Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Plankton on December 01, 2016, 10:04:42 pm
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I had planned on getting a ready made system next year (October!) but I jumped in and bought the Facelift Compact (Black Friday an aw that). After searching the internet for a while I couldn't find much info on this and even on the wcw website there is limited info, so I have decided to start a review on CIU.
And there'll be some issues for the pedantic/pernickety or those who can't bear to buy something from another company!
As interesting or boring this may be I'll update tomorrow. Starting with the novice workmanship.
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I'll be interested to find out how you get on with the Facelift compact.
It looks like a very good value system that you could fit into a small van like a citroen nemo. The only question is how do you actually secure it in the van.... the supplied fixings don't look that sturdy so I'm wondering whether you may have to get a frame made up of angle iron or use ratchet straps.
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I'll be interested to find out how you get on with the Facelift compact.
It looks like a very good value system that you could fit into a small van like a citroen nemo. The only question is how do you actually secure it in the van.... the supplied fixings don't look that sturdy so I'm wondering whether you may have to get a frame made up of angle iron or use ratchet straps.
Bought one myself on black Friday. Have you had yours yet as i am still waiting for a delivery :(
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I'll be interested to find out how you get on with the Facelift compact.
It looks like a very good value system that you could fit into a small van like a citroen nemo. The only question is how do you actually secure it in the van.... the supplied fixings don't look that sturdy so I'm wondering whether you may have to get a frame made up of angle iron or use ratchet straps.
After seeing their 24% offer I ordered it at 3am on Friday morning. Phoned them Friday afternoon to check if it would be delivered on Saturday or Monday. The reply was "it'll be Monday or Tuesday" and "it does saying on the internet that large items take longer". I then checked and emailed them to confirm that he was wrong and it states next day delivery and invoice states priority next delivery. They said the delay was due to volumes. However on another forum a chap complained it took six days, which is how long mine took.
Bought one myself on black Friday. Have you had yours yet as i am still waiting for a delivery :(
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Unwrapped it and it all looked good. Everything is contained within the tank, pump (flo jet) and filter, controller, battery and di vessel if you have ordered the di version.
+ The di vessel comes filled with resin which there is no mention on the website.
- If you've ordered the delivery only option then it won't have the hose or vessel bracket included and the tank will be plumbed direct to the pump.
- The battery is a Yuasa 70ah not an 85ah as advertised " powerfull 85ah battery".
- There was no mention of inlet or outlet connections for filling or draining and there isn't any.
- The tank colour as expected is black and you can't see the water level. Could do with a clear pipe up the side of the tank connected at the bottom and top which would show the water level.
- Panels attached to the tank to contain the battery and controller have been poorly fitted and sit too low down (slightly).
The controller has been used as a hockey puck (see picture)
+ Configured the controller on the second attempt and the system all works as it should, dead end detection battery voltage indicator etc.
+ The hose reel can be bolted to the tank length ways or side ways, which there's no mention of.
As I've bought this earlier than planned I'm running it from a pickup truck which meant I was limited for high, so I have the reel sitting next to the tank.
The big talking point will be how you fit the tank to your vehicle. The fitting kit includes four S shape brackets which are screwed to the delivery pallet with screws, the same are used for fitting plastic coated metal roofs or facades. I assume they are rated and your mechanic will decide which bolts to use if bolting it to the vehicle is your thing.
This isn't a problem as I've used Velcro! :)
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1480709047_facelift.jpg)
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1480709062_facelift1.jpg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1480709083_facelift2.jpg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1480709098_facelift3.jpg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1480709114_facelift4.jpg)
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Still waiting on mine so you were lucky. Will be 9 days since I ordered on Monday :'(
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Still waiting on mine so you were lucky. Will be 9 days since I ordered on Monday :'(
How did you get on, were the panels sitting lower than the tank and have the same battery?
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STILL WAITING - promised me today or I was going to cancel my order.
You liking yours then??
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STILL WAITING - promised me today or I was going to cancel my order.
You liking yours then??
