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Moving to reach and wash

Davidoneman

New member
Messages
24
Location
Knottingley
Hi ive been doing traditional window cleaning since 2005 , but looking to move to reach and wash as person who i did it with has decided to pack in window cleaning , and alot of work reqs the ladder been footed etc . Im looking for some help in what i need and recomendations on a trolley system , ive got a tds meter and my water has a reading of 600 , so from what ive been reading would need a ro unit . Any help would be appreciated .

 
Have you ruled out a van based system? If so and your looking to use a trolley for most of your work long term then I'd definitely go for a trolley over a backpack on a sacktruck. The trolleys are more robust, will last longer and usually give you better flow for when you want it. However, it comes at a cost as you are getting better quality kit.

If you do choose this route, then I can thoroughly recommend the Freedom trolleys from Pure Freedom. I've used their standard one now for ten years with few problems that aren't easily fixed.

That's my experience anyway

 
Hi ive been doing traditional window cleaning since 2005 , but looking to move to reach and wash as person who i did it with has decided to pack in window cleaning , and alot of work reqs the ladder been footed etc . Im looking for some help in what i need and recomendations on a trolley system , ive got a tds meter and my water has a reading of 600 , so from what ive been reading would need a ro unit . Any help would be appreciated .
That seems very high for your area. I didn't think Knottingley/Wakefield were in hard water areas.

 
Hi ive not ruled out a van system , just thought they would be more expensive , trying to keep cost as low as i can without compromising on the quality of the clean , been thinking about doing tops with pole and bottom traditional , ive just looked on yorkshire water and they show its hard water . 

 
I think its nearer to 700 than 600 . Seems to have plenty of minerals in
Hartlepool is 550 and their water tds is amongst the top water hardness areas. Their water comes from boreholes.

2 different tds maps list your area as soft to moderate and the other moderate with regard to hardness.

So you might need to investigate that a little further.

 
I’ve got a Streamline 600gpd R.O from ‘Waterfedpole.com’ they’re really good, helpful staff. Think the R.O was £350+vat. Pre filters which I change ever 16 weeks are only £12! Pretty cheap to run. It gets my 260ppm down to 20-30ppm. Then a 7L d.i to polish. 

Yes 300ppm plus is to high just to put through D.I resin in my opinion, long term R.O’s are great investments.

If money is tight to begin with, definitely buy a ok to good R.O and booster pump (if you need one) and get just a trolley. That’s my advice. 

But tbh if you’ve already got a van, you can kit it out (safely) with all the gear for under £1000 or so (500L tank or smaller) 

 
What would i be looking at if i went the van route , do the poles have a on off switch on them to stop the water flow . i was just thinking a trolley system would be more manouverable than a van system , as im mostly domestic .

 
I’m 100% domestic. I use back packs for the back of terrace house, everything else hose from van. 

Van price- whatever you want within reason, I know people who have bought £550 vans that got them going, and I know people who have got £30,000 vans on finance.

ive got a: wydale plastic tank 500Ls, steel retaining frame bolted in the van floor. Then hose reel, pump controller, leisure battery, 2 poles. All in was about £1100 for me (Not including the actual van) but pump hose reel & poles I went for move expensive brands. You can do it cheaper. 

 
Hi ive got a citroen berlingo van so its just all the reach and wash what im needing advice on what to buy , whats best etc got around £1000 i can spend so looking to get best i can for money whats best to spend more on and less on other things etc 

 
350l tank,slx22ft pole,pump and leisure battery plus a few fittngs,100m microbore hose and reel
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I reckon that's about right.

I started with fibreglass Unger poles (green things) which weren't so good but got me started.  I find a CLX18 suffices for most domestic and have a SLX35 for other higher stuff.  350 tank lasts me a day.  Fit a Univalve, they save water and time.

 
I’ve got a Streamline 600gpd R.O from ‘Waterfedpole.com’ they’re really good, helpful staff. Think the R.O was £350+vat. Pre filters which I change ever 16 weeks are only £12! Pretty cheap to run. It gets my 260ppm down to 20-30ppm. Then a 7L d.i to polish. 

Yes 300ppm plus is to high just to put through D.I resin in my opinion, long term R.O’s are great investments.

If money is tight to begin with, definitely buy a ok to good R.O and booster pump (if you need one) and get just a trolley. That’s my advice. 

But tbh if you’ve already got a van, you can kit it out (safely) with all the gear for under £1000 or so (500L tank or smaller) 


260 down to 30ppm. Thats not good. That's only removing 88% of the minerals in the water. Even 20ppm is only 92% efficient.

We always believed that 94% was the cutoff point for when to replace the membranes.

 
@Davidoneman

Looks like you are unlucky mate, im only 13 miles  from you and TDS is around 150 here..

Are you sure its that high?, i speak to a few window cleaners in west yorkshire and ive never heard of it anywhere near that.

If you are wanting a budget system, you are welcome to have a look in my vans, no fancy gear..

With some ebay purchases and second hand gear you can have a van mount for a few hundred quid.

 
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Hi ive got a citroen berlingo van so its just all the reach and wash what im needing advice on what to buy , whats best etc got around £1000 i can spend so looking to get best i can for money whats best to spend more on and less on other things etc 


Personally i would buy a second hand tank, £100 max - you dont need a new one

I would also get a second hand hose reel, because again you dont really need a new one

Pole i would speend most of my money here as it will help massively day to day, get an slx

battery, buy a new one, you can get a cheap one off ebay for 50 quid or so

Pump, i use chinese pumps off ebay, £12 a pop

here you go mate...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/xline-Baffled-Water-Tank-Window-Cleaning-Cleaner/173282742867?hash=item285874d253:g:IxIAAOSwnCxaz52z

if you can get that cheap would be ideal, not a million miles away

 
Last edited by a moderator:
260 down to 30ppm. Thats not good. That's only removing 88% of the minerals in the water. Even 20ppm is only 92% efficient.

We always believed that 94% was the cutoff point for when to replace the membranes.
Ah ok, fair enough. I’ve changed the pre filters & membranes within the last 2 weeks (membranes first time in 22months) and yeh it’s coming out at 30ppm.

As I’ve always said not the best r.o, but including buying it & running it, it’s cost me between £650/£700 in just under 2yrs. Can’t complain really. Then I change the resin in a 7L d.i when it gets to 3ppm which is every 5/6 months. Overall cheap as chips! (If you were to eat fish & chips every day!)

I would like to get a big 40/40 rocket ship R.O, but the cheapest one I’ve seen is £1100 new, just to bring the ppm down another 15/20 I can’t be bothered.

 
Hi ive not ruled out a van system , just thought they would be more expensive , trying to keep cost as low as i can without compromising on the quality of the clean , been thinking about doing tops with pole and bottom traditional , ive just looked on yorkshire water and they show its hard water . 
Pole the tops and trad the bottoms hey?

Once you have mastered the pole you'll throw all your trad gear away mate.

Its so much easier and quicker. The cleans are far superior too.

Dont plan on only needing enough water for tops only because you'll only end up needing a bigger tank.

 

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