Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Shane O Neill on April 29, 2015, 08:31:25 pm
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wanted to know what the savings of fitting a van system out DIY or by a company ??
is it really that hard,ie getting a tank+ frame & having it bolted.....has anyone done it & wished they got a company to do it less the hassle. :-\.......also where is best to get a van floor lined,any links pls ;)
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Depends on your budget, and technical nohow, I bought Purefreedom two man 650 lt system with exterior ports, and a thingy that stops the water when the tank is full. It has been a great system for last three years, and there is no way I could have fitted this myself.
If I were you before you get a system fitted get the floor fibreglassed, as board, and protekacoat does not protect the floor from water.
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The fear is all in your head.
If you've half a brain and a tiny tiny bit of DIY know how, you'll be fine.
Plenty of help on here if you do decide to go for it.
Though there are benefits to a pro fit system they are very overpriced for what you get.
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Depends on your budget, and technical nohow, I bought Purefreedom two man 650 lt system with exterior ports, and a thingy that stops the water when the tank is full. It has been a great system for last three years, and there is no way I could have fitted this myself.
If I were you before you get a system fitted get the floor fibreglassed, as board, and protekacoat does not protect the floor from water.
How much was that system Samson ?
The fear is all in your head.
If you've half a brain and a tiny tiny bit of DIY know how, you'll be fine.
Plenty of help on here if you do decide to go for it.
Though there are benefits to a pro fit system they are very overpriced for what you get.
True pole king,but I've get about 1/4 of a brain :-\ .....but yep all you need is a tank & pump really ???
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wanted to know what the savings of fitting a van system out DIY or by a company ??
is it really that hard,ie getting a tank+ frame & having it bolted.....has anyone done it & wished they got a company to do it less the hassle. :-\.......also where is best to get a van floor lined,any links pls ;)
Shane, you say............van system ? What do you mean by that, do you mean a van pure water production and delivery system, or just a van delivery system ? The difference between them two terms amounts to many hundreds of pounds.
Probably cause some controversey, but i would never line a van floor again. But you think it needs doing ? Because pure water is so aggresive it will corrode your van floor ? If thats the case, then just make sure there's no leaks and you won;t have that problem. And of course, if it was so corrosive we wouldn;t need Vision, G101, Virosol et al....to remove bird crap !!! The pure water acid would do it all by its self !!!
As regards frames and bolting in, you should be aware that "some" manufacturers are now aware that bolting into the floor , we won't call it chassis as many or most modern vans do NOT have a chassis, is probably not the best thing to do. They are now concentrating the marketting on the fact their "system tank" will retain its integrity. Go and try and jump all over a wydale tank and see how far you get, thats what most DIY'ers use ;D
Which part of fitting any of it do you think may be a hassle to you ?
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How much was that system Samson ?
Just shy of 3k, but that was a few years ago, but I will be buying from them again when we replace the van.
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Depends how quick you need to be up and running but I've only got half a brain and I managed it.
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wanted to know what the savings of fitting a van system out DIY or by a company ??
is it really that hard,ie getting a tank+ frame & having it bolted.....has anyone done it & wished they got a company to do it less the hassle. :-\.......also where is best to get a van floor lined,any links pls ;)
Shane, you say............van system ? What do you mean by that, do you mean a van pure water production and delivery system, or just a van delivery system ? The difference between them two terms amounts to many hundreds of pounds.
Probably cause some controversey, but i would never line a van floor again. But you think it needs doing ? Because pure water is so aggresive it will corrode your van floor ? If thats the case, then just make sure there's no leaks and you won;t have that problem. And of course, if it was so corrosive we wouldn;t need Vision, G101, Virosol et al....to remove bird crap !!! The pure water acid would do it all by its self !!!
As regards frames and bolting in, you should be aware that "some" manufacturers are now aware that bolting into the floor , we won't call it chassis as many or most modern vans do NOT have a chassis, is probably not the best thing to do. They are now concentrating the marketting on the fact their "system tank" will retain its integrity. Go and try and jump all over a wydale tank and see how far you get, thats what most DIY'ers use ;D
Which part of fitting any of it do you think may be a hassle to you ?
The majority of WFP cleaners don't need any additives to remove bird crap ::)roll but do agree pure water wont burn
through your floor like acid.