Well ... The delay, dodgy drilling, different battery and the fact that I'll need to refit the panels so they don't brake as there currently sitting too low and so are under load from the tank. With the battery retaining panel being badly fitted the bolts don't line up correctly so removing the panel to charge the battery will be a pain.
It has been out for nearly a year so these small things shouldn't be an issue and they could have better detail on their website regarding fittings and delivery etc.
In comparison with other systems the price may seem cheap for some but for others it's an expensive outlay.
It's good but I'll leave it a week and maybe change a couple of things.
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STILL WAITING - promised me today or I was going to cancel my order.
You liking yours then??
Well ... The delay, dodgy drilling, different battery and the fact that I'll need to refit the panels so they don't brake as there currently sitting too low and so are under load from the tank. With the battery retaining panel being badly fitted the bolts don't line up correctly so removing the panel to charge the battery will be a pain.
It has been out for nearly a year so these small things shouldn't be an issue and they could have better detail on their website regarding fittings and delivery etc.
In comparison with other systems the price may seem cheap for some but for others it's an expensive outlay.
It's good but I'll leave it a week and maybe change a couple of things.
Sounds like yer not too happy bud. Looks decent enough on site tae.
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The impression I get from the review is to stay well clear.
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What worried me was the brackets used to secure it. I think i would prefer using a strap lol
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STILL WAITING - promised me today or I was going to cancel my order.
You liking yours then??
Did you get it or cancel the order?
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No I actually have it now. ;D
Like you battery panels are poor + a pain to take off and on to charge as my van is always rammed so will need to sort that out. The thing that bugs me is the most is the hose reel, unless you wind it on real tight it does not fit all the hose onto the reel with out catching the frame, will have to take 15ft of the hose I reckon.
Otherwise i love it, looks cool as well :)
Just got it in my Belingo at the mo, not fitted as thinking I may put it in my vauxhall vivaro instead.
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I had mine a few months and can't fault it delivery only has I have a static I transfer my pure to it, works a treat.
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No I actually have it now. ;D
Like you battery panels are poor + a pain to take off and on to charge as my van is always rammed so will need to sort that out. The thing that bugs me is the most is the hose reel, unless you wind it on real tight it does not fit all the hose onto the reel with out catching the frame, will have to take 15ft of the hose I reckon.
Otherwise i love it, looks cool as well :)
Just got it in my Belingo at the mo, not fitted as thinking I may put it in my vauxhall vivaro instead.
You need to get that tank secured ASAP. It doesn't matter how soon you are going to change your van. That ladder frame behind the drivers seat isn't strong enough to hold that weight of tank and water from squashing you in an accident.
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Might look good on the website. Have you ever been to a Mac Donald's looked at the pictures of the burger's behind the counter ordered one opened the box to eat it and thought what the f*** is this.
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Giving it a good run for its money at the moment and have to say i am loving it and the speed at which i am working has increased significantly.
The one thing that is peeing me of though is the hose reel and hose. Its just a bleedin pain in the arse to wind back on, catches the frame and now i am getting little bits of yellow hose rubbing off.
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Ditto above with the hose reel 😡
Took about 20 ft off mine and still catches 😕
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Giving it a good run for its money at the moment and have to say i am loving it and the speed at which i am working has increased significantly.
The one thing that is peeing me of though is the hose reel and hose. Its just a bleedin pain in the arse to wind back on, catches the frame and now i am getting little bits of yellow hose rubbing off.
How has the system helped you work faster? Personally I think what is likely to help most is a good quality van mounted hose reel. Other than that it is just a tank with a standard pump and controller.
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I was on a trolley before so lots of friggin about with water in drums.
This is pull van up unwind hose and clean - then rewind hose which can be a pain if not wound on tight mind you.
A few niggles but I would still recommend it for the price I paid :)
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To follow on... I've been off quite a bit so the equipment hasn't been used anything like you would expect in a four month period.
