Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Lee Burbidge on February 26, 2014, 10:33:04 pm
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Got a couple films coming out. One on flow controllers, pumps etc that might help some understand better http://youtu.be/JK4vqL9gneA
And one film for fun coming soon :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyoANaFK8Qo&list=UUCOaSlHI7OgFxaTrJjvGr4Q&feature=share&index=1
These are trailers btw
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Got a couple films coming out. One on flow controllers, pumps etc that might help some understand better http://youtu.be/JK4vqL9gneA
And one film for fun coming soon :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyoANaFK8Qo&list=UUCOaSlHI7OgFxaTrJjvGr4Q&feature=share&index=1
These are trailers btw
Then do a follow up on pumps and controllers with Peter Fogwill. ;D
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Got a couple films coming out. One on flow controllers, pumps etc that might help some understand better http://youtu.be/JK4vqL9gneA
And one film for fun coming soon :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyoANaFK8Qo&list=UUCOaSlHI7OgFxaTrJjvGr4Q&feature=share&index=1
These are trailers btw
Then do a follow up on pumps and controllers with Peter Fogwill. ;D
That would just be called "pumps with peter fogwill"
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Got a couple films coming out. One on flow controllers, pumps etc that might help some understand better http://youtu.be/JK4vqL9gneA
And one film for fun coming soon :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyoANaFK8Qo&list=UUCOaSlHI7OgFxaTrJjvGr4Q&feature=share&index=1
These are trailers btw
Then do a follow up on pumps and controllers with Peter Fogwill. ;D
That would just be called "pumps with peter fogwill"
;D
Lee. At the risk of being a little controversial, why does Spring need the services of Perry Tait to do this feature with? Who is Perry Tait?
Surely Ian could have linked in with someone who has a bit more credibility in the world of window cleaning such as Alex Gardiner who also has many years of hands-on window cleaning experience. He also sells the Spring controller range.
Perry is a marketing and sales man and hasn’t got hands on experience with window cleaning with a pole – a fact that is clearly evident on his videos. His knowledge is all learnt theory. He was there to promote Reach-it. I can just hear the conversation with the camera man – “take the shot from my right side so people can clearly see my company name.”
So what I’m sure will be a very interesting technical video done by Ian will be spoilt IMO by someone promoting themselves and their company on the back of it.
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For me this was an opportunity to film some high quality professional technical videos on the operation and use of the controls, something I have been looking to do for a while. Both time and opportunity had eluded me up to that point.
As Perry was in the UK and wanted to discuss the features and operation of the controllers he was involved. The videos are QA based with discussions focusing on the features and benefits of the control. For me it was a way to support the controls and benefit all concerned.
I was grateful to Lee and WCM TV for the platform and opportunity largely because Lee is a credible voice in the profession and covers all angles of the business with out bias.
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Ian, you are clearly knowledgable in your field, and I would have been interested to see your comments, but why on earth you allowed yourself to filmed alongside someone with the reputation of Perry Tait, I'll never know.
Ignorance maybe? (Google him)
It's a shame, because you seem to know what you're talking about.
Surely Ian could have linked in with someone who has a bit more credibility in the world of window cleaning such as Alex Gardiner who also has many years of hands-on window cleaning experience. He also sells the Spring controller range.
Maybe he did but since the last time lee asked Alex moronic questions about replacing poles that had touched electricity lines, maybe Alex decided the blokes an idiot and didn't want anything more to do with him.
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Thank you for the comments Pete and Spruce.
I have a great deal of respect for those working in this industry and firmly believe that as a profession you are all undervalued for the skill and knowledge you bring.
I am fortunate to be part of the profession, our suppliers are an important part of who we are and what we do.
Putting information into the hands of those who can make best use of it is important as it allows people to make decisions about the way they work.
Alex is well respected with the industry. I well remember the support he gave me when 1st joining the forum for which I am grateful.
As for Perry and the films an opportunity was presented that allowed me to get information out in a useful way. The intent was to support the control and distributors plus aid those with controls.
Five years ago I attended a Dale Carnigie course on business communication and read some very good books. Part of the process involves how to disagree - agreeably. While I may not agree with the way Perry presents himself which does not always help his cause as Benjamin Franklin once said " I will speak ill of no man" Better to try understand them. This can be more profitable and intriguing.
I would hope the videos are informative with focus on the control which is the intent. And become less about pesonalities and their past.
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Thank you for the comments Pete and Spruce.
I have a great deal of respect for those working in this industry and firmly believe that as a profession you are all undervalued for the skill and knowledge you bring.
I am fortunate to be part of the profession, our suppliers are an important part of who we are and what we do.
Putting information into the hands of those who can make best use of it is important as it allows people to make decisions about the way they work.
