Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: cybersye on June 07, 2006, 10:26:28 pm
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hi all, bear with me while i try to explain!
got a 250 ltr tank, shurflo pump and heavy duty yellow hose, used to have a bypass back to tank to adjust flow rate, though i found if i was working a distance from the van with some water being returned to the tank the pump was on until i returned to switch it off, wasting my leisure battery.
now i just have a tap on the end of the hose, great for switching on and off while moving between windows not so great at adjusting flow.
Sounds like a varistream control is the answer though they cost a bit, do many of you use them? do you think it could significantly reduce the amount of water i use, I've only a small van and a 250 ltr tank is enough for an average day though I'd like to conserve as much water as poss for extra work I'm sure I'll be picking up
and what are the benefits of microbore? would this also be more water efficient? smaller diameter hose = greater pressure for lower flow rate?
any advice appreciated
thanks
Simon
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Hi Simon
yes the veristrem from williamson pumps is very good
I had the bypass system I found it a pain in my bypass
the varistream controls the water to theflow rate you want while maintaining the pressure
Williamsons pumps dont recomend micro and it wont affect the pressure there is a pressure adjustment in the variastream very pleased with it
regards grant
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Hi Simon. Do you know the reason why Williamsons dont reccommend micro.
Macc
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The varistream was originally designed to compliment SHURflo pumps which were originally designed to be used with .5inch hose, a smaller bore restricts flow (increased contact surface area per unit volume fluid) and so creates more stress requiring the pump to work harder, however we have used microbore coupled with varistream for about a year now without any problems although the varistream does work better with standard hose.
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(increased contact surface area per unit volume fluid
This is very true, there's another factor that comes into the equation.
With micro bore you get more hose on your reel. The more hose you have, the more coils on your reel, the more coils on your reel, the more it resists the flow.
Imagine firing a bullet down a straight pipe, if it doesn't touch the sides there will be no loss of velocity. If you fired it down a coil of copper pipe, it may still come out the other end but will have lost most of it's velocity due to it's contact with the walls of the pipe. Even water causes friction, as does air when it's pressurised. you can feel this for yourself when you pump up a bike tyre, and the sides of the pump gets hot.
Try this experiment. Measure your flow rate with all the hose on the reel, now measure it again when all your hose is pulled off the reel. You may well be surprised.
Dai
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Once you have a varistream you will wonder how you ever got by without one.
I use microbore and it is great but dont put too much on your reel unnecessarily. I use an extension reel if I want more hose and quick release connectors from Varitech. It works a treat.
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Vince
What length of micro do you use ?
I'm thinking of using it too I use 100 psi sureflow and Varistream2
I currently have 45m of std yellow hose and think sometimes it's not quite enough , Iv'e only got a small reel so could only fit approx 60m anyway
Chris
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I use varistream and microbore (100 m ) with my 100 psi pump and have had no
problems to date, I am going to add another hose next week so should be
no problems either.
Doug
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Doug what setting do you have your Varistream set at ?
( the small blue dail on the inside i mean )
Chris
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I have enough microbore on my reel to get from the front to the back of an average size semi. Thats about half a reel.
I have a trolley system and what I do is place the trolley near the front corner of the house then run out the hose to the farthest point at the back. then I work back towards the trolley. By this time the hose is in a big loop behind me.
Then I take the hose and move it round to the farthest window at the front and again work back towards the trolley.
In reality very little hose is used. I bought an extra reel cheap in case I needed it, I had a load of surplus microbore hose anyway because I over ordered.
I fitted push fit connectors same as I have on the main hose so it can be snapped in in seconds. Truth is I hardly use it. I only use it when I do some flats .
My varistream runs on the lowest setting, about 10% of max. I have a 100psi Shurflow and it belts out the water. Will buy a 60psi next time.
I can do 2nd floor flats with all the hoses run out no trouble at all. pump isn't even trying.
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guys I presently use the clear braided hose on a trolley ,am I better sticking with this or change over to microbore.I find the hose very flexible and easy to gather together, any advice would help,only thing is you need connectors at 30metres
jinky
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Hi Jinky. Ive switched to microbore, ;D sooooooo much easier to work with, pulls out easy, round corners & hardly snags up like hose pipe & winds back up on the real in seconds. Its saves me loads of time. I would say its a must. ;D ;D
Macc
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macc thats all I needed someone to confirm what I was thinking
thanks mate