The issues I've had with the system are - the battery doesn't hold it's charge, there is no visual guide of the water level, there are no fill or drain ports, poor fitting of the plastic panels and the bolts on the reel and panels started to rust soon after purchase, the 100m hose doesn't fit onto the reel and it's wearing the hose down and keeps jamming the reel.
Remedial;
Battery - not had a reply yet. Fully charged it's over 14v and before use drops to under 13v (in a day or two)
I've just fitted a ball cock valve with a fill connection running to the front of the tank which helps a lot.
For a gauge l need to fit something like the following;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-ft-457mm-Tank-Float-Gauge-with-Back-Nut-Suits-Oil-or-Water-Tanks-/272173239629?hash=item3f5eca0d4d:g:NfcAAOSwgQ9VgZgE
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-52mm-Universal-Car-Fuel-Level-Meter-Gauge-With-Fuel-Sensor-E-1-2-F-Pointer-/161981360973?hash=item25b6d76b4d:g:714AAOSw~OVWxWAb
Although I'd rather not fit or modify anything and especially anything electrical as it defeats the purpose of buying a ready made and purpose built system. I need a simple and reliable indication of the water level and with the tank lid being at the back of the pickup it's not an option to just look in it!
Drain port - I could do with a bilge pump as now and then I will need to drain the tank and it's not great having to syphon it.
Plastic panels were removed and I've drilled new holes so they line up correctly.
Rusty bolts - wipe them with an oily cloth or completely remove rust and spray with lacquer.
Hose - cut off around 15 meters and be left short for those further away jobs or fit new connections to the cut section and attach when needed or buy a new backpack. During use the hose is only going to stretch with warm water (NOT HOT WATER) and summer use so a fair chunk of hose will be lost.
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To follow on... I've been off quite a bit so the equipment hasn't been used anything like you would expect in a four month period.
The issues I've had with the system are - the battery doesn't hold it's charge, there is no visual guide of the water level, there are no fill or drain ports, poor fitting of the plastic panels and the bolts on the reel and panels started to rust soon after purchase, the 100m hose doesn't fit onto the reel and it's wearing the hose down and keeps jamming the reel.
Remedial;
Battery - not had a reply yet. Fully charged it's over 14v and before use drops to under 13v (in a day or two)
I've just fitted a ball cock valve with a fill connection running to the front of the tank which helps a lot.
For a gauge l need to fit something like the following;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-6-ft-457mm-Tank-Float-Gauge-with-Back-Nut-Suits-Oil-or-Water-Tanks-/272173239629?hash=item3f5eca0d4d:g:NfcAAOSwgQ9VgZgE
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-52mm-Universal-Car-Fuel-Level-Meter-Gauge-With-Fuel-Sensor-E-1-2-F-Pointer-/161981360973?hash=item25b6d76b4d:g:714AAOSw~OVWxWAb
Although I'd rather not fit or modify anything and especially anything electrical as it defeats the purpose of buying a ready made and purpose built system. I need a simple and reliable indication of the water level and with the tank lid being at the back of the pickup it's not an option to just look in it!
Drain port - I could do with a bilge pump as now and then I will need to drain the tank and it's not great having to syphon it.
Plastic panels were removed and I've drilled new holes so they line up correctly.
Rusty bolts - wipe them with an oily cloth or completely remove rust and spray with lacquer.
Hose - cut off around 15 meters and be left short for those further away jobs or fit new connections to the cut section and attach when needed or buy a new backpack. During use the hose is only going to stretch with warm water (NOT HOT WATER) and summer use so a fair chunk of hose will be lost.
What about and ordinary sight glass kit?
https://www.grippatank.co.uk/wfp-purification-systems/system-plumbing/sight-gauge-kits
Not sure why Grippa say they will only fit Grippa Tanks though.
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Thanks I didn't know you could buy them made up. I had suggested somewhere that a clear hose attached to the top and bottom would have been good. It would have been good to have it fitted at the front next to the control panel but as the lid is at the rear of the tank I couldn't do this and to fit it at the side/rear may cause a problem if it's nocked with something.
