Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Stoots on November 06, 2014, 09:07:10 pm

Title: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Stoots on November 06, 2014, 09:07:10 pm
Looking to do a DIY van mount, what flow rate and psi pump do i need for 100m 6mm hose and is a digital flow controller really needed? ???

thanks
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Smudger on November 06, 2014, 09:14:43 pm
Analogue controllers work fine,

Only one pump for me shurflo 100psi - totally reliable

Darran
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Spruce on November 06, 2014, 09:29:30 pm
Looking to do a DIY van mount, what flow rate and psi pump do i need for 100m 6mm hose and is a digital flow controller really needed? ???

thanks

I'm happy with 8mm hose. I have never used 6mm microbore.

I am quite happy with a water stream at the brush head of around 2 LPM although 1.5 LPM is workable albeit slower when rinsing.

...and yes I believe you do need a controller. There has been a topic on this recently with the pros and cons.
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Smudger on November 06, 2014, 09:35:58 pm
Spruce, you need to try 6mm so much lighter to use when reeling in and out

Darran
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Stoots on November 06, 2014, 09:48:10 pm
so 100 psi shurflo

what flow rate should that have in lpm

and does say 4 lpm equate to 4 lpm at the brush head?

i shall have a look into the other thread on controllers then, wondering why you can just regulate flow with a tap?

cheers
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Ian Sheppard on November 06, 2014, 10:03:45 pm
A pump control will help you manage water and battery power. If a pump produces 4 lpm at the outlet. The pressure dynamics of the hose means you will likely get 2.5 lpm at the brush. How much water you want at the glass is an individual decision. Probably 1 to 2 lpm is plenty.
A control manages the pump so that the water flow at the outlet closely matches the flow at the brush. Also the control reduces the amount of current drawn by the pump.
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Stoots on November 06, 2014, 10:13:09 pm
ah, makes sense that it draws less from battery, think i will go for an analogue one or make one afterall its only an on/off switch and a voltage resistor in a box.

thanks
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Ian Sheppard on November 07, 2014, 02:02:34 am
In the end you need to weigh up what you are looking for in a controller. Yes you can get a simple voltage regulator and provided it is fused and the cable is maintained it will give you some control over the pump.
The more sophisticated controllers use a micro processor and have a number of features designed in to them to both protect the system and provide information. They run more efficiently and cooler.
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Spruce on November 07, 2014, 12:12:28 pm
Spruce, you need to try 6mm so much lighter to use when reeling in and out

Darran

I'm going to go hot one day with a diesel heater (if I live that long  :)) and i was going to include microbore as part of the upgrade as warm water flows better than cold.

In the early days of WFP Williamson's advised that they wouldn't honour claims on Shurflo pumps that were used on small bore hoses (anything under 1/2".) So it was 8mm from then on. One of the  pumps is now nearly 9 years old with no issues, so just stuck with what has worked for us TBH.


Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: Michael Peterson on November 07, 2014, 05:27:28 pm
Will get shot down here but never use controllers and only use Chinese pumps at £10 each they last about six months each don't bother with the strainer either
Title: Re: Van mount - which pump? controller?
Post by: johnny bravo on November 08, 2014, 07:08:41 pm
how do you controll your waterflow from the pump ???,   do you have a tap