Alex is well respected with the industry. I well remember the support he gave me when 1st joining the forum for which I am grateful.
As for Perry and the films an opportunity was presented that allowed me to get information out in a useful way. The intent was to support the control and distributors plus aid those with controls.
Five years ago I attended a Dale Carnigie course on business communication and read some very good books. Part of the process involves how to disagree - agreeably. While I may not agree with the way Perry presents himself which does not always help his cause as Benjamin Franklin once said " I will speak ill of no man" Better to try understand them. This can be more profitable and intriguing.
I would hope the videos are informative with focus on the control which is the intent. And become less about pesonalities and their past.
I am looking forward to the info presented. Thanks Ian.
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Ian, are you or do you know someone who is involved in the design of the controllers. I am looking for a controller for a pentaflex (or similar) 12v 13amp 26.5ltr a minute pump. I believe there would be big demand for these controllers in the U.S. A controller that would be able to vary the flow would suffice.
Regards
Michael
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Hi Michael
Currently no the max amps any of our controls can handle is 15 amps.
We are looking at the pentaflex and in the future hope to have a suitable control.
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Thanks Ian, which one can handle 15amps?
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Got a couple films coming out. One on flow controllers, pumps etc that might help some understand better http://youtu.be/JK4vqL9gneA
And one film for fun coming soon :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyoANaFK8Qo&list=UUCOaSlHI7OgFxaTrJjvGr4Q&feature=share&index=1
These are trailers btw
Then do a follow up on pumps and controllers with Peter Fogwill. ;D
That would just be called "pumps with peter fogwill"
;D
Lee. At the risk of being a little controversial, why does Spring need the services of Perry Tait to do this feature with? Who is Perry Tait?
Surely Ian could have linked in with someone who has a bit more credibility in the world of window cleaning such as Alex Gardiner who also has many years of hands-on window cleaning experience. He also sells the Spring controller range.
Perry is a marketing and sales man and hasn’t got hands on experience with window cleaning with a pole – a fact that is clearly evident on his videos. His knowledge is all learnt theory. He was there to promote Reach-it. I can just hear the conversation with the camera man – “take the shot from my right side so people can clearly see my company name.”
So what I’m sure will be a very interesting technical video done by Ian will be spoilt IMO by someone promoting themselves and their company on the back of it.
No problem buddy. Let me try and answer your comments one by one.
Firstly, I do not let stuff like this consume my life.
I spent a week with Perry Tait filming the Reach-iT UK Tour, part of his larger World Tour sometime last year. Primary reason for Reach-iT and its tour was to promote their products in the UK but more importantly to meet as many window cleaners face to face as possible. This is the part WCM TV was interested in mostly when we planned the fly on the wall documentary. I got some great footage by the way.
Alex Gardiner, has been approached a few times in relation to WCM TV projects but has told me that its not for him. I respect that ( maybe one day we can get an 'inside Gardiner' documentary)
I guess on Perry's list of business visits was Spring in that trip. Spring has developing controllers for Reach-iT at the time.
I don't think you should under estimate PT knowledge and experience. My first hand knowledge of this guy is the opposite to what you have said.
In fact the 'chat' feel of this project will show that. Tech stuff can be boring so to have it as a 'chat' film with camera shots similar to something like on 'The Office' I thought might help to make the viewing more compelling.
I speak, interview and film many industry leaders as will as many awesome window cleaners like you and me. Not everyone likes each other, I can tell you some stories lol but that's not what I think my job is all about.
I hope this helps :)
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For me this was an opportunity to film some high quality professional technical videos on the operation and use of the controls, something I have been looking to do for a while. Both time and opportunity had eluded me up to that point.
As Perry was in the UK and wanted to discuss the features and operation of the controllers he was involved. The videos are QA based with discussions focusing on the features and benefits of the control. For me it was a way to support the controls and benefit all concerned.
I was grateful to Lee and WCM TV for the platform and opportunity largely because Lee is a credible voice in the profession and covers all angles of the business with out bias.
Thanks Ian. We had a great day filming that day :)
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Ian, you are clearly knowledgable in your field, and I would have been interested to see your comments, but why on earth you allowed yourself to filmed alongside someone with the reputation of Perry Tait, I'll never know.
Ignorance maybe? (Google him)
It's a shame, because you seem to know what you're talking about.
Surely Ian could have linked in with someone who has a bit more credibility in the world of window cleaning such as Alex Gardiner who also has many years of hands-on window cleaning experience. He also sells the Spring controller range.
Maybe he did but since the last time lee asked Alex moronic questions about replacing poles that had touched electricity lines, maybe Alex decided the blokes an idiot and didn't want anything more to do with him.
