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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Richard iSparkle on July 05, 2012, 08:07:48 pm

Title: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Richard iSparkle on July 05, 2012, 08:07:48 pm
For those people that need a generator for working, say with a guttervac, or pressure washing...  do you invest in your own or do you tend to hire them, and then book work up into a weekend or something to make the most of it?
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Dave Willis on July 05, 2012, 08:23:13 pm
What size guttervac did you buy?
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Richard iSparkle on July 05, 2012, 09:11:38 pm
What size guttervac did you buy?

GutterVac 4200
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Dave Willis on July 05, 2012, 09:45:59 pm
You would need a massive genny to power that monster 6kva maybe?
Never shift it on your own.
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Richard iSparkle on July 05, 2012, 10:06:22 pm
yes, thats what they say, a 6kva genny
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: mikecam on July 05, 2012, 11:28:31 pm
yes, thats what they say, a 6kva genny

Not being funny mate you should of checked this out before you bought the Vac. You'll be much better off buying your own genny for it but it'll be expensive.
 To answer your question i have the smaller gutter cleaning systems vac and i have my own genny.
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Richard iSparkle on July 05, 2012, 11:33:09 pm
yes, thats what they say, a 6kva genny

Not being funny mate you should of checked this out before you bought the Vac. You'll be much better off buying your own genny for it but it'll be expensive.
 To answer your question i have the smaller gutter cleaning systems vac and i have my own genny.

hey mike,

not sure what you mean by I should have checked it out?  My question is asking whether people tend to own their own genny or hire them.  never having used one before, i dont know how long they last, how reliable they are...  whatever...  so whether buying one is better than leasing one.

Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: mikecam on July 06, 2012, 12:03:26 am
yes, thats what they say, a 6kva genny

Not being funny mate you should of checked this out before you bought the Vac. You'll be much better off buying your own genny for it but it'll be expensive.
 To answer your question i have the smaller gutter cleaning systems vac and i have my own genny.

hey mike,

not sure what you mean by I should have checked it out?  My question is asking whether people tend to own their own genny or hire them.  never having used one before, i dont know how long they last, how reliable they are...  whatever...  so whether buying one is better than leasing one.



The power of the VAC you need really and your power options. You've gone for a VAC that needs a 6KVA genny, they're somewhere near a grand if you want a new one. And over a ton a day if you wanna hire one. Powering from a customers mains may not be an option for you either, i know thats not a question you asked. I'd say you would be financially better off buying a genny, they last years and servicing is cheap.. To late now but for 'normal houses' what you have got is a bit overkill, coming with the difficulties you now face.
 You can do the math easy, rough figures, £1000 for genny or £100 a day. How many days a year you gonna use it?
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Richard iSparkle on July 06, 2012, 06:25:54 am
thanks, that's helpful.  the gutter vac came cheap at £300 so i bought it.  you are quite right tho if id bought a new one, i wouldn't have jumped in with this one.  with this size tho itll give me the chance to try out commercial work as well as domi.

i guess because of the size i'll hire a genny and compact work over a weekend.  if i'm making enough money from it i;ll look to buy a genny in the future.

i was advised that i can run it off a transformer from the mains too, so although this is more hassle, i'll see if that works.
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Dave Willis on July 06, 2012, 07:16:51 am
I tow my genny in a trailer for the bigger stuff but just use custies electric for the lidl vac that I carry in the van. I actually hate using the big one these days, too much faffing about with heavy extension leads, heavy generator etc.
The extra suction is nice though but not really needed for domestic stuff.
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: TomCrowther on July 06, 2012, 11:39:00 am
Hi Richard
I bought a Honda 6.5 kva gennie off ebay a while back. I think it was around £1200 new and I got it for £420, had hardly been used. Keep an eye on ebay as they will come up.
It is heavy, I do lift it on my own but I am a real man ;-) You can add wheels and handles to it so you can move it around like a wheel barrow which would be much better/easier on the back.
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: bobplum on July 06, 2012, 12:56:32 pm
STICK TO LADDERS :D
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: Perfect Windows on July 06, 2012, 01:01:01 pm
Buy a good one secondhand off ebay rather than a cheap one new - false economy.  Honda engines last forever and need little servicing.

Mine was a pramac - not sure if they go up enough in power.

There's a long post on cables and the technicalities of them by me somewhere - just off out can't find it, so you'll need to search.  You need VERY sturdy cable if you're going to have long runs or you'll lose power (esp if 110V).

Vin
Title: Re: Generators: what do you do?
Post by: spongebob on July 06, 2012, 03:35:13 pm
I had an omnivac and managed to run 2 of the 3 motors on a 3kva genny. Two motors running will be enough for most domestic jobs.