This could also double up as a drain port as it looks like it'll swivel, probably would only need one hole at the bottom and have the top open and clipped to the tank.
(too narrow for a drain)
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i dont understand why you didnt just buy a wydale tank,cage and a pumpbox.easy to set up and you can see the water level.
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Sounds from your experiences if you pay less, you get an inferior quality product. Would be interested to hear what Facelift have to say about this. I know that the likes of Grippa & Ionics charge considerably more but at least you know you're getting a quality product.
I went down the same route as Daz and set up my own system with a Wydale tank and parts from PF (but I don't use a pumpbox). Haven't decided yet what I'll do when I eventually change my van (or when it dies on me!)
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Had mine since August think it's a great system
1. See attached photo with regards to the reel remove the cross struts drop them down one bolt hole very simple fix taking just a few minutes and reels in smooth and fast no scrapping hose, another windie told me about this and it's defo a great fix and well worth doing.
2. I have never run out of water i topped up every morning take a second to un screw lid to check water volume.
3. Never had a problem with the battery I do top up battery twice a week with a smart charger that as fast connectors so don't have to take panel off it's just plug and charge. ( but only last week) have had a split charge relay fitted so far this week as stayed around 90% charged so not charged with battery charger maybe top up battery the weekend.
4. I have no rust on bolts mine are a brass or brass coloured.
5. The panel drill holes where slightly out of line, I made the holes bigger redrilled out and used penny washers to hide the enlarged holes. looks neat and tidy as stated I don't take my panel off to charge.
Because I have a static setup I find this system perfect for my needs.
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Never had a problem with the battery I do top up battery twice a week with a smart charger that as fast connectors so don't have to take panel off it's just plug and charge.
Tell me about this please. I take panel off (pain) to charge. How do you do this, sorry if I sound a bit thick :)
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Laugh out loud that's all I'm saying please don't tell me you paid much for that.
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Photos of smart charger this charger as a separate contractor that is permanently connected to th battery terminals I can use the connector or the crocodile clips , hope the photos are self explanatory.
Also a close up of moving the hose reel cross bar down gives more room for extra hose lol.
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Thanks Den. I moved my bars down on the reel as well ;D
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This charger was cheap on eBay and was recommended on a caravan forum when I was researching battery chargers really can't complain it's a good charger fir the money.
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Do you have a link Den?
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You can see the penny washer in the photo I used also to hide the enlarged drill holes in the panel.
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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maypole-Smart-Electronic-Battery-Charger-6-V-12V-Wet-Gel-Caravan-Car-MP7423-/182505489799?hash=item2a7e2cc587:g:HU8AAOSw4GVYHZg1
I defo recommend this charger its only 4amps but works great, they do a 8amp for a few quid more I would probably go for that if this ever packs up.
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i dont understand why you didnt just buy a wydale tank,cage and a pumpbox.easy to set up and you can see the water level.
Simple, I wanted a purpose built all in one unit that can be removed or repositioned when required. I had issues with previous Wydale with pump box setups and intended to buy this in October 2017 when I'll probably change from the pickup to a van.
My issues with the system are minor but still an inconvenience and if I had to put another van on the road then I'd buy the Facelift Compact system again.
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Sounds from your experiences if you pay less, you get an inferior quality product. Would be interested to hear what Facelift have to say about this. I know that the likes of Grippa & Ionics charge considerably more but at least you know you're getting a quality product.
I went down the same route as Daz and set up my own system with a Wydale tank and parts from PF (but I don't use a pumpbox). Haven't decided yet what I'll do when I eventually change my van (or when it dies on me!)
I was under the impression that WCW was Facelift? Maybe I'm wrong if so I'll forward them my emails to WCW on 06/02/17 and 27/03/17.
It'd be nice to get a reply!
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Sounds from your experiences if you pay less, you get an inferior quality product. Would be interested to hear what Facelift have to say about this. I know that the likes of Grippa & Ionics charge considerably more but at least you know you're getting a quality product.
