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Equipment for pole and tank where best to buy

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Stedon

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Location
Manchester
Any advice on where to buy pole and tank and is it worth getting it fitted or do it yourself was thinking of smaller tank as possibly getting a small van

thanks

 
If I were starting out again I would look at buying a fully kitted out van. I cant recall who it was but a combo/doblo maxi was on here the other day. 1000kg payload, compact, easy to drive, very good on fuel and cheapest to insure. I have the SWB version and they are superb.


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Stedon said:
Any advice on where to buy pole and tank and is it worth getting it fitted or do it yourself was thinking of smaller tank as possibly getting a small van

thanks
Click to expand...


The majority of us would recommend Gardiners and a SLX carbon Fibre pole. I guess a pretty good pole for 99% of 'normal' houses would be an SLX25 or and SLX27. (I have an SLX22 as my main pole but will consider an SLX27 as a next purchase when due for replacement. I have an old SLX40 for those odd houses. It gets used 5 or 6 times a month.)

Facelift have their new Phantom pole which has some good reviews, but as with all poles, the proverbial proof of the pudding is in the eating. This new pole has only just been released.

Grippa tank have high end quality cash tested tanks, but they have a big foot print. Purefreedom upright tanks are not as posh but also crash tested. They use standard Wyedale Tanks which have been fine for us over the past nearly 14 years of wfp. Suppliers will sell van mounted systems as either delivery or complete systems.

A delivery system means you  just have a tank, pump and hose reel as your process water separately. A complete system includes an r/o and processes water directly into your van's tank overnight.

We use delivery systems and process water into an IBC storage tank in our garage. We transfer water to our van's tanks as and when needed. Should we need to top up with water during the day we can. If you have a complete system, then when the tank is empty then that's it for the day. With an onboard r/o you always have to plan ahead. 

A 4040 r/o is generally the r/o of choice for van mounted complete systems. Our 4040 r/o produces 2lpm of pure so filling a 300 liter tank will take just short of 3 hours to refill.

Here's an example of a complete van mounted system by Purefreedom. Its a 650 liter tank system

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/650L-FULLY-FITTED-WATER-FED-POLE-WINDOW-CLEANING-SYSTEM/250667389976?hash=item3a5cf0d418:g:KwYAAOxyOM5RZNvm

 
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P4dstar said:
I like the look of the compact systems from the window cleaning warehouse. They would fit nicely in a smaller van;

https://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/compact-di-ideal-start-up-425.html

A few hundred more than you could do it DIY and unlike DIY you aren't necessarily in a position to fix parts but they look good and they're cheap enough. They offer a fitting service too I believe.
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I really like my facelift compact everything is quality, personally I'm very happy with Gardiner poles so for me I would just buy the compact system only 8 small holes to drill and bolt in don't use the screws provided buy bolts and spreader plates, then get your poles from Gardiners.

took my friend under a hour to install the compact system. 

 
Den said:
I really like my facelift compact everything is quality, personally I'm very happy with Gardiner poles so for me I would just buy the compact system only 8 small holes to drill and bolt in don't use the screws provided buy bolts and spreader plates, then get your poles from Gardiners.

took my friend under a hour to install the compact system. 
Click to expand...
I like my SLX27 and I would probably do the same but I do like the idea of clamps that can be replaced without Glue. Anyone got any idea if you can use Gardiner brushes with Facelift poles?

 
P4dstar said:
I like my SLX27 and I would probably do the same but I do like the idea of clamps that can be replaced without Glue. Anyone got any idea if you can use Gardiner brushes with Facelift poles?
Click to expand...
I use extreme 18 for 90+% on my work then Slx22 for the odd window and Slx25 plus extensions when required 4 storey houses

Never needed to glue the clamps so have no experience with having to do that, also have two slx18 and a clx4 which is my favourite pole lol. 

Using a 18 or 22 would make yourworking life so much more productive either finishing much earlier or squeezing a couple or a lot more houses each day as fatigue don't catch up with you, personally I would get a slx18 and use your slx27 as and when needed.

its only @Part Timer that uses heavy weight poles slx47 for bungelows ? Seriously I by using a 18 or 22 your Slx27 probably last a life time. 

 
Den said:
I use extreme 18 for 90+% on my work then Slx22 for the odd window and Slx25 plus extensions when required 4 storey houses

Never needed to glue the clamps so have no experience with having to do that, also have two slx18 and a clx4 which is my favourite pole lol. 

Using a 18 or 22 would make yourworking life so much more productive either finishing much earlier or squeezing a couple or a lot more houses each day as fatigue don't catch up with you, personally I would get a slx18 and use your slx27 as and when needed.

its only @Part Timer that uses heavy weight poles slx47 for bungelows ? Seriously I by using a 18 or 22 your Slx27 probably last a life time. 
Click to expand...
I've been contemplating the idea for a little while. I actually have a CLX4. I bought if with the intention of using it for bungalows but it just feels so fragile I can't bring myself to use it. My boy has started working with me sometimes so I let him use it with the backpack.

