Pencils Vs Fan Jets

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

I am also on the standard Gardiner fans and also have some brass with blue tips from TCW. I have never gotten on with Pencils and honestly found that pencils burn more water.

I run my pumps high 70 but find I still use less water than lads working the same areas as I.

It could also be down to technique. I see some lads rinsing for about 5 times longer as it's what they've been taught, may have something to do with it.

Anyhow I am a lover of fans and wont change.

 

[Poles Apart]

I mainly use gardiner fan jets, I think they might rinse better on hydrophobic glass, just because they spread the water wider, but Im no expert, I like the jets on hydrophilic. Dont know about how much water I use,I have one massive house, that has the highest hydrophobic glass, nasty, I use about 150 litres anyway for £70. I use fan jets on that.

I don't understand this logic I would have thought you would need jets on Phobic?

 

[Marko067]

I don't really see a difference between the two when scrubbing. However, in my experience, good fans combined with good flow rate (80% on my setup) excell when rinsing off the glass especially hydrophobic glass.

I find pencils perform quite poorly on hydrophobic glass if you're rinsing off the glass. The water bounces off the glass before it spreads out to form the 'wave' that washes off the loosened dirt. I can rinse so much quicker with good fans especially on downstairs work.

 

[windowsurfer]

I don't understand this logic I would have thought you would need jets on Phobic?

In my head your aim is to cascade the water down the glass, in my view pencil jets just hit the glass on a very small area, then the water flys down the window, even though you wag the pole about. Where using fans your covering more surface area at the same time. In my opinion hydrophobic glass is certainly the hardest to rinse n requires more water, but I'm no expert.

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[Marko067]

The water does spread out quite well from say 2 or 3mm pencils on hydrophilic glass but tends to fly off hydrophobic glass before forming that 'wave.'

I know quite a few have said they prefer cleaning the former but I quite enjoy, even prefer cleaning the hydrophobic glass with my fans.

 

[Dave B]

I also like cleaning phobic glass

The dirt seems to come off easier while scrubbing as it doesn't want the dirty water on it

 

[trevor peacock]

please explain hydrophobic and hydrophilic to an uneducated fool!!!

Also, I've got gardiner fans, they don't really " fan " unless i turn the pressure right up but then i use loads of water, so it's jets from fans for me!!!

I've got this and have the pressure set at 15, anyone else got this or use this controller?

If so what pressure do you set it at?

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[Dave B]

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[jason1965]

I think ref to fan or pencil jets its each to there own, i started off with pencil jets but the last 5 years always had fan jets, i use gardiner brushes, but i find there fan jets a rubbish and very flimsy, so i drilled some bigger holes and fitted some blue jets i got from wcw, i have my controller on 35 and the water flows really good, One thing i would say, i have two pumps in my van one from shurflo and one of the wcw both 100psi, and the shurflo pump is so much better, i get a different flow rate depending on what pump i use, to get the same flow rate from the wcw pump i have to turn it up to 40/45, which leaves me with the conclusion, that wcw pumps and just very average and you get what you pay for. I will always buy shurflo now.

 

[Marko067]

please explain hydrophobic and hydrophilic to an uneducated fool!!!Also, I've got gardiner fans, they don't really " fan " unless i turn the pressure right up but then i use loads of water, so it's jets from fans for me!!!

I've got this and have the pressure set at 15, anyone else got this or use this controller?

If so what pressure do you set it at?

View attachment 12654

I did have exactly that combo on my PF trolley. When you say pressure are you talking about the CAL (calibration) setting or flow rate. If you're talking about flow rate i always had mine set at 50 or over. Anything under that and it was too slow for me. At 15 I would have found it near impossible to rinse as the water was not much more than dribbling out.

 

[Marko067]

I think ref to fan or pencil jets its each to there own, i started off with pencil jets but the last 5 years always had fan jets, i use gardiner brushes, but i find there fan jets a rubbish and very flimsy, so i drilled some bigger holes and fitted some blue jets i got from wcw.

