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Hindsight - LPG Hot Water - Controversial.

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My Fiat Ducato doesn't need Adblue, one of the reasons I bought it.
Funny how time changes things. A few years ago we stayed away from vans with DPF filters - now we just accept them as technology has improved.

I haven't heard about Adblue woes but like the 1.6hdi engine, it will be sorted in time. Then it will be something else.

 
I was just watching South Main Garage on Youtube doing an injector repair on a 1989 Chev Corvette @dmw. Fuel injection began in American cars around 1987. Eric's dad also owns a garage. Eric recalls when he first started in the motor trade as an apprentice mechanic fuel injection was the best thing since sliced bread and the youngsters were all excited about it.

However his dad's generation felt totally the opposite. They panicked when GM started to replace Carburetors with fuel injection. I had a good smile when he said this.

I had 2 vehicles to choose from back in 1988 in South Africa. Do I buy a brand new 2.0 litre Ford Sierra or a 1.8 VW Jetta? I preferred the Jetta but opted for the Sierra as it still had a Webber carburetor. Funny enough, the Ford had electronic ignition but that didn't bother me as the technology was already proven. Little did I know that fuel injection was the way forward.

My Fiat Ducato doesn't need Adblue, one of the reasons I bought it.


Does yours have the 2.2 Hdi rebadged Ford engine or the 2.3 Iveco engine @Part Timer?

 
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I was just watching South Main Garage on Youtube doing an injector repair on a 1989 Chev Corvette @dmw. Fuel injection began in American cars around 1987. Eric's dad also owns a garage. Eric recalls when he first started in the motor trade as an apprentice mechanic fuel injection was the best thing since sliced bread and the youngsters were all excited about it.

However his dad's generation felt totally the opposite. They panicked when GM started to replace Carburetors with fuel injection. I had a good smile when he said this.

I had 2 vehicles to choose from back in 1988 in South Africa. Do I buy a brand new 2.0 litre Ford Sierra or a 1.8 VW Jetta? I preferred the Jetta but opted for the Sierra as it still had a Webber carburetor. Funny enough, the Ford had electronic ignition but that didn't bother me as the technology was already proven. Little did I know that fuel injection was the way forward.

Does yours have the 2.2 Hdi rebadged Ford engine or the 2.3 Iveco engine @Part Timer?
Interestingly I had a 1500 or 1600 1982 model Jetta in the late Eighties, it was a carb model with those rubbish fabric/ plastic fuel lines and guess what, on my way home from work one of the pipes must have been perished and managed to pour petrol over the engine and combust. I was out of that car pretty rapid I can tell you. It melted most of the plastics in the engine bay and  left me a blistered bonnet.

I did get it repaired, but lost faith and flogged it a few months later. Now thankfully they don't use such poor materials. I think this may have been a common problem at the time.

 
i know several window cleaners who ve got 2kw immersion set ups and insulated tanks and even when they leave them on all night their water is never more than warm,even less after 5 hours work and its gone through 100m hose,great for frost protection in the winter months though....so yes im calling your a liar on a public forum....?
Your welcome to try and put your hand into the water in my tank. Even after 5 hours work. I'm three minutes away from Ionic.

 
Your welcome to try and put your hand into the water in my tank. Even after 5 hours work. I'm three minutes away from Ionic.
thats not what you said though.....you said you cant put your hand in front of your brush even late in the day because the water is too hot.....i dont believe you....you simply cant get them sort of temperatures with a 2kw immersion...if you could everyone would be doing it....

 
thats not what you said though.....you said you cant put your hand in front of your brush even late in the day because the water is too hot.....i dont believe you....you simply cant get them sort of temperatures with a 2kw immersion...if you could everyone would be doing it....
You're welcome to put your hand under the brush after 4 or five hours. We generally work five or six hours.

 
Why do u need it so hot. My boiler at home is set to 49 degrees and that's to hot for bare skin. 