I really fancy trying one of those Phantom poles but I don't like the look of their brushes or the angle adapter things, I was hoping I could just plug a Gardiner angle adapter straight in and crack on ?  

 
P4dstar said:
I've been contemplating the idea for a little while. I actually have a CLX4. I bought if with the intention of using it for bungalows but it just feels so fragile I can't bring myself to use it. My boy has started working with me sometimes so I let him use it with the backpack.

I really fancy trying one of those Phantom poles but I don't like the look of their brushes or the angle adapter things, I was hoping I could just plug a Gardiner angle adapter straight in and crack on ?  
Click to expand...
I have no experience with the phantom pole but if they are the equivalent to the extreme they will be be good, what I have read it very easy to replace the end of the goose neck the bit will which as the cogs and quick release with Gardiner part as they are interchangeable. 

 
P4dstar said:
Think i've found it but I can't picture how this works ?

https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/goosenecks-pole-fittings/pole-fittings/acme-alloy-top-adapter.html
Click to expand...
Think this is interchangeable on both the gardiner and phantom poles, I haven’t done this because I only use Gardiner poles and have no experience with the phantom pole. 

https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/goosenecks-pole-fittings/gooseneck-parts/quick-loq-standard-top-arm.html

 
P4dstar said:
Think i've found it but I can't picture how this works ?
 
https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/goosenecks-pole-fittings/pole-fittings/acme-alloy-top-adapter.html
Click to expand...
You need this bit
85a65b004743e2c617979ac553317e2b.jpg

The phantom has a thinner top section for the adaptor so you have to screw the Gardiner adaptor of your choice into the existing screw fitting.


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CHWS said:
 
Do you have a phantom ? What way do you compare it to the Gardiner’s ? Also did you get a hi mod? 
Click to expand...
I had the 3k version, didn’t want to invest that much money without trying the SLX equivalent first - just in case it was pants. How does it compare to a gardiners pole? I don’t have a like for like comparison as I brought the 25ft phantom and already own a couple of SLX22’s. I feel it’s more on the level of the SMAX due to it being wrapped in 3k carbon - the finish of the phantom is definitely more durable than an SLX, having said that the clamp area (when the pole is closed/compact) has started to wear ever so slightly, I assume it’s that and not the shim in the clamp as I haven’t actually checked yet. I will update when I get 2 minutes to clean and disassemble it. What do I like about the phantom compared to the SLX? - the clamping action is pretty much the same, the shim/collar is superb as I like the ability to be able to rotate the clamp so pole wear is evenly distributed. It’s a lot thinner than an SLX which I prefer (no idea why!!) The thing that seals the deal for me is discount - gardiners ‘refusal’ to discount products is quite frustrating, WCW had there usual 24% off all lines and 10% off all phantom poles in the Black Friday sales. Most will agree price is a big factor in most people’s decision when quality of product is similar. I still use the quickLoc and brushes as facelift are no where near caught up with the quality and innovation of Gardiner attachments.


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AGlassAct said:
I had the 3k version, didn’t want to invest that much money without trying the SLX equivalent first - just in case it was pants. How does it compare to a gardiners pole? I don’t have a like for like comparison as I brought the 25ft phantom and already own a couple of SLX22’s. I feel it’s more on the level of the SMAX due to it being wrapped in 3k carbon - the finish of the phantom is definitely more durable than an SLX, having said that the clamp area (when the pole is closed/compact) has started to wear ever so slightly, I assume it’s that and not the shim in the clamp as I haven’t actually checked yet. I will update when I get 2 minutes to clean and disassemble it. What do I like about the phantom compared to the SLX? - the clamping action is pretty much the same, the shim/collar is superb as I like the ability to be able to rotate the clamp so pole wear is evenly distributed. It’s a lot thinner than an SLX which I prefer (no idea why!!) The thing that seals the deal for me is discount - gardiners ‘refusal’ to discount products is quite frustrating, WCW had there usual 24% off all lines and 10% off all phantom poles in the Black Friday sales. Most will agree price is a big factor in most people’s decision when quality of product is similar. I still use the quickLoc and brushes as facelift are no where near caught up with the quality and innovation of Gardiner attachments.


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Click to expand...


Hi AGlassAct

Having choice within the market is always a good thing for the end user and also for the industry in general, otherwise we would still all be stuck using 6kg fibre glass poles from the year 2000! ?

You mention our ‘refusal’ to discount products. In fact we actually provide our poles and products at a permanent discount for all retail purchasers. Based on usual industry mark-ups our poles could be sold at up to 20-25% higher pricing all of the time.

We choose to keep our pricing very tight so that everyone can benefit. Even during Black Friday with discounts on a 25ft full carbon and brush combo this is the case. The lighter and more rigid SLX25 would have still cost over £20 less than the competition. This effectively means that our clients are getting roughly a 15% discount all year round.

Personally I would much rather provide a product at a standard price to everyone all of the time, than to use seasonal promotions to attract sales ?

 
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