Peter, a lot of time and effort is put into my work. I think being personally rude to me is not right. It was a valid question since the last story with a pole hitting overhead lines - the pole was replaced.
Look - I am aware that some industry camps dont get a long and sometimes I read in their answers in any of my questions/interviews the odd slight dig here and there at a competitor, that includes the people being discussed in this topic. But it is not my job to get involved. I am bias in the industry and I prefer to stay that way. If one company in a similar news story offers a pole replacement when it took a shock, why wouldn't I ask that again in another (same) news story. I really do not let this sort of thing consume me.... ;D
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Lee,
Thanks for putting my post into a different perspective with your side. Personally, I'm interested in the boring technical stuff and having someone (anyone) to put some light hearted banter into it to liven it up I personally find very distracting. But that's me.
Perry has done a few useful technical videos I admit – ie how many times to scrub a window to get it clean was a helpful one, but I find his meet the customer videos he does most irritating as he ‘clowns’ around and shows off in front of the camera.
I appreciate that as a hands-on window cleaner yourself you will have views and ideas that are built up with the experience you have gained personally in your own business environment, as I have. Some of those views and opinions may differ from what your readers/viewers believe.
It must be rather difficult to take a neutral, unbiased stance when presenting features that involve or can involve your personal likes and dislikes, eg, clamps could be one of them.
I'm not aware of the overhead electric power lines and a Gardiner pole story, but if I was Alex I would also have replaced that pole for free and got the other one back for analysis. It certainly wouldn’t have been replaced under warranty. There is nothing better than having an actual sample to inspect as I would assume that an onsite high voltage test isn’t standard practice with pole manufacturers.
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Thanks Ian, which one can handle 15amps?
The V11 Dual it is available from our distributors. The control is designed to work with two 8 amp pumps so the pcb had to be uprated.
This means it could potentially run a single larger pump. However i would not suggest using it with the pentaflex. We have a pentaflex at the factory and it is a big ole pump that would fry the dual in its current configuration.
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I'm not aware of the overhead electric power lines and a Gardiner pole story, but if I was Alex I would also have replaced that pole for free and got the other one back for analysis. It certainly wouldn’t have been replaced under warranty. There is nothing better than having an actual sample to inspect as I would assume that an onsite high voltage test isn’t standard practice with pole manufacturers.
There really is no value in me having the pole back to examine as I have seen carbon fibre poles in the past when they have hit electricity cables and it is not a pretty sight. Carbon fibre conducts electricity extremely well and there is nothing that we would gain by seeing this again as we cannot 'engineer' this ability out of it.
We simply get around it by having insulated layers on the handle/extension sections - this has been proved and tested years ago to be effective as another client found out recently.
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Alex Gardiner, has been approached a few times in relation to WCM TV projects but has told me that its not for him.
Ha ha, sounds like I hit the nail on the head!
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Ian, do you think it is going to be feasible to make a controller for these types of pumps. I believe there is a market for them. If your company isn't going to make one can you suggest what I might need to get one made myself
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Ian, do you think it is going to be feasible to make a controller for these types of pumps. I believe there is a market for them. If your company isn't going to make one can you suggest what I might need to get one made myself
In short yes it is feasible to make a controller for these Pentaflex pumps, The issue we have is two fold.
1. Managing the high current spikes. This need some serious components and ensuring the circuitary can handle this very high current.
2. Building a test facility that can handle the pressure generated by the pump
I am not qualified enough to even begin how you would go about this, Fortunately We have have the engineers who do,
30 amps is a lot of current and need managing carefully. Going forward it may require a new control designed and built from scratch. I have to agree with you there is a market out there
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I would like a "control panel" type gizmo for window cleaning.
Something you can ideally add to depending on what you wanted.
So you could have pump control for pumps one and two.
On and off switches
tds in and out, tds warning beeper over say 10ppm
LCD voltage gauges
Water level in tanks (if black)
Preset memory settings for higher jobs.
Things like that and more.
Us idiots window cleaners love to spend money well i do.
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Thanks Ian, I am also interested in a 15 amp controller as I might change from the 2.6 ltr a minute pentaflex to a 15 ltr a minute pump.
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Lee,
Thanks for putting my post into a different perspective with your side. Personally, I'm interested in the boring technical stuff and having someone (anyone) to put some light hearted banter into it to liven it up I personally find very distracting. But that's me.
Perry has done a few useful technical videos I admit – ie how many times to scrub a window to get it clean was a helpful one, but I find his meet the customer videos he does most irritating as he ‘clowns’ around and shows off in front of the camera.
I appreciate that as a hands-on window cleaner yourself you will have views and ideas that are built up with the experience you have gained personally in your own business environment, as I have. Some of those views and opinions may differ from what your readers/viewers believe.