But with most van floors being so easily scrapped it is better to give them a bit of extra protection as bare metal will
rust on contact with water and air.
Protekacoat will more than do the job if applied right, as for bolting the tank to the floor you don't need a chassis as long as
you put a metal plate (like a large washer) on the underside of the floor so that the bolt head cant be pulled through the
floor in an accident.
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Depends on your budget, and technical nohow, I bought Purefreedom two man 650 lt system with exterior ports, and a thingy that stops the water when the tank is full. It has been a great system for last three years, and there is no way I could have fitted this myself.
If I were you before you get a system fitted get the floor fibreglassed, as board, and protekacoat does not protect the floor from water.
I had the same experience as Samson there no way that I would have fitted as good a system as Iv got now if I had DIY it
back when I was starting out, plus the training on how to maintain and use it more than covered the extra expense.
Google some of the smaller fitters out there and you will find that they will do you a good system for not much more
than you could build it yourself.
Its the big named brands with their overpriced systems that your need to avoid.
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clean clear....just a delivery system! (& maybe a Resin bottle as thinking of doing rain water harvesting)
SeanK thanks,......years ago ionics had me thinking my bucket would fall through the floor if I didn't take the floor protection
is the protekacoat / fibreglass easy to apply ?
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Protekacoat isn't that hard to apply, make sure you sand the shine of the van floor and clean well before applying it.
Remove the rubber trims around the doors so that you can paint under them.
Don't forget to mix a hardener in with the Protekacoat or it will take forever to dry.
Buy a cheap brush for each coat that you intend to apply as they will be rock hard before your ready for the next coat.
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The majority of WFP cleaners don't need any additives to remove bird crap ::)roll but do agree pure water wont burn
through your floor like acid.
Caught one !!!! ;D
Lets see, you don't need additives to remove bird crap eh ? Ok, if the bird craps there and then and its soft and wet then you're right it just literally washes away. Not so when a large ass seagull splashes it and its sat there a week or two dying out and going hard before you come to clean it in all its baked in the sun glory. You wash it off and the white comes away and you're nibbling away trying to get the black bit off and delaying putting your credit card or scraper on the end of the pole ?
But with most van floors being so easily scrapped it is better to give them a bit of extra protection as bare metal will
rust on contact with water and air.
Protekacoat will more than do the job if applied right, as for bolting the tank to the floor you don't need a chassis as long as
you put a metal plate (like a large washer) on the underside of the floor so that the bolt head cant be pulled through the
floor in an accident.
Scraped from what ? I don't move my reels. There's loads of protective paints on ebay, i linked to them before. They're about a quarter of the price of protectacote. What do you need protectacote for ?
Now, bolting through the floor, my favourite subject ;D You need a big washer do you ? So the bolt can't be pulled through (the floor) ? Now go and search out ANY video or literature from ANY "approved system fitters/manufacturers"......they all say along the lines of...our tank/system will retain its integrity in the even t of a crash at 30 mph (roughly, not verbatim). they rip the floor right up, and effectivey write your van off, but the systems fine ;D This test, of course i'm reffering to the Ionics one right now, was pitched against and ineffecivley secured IBC !!!! How about they try the results against an effectivley restrained wyedale tank? I'd suspect Wyedale would sue their arse if they did that. Of course a Wyedale tank will not collapse like the inner of an IBC.
Of course the only logical way for a tank to be secured is NOT through the floor. This of course leaves you (as the fitter of the tank) open to multitudes of ways to secure a tank down, and stop foreward movement. It will be very different depending upon tank configuration (i.e upright/layflat), size(200lite tank/500 litre tank), van type (combo/transit). And some one is believing that crap that only a crash tested system will be good enough ? ;D Don;t make me howl !!! Infact i think even grippa tank have recognised this fact and say so much in their literature, not like i've not been banging on about it for donkeys !! ;D
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clean clear....just a delivery system! (& maybe a Resin bottle as thinking of doing rain water harvesting)
SeanK thanks,......years ago ionics had me thinking my bucket would fall through the floor if I didn't take the floor protection
is the protekacoat / fibreglass easy to apply ?
Just go on ebay, look for garage floor paint, make sure it says applicable to metal. You'll find it a quarter of the price. Just paint it on your van floor. If you aint clever enough to do that, get a local schoolkid to do it for you !!!