I agree with this. I avoided fans like the plague for a number of years due to all the negative comments about them, the Gardiner ones always getting the worst reviews it seemed. Then decided it was about time I made my own mind up about them. I tried several different ones and found my favourites to be the Gardiner's red ones. I run them at a high flow rate, but due to the speed at which I can work, get through much less water than with pencils.

I'd say to anyone, try them and experiment with different flow rates. You may be surprised.

 

[dredge3]

Used them all over the years.I used to switch every month until I set on fans.

I use Gardiner red fans. I run them on full and work very fast. Rinse on the glass. If I rinsed off the glass, I think it would be pencils.

If you run them at a lower rate, they don't fan much anyway

 

[Damo]

At the end o the day...tbe amount o water that comes out o your brush depends o your pump pressure...it the same no mata wot jet...pyt one of each on ya brush n be the same...it just gives 1 jet n 1 spray...same as pissin standin up or sittin down...same effect

Thats wrong because if you read my first post.....

"I measured the flow today and the fan jets used more water per minute than the pencils"

 

[dredge3]

Thats wrong because if you read my first post.....
"I measured the flow today and the fan jets used more water per minute than the pencils"

I use way less using fans.

If its a new clean where I am scrubbing away for ages, I use way more

 

[bob duff]

I prefer fan jet have not noticed any difference in water usage my son prefers pencil each to there own sure water and filters not that expensive

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[trevor peacock]

I've been using poles for about 12 years, I'm self taught and always have the pressure about the same ( 15 on my shurflo pump, very low compared to Jason! ) that's probably why my fans don't fan !!!

But I've always found 15 ok, I do 4 or 5 hours a day. earn about £200 and use about 250 - 300 litres a day.

I've rarely lost a customer and don't get complaints so I assume I'm doing a good job.

What sort of pressure do the rest of you use? ( though the controllers must vary, mine's a pure freedom, see above. )

 

[Marko067]

I've been using poles for about 12 years, I'm self taught and always have the pressure about the same ( 15 on my shurflo pump, very low compared to Jason! ) that's probably why my fans don't fan !!!But I've always found 15 ok, I do 4 or 5 hours a day. earn about £200 and use about 250 - 300 litres a day.

I've rarely lost a customer and don't get complaints so I assume I'm doing a good job.

What sort of pressure do the rest of you use? ( though the controllers must vary, mine's a pure freedom, see above. )

That's interesting. I run my 5ltr/min pump at 80% of full flow. I normally do 4hrs in the morning and about 2 in the afternoon, and use between 200 and 250 ltrs to clean 25-30 properties, mainly houses. As they are almost all terraced and close to each other, travelling time is next to nil.

I think it really is about finding what works best for you with the equipment you have, and no one way is right so long as we're keeping our customers happy

 

[TerryNorfolk]

I know this has been done to death but i wanted to check something....

I have been told by many cleaners that using fan jets uses less water and is quicker rinsing!

I measured the flow today and the fan jets used more water per minute than the pencils.

Pencils were set a lower flow but the fans were set to what i thought is the lowest setting i could use.

I would say rinsing was faster and easier but at a cost of more water!!!

Any input.........

I watched a competitor cleaner on my neighbours house (cheeky), he was using fans and had the rinse about 2ft away, is this normal for fans?

 

[Marko067]

I watched a competitor cleaner on my neighbours house (cheeky), he was using fans and had the rinse about 2ft away, is this normal for fans?

In my experience, rinsing with fans works best with the brush on the glass or just off the glass. Otherwise you risk leaving bits on the glass.

I'm not saying it can't be done, it's just hardly ever worked for me.

 

[Mattymarske]

I watched a competitor cleaner on my neighbours house (cheeky), he was using fans and had the rinse about 2ft away, is this normal for fans?

About 4.-6 inches off the glass with my red fans set on 60-65 on my facelift controller. 2ft away would just be like heavy mizzle on the glass

 

[Mattymarske]

Thought my supreme flocked from November 2023 wasn't too worn but just received a new one and you can see the difference. Thought I'd try a Dupont as well. 100° fans on the old supreme and back to 50°s on the new brushes.

The stock hasn't worn much in 13 months as I use a brush bumper that needs replacing every 2-3 months roughly. Peace of mind for any possible scrapes on sills.