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Pure Freedom Trolley into Van System

BWC

Active member
Messages
121
Location
Nottinghamshire
Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice and if anyone has carried this out before. I have a pure freedom trolley (around 3 months old) but I’m looking to get a van soon. The van won’t be anything spectacular (06 Vauxhall Combo 1.3) but it’s a starting point and within my price range to make the next step up in my business. 
 

With the PF Trolley that already has the pump, controller and a small golf cart battery, what else would I need. Obviously a tank and reel. 
 

Would I need a tank frame or will ratchet straps suffice for now (van will have a bulk head) 

Would you dismantle the Trolley for parts, keep it in as a whole unit and put into the tank or sell the trolley and try and afford some sort of diy system. 
 

If anyone has a combo would you share your van layouts with me too so I can work out the best way to sort it in the back.

thank you! 

 
If you used the electrical parts for your van I doubt you'd have a problem selling the frame of the trolley if you didn't want it. That can be set up again for about £50-60 using backpack parts. This is pretty much how my PF trolley is set up. 

Or, you could use a flat tank in your van and just drop your trolley hose straight into the tank and connect the other end to a reel and use it as is. That way you have the benefit of a portable system as well without having to have a separate trolley for those odd jobs that might require it.

Just a thought.

 
Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice and if anyone has carried this out before. I have a pure freedom trolley (around 3 months old) but I’m looking to get a van soon. The van won’t be anything spectacular (06 Vauxhall Combo 1.3) but it’s a starting point and within my price range to make the next step up in my business. 
 

With the PF Trolley that already has the pump, controller and a small golf cart battery, what else would I need. Obviously a tank and reel. 
 

Would I need a tank frame or will ratchet straps suffice for now (van will have a bulk head) 

Would you dismantle the Trolley for parts, keep it in as a whole unit and put into the tank or sell the trolley and try and afford some sort of diy system. 
 

If anyone has a combo would you share your van layouts with me too so I can work out the best way to sort it in the back.

thank you! 
good evening. 

You will find the most common answers with regards to diy van installation in the threads and the sore subject of death by ratchet straps.

Steel frames are the only way. Van bulkheads burst out of of the load bay into the cab with ease.

If you want to disassemble your trolley then you've already saved money. 

 
I will go down the frame route then ?? Not worth loosing my life over a few hundred quid. 
 

@Marko067 what sort of money do you think I could get for just the pure freedom trolley frame? My only concern with using it’s as a dual system with a flat tank is space in the van. I have just got a Skyvac atom so that will need to be in the back too some days. I also still have my Gardiner backpack I started out with that can solve that problem if I ever needed it. ( I thought I’d sent this message last night so sorry for the late reply!)

 
Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice and if anyone has carried this out before. I have a pure freedom trolley (around 3 months old) but I’m looking to get a van soon. The van won’t be anything spectacular (06 Vauxhall Combo 1.3) but it’s a starting point and within my price range to make the next step up in my business. 
 

With the PF Trolley that already has the pump, controller and a small golf cart battery, what else would I need. Obviously a tank and reel. 
 

Would I need a tank frame or will ratchet straps suffice for now (van will have a bulk head) 

Would you dismantle the Trolley for parts, keep it in as a whole unit and put into the tank or sell the trolley and try and afford some sort of diy system. 
 

If anyone has a combo would you share your van layouts with me too so I can work out the best way to sort it in the back.

thank you! 
You will need a bigger battery. The pump will draw much more current pumping water down a 100m length of hose which is part of using a van mount.

Here's a recent thread that contains some info that will also apply to you.

https://windowcleaningforums.co.uk/topic/32168-battery-query/?tab=comments#comment-452592

 
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I will go down the frame route then ?? Not worth loosing my life over a few hundred quid. 
 

@Marko067 what sort of money do you think I could get for just the pure freedom trolley frame? My only concern with using it’s as a dual system with a flat tank is space in the van. I have just got a Skyvac atom so that will need to be in the back too some days. I also still have my Gardiner backpack I started out with that can solve that problem if I ever needed it. ( I thought I’d sent this message last night so sorry for the late reply!)
Difficult to say that one. They are basically a 'sack truck' designed specifically for window cleaning.

A basic sack truck costs about £50, but these are designed to be easily portable, robust and last for years. My first one, bought in 2007, was used 3-4 days a week and lasted till 2014 when I bought a new one due to it looking tatty. I recently resurrected it however, stripped it down and repainted it, and it looks like new again.  My daughter is now using it. So they are a good bit of kit.

So you can expect more than £50 if it's in near new condition. Obviously what you are prepared to accept is up to you. If I was looking for just the frame and wheels in near new condition my absolute ceiling would be £150, but I'd be hoping to find one for about £120.

 
@spruce I’m just on Halfords now. Would you go for a class A or B battery? Also would the battery still need disconnecting and charging if I was to put a split relay in the van? Thanks again 

 
Difficult to say that one. They are basically a 'sack truck' designed specifically for window cleaning.

A basic sack truck costs about £50, but these are designed to be easily portable, robust and last for years. My first one, bought in 2007, was used 3-4 days a week and lasted till 2014 when I bought a new one due to it looking tatty. I recently resurrected it however, stripped it down and repainted it, and it looks like new again.  My daughter is now using it. So they are a good bit of kit.

So you can expect more than £50 if it's in near new condition. Obviously what you are prepared to accept is up to you. If I was looking for just the frame and wheels in near new condition my absolute ceiling would be £150, but I'd be hoping to find one for about £120.
Hmm, I’m torn between selling it as a complete package and re buying the parts that comes with it or using the parts and selling the trolley. Room and weight is key because it’s a small van and these trolleys aren’t light! 

 
@spruce I’m just on Halfords now. Would you go for a class A or B battery? Also would the battery still need disconnecting and charging if I was to put a split relay in the van? Thanks again 
Class B. I would advise you look at this in more depth before you go jumping in. The split charge relay is complex depending on the make and model of your van, distance traveled per day etc.

 
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You will need a bigger battery. The pump will draw much more current pumping water down a 100m length of hose which is part of using a van mount.

Here's a recent thread that contains some info that will also apply to you.

https://windowcleaningforums.co.uk/topic/32168-battery-query/?tab=comments#comment-452592
I've been running my van mount pump and a Power-UP HD reel off the battery I stripped from my Pure Freedom trolley for over 4 years now - it's still running fine. I bench charge the battery after every days use.

 
I've been running my van mount pump and a Power-UP HD reel off the battery I stripped from my Pure Freedom trolley for over 4 years now - it's still running fine. I bench charge the battery after every days use.
What battery is it? I have a feeling that early PF trolleys used bigger lead acid batteries - 85amp? (Could be wrong.)

 
@spruce I’m just on Halfords now. Would you go for a class A or B battery? Also would the battery still need disconnecting and charging if I was to put a split relay in the van? Thanks again 
You need the dimensions of the battery that was fitted by PF otherwise you will be buying a battery that doesn't fit in the battery box 

 
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