Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Decent submersible pumps?

1

1217

Hi all. 

I have a Clarke CSE400A pump and it is taking about 20 minutes to fill the 500 litre van tank. 

I can only park the van on double yellows in front of a garage each evening and parking is a nightmare anyway so I really need to speed up this process. The water needs to be pumped down about 25 metres of 3/4 inch hose so I am looking for a decent powered new pump that will knock out 500 litres down that much hose in better time.

Any recommendations out there?

Many thanks.

 
Last edited:
Hi all. 

I'm not sure the make and model of the submersible pump I have in my IBC currently (took a photo of the details but lost the photos and its now sealed up) but what I do know is it is taking about 20 minutes to fill the 500 litre van tank. 

I can only park the van on double yellows in front of a garage each evening and parking is a nightmare anyway so I really need to speed up this process. The water needs to be pumped down about 25 metres of 3/4 inch hose so I am looking for a decent powered new pump that will knock out 500 litres down that much hose in better time.

Any recommendations out there?

Many thanks.


The problem is the size of the hose and not the abilities of the submersible pump imho.

I have 1" transfer hose and an external pump. The specs of the pump has a 40lpm delivery rate. Even so it can take 10 to 15 minutes to fill my tank from empty (one of the reasons why I go off and forget the system is filling. It pretty painful standing outside in the dark of winter with a cup of coffee going cold 'watching paint dry.') Water comes out of that pretty fast, but even so, it takes a while to fill my 650 liter tank in the van. One of the local lads filled his tank at our house once when he was moving and 'complained' how slow it was as his submersible pumps quicker.

At the same water pressure a 1" hose will delivery 60% more water flow than the 3/4" hose will. Also you have to consider the water temperature will alter flow rates considerably as the water's viscosity changes as it gets colder - water at 0 degrees is a solid.

The cheap Titan subpump in Screwfix will deliver 200lpm. I'm guessing that is free flow not connected to a pipe.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb499pmp-550w-automatic-dirty-clean-water-pump-240v/81341?tc=BT8&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8_Dkgd611gIVorvtCh2RHghREAYYASABEgJLhPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CMq6wYjetdYCFc3HUQod-k4Djg#product_additional_details_container

You have to cut the hose nipple on the pump to suit your hose size. Leaving the piece for the smaller hose on the nipple will restrict flow and the pumps performance.

.

 
The problem is the size of the hose and not the abilities of the submersible pump imho.

I have 1" transfer hose and an external pump. The specs of the pump has a 40lpm delivery rate. Even so it can take 10 to 15 minutes to fill my tank from empty (one of the reasons why I go off and forget the system is filling. It pretty painful standing outside in the dark of winter with a cup of coffee going cold 'watching paint dry.') Water comes out of that pretty fast, but even so, it takes a while to fill my 650 liter tank in the van. One of the local lads filled his tank at our house once when he was moving and 'complained' how slow it was as his submersible pumps quicker.

At the same water pressure a 1" hose will delivery 60% more water flow than the 3/4" hose will. Also you have to consider the water temperature will alter flow rates considerably as the water's viscosity changes as it gets colder - water at 0 degrees is a solid.

The cheap Titan subpump in Screwfix will deliver 200lpm. I'm guessing that is free flow not connected to a pipe.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb499pmp-550w-automatic-dirty-clean-water-pump-240v/81341?tc=BT8&ds_rl=1245250&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8_Dkgd611gIVorvtCh2RHghREAYYASABEgJLhPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CMq6wYjetdYCFc3HUQod-k4Djg#product_additional_details_container

You have to cut the hose nipple on the pump to suit your hose size. Leaving the piece for the smaller hose on the nipple will restrict flow and the pumps performance.

.
Cheers buddy

I have just opened the tank up and it is a Clarke CSE400A which is rated at 115 LPM so I think you are correct. That is a lot more LPM than yours is and yet it takes me longer to fill 500 litre tank. I am using 3/4 inch hose and the water probably has to travel further than yours to the van. 

It really is a nightmare where I am to even get parked anywhere near and when I can it is right in front of someones garage (and tey always turn up when I start filling!!!!) so I would really like to shave filling time down to a minimum. Maybe a 200 LPM pump coupled with a 1 inch hose is the way forward.  Like you say, now winter is approaching the job is made all that more unbearable. 

 
Cheers buddy

I have just opened the tank up and it is a Clarke CSE400A which is rated at 115 LPM so I think you are correct. That is a lot more LPM than yours is and yet it takes me longer to fill 500 litre tank. I am using 3/4 inch hose and the water probably has to travel further than yours to the van. 

It really is a nightmare where I am to even get parked anywhere near and when I can it is right in front of someones garage (and tey always turn up when I start filling!!!!) so I would really like to shave filling time down to a minimum. Maybe a 200 LPM pump coupled with a 1 inch hose is the way forward.  Like you say, now winter is approaching the job is made all that more unbearable. 


:1f602: Someone's law. My hose is 18 meters and I can join it with another piece to take it to the road. The longer the hose the lower the flow rate out the end.

Unfortunately, the bigger the hose is the more unmanagable it becomes coiling it up to put it away.

 
I have a one inch hose x 10 meters that fills my 400ltr tank in about 3-4 mins in summer not yet tried in winter, there is the option as spruce pointed out to cut the outlet to make it bigger, mine has the option to go as big as 1.5 inches and would probably half my filling time I think from memory mine is 200ltr/min pump. let us know how it works out.

 
Back
Top