Univalve +

[spruce]

This has just been my experience with the Univalve.

I purchased a repair kit on the 22/2/2022, and it cost me £15 + VAT. I just found the invoice.
I fitted it to my son's pole shortly afterwards, and put the old stuff I took out of his pole back into spares stock, as I could find nothing wrong with it. So for him, his Univalve is still working fine after approx 15 months.

The original spring I took out had no evidence of rust on it. I don't know what the replacement kit spring looks like, but it's working fine as I recently used his pole.
My son moans about the brush not being as stiff as the one he had previously, and he moans about the clamps slipping, but he doesn't adjust the clamps. This is why I just ignore him now.

He is using the orange hose that came from Exceed many years ago. I've still got the same orange hose on my 40' pole.

I have Gardiner's PU hose on my SLX27, but I find it a bit stretchy in winter when using hot water with my current Univalve. I swap the PU hose for a length of red Exceed hose when regularly using hot. I've had that red hose for years and have used it since it was first released by Exceed.

Personally, I felt the exchange between Steve and @Skxawng was unnecessary, but I also appreciate that Steve is very protective of his products, perhaps overly so, and doesn't welcome criticism with open arms. Personally, I think it's important for a manufacturer of any product to listen to the end user and make improvement adjustments where possible without becoming emotionally involved and taking negative comments as a personal attack.

I haven't looked at Univalves on his website for a long time, as I have never needed to, so I honestly didn't know he had a Univalve+. This is how far out of touch I am. I still have a spare Univalve in my spares box. So maybe my current supply will outlast me.

 

[Iron Giant]

@Iron Giant have you tried his new tuff connect? Tuff Connect | Rootek-Designs

They are amazing.

Going back to the original question as far as I know it's just the springs that are different, I think the washers are just the same as it still doesn't recommend any chemicals

No, as I like to use an inline tap

 

[Pjj]

Anyone paying £55-80 for a univalve needs there head examined, I could easily afford it but wouldn’t pay that on principal , tried one years ago and it lasted around 6-8 month’s absolute rubbish never got a reply from Steve very poor customer service .

 

[CHWS]

The Univalve is a fantastic invention, one of the best things I've bought so props to Steve for inventing it. There was a bit of awkwardness when I started selling spare springs an o clips (which I only started because I don't like throwing things away if they can be fixed) but since then he's released a repair kit of his own and has an option for a non corroding spring now so it's worked out well.
I think competition and improved equipment will benefit all of us.

@P4dstar Yep I noticed window cleaning warehouse is selling a very similar protector cover to me and have no problem with it, it's the obvious solution to protecting your couplers.
I'm not a competitor to the big producers as I can't compete on price and scale as I'm primarily using 3D printing rather than injection moulding but I'm working on it ? View attachment 28962View attachment 28963

Did you ever get round to making one to cover the pole hose to reel hose ? Just for covering a straight Barb with o clips

 

[Skxawng]

Did you ever get round to making one to cover the pole hose to reel hose ? Just for covering a straight Barb with o clips

Not yet. It's on my to do list ?

 

[CHWS]

Not yet. It's on my to do list ?

? no probs mate , don’t forget to tag me when you get them

 

[Skxawng]

Anyone paying £55-80 for a univalve needs there head examined, I could easily afford it but wouldn’t pay that on principal , tried one years ago and it lasted around 6-8 month’s absolute rubbish never got a reply from Steve very poor customer service .

You can get them for £41 on eBay now so not quite as bad, but you'd definitely want it to last a decent amount of time.

 

[P4dstar]

I have one of the WCW ones. I bought it to see if it would fit between the Grippa rollers on my reel. Yours are better. Let's be honest, after 5 mins of use they wouldn't look far different.

 

[Skxawng]

I have one of the WCW ones. I bought it to see if it would fit between the Grippa rollers on my reel. Yours are better. Let's be honest, after 5 mins of use they wouldn't look far different.

They do have a nice glossy shine compared to mine.. What are they made of btw? Are they rigid or semi-flexible?

 

[P4dstar]

They do have a nice glossy shine compared to mine.. What are they made of btw? Are they rigid or semi-flexible?

They're rigid but thinner than yours if I remember correctly. It didn't fit through the roller so it was removed pretty quickly. The only one I ever found that would fit through the roller guide was your 'Tuff Connect' one. The roller guide isn't an issue anymore though as we've moved to Reelmasters on all three vans.

 

[Cleanco]

I'm not sure how a univalve can be made to a lower standard.

