What size tank suitable for a VW Caddy? ?

[JEM]

@JEM I have a Peugeot bipper with a 350L tank in it. Good things about it is its fairly cheap for a smart looking van. Parking, maneuvering and fuel consumption are fantastic, everything is within arms reach, you don't have room for junk or for it to be messy. Bad things are the payload does get eaten up very quickly, and about 2 or 3 days a month I'll need to refill during the day, those are the days I only stop for 4 coffee breaks instead of my usual 6. Also, you can't expand to a 2man. Next van will be bigger, but I'm not in a rush to change it, it can carry everything i need for a 1-man window cleaning system. 

@CMcBWhat tank is it you have?

I agree about not having the space to just end up taking things you don't need. At the moment i take out with me my barrels for the day. A trad bucket with lid i bought that has two spare brushes for soffits and facias, slx 27 with extension no7 for 3 storey skylights, my 50mtr hose reel and my toolbox delivery system, a box that has tools for hose repairs and spare bits, and sometimes for a job where i need to get up on top of a extension a aluminium fold up ladder. That's it. 

Anyone that has had a Nemo from what i've read has said it's a great little van for what size it is.

@Apw1210That photo of the poles isn't my set up it was from a Youtube video of someone with a nemo. I can get my SLX27 in between the doors and the bullhead from corner to corner, but will if i go the fully kitted out system i will use the drainage pipes hanging from the roof.

I think this video is from a member on here. a good little walkaround of the Nemo kitted out.

 

[CMcB]

350 upright wydale tank. Its in a frame and bolted in. I also carry 2 poles with me slx-22, slx-30. They go through the bulkhead, down the middle, above head height. And I keep trad gear and a telescopic ladder for occasional use.

It is a great little van! Definitely capable for the job, but I can understand why it wouldn't be suitable for someone wanting to grow into large commercial cleaning or have an employee. 

 

[JEM]

I will check them out, Did you just add a control panel pump and charging yourself

Yeah that's the thing i know i wouldn't outgrow the van for the next few yrs if at all and even then I'm not trying to grow an empire or employ people ect. With my calculations 10 houses a day would be a push 15 would be my max for me with the type of houses i do. Also I'm only at 1/4 of the customer base I'd like at, I hope as I get busier that will increase exponentially as I'm out more and get noticed 

 

[CMcB]

I dont know how new you are to window cleaning but I did speed up a lot over the years so you may be surprised at how many houses you will be able to do in a day. Of course you know your ability best. 

The pump is on the frame next to the battery. I take the battery out to recharge it. It sits on the flat wheel arch. The reel is a compact grippareel. Good for putting a plate of biscuits on

Here's a photo 

 

[JEM]

I'm about 9 months in but because i don't have 200 customers i can take my time i guess because i'm only doing on average 4 houses a day, as i spread them out over the week.

I really like that set up the tank hardly takes any room. I removed the top half of the wire bulkhead as i needed to get my 12ft rods in the van and they are 6ft broken down.

I noticed your spare wheel is in the van i recently bought a new undervan cable winch for the spare wheel as the one on the van never worked but thought it was about time 7rys that I'd get it replaced.

Yeah that reel has room for biscuits and lunch i recon. You have a filter system also, I'm just using spotless water at the moment, the water where i am is really hard so i would probably need a multistage filter set up.

Nice set up though with plenty of room still. If i go with that tank you have i will have to pick your brains on it ?

 

[ched999uk]

I dont know how new you are to window cleaning but I did speed up a lot over the years so you may be surprised at how many houses you will be able to do in a day. Of course you know your ability best. 

The pump is on the frame next to the battery. I take the battery out to recharge it. It sits on the flat wheel arch. The reel is a compact grippareel. Good for putting a plate of biscuits on

Here's a photo View attachment 25761

That looks perfect. Great to see a 350lts tank and kit in a small van. Still seems like room for a small gutter vac on occasions. I especially like that you have fitted through the floor rollers as I don't fancy leaving van doors unlocked. Great compact installation, thanks for posting the picy.