I went down the same route as Daz and set up my own system with a Wydale tank and parts from PF (but I don't use a pumpbox). Haven't decided yet what I'll do when I eventually change my van (or when it dies on me!)
I was under the impression that WCW was Facelift? Maybe I'm wrong if so I'll forward them my emails to WCW on 06/02/17 and 27/03/17.
It'd be nice to get a reply!
Received a reply today stating that someone will contact me tomorrow.
I would disagree that if you pay less you get inferior quality. The battery although 15amh less than stated at the time of purchase it's a top brand, the hose reel is a very good sturdy reel and the tank is well constructed. The wiring and hose connections are also good.
You have one user saying there's no rust on the bolts although their description of the bolts doesn't match the photos they posted.
They also haven't had any issue with the battery
They came across an easy mod for the hose reel and have bought a charger with a very useful feature.
The tank lid is accessible for them so they don't have an issue with checking the water level.
Just before I ran out of water today a metal gate which would pass over my old gardiner hose with no problem got stuck on the hose. This brought my attention to the hose diameter which is obviously larger than the reel can hold for the supplied length.
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The hosereels bolts show no rust maybe they are stainless steel? The panel bolt threads are brass coloured even though the heads are painted black.
Th only rust I have on my system is on the reel due to have a small combination ladder that banged the reel a few times totally my own fault.
The charger was a no brainier for me as stated I did a little research had a good review and realised that the quick chargering connector was a bonus who wants to remove a panel and bench charge when absolutely no need.
My system faces the back and can open side door to check water level takes literally 2 seconds top.
Also my battery is 75amps and never let me down and hold a good charge, even better now with a split charge relay.
Never run out of water been low on many occasions but I do carry up to six 25 litre drums and a gardiner backpack if I did run out of water I could easily top up on site even though it's never happen to date.
Also 90% my work is within a 5 min drive from my home so really not a problem.
The compact 325 with manual reel as 8mm hose as standard, the power up hd as 6mm hose as standard
I have a small van transit connect t230 high top and payload of 900kg everything I need and more for my current round . I will probably get a bigger van when needed in the future but at this moment in time this setup for me is probably as good as it gets. The may future be different.
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Sounds from your experiences if you pay less, you get an inferior quality product. Would be interested to hear what Facelift have to say about this. I know that the likes of Grippa & Ionics charge considerably more but at least you know you're getting a quality product.
I went down the same route as Daz and set up my own system with a Wydale tank and parts from PF (but I don't use a pumpbox). Haven't decided yet what I'll do when I eventually change my van (or when it dies on me!)
I was under the impression that WCW was Facelift? Maybe I'm wrong if so I'll forward them my emails to WCW on 06/02/17 and 27/03/17.
It'd be nice to get a reply!
Received a reply today stating that someone will contact me tomorrow.
I would disagree that if you pay less you get inferior quality. The battery although 15amh less than stated at the time of purchase it's a top brand, the hose reel is a very good sturdy reel and the tank is well constructed. The wiring and hose connections are also good.
You have one user saying there's no rust on the bolts although their description of the bolts doesn't match the photos they posted.
They also haven't had any issue with the battery
They came across an easy mod for the hose reel and have bought a charger with a very useful feature.
The tank lid is accessible for them so they don't have an issue with checking the water level.
Just before I ran out of water today a metal gate which would pass over my old gardiner hose with no problem got stuck on the hose. This brought my attention to the hose diameter which is obviously larger than the reel can hold for the supplied length.
What van do you have? Maybe a larger van that way you can carry a couple of extra drums only a suggestion, sounds to me your round requires a bigger van and delivery system I'm only summizing and could easily be wrong.
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I'm now considering removing the hard top from the pickup and fitting my other roof bars to the cab. This way I'll be able to check the water level without anymore mods. I'll have more space as the reel will be mounted to the tank. This leaves me open to theft though!
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It's an L200 pickup, if you look at the first pictures you'll see the tank position which has limited space at the side and as I'm restricted for height I have demounted the reel. I previously used a 350l tank which would have loads left but again I've been off so today for dirty windows I ditched the extreme brush with fan jets and used a superlite mixed medium with pencil jets which I find uses more water. This also took me two hours longer and I've still got 1 and a half houses left to do.