My lpg set up is set at about 35 out of the brush. That's enough. I only use lpg when really needed. Once it gets above minus I'll switch it off. 

 
Why do u need it so hot. My boiler at home is set to 49 degrees and that's to hot for bare skin. 

My lpg set up is set at about 35 out of the brush. That's enough. I only use lpg when really needed. Once it gets above minus I'll switch it off. 




Due to heat loss in the hose the hotter it is the better we run ours flat out and fund it gives much quicker cleaning especially this time of year , also removes dirt from cladding and commercial buildings easier /quicker , time is money so you also earn more , we regularly use water at 65 + degrees on glass this makes cleaning so much quicker than when it’s 35-40 although evan that will help quite dramatically with the clean any heat is going to help , but that’s my findings after using hot for 5+ years 

 
Why do u need it so hot. My boiler at home is set to 49 degrees and that's to hot for bare skin. 

My lpg set up is set at about 35 out of the brush. That's enough. I only use lpg when really needed. Once it gets above minus I'll switch it off. 
Once the heated water leaves the hot water storage system which is 60c in the tank in my case, it will start to lose heat and will continue to do so through the pumps and hoses and until it has left the brush and indeed the window. I would think it would be the same once it leaves a boiler though I have no personal experience with boilers.

The cooling factors are many : insulation levels, air temperature, ground temperature, amount of hose pulled out, distance and time between jobs. So some loss of heat is inevitable. I'm willing to be corrected if I'm wrong. If  it's done right you can still have a good temperature at the brush

I aim for not just a water heat but also a heat soak. That is I don't just get the thermostat to temperature and switch off. I want it to cut in and out overnight to allow the heat to soak into the low corners of the tank so all the water is as hot as possible not just the water that is level with and above the thermostat. This is the same with a domestic immersion tank which will be hot in the upper levels fairly rapidly but it takes a lot more time, and so, more energy to heat the tank from top to bottom.

Heated water is probably not essential but I use it throughout the year as I believe it is quicker overall when you take into account the suppleness of the hoses and the way it seems to be better for dealing with spider and bird poo. For us, it seems to make us more able to fly through the work.

A final thought my son and I have seen customers looking out through their windows watching the steam. And we've heard some telling visitors that we use heated water to clean their windows. . ?

 
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So I'm confused lads 

Could someone explain the different ways to heat the water, its very interesting an appealing in this cold weather ?

 
I suggest that you do some thorough research on this forum.  Read this thread from start to finish. Then if you want, use the search facility at the top of the page. It has been discussed to death.

I use a 2kw immersion with great success although, apparently according to one guy it can't be done. Others prefer diesel or gas boilers. Each to their own and rightly so.

.

Good luck ??

 
So I'm confused lads 

Could someone explain the different ways to heat the water, its very interesting an appealing in this cold weather ?




Some use an immersion heater 

some use an lpg shower type gas on demand heater

Some use a 5 or 9 kw diesel fired boiler to heat water .

in my opinion diesel is the best and safest way to do it but it’s not cheap to buy or run 

immersion heater is the cheapest to buy and run 

lpg  can be a dangerous experience and getting insurance is very hard , you arnt aloud to have the boiler running whilst driving between jobs .

choice is yours .

 
I suggest that you do some thorough research on this forum.  Read this thread from start to finish. Then if you want, use the search facility at the top of the page. It has been discussed to death.

I use a 2kw immersion with great success although, apparently according to one guy it can't be done. Others prefer diesel or gas boilers. Each to their own and rightly so.

.

Good luck ??
Thank you bud

Some use an immersion heater 

some use an lpg shower type gas on demand heater

Some use a 5 or 9 kw diesel fired boiler to heat water .

in my opinion diesel is the best and safest way to do it but it’s not cheap to buy or run 

immersion heater is the cheapest to buy and run 

lpg  can be a dangerous experience and getting insurance is very hard , you arnt aloud to have the boiler running whilst driving between jobs .

choice is yours .
Thank you bud, could you point me in the direction of a decent immersion heater thanks

So I would need a power source way the immersion extension to van?? 