Then check out the cleaning warehouse in wolverhampton for a tank, frame and fitting if you don;t want to do it yourself.
http://www.thecleaningwarehouse.co.uk/
They're quite cheap, and only do what everyone else does. Ask them for a price..............
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The majority of WFP cleaners don't need any additives to remove bird crap ::)roll but do agree pure water wont burn
through your floor like acid.
Caught one !!!! ;D
Lets see, you don't need additives to remove bird crap eh ? Ok, if the bird craps there and then and its soft and wet then you're right it just literally washes away. Not so when a large ass seagull splashes it and its sat there a week or two dying out and going hard before you come to clean it in all its baked in the sun glory. You wash it off and the white comes away and you're nibbling away trying to get the black bit off and delaying putting your credit card or scraper on the end of the pole ?
But with most van floors being so easily scrapped it is better to give them a bit of extra protection as bare metal will
rust on contact with water and air.
Protekacoat will more than do the job if applied right, as for bolting the tank to the floor you don't need a chassis as long as
you put a metal plate (like a large washer) on the underside of the floor so that the bolt head cant be pulled through the
floor in an accident.
Scraped from what ? I don't move my reels. There's loads of protective paints on ebay, i linked to them before. They're about a quarter of the price of protectacote. What do you need protectacote for ?
Now, bolting through the floor, my favourite subject ;D You need a big washer do you ? So the bolt can't be pulled through (the floor) ? Now go and search out ANY video or literature from ANY "approved system fitters/manufacturers"......they all say along the lines of...our tank/system will retain its integrity in the even t of a crash at 30 mph (roughly, not verbatim). they rip the floor right up, and effectivey write your van off, but the systems fine ;D This test, of course i'm reffering to the Ionics one right now, was pitched against and ineffecivley secured IBC !!!! How about they try the results against an effectivley restrained wyedale tank? I'd suspect Wyedale would sue their arse if they did that. Of course a Wyedale tank will not collapse like the inner of an IBC.
Of course the only logical way for a tank to be secured is NOT through the floor. This of course leaves you (as the fitter of the tank) open to multitudes of ways to secure a tank down, and stop foreward movement. It will be very different depending upon tank configuration (i.e upright/layflat), size(200lite tank/500 litre tank), van type (combo/transit). And some one is believing that crap that only a crash tested system will be good enough ? ;D Don;t make me howl !!! Infact i think even grippa tank have recognised this fact and say so much in their literature, not like i've not been banging on about it for donkeys !! ;D
Firstly when I say washer I use that word to give a picture of what I mean, I have 4 five inch plates holding my tank frame
to the floor.
Yes in an severe accident I would say it might damage the floor but I would rather have this than a tank with 650lts of
water hitting me from behind.
As for garage floor paint it doesn't have the flex needed on a van floor and will eventually crack as you walk or put a weight
on it.
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The majority of WFP cleaners don't need any additives to remove bird crap ::)roll but do agree pure water wont burn
through your floor like acid.
Caught one !!!! ;D
Lets see, you don't need additives to remove bird crap eh ? Ok, if the bird craps there and then and its soft and wet then you're right it just literally washes away. Not so when a large ass seagull splashes it and its sat there a week or two dying out and going hard before you come to clean it in all its baked in the sun glory. You wash it off and the white comes away and you're nibbling away trying to get the black bit off and delaying putting your credit card or scraper on the end of the pole ?
But with most van floors being so easily scrapped it is better to give them a bit of extra protection as bare metal will
rust on contact with water and air.
Protekacoat will more than do the job if applied right, as for bolting the tank to the floor you don't need a chassis as long as
you put a metal plate (like a large washer) on the underside of the floor so that the bolt head cant be pulled through the
floor in an accident.
Scraped from what ? I don't move my reels. There's loads of protective paints on ebay, i linked to them before. They're about a quarter of the price of protectacote. What do you need protectacote for ?
