure Freedom 350l flat tank delivery only system with electric Reelmaster attached on top when I read a few problems with flat tanks and air locks.
Do these air locks only happen when the water is run too low or if parked on a hill with the tank fairly low? Also does a flat tank put more pressure on the pump? If I were to only use around 280l of the 350l would it be ok?
I only have a SWB Ford Connect so if I went for an upright system and Reelmaster bolted to the floor I wouldn't have any room for much else.
Facelift do a system which is kind of in-between a flat and upright which sits sideways with the PowerUp reel attached on top coming out of the side door but the hose is going to be exiting the side door at a height which could be hazardous. The Reelmaster can be attached on the swivel base which would allow it to be used out of both the side and back doors.
Any advice is much appreciated..

Top tip, don't have a flat tank, don't park on kerbs or work with anything less than full

Thet are a waste of time and money

 

[Cleanco]

I’ve used both 350/450 litre flat tanks and although they are more like cubes than traditionally flat I very rarely got airlocks. If you position the pump as low as possible, ideally right at the bottom of the tank it will pretty much always be lower than the water level which not only helps prevent airlocks but in the event of getting one the pump will able to clear it on its own with out having to blast it through by having to turn the controller right up. Also they give your van a lower centre of gravity than an upright so a lot safer.

 

[Ethan EZ -Clean]

I can’t stand my flat tank wish I never got one. Water sloshing constantly, air locks none stop, take up more room in the van. List goes on I wish I stayed with an upright tank so much better

 

[Iron Giant]

How do you know when you're getting down to 100ltrs with your tank being black?

Guesswork and sticking my head in to have a look with the torch on my phone, I have had 400ltr flat tank in years gone by a 350ltr upright and now 425ltr Facelift tank, airlocks are manageable and they'll happen with a upright tank or a flat tank but it's usually only towards the end of a work day and if driving over 1/2 mile to another job up and down inclines

Yesterday I was parked at the bottom of a small hill, I had to drive up it then so far down another one just around the corner and reverse onto a customers' drive, I turned the controller off before I drove my van when I started the next job I didn't have an airlock, four weeks ago I didn't turn my controller off and did the same manoeuvre and had an airlock which I sorted in seconds

 

[PC]

Had a flat tank for over 18 years. Yes used to occasionally get airlocks. But I have an upright now and still occasionally get an airlock. No idea why but I stopped worrying about it a long time ago as I can clear any airlock in seconds. Usually my airlocks are first thing in the morning when I’ve had a decent drive. Never seem to get an airlock during the day!
I regularly ran the tank down to barely covering the outlet.

 

[Chris Ashurst]

Guesswork and sticking my head in to have a look with the torch on my phone, I have had 400ltr flat tank in years gone by a 350ltr upright and now 425ltr Facelift tank, airlocks are manageable and they'll happen with a upright tank or a flat tank but it's usually only towards the end of a work day and if driving over 1/2 mile to another job up and down inclines

Yesterday I was parked at the bottom of a small hill, I had to drive up it then so far down another one just around the corner and reverse onto a customers' drive, I turned the controller off before I drove my van when I started the next job I didn't have an airlock, four weeks ago I didn't turn my controller off and did the same manoeuvre and had an airlock which I sorted in seconds

How have you found the pump on your Facelift system? I do like the look of the system but the reviews are not great regarding the pump on the 325L version. I'm presuming the pump on the 425L is the same.

 

[Iron Giant]

How have you found the pump on your Facelift system? I do like the look of the system but the reviews are not great regarding the pump on the 325L version. I'm presuming the pump on the 425L is the same.

I'd ignore the reviews, they don't provide enough content in them last I looked there was about 3 reviews, not many reviews at all across the board on wfp suppliers supply systems.

You need to weigh up all the answers you have been provided with across your threads and make your own judgement, no one can make it for you.