The spring and o rings are the only 'consumables' and are outsourced. How many compressions should a spring last for? How long must a univalve last for before we are happy to replace it? Or do we now expect it to last forever? These are questions I often ask myself.

Honestly, I have never replaced a spring or o rings. I've had the small one come off once. That's it. I open it up once in a while and lubricate the spring and the large o ring with silicone grease and put it back into service.

I did put a service kit in my son's pole as he was moaning about it not shutting off. He didn't know I did this and he just continued moaning afterwards so I ignored him.

Over the years Steve has taken a lot of flack from users. The thing is that Steve takes many of the negative comments made too personally and over reacts to internet trolls. Facebook is full of posters who are just there to see what reaction they get to a post they have made.

Steve also gets over protective if he feels his products are being threatened. That's the way he is.

It started back in the Aquadapter days when users complained about the extra weight of the unit. He kept redesigning it to reduce weight, but the complaints kept coming. I never understood what the problem was. I never had an issue with it weight wise. If weight was an issue then fitting a lighter brush would have compensated.

I originally had a tap on the pole hose. I often dragged the tap on the ground as I couldn't hold it a clean windows at the same time. When the Aquadapter was first advertised it was the best thing since sliced bread for me. I still have a working Aquadapter on one of the poles on the van and tbh, it's easier to operate than the univalve is. The Aquadapter was a real water saving device and paid for itself many times over as does the univalve.

I've communicated with Steve often over the years and have always been in awe of his design capabilities. He has always come across as a nice guy to me.

Cost wise, the univalve cost about half the price of an Aquadapter when first launched and is more durable and trouble free. Just consider all the issues Gardiners have had with the Aquatap redesign from Peter Fogwill.

Aquadapter, now that takes me back.

 

[Mattlekim]

They're rigid but thinner than yours if I remember correctly. It didn't fit through the roller so it was removed pretty quickly. The only one I ever found that would fit through the roller guide was your 'Tuff Connect' one. The roller guide isn't an issue anymore though as we've moved to Reelmasters on all three vans.

That's interesting I wouldn't be surprised if they don't take as much hammer as @Skxawng I think are a flexible plastic so it can be driven over without cracking

 

[THL4KEL]

With Gardiner's new goosenecks where the hose connects on the bottom of the goose neck which stops a o ring above being able to hold the hose in place when it's pulled does the univalve disconnect after a while?

 

[Skxawng]

With Gardiner's new goosenecks where the hose connects on the bottom of the goose neck which stops a o ring above being able to hold the hose in place when it's pulled does the univalve disconnect after a while?

With the new goosenecks, they don't need an o ring or hose stop or anything else to hold the hose in place. They're ideal for Univalves.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Couldn’t agree more they used to be great but the quality as gone down hill big time have had them fail after a Week or so the quality is ***** now exceed now this as well as YouTuber but they can’t tell the truth.
understand exceed need to earn money but in my opinion the quality is craap and makes sense for them to sell 4xmore = 4x the profit selling bad quality products Just my thoughts I know lots of window cleaners and all same the same.

I have one on all my poles and 3 spare univalves. Never had a problem maybe just luck. Even use one for softwashing but always rinse with tap water at the end.

 

[Armistead Cleaning]

With the new goosenecks, they don't need an o ring or hose stop or anything else to hold the hose in place. They're ideal for Univalves.

Gardiner website says their pole hoses should not be used with Univalves. Have you had any problems with them?

 

[spruce]

Gardiner website says their pole hoses should not be used with Univalves. Have you had any problems with them?

I haven't using their green pu hose. But it does become a bit more stretchy when using hot. That's possibly why Alex put that clause in.
So you use his hose with a univalve at your risk.

 

[Skxawng]

Gardiner website says their pole hoses should not be used with Univalves. Have you had any problems with them?

I think they're just covering themselves. As a general rule, the more rigid the pole hose, the better for Univalves, so I can see that the ultra flexible ones may not be the best but they do still work. The hot water PU hose is probably best for not stretching when activating your Univalve.

 

[ched999uk]

I use the green PU hose with univalves and it works perfect - no issues at all. I use cold water.

 

[Den]

I use the green PU hose with univalves and it works perfect - no issues at all. I use cold water.

Also good with warm/hot water used it for years ?

 

[tench0771]

if your univalve stars playing up just take it apart and clean re grease and put back togther they with last ages ive only had a few springs brake they just need reguler maintance