Now, bolting through the floor, my favourite subject ;D You need a big washer do you ? So the bolt can't be pulled through (the floor) ? Now go and search out ANY video or literature from ANY "approved system fitters/manufacturers"......they all say along the lines of...our tank/system will retain its integrity in the even t of a crash at 30 mph (roughly, not verbatim). they rip the floor right up, and effectivey write your van off, but the systems fine ;D This test, of course i'm reffering to the Ionics one right now, was pitched against and ineffecivley secured IBC !!!! How about they try the results against an effectivley restrained wyedale tank? I'd suspect Wyedale would sue their arse if they did that. Of course a Wyedale tank will not collapse like the inner of an IBC.
Of course the only logical way for a tank to be secured is NOT through the floor. This of course leaves you (as the fitter of the tank) open to multitudes of ways to secure a tank down, and stop foreward movement. It will be very different depending upon tank configuration (i.e upright/layflat), size(200lite tank/500 litre tank), van type (combo/transit). And some one is believing that crap that only a crash tested system will be good enough ? ;D Don;t make me howl !!! Infact i think even grippa tank have recognised this fact and say so much in their literature, not like i've not been banging on about it for donkeys !! ;D
Thanks for the mentioning our name.
Just to clarify (apologises if this sounds arguementive, its not meant to!), we would always recommend a crash tested system over a non crash tested system for a couple of reasons:
1/. A system that has been through the testing process is surely better than a system that has had no tests at all
2/. A professional system should not JUST be sold on the merits and importance of a crash testing. Purchasing a professional system gives you peace of mind for safety, support, and design reasons. I.e Its been tested / Its been designed specifically for vehicles / Its been designed with features that make window cleaners working lives easier and simpler / You have support and customer care plan with each system to keep you working while we do the dirty work servicing or repairing should something be faulty.
Hopefully that adds another perspective to the discussion :)
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I fitted a 650l system and everything for two people for £800 (apart from poles and hose)
It was tough, I took the week off to do it. I would think twice before doing it again.
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Just paint it on your van floor. If you aint clever enough to do that, get a local schoolkid to do it for you !!!
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;D do love the banter on here !!
Cheers clean clear thanks for your advice ;)
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Tank pump reel pole battery,I would buy a tank and a pump box they do with everything in. You just need an auto electrician once the tanks in and you have all the bits including a split charger,it will take him a couple of hours to do it neatly.
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I dont see the argument with the floor protector paint to be honest...
Whether you believe it'll do anything or not, for the sake of £70 why would you not give the floor the 'protection' just in case?
Unless paint on the floor is offensive to your religion or the paint has offended you by calling you names then you just sound daft feeling so strongly against it...
Your floor might be fine without protectakote or the like, but for £70 and a couple of days drying....why not...?
(Put some rubber matting over it so you dont scratch it and it'll last years...its £70 for crying out loud!!!)
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I have seen plenty of vans that have been protektacoted and after a couple of months use it is scuffed and looking tatty not doing the job it is ment for(sealing a van floor)
Speak to any one who has ever had there van speedlinered and I bet nearly all would say it was worth it and recommend it.
As for systems you can't go wrong with grippa tank.
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I was at grippatank a few days ago and when one of the chaps opened my rear doors he said WOW ! LOL and he works for Grippa and its a grippa system.
Says it all really ;)
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I have seen plenty of vans that have been protektacoted and after a couple of months use it is scuffed and looking tatty not doing the job it is ment for(sealing a van floor)
Thats exactly what i find. Waste of time it is.
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I was at grippatank a few days ago and when one of the chaps opened my rear doors he said WOW ! LOL and he works for Grippa and its a grippa system.
Says it all really ;)
What was it, a Wydale in there ? ;D ;D
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Thanks for the mentioning our name.
Just to clarify (apologises if this sounds arguementive, its not meant to!), we would always recommend a crash tested system over a non crash tested system for a couple of reasons:
1/. A system that has been through the testing process is surely better than a system that has had no tests at all
2/. A professional system should not JUST be sold on the merits and importance of a crash testing. Purchasing a professional system gives you peace of mind for safety, support, and design reasons. I.e Its been tested / Its been designed specifically for vehicles / Its been designed with features that make window cleaners working lives easier and simpler / You have support and customer care plan with each system to keep you working while we do the dirty work servicing or repairing should something be faulty.
Hopefully that adds another perspective to the discussion :)
Thats no problem !!! ;D Can you clarify is it your tank itself that retains its integrity or the fitting of the system that makes it retain its integrity ?
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Agree with above about protectakote.