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I didn't follows the thread completely so didn't realise you had a pickup, personally I love the look of pickup but for window cleaning I think a van is more suitable only my opinion, I'm not anyway connected to WcW I'm really useless at diy and found this system really simple for the off the only regret was not getting a power up had reel.
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A powerup reel is definitely a good addition. To much for me at the time though.
If you notice my reflection on the panel, I've taken the photo with my left hand, this was due to a fractured right thumb which prevented and put me off carrying out diy tasks. Another reason for buying a complete system.
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Had mine since August think it's a great system
1. See attached photo with regards to the reel remove the cross struts drop them down one bolt hole very simple fix taking just a few minutes and reels in smooth and fast no scrapping hose, another windie told me about this and it's defo a great fix and well worth doing.
2. I have never run out of water i topped up every morning take a second to un screw lid to check water volume.
3. Never had a problem with the battery I do top up battery twice a week with a smart charger that as fast connectors so don't have to take panel off it's just plug and charge. ( but only last week) have had a split charge relay fitted so far this week as stayed around 90% charged so not charged with battery charger maybe top up battery the weekend.
4. I have no rust on bolts mine are a brass or brass coloured.
5. The panel drill holes where slightly out of line, I made the holes bigger redrilled out and used penny washers to hide the enlarged holes. looks neat and tidy as stated I don't take my panel off to charge.
Because I have a static setup I find this system perfect for my needs.
I'm liking your ladders den , how tall are they when extended?
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Had mine since August think it's a great system
1. See attached photo with regards to the reel remove the cross struts drop them down one bolt hole very simple fix taking just a few minutes and reels in smooth and fast no scrapping hose, another windie told me about this and it's defo a great fix and well worth doing.
2. I have never run out of water i topped up every morning take a second to un screw lid to check water volume.
3. Never had a problem with the battery I do top up battery twice a week with a smart charger that as fast connectors so don't have to take panel off it's just plug and charge. ( but only last week) have had a split charge relay fitted so far this week as stayed around 90% charged so not charged with battery charger maybe top up battery the weekend.
4. I have no rust on bolts mine are a brass or brass coloured.
5. The panel drill holes where slightly out of line, I made the holes bigger redrilled out and used penny washers to hide the enlarged holes. looks neat and tidy as stated I don't take my panel off to charge.
Because I have a static setup I find this system perfect for my needs.
I'm liking your ladders den , how tall are they when extended?
See link for full details they did take around 12 days to deliver and bit heavier than my last combination ladders but a lot taller but loads better and well worth the extra kilos.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321935982105?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
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Cheers den , I'm looking to get rid of my telescopic ladders so these might be perfect- thanks!
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Used them with the scaffold platform to cut my hedge today better than just steps, takes a couple times to get used to them but you soon quick understand what what combination you need whether steps or ladder.
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Hardtop's off and hose has direction has been reversed so I can reel the hose in from the nearside and battery access is convenient. The tank has two sets of four bolt points although the tank/reel doesn't quite line up in this position so I've only got two bolts securing the tank at opposite corners.(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1491165126_IMG_20170402_194722.jpg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1491165168_IMG_20170402_194747.jpg)
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Used them with the scaffold platform to cut my hedge today better than just steps, takes a couple times to get used to them but you soon quick understand what what combination you need whether steps or ladder.
I got them delivered today , only took 2 days for delivery. Very pleased - much more solid than the telescopic ladders and they don't take up that much room in the back of the van . Cheers 🍻
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Used them with the scaffold platform to cut my hedge today better than just steps, takes a couple times to get used to them but you soon quick understand what what combination you need whether steps or ladder.
I got them delivered today , only took 2 days for delivery. Very pleased - much more solid than the telescopic ladders and they don't take up that much room in the back of the van . Cheers 🍻
I'm quite a lump myself and feel very secure when using them as especially as step ladders .