 

[tench0771]

I think its better to have a bigger van vivaro dispatch size van as you may get gutter vac pressure washer ect always nice to have that extra space ive got a lwb vivaro ide never go back to small van 

 

[CMcB]

Nice set up though with plenty of room still. If i go with that tank you have i will have to pick your brains on it ?

No problem, let me know

 

[ched999uk]

I think its better to have a bigger van vivaro dispatch size van as you may get gutter vac pressure washer ect always nice to have that extra space ive got a lwb vivaro ide never go back to small van 

It is a bit of a dilemma, I agree that a bigger van means more flexibility but if I don't need the gutter vac/PW then I am lugging round a bigger heavier less economical van for nothing. 

I am not intending working flat out as we live quite frugally and have paid off our mortgage so outgoing are low. I am not intending to buy a van till April so by then I will have going for about 10 months and will have a better idea on addons. It's a bit tricky as customers asking about gutter clear outs or PW will be a low rate but marketing those services to existing custy would probably yield more results. After 4 months I am inclined to just stick with window cleaning but conny roofs, gutter vac and PW are possibilities. 

 

[Pjj]

It is a bit of a dilemma, I agree that a bigger van means more flexibility but if I don't need the gutter vac/PW then I am lugging round a bigger heavier less economical van for nothing. 

I am not intending working flat out as we live quite frugally and have paid off our mortgage so outgoing are low. I am not intending to buy a van till April so by then I will have going for about 10 months and will have a better idea on addons. It's a bit tricky as customers asking about gutter clear outs or PW will be a low rate but marketing those services to existing custy would probably yield more results. After 4 months I am inclined to just stick with window cleaning but conny roofs, gutter vac and PW are possibilities. 

To be fair apart from window cleaning I feel the best add ons for  maximum profit in your situation would be gutter vaccing and plastic cleans , pressure washings ok but we dint find it as profitable as other jobs , once established might pay to look at softwashing as this is a very good earner but comes with more risks .

 

[ched999uk]

To be fair apart from window cleaning I feel the best add ons for  maximum profit in your situation would be gutter vaccing and plastic cleans , pressure washings ok but we dint find it as profitable as other jobs , once established might pay to look at softwashing as this is a very good earner but comes with more risks .

I have at least 1 customer 'book' in for a spring plastics clean and I have been noticing a good few custys have very dirty gfs so was thinking I might promote that in the spring as I have all the kit so just need a bit more muscles and I will be fine ? PW is quite enjoyable as it's engines and lots of mess flying round ? I used to quite enjoy cleaning our seating area out front when we had holiday apartments only annoying thing was the slow speed (Nilfisk electric PW) and the cleaning up the mess in the gutter afterwards - in fact you have reminded my of the messy clear up ?

There are lots of newish houses round here that have the k rend type stuff on the exterior that I am sure will need cleaning in the not too distant future so Softwashing is something I am keeping an eye on. Cheers

 

[Iron Giant]

I still maintain 350  ltr is no ware near enough , I use 600-800 working on my My own on busy days with two of us we empty a 1000 ltr tank in a day and sometimes top up at lunch time or when working in large commercial we use 1,500 plus per day per van , if you are doing an odd house hear and there and sat in the van having tea breaks and long lunches then yes you might make it last but not doing compact work doing 60-80 houses a day ????

I'm not surprised you use so much as judging by that video @Part Timer sent me that tortoise looked like it could move faster than you, so I doubt your the fastest window cleaner in the West Country, your workmate must be carrying you ?

I can very easily do 25 plus jobs of varying sizes in a day with 350ltrs I don't start till about 8.40am and I'm done by 4pm or before because am half man half machine ??

 

[ched999uk]

because I'm half man half machine ??

When I started reading that I read it as half man half biscuit - my head does think weird things at times ???????

No insult intended.

 

[Iron Giant]

When I started reading that I read it as half man half biscuit - my head does think weird things at times ???????

No insult intended.

I get insulted all the time on here off the big people ?