 
Thank you bud

Thank you bud, could you point me in the direction of a decent immersion heater thanks

So I would need a power source way the immersion extension to van?? 
I think mine is the one from One Stop Bio shop. Google it. ?

I can't remember whether it was supplied with the short cable to plug in. Two cables are required : an extension lead from your power socket to the van and one from the Immersion to the plug that goes into the extension lead. Mine meet just inside the back doors of the van. So I can plug in without getting in the van and without fitting a caravan electric point. I just close the door rubber gently over the extension cable. I made my own 13 amp extension cable as most of the cheaper ready-made cables are only rated 10 amps. I put a double socket on the van end. I fitted an outdoor socket to the front of my garage to plug the cable into when I've backed the van in. Squeeky Clean Dave has a very good video on YouTube.

Make sure to get 2kw as 3kw is too much load on an ordinary socket and is unnecessary.

 
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Regarding boiler running when driving. Once u dead end the brush the boilers turn off. So when working and dead ending the boilers go on and off all the time. If u dead end to much the pipes cool down. If I want I can crank it right up to about 70 degrees. 

Worked great last week on 2 houses that had roofs cleaned and the spray from the anti moss had covered the windows and dried hard and nasty. Reckon one more hot clean and they be perfect. Customers where distraught about their glass and made up after we hot washed them. After those houses I turned off the boilers as it was 8 degrees here. 

When I was trad we only ever had a hot bucket when it was minus. 

One thing to consider with immersion tank is if kept warm all the time diseases can grow in warm water. But I assume 60 degrees will kill most bugs.  

 
I think mine is the one from One Stop Bio shop. Google it. ?

I can't remember whether it was supplied with the short cable to plug in. Two cables are required : an extension lead from your power socket to the van and one from the Immersion to the plug that goes into the extension lead. Mine meet just inside the back doors of the van. So I can plug in without getting in the van and without fitting a caravan electric point. I just close the door rubber gently over the extension cable. I made my own 13 amp extension cable as most of the cheaper ready-made cables are only rated 10 amps. I put a double socket on the van end. I fitted an outdoor socket to the front of my garage to plug the cable into when I've backed the van in. Squeeky Clean Dave has a very good video on YouTube.
Thank you an I will give it a check now goodman

 
Thank you bud

Thank you bud, could you point me in the direction of a decent immersion heater thanks

So I would need a power source way the immersion extension to van?? 




If you wanted information on a diesel one Ime your man ??? I haven’t used or got an immersion one but know if it’s above 2 kw you  will need a 16 amp supply and armoured  cable I think @spruce may be able to advise you better than me or an electrician, most seam to use either a 2 or 3 kw I doubt you would get water as hot as a diesel heater will give you but it’s a good ideal fir preventing freezing and keeping hoses supple during winter months 

 
Regarding the comment about disease in warm water, think this would be a problem if the water was never changed,but we use the water on a daily basis.

Problem might occur if you dont use all the water n disease(legionaires) is growing in the warm conditions.

I think you caould fit a UV light that kills disease.

I have the 2kw fitted,so interested in thoughts on this matter. 

 
The problem with electricity is that it will keep going up in price unless the Gov caps it. You might not believe this but most of the leaky companies are heading for bankruptcy because of solar panels. I pay £45 a month on energy but get back £1500 as a solar panel feed in tariff. Electricity companies have only two choices if they want to stay afloat. One is to raise prices each year but I think the UK Gov has frozen that idea. The other choice they have is to close Headquarters and pay off thousands of office workers which was the choice of NPower recently. The UK Car Industry is in exactly the same situation, electric cars are killing them. How do you service an electric car? You don't, all you do is change the tyres, so the head of Audi told me. See the nuggets of information one picks up when cleaning a customer's windows, that's what I like about this job.

 

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