I've just repainted my floor with a liter of it as it was scratched and peeling, have had the van nearly 8 years though !
Tbh though if you pick warmer weather you don't need to add a hardener, did mine the easter bank holiday weekend and was ready to go after the bank holiday monday. I've put a perforated thick rubber mat down now over it so I don't scratch and chip it so easily this time.
I wouldn't use it again though.
When / if I need a new van, provided the floor is in good nick I'd leave be and concentrate on making the system leak free.
after all its only exposed metal that if constantly exposed to water that will rust.
If ply lined floor and panels and I really wanted to waterproof and look pro, I'd seal it with a fiberglass roof kit - 5m squared kit with everything you need will do a mid sized van , readily available all over the net and fleabay for approx £70 ( comparable in price to protectakote but way more hard wearing and better looking finish )
;)
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Tank pump reel pole battery,I would buy a tank and a pump box they do with everything in. You just need an auto electrician once the tanks in and you have all the bits including a split charger,it will take him a couple of hours to do it neatly.
Just to add, (not argue) in not an auto electrician by any stretch but I fitted my pure freedom autocharger/flow controller in about half an hour.
Very simple.
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Oh and the protecktacote debate:
For me, it has to be fibreglass.
12 years and 4 vans WFPing it's the only thing that's lasted properly.
Fibreglassed my current van myself. Less than £200 and half a days work.
Pukka.
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Thanks for the mentioning our name.
Just to clarify (apologises if this sounds arguementive, its not meant to!), we would always recommend a crash tested system over a non crash tested system for a couple of reasons:
1/. A system that has been through the testing process is surely better than a system that has had no tests at all
2/. A professional system should not JUST be sold on the merits and importance of a crash testing. Purchasing a professional system gives you peace of mind for safety, support, and design reasons. I.e Its been tested / Its been designed specifically for vehicles / Its been designed with features that make window cleaners working lives easier and simpler / You have support and customer care plan with each system to keep you working while we do the dirty work servicing or repairing should something be faulty.
Hopefully that adds another perspective to the discussion :)
Thats no problem !!! ;D Can you clarify is it your tank itself that retains its integrity or the fitting of the system that makes it retain its integrity ?
Good Morning,
Thanks for the question.
The tank itself will retain integrity due to its construction - these tanks are not like the flimsy innards of an IBC tank - these are designed to withstand the force that water will exert in a crash.
When combined with the Crash-Tested Restraint System (T-Loks and Floor Bars) it means that the whole unit will retain integrity and will not move towards the cab of the vehicle, thus protecting the persons space within the vehicle.
As a supplier, we have a moral obligation to make sure the product supplied is safe - especially with the weights involved.
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Maybe a stupid question, but with the black tank how can you tell how low the water level is ?
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Maybe a stupid question, but with the black tank how can you tell how low the water level is ?
A perfectly valid question! Each system has a solid sight indicator so you can easily see from a glance what the tank level is.
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I fitted a 650ltr tank, pump, reel, battery, DI Etc in 3 hours, six months ago.
Works perfectly well and I know every inch of the system when anything goes wrong ( broken connection etc)
Price of parts and my time, that's all
I'm no diyer BTW
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Agree with above, a few hours to set up - half a day.
Start with the size of tank that you want and work around it. Get it in position and have it bolted down.
You will always add to it as you go, as I do, to save floor space I have hose reel on inside of roof.
Cost wise it's a no brainer to do a DIY
Tank in frame £150 eBay
Ro is prob best bought new
Di bottles about £25 eBay
Pump and controller £120 new
Battery new or used
Hose and reel £50 -£120 new or used
Hose and fitting an a bit if wire £50
Poles ?? Up to you how much you want to spend
U pretty much there now just put it how you want it set up, get some pics of how others have done it and copy.
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Yes it is simple to install but I use an auto electrician for any wiring as I like it all near and tidy
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Give reach to clean a ring they r based nr gatwick and have just
Fitted my system and they labour charge and professionalism
Was excellent ... They are now currently fitting out my mates van to....
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Give reach to clean a ring they r based nr gatwick and have just
Fitted my system and they labour charge and professionalism
Was excellent ... They are now currently fitting out my mates van to....
Do you have a link smearo ? (Just seem to get Wakefield & Surrey from Google ??? )