 

[Pjj]

I have at least 1 customer 'book' in for a spring plastics clean and I have been noticing a good few custys have very dirty gfs so was thinking I might promote that in the spring as I have all the kit so just need a bit more muscles and I will be fine ? PW is quite enjoyable as it's engines and lots of mess flying round ? I used to quite enjoy cleaning our seating area out front when we had holiday apartments only annoying thing was the slow speed (Nilfisk electric PW) and the cleaning up the mess in the gutter afterwards - in fact you have reminded my of the messy clear up ?

There are lots of newish houses round here that have the k rend type stuff on the exterior that I am sure will need cleaning in the not too distant future so Softwashing is something I am keeping an eye on. Cheers

Your going to need a bigger van ??????

I'm not surprised you use so much as judging by that video @Part Timer sent me that tortoise looked like it could move faster than you, so I doubt your the fastest window cleaner in the West Country, your workmate must be carrying you ?

I can very easily do 25 plus jobs of varying sizes in a day with 350ltrs I don't start till about 8.40am and I'm done by 4pm or before because am half man half machine ??

Lol that’s part time hours ?????

 

[Iron Giant]

Lol that’s part time hours ?????

I, but I can move faster than you and little people get tired more easily ?

I'd like to see you and that tortoise in race  ? ?

 

[Pjj]

I, but I can move faster than you and little people get tired more easily ?

I'd like to see you and that tortoise in race  ? ?

I would love you to come out with us for a week to see just how fast we are ???? , we have a big school clean on half term week that will sort the men from the boys ?????

 

[Iron Giant]

I would love you to come out with us for a week to see just how fast we are ???? , we have a big school clean on half term week that will sort the men from the boys ?????

Maybe one day, I am sure my wife would be happy to get rid of me for a few days 

 

[Iron Giant]

I was referring to pole length as you physically struggle with a nemo for example due to it's wheelbase and available space from the bulkhead to rear doors. You won't get a 22 or 30 foot in there with ease 

You should have your tubes higher up 

View attachment 25757

View attachment 25758

Very smart, are these pics of inside your van, if so would you be kind enough to let me the parts required and if it's doable by someone with very limited diy skills 

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Very smart, are these pics of inside your van, if so would you be kind enough to let me the parts required and if it's doable by someone with very limited diy skills 

Good morning mate, yes it's another of my builds.

For my internal roof rack system I've used standard slotted 41x21mm standard gauge unistrut which is cut to length then fitted directly into the factory OEM M8 captive nuts within the span of the roof ribs using standard white drilled out rubber door stops as spacers to allow for straps the be slung over if needed and insulation between painted metal and galvanised unistrut.

I have used 68mm Floplast downpipe with end caps sourced from amazon and secured onto the unistrut using 68mm floplast wall bracket clips fixed into unistrut 6mm sprung channel nuts and secured using M6 machine screws and washers.

If you haven't got factory installed captive nuts you can use an alternative method of 90 degrees angle brackets along with rivnuts affixed into the upper double skin layer of most vans and nuts and bolts which I used in my previous Citroën berlingo van as shown below.

I gave up using munsun rings as they cause everything to hang to low and also they never tighten enough around my tubes. In this i also reversed the unistrut so that I could bolt through it.

Austin 

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Good morning mate, yes it's another of my builds.

For my internal roof rack system I've used standard slotted 41x21mm standard gauge unistrut which is cut to length then fitted directly into the factory OEM M8 captive nuts within the span of the roof ribs using standard white drilled out rubber door stops as spacers to allow for straps the be slung over if needed and insulation between painted metal and galvanised unistrut.

I have used 68mm Floplast downpipe with end caps sourced from amazon and secured onto the unistrut using 68mm floplast wall bracket clips fixed into unistrut 6mm sprung channel nuts and secured using M6 machine screws and washers.

If you haven't got factory installed captive nuts you can use an alternative method of 90 degrees angle brackets along with rivnuts affixed into the upper double skin layer of most vans and nuts and bolts which I used in my previous Citroën berlingo van as shown below.

I gave up using munsun rings as they cause everything to hang to low and also they never tighten enough around my tubes. In this i also reversed the unistrut so that I could bolt through it.

Austin 

View attachment 25765

View attachment 25766

You can achieve this with the most basic tools and skill

Hacksaw or angle grinder, square, sharpie, spanners or socket set, tape measure