Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: johnny bravo on November 01, 2013, 02:59:59 pm

Title: smoking backpack
Post by: johnny bravo on November 01, 2013, 02:59:59 pm
i was using my WCW backpack this morning   , everything ok for about 30 minutes,   when i put away gear for next area i got a smell of burning,     had a check about,   nothing.       carried onto next jobs,  set up my backpack and pole,     i could smell burning again.     i looked down to turn backpack off after job      to my surprise i could see puffs of smoke coming from the base of my backpack.
nightmare i thought.       took home for inspection     took top off    the smell of burning hit me ,   how the hell has this happened,       some of the wire conexions were browned off  burning smell,   cut and rejoined,      then noticed the speed controller was all gooey   and smelling of burning,      took it out and the interior come out where i noticed a big brown burn mark on the bottom of it.        this is the 3rd or 4th speed controller ive had for this backpack  from WCW , the backpack is only over a year old.    never has anything like this happened before though.

i hope it hasnt caused any major internal damage ,    every thing else seems ok   but stinks of burning..     had to come back to get ladders to do trad cleaning .     you forget the dangers of ladder clinbing   untill you have to do it again.

ill drop WCW a line and see what they recomend
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: johnny bravo on November 01, 2013, 03:51:36 pm
last speed controller replaced on 16/07/13.     not that long ago. ??? :'(
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: wfp master on November 01, 2013, 04:07:08 pm
Try a john hewitt b/p had one over 2 years still works perfectly. Ws18 is the one I have.
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: PoleKing on November 01, 2013, 05:50:04 pm
Anyone else think of Ace Ventura?
I thought he had a smokin' backpack from the title.




Just me?



I know...




Coat
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: johnny bravo on November 01, 2013, 05:53:17 pm
should come with a health warning
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: windiewasher on November 01, 2013, 07:54:17 pm
Try a john hewitt b/p had one over 2 years still works perfectly. Ws18 is the one I have.
There exactly the same and made in the same factory.
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: p1w1 on November 01, 2013, 08:05:39 pm
where can you buy replacement pumps for these backpacks?
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: windiewasher on November 01, 2013, 08:24:09 pm
where can you buy replacement pumps for these backpacks?
A pump is a pump.
Best place is to look on fleebay m8.
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: johnny bravo on November 01, 2013, 09:13:01 pm
you can get all the parts from ebay.   WCW have sent a new controller out as a good gesture, see how long this one lasts 4
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: wfp master on November 01, 2013, 10:31:13 pm
Try a john hewitt b/p had one over 2 years still works perfectly. Ws18 is the one I have.
There exactly the same and made in the same factory.
looks nothing like gardeners b/p.
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: jk999 on November 02, 2013, 12:34:24 am
Backpacks from john hewits are garbage , dont last two minutes before you are changing switch, pump or charging point stops working pile off crap
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: dave f on November 02, 2013, 06:51:37 am
ive had acouple of back packs there made in china they only last over a year ive found,ive had wires break which you cant re solder on because the terminal as faild.pumps give up ,speed controler starts only to work on one setting.then theirs the leeking, but having said all that i wouldent be whith out one they save loads of time on some jobs.and their cheep enogh.pay for them selvs in know time
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: Michael Peterson on November 02, 2013, 06:57:03 am
what do you search for on ebay for the pump
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: Mitchellmoxo on November 02, 2013, 08:08:51 am
what do you search for on ebay for the pump

12v Inline pump

Anything above 60psi i would imagine

Look for about 3-5 LPM

Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: gary999 on November 02, 2013, 10:47:31 am
ive had john hewitts backpacks ws series for about 4 years now
ive had to replace the 2.6lpm 70psi pumps once on each of them
at a cost of £35 each.

i replaced the on off switch with a through switch and wired further
up the pack this was through choice and replace a couple of times
a year for pennies.

having no flow controller there is little to go wrong with them

if you are worried about too much flow attaching a return to the
lid of pack is easy,i normally do this when i have bought a new pump
after a period of tme and wear no need for return as you get a nice
steady flow at around 2lpm for the rest of its life

pumps last around 2years,packs cost around £100 and have been
a bargain far as im concerned
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: a900 on November 02, 2013, 11:32:25 pm
I got one of the wow backpacks but can't remember if they are fused. I imagine not. Surely that would be a protection for the wiring and components.

Even if it did catch alight it's got plenty of water to put itself out.
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: jk999 on November 02, 2013, 11:46:29 pm
ive had john hewitts backpacks ws series for about 4 years now
ive had to replace the 2.6lpm 70psi pumps once on each of them
at a cost of £35 each.

i replaced the on off switch with a through switch and wired further
up the pack this was through choice and replace a couple of times
a year for pennies.

having no flow controller there is little to go wrong with them

if you are worried about too much flow attaching a return to the
lid of pack is easy,i normally do this when i have bought a new pump
after a period of tme and wear no need for return as you get a nice
steady flow at around 2lpm for the rest of its life

pumps last around 2years,packs cost around £100 and have been
a bargain far as im concerned

how often do you use your backpack
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: gary999 on November 03, 2013, 10:32:07 am
four days a week...average 6 hours on the job a day

five days as of now when i work saturdays aswell to build
my fund for winter
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: Pro-Poler on November 04, 2013, 04:49:24 pm
ive had john hewitts backpacks ws series for about 4 years now
ive had to replace the 2.6lpm 70psi pumps once on each of them
at a cost of £35 each.

i replaced the on off switch with a through switch and wired further
up the pack this was through choice and replace a couple of times
a year for pennies.

having no flow controller there is little to go wrong with them

if you are worried about too much flow attaching a return to the
lid of pack is easy,i normally do this when i have bought a new pump
after a period of tme and wear no need for return as you get a nice
steady flow at around 2lpm for the rest of its life

pumps last around 2years,packs cost around £100 and have been
a bargain far as im concerned

I have bypassed the flow controller leave it on full now and control flow from tap
Title: Re: smoking backpack
Post by: johnny bravo on November 04, 2013, 06:12:19 pm
well added the speed controller,     plenty of noise but not a drop of water coming out.,  ive noticed the dial on the front  to show charge reading seems to be a bit browned off,  i dont know if this would make any difference.   the wires conexions may have knackered something.   if there was smoke it must have burnt something out,

need to experiment,      is there a way to test the backpack pump.,       do the wires have to be connected to the vaultage meter on the front , the bit you can see in the glass view on front of bp.  when turned on you can hear the speed dial going up and down