It must be rather difficult to take a neutral, unbiased stance when presenting features that involve or can involve your personal likes and dislikes, eg, clamps could be one of them.
I'm not aware of the overhead electric power lines and a Gardiner pole story, but if I was Alex I would also have replaced that pole for free and got the other one back for analysis. It certainly wouldn’t have been replaced under warranty. There is nothing better than having an actual sample to inspect as I would assume that an onsite high voltage test isn’t standard practice with pole manufacturers.
I fully understand and totally agree to what you have said :)
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Alex Gardiner, has been approached a few times in relation to WCM TV projects but has told me that its not for him.
Ha ha, sounds like I hit the nail on the head!
Peter, you should know that my very first written review was on one of Alex Gardiners products. And we have interviewed Alex on many occasions for WCM. Not sure what more I can add to that. You have not hit any nail on the head. In fact you have it upside down and back to front. But you are entitled to your view, but not entitled to be rude as before. Have I been clear enough for you?
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No I don't think you have been clear enough sorry, more clarity is clearly needed.
So just to be absolutely clearly clear, are you saying that when you asked Alex your moronic questions, he very clearly didn't think to himself (as I'm sure many people did me included) "this blokes an idiot"
Because frankly I don't see how you could know what he was thinking, clearly or otherwise, and he was and is probably too polite to say.
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Thanks Ian, I am also interested in a 15 amp controller as I might change from the 2.6 ltr a minute pentaflex to a 15 ltr a minute pump.
The V11 Dual is available from our distributors http://www.springltd.co/node/134
The Unit has a max current rating of 15 amps, So this could be two 8 amp pumps or a single pump with higher rating.
It is worth mentioning that a pump will rarely draw its maximum current rating,
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I would like a "control panel" type gizmo for window cleaning.
Something you can ideally add to depending on what you wanted.
So you could have pump control for pumps one and two.
On and off switches
tds in and out, tds warning beeper over say 10ppm
LCD voltage gauges
Water level in tanks (if black)
Preset memory settings for higher jobs.
Things like that and more.
Us idiots window cleaners love to spend money well i do.
We have developed a panel controller for one of our Dutch distributors. There are products in development with similar features to those on your wish list. There is a product on the market with dual TDS the Liquid logic V2 This unit will also manage tank filling and TDS
On Off of the pump can be achieved with a radio remote, Either the factory fitted Ultimate units or the Stand alone retro fit remote
Also available as is a dual unit that can run two pumps independently. This Unit can be supplied with TDS.
Measuring water level in a tank is complex, The panel i mention uses an analogue float sensor however this can be effected by a range of outside influences for example the gradient of the road of even baffles in tanks.
We did also look at an ultrasonic sensor however background noise of passing traffic again can effect the accuracy.
The Controllers are an on one level very complex, yet deliberately designed to make daily use straight forward. Adding something to a control in the field is not as easy as it sounds as connections to the PCB would need to be made to allow for new hardware plus the control would then need the Firmware (program) integrating so it knows what it is reading and what to do with the information.
Some of what you are looking for there are units that will provide those features and in the future well who knows.
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Nice thread. No egos. Nice one lads.
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I see I was mentioned earlier, and just for the record I have nothing against Ian in any way. I was advocating the none use of controllers long before I had even heard of Ian, at that time there was only Varistreams on the market. I do feel a bit guilty sometimes when I promote the none use of controllers, but would be doing the window cleaner an injustice if I didn't mention it. I have had lots of people in the past thank me for expressing my views. The Way I see it is Ian is simply giving the window cleaner what they want, and fair play. Hope he sees it the same way.
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I see I was mentioned earlier, and just for the record I have nothing against Ian in any way. I was advocating the none use of controllers long before I had even heard of Ian, at that time there was only Varistreams on the market. I do feel a bit guilty sometimes when I promote the none use of controllers, but would be doing the window cleaner an injustice if I didn't mention it. I have had lots of people in the past thank me for expressing my views. The Way I see it is Ian is simply giving the window cleaner what they want, and fair play. Hope he sees it the same way.
By its nature a forum is a place for differing opinion and presentation of ideas, different working methods and a sharing of experience. It is entirely the right place for expressing views and offering people choices and the opportunity to find what works best for them.
I recognize and respect those differing opinions as it provides a greater insight into working methods together with the opportunity to listen and learn.
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I started out using one of those £25 ish controllers off eBay, it worked fine, until I realised that the best setting was, 100% on full.
I removed the controller from my setup and I'm not sure that I would ever have one again.
Having said that, I like a high flow as it enables me to work very fast.
Fast as in approx 5, 4 bed detached houses per hour. Result!!!!
Not saying that controllers don't have there place, but someone would need to convince me to change.