Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: P @ F on June 23, 2006, 11:07:56 am
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This will only apply to you if your DI only im sorry to say , the following easy to build filter has cut my resin use from 12 bags per year to 4 bags per year .
Your cost cut may be different depending on your TDS from tap reading , mine is 100 TDS .
All that is needed to build the filter is .... 1 - 10 litre plastic bin.
2 - Elbow joints.
1 - Zip tie.
1 - Scouring pad.
The filter is made by cutting one of the elbow joints into the side of the bin 2 inches from the bottom , this is your water inlet , the scouring pad is then cut to size and zip tied over the elbiw joint inside the bin , this just stops the resin flowing into your feed hose .
The other elbow is then cut into the opposite side of the bin 2 inches from the top , this being your outlet .
Then put a quarter of a bag of new resin into the bin and your ready to go .
Connect your tap hose to the bottom elbow and fill the bin from the top with pure water , then turn your tap on to a very slow flow rate until the water starts to come out of the hose on your outlet .
You will need to keep an eye on it for a while to make sure you have the right flow rate , all you need is a constant trickle , about the same diameter as you would get from 1-2 jets of your brush head , this may not sound a lot , but remember this thing is on all the time day and night .
Once you have built up your stock of water it is very easy to keep you stock level up , i never run out of water as i have the IBC.
How does it work , i think it is due to the fact the the water flow through the resin is reduced that much that it does not have to work so hard .
The other upside to it is you will not have to change the resin in your van mount for ages as it is being fed with pure water .
I used to have to change my van DI every week and it did my head in , i cannot remember the last time i did it since using the filter .
Also you can leave the filter going until your output reaches your original tap TDS level , your not losing anything are you.
When you see the TDS rising i have found that giving the resin a good stir brings it back down again , the heavier used resin sinks first and the better resin sits on top .
The following pictures are the filter , then the whole setup .
If you got the time , give it a go , im saving 8 x £70 a year . £560 :P
Rich P @ F
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Couple more things , you might want to get one of these for your tap as disconnecting the filter is extra hassle , just shut off the filter and you can use you tap for other things if you need to .
And when your TDS does start to rise divert the water to another container , you dont want to contaminate your pure do you , this is what the butt is for.
Rich P @ F
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hi p@f, that is brilliant idea,
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Great idea but I have tried this with a glass. The reading of the water at the top of the glass was not 000ppm but something like 016ppm!
My water reads 028ppm out of the tap.
Does the scouring pad prevent any resin from going through?
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Window cleaner?????
That frames on the bottom could do with a clean! ;D ;D
P.s. did you send me pics yet?
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CLEAR VISION , The scouring pad goes on the lower elbow , it just stops the resin from going down the hose is all , i did fit one to the other elbow to start with but there was no need as the resin stays about 3 inches below the water level
I will send you the pics tonight , what did you want them of ?
JOUK , I thought you would like it , we are the nutty proffesors !
I did get in contact with a few companies about it but they all wanted stupid ammounts of money to search for patents and solicitors costs , anyway i like cleaning windows , if i had too much money i would only end up sitting in a pub all day !
Rich P @ F
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Clear Vision , i think what happened with your glass was because the water was still , if you had stirred it for a couple of mins the water would have all had contact with the resin , remember with my filter all the water has to pass through about 12 inches of resin to get out the top elbow .
Rich P @ F
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I emailed you the other night!!! You said you would send pics of your trolley setup and some more of your van!
Why do you not put a pad in at the top elbow???
You are bound to get some bits of resin coming through??
Cheers
Clear Vision
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I know this is on a smaller scale but its not working for me??? :-\
I mixed the water for a couple of mins like you said and the reading is 007ppm
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Clear vision , you have all the evidence that you need that this works , you have seen it in the pics , why would i do it if it didnt work ? , im gonna post a pic you non believer , watch this space , gimme 5 .
Rich P @ F
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Calm down :o I am really sorry! I dont doubt you at all.
It's my fault, I didn't stir it in the glass enough. It now reads oooppm. Sorry :'(
But please tell me on thing. You could have a trickle going through a di filter?
Clear Vision
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vision did you fill it with tap or di water as p@f said fill with di water
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Tap water.
My reading from the tap is only 028ppm
What difference does it make if you fill the bin from the top with pure water when tap water is going to come through anyway?
Maybe i'm miss-understanding this whole thing? ???
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true, but i imagne it just speeds things up a bit
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Jouk got it right , it speeds things up , it could be done with a DI cannister but why spend that much money ?
Heres the pics of proof ! ;D
Rich P @ F
Pics are the proof and the flow rate .
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we dont get much ideas for ro and di water, hats of to you p@F nice money saver you have come up with,
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Thanks Jouk , it just came to me one rainy day !
Rich P @ F
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Excellent idea!
I'm off to b&Q to buy a bin tomorrow ;)
Where can you get the elbo joints from?? Can a hozelock fitting push onto the joints?
How do you seal it to the bin?
Still waiting for your pics of trolley to my email :( k4dve@matt132.wanadoo.co.uk
Cheers
Clear Vision
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The elbows were from my wfp supplier , you could get the same things from b&q or a plumers merchant , they are just elbows with threaded nuts on the back , the hoses are just pushed on .
Rich P @ F
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do you need to put some sort of sealant round the elbo where you conect to the bin.
are the elbows expensive?
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you could get rubber washers for them. or might come with them
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Jouk got it right , it speeds things up , it could be done with a DI cannister but why spend that much money ?
Heres the pics of proof ! ;D
Rich P @ F
Pics are the proof and the flow rate .
this could be FAKE
P @ F could have put the TDS meter in a glass of 000 water, pressed hold on the meter and then took the picture
this might go down as a big a deal as the moon landings, i am sure the flag is blowing in the wind, YET the moon should have any wind
;D ;D ;D
only joking, seriously, good idea and a great cost saver
you mind if i add it to the DIY showcase forum, it will save others a few quid
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Carry on Matt , if it saves people a bit of money then it can only be a good thing , god knows we spend enough on the other gear we need !
Rich P @ F
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Clear vision , the elbows cost me about a quid each , the bin was £4 , i did not need sealer on them as the fit is good enough not to leak , if you cant find any suitable elbows let me know and i can sort some out for you .
Im gonna send you some pics of the van mount in a mo , the trolley is getting a revamp at the mo , microbore hose and return valve tweek , should be done tommorrow .
Rich P @ F
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Thanks P @ F.
Will let you know how I get on tomorrow! :)
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MATHEW , YOU HAVE MAIL
RICH P @ F
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I was reading up on DI and it says that the slower the flow the longer it will last, but also that you should filter it before passing it through your DI.
Idealy it should go through both a partical filter and a carbon filter before the DI.
So P@F you'r on the right lines
pur
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Rich,
Got it all set up & It's not working for me :(
Done it exactly as you said and even filled up with pure water.
Took a reading after a minute of it flowing out and it was reading oooppm :)
Then it started to creep up and now reads 011ppm :'(
It is brand new resin. I hope I have'nt wasted all that resin ???
Wot on earth is going on?
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just posted on the DIY forum :)
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Clear vision , what size is that bin your using ?
Post a pic of it for me to see the sizes .
The taller and norrower it is the better , and check your flow rate too .
Rich P @ F
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Rich,
Its a 25l container with the top 1/4 cut off.
It was all I could find :-[
Will my resin be wasted?
Clear V
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The resin will be ok , just keep it in the container with water in it ,
I think the problem you have is the size of your container , your using a 25 L drum , i would say the sizes are 10" x 10" and its got to be 12" high .
If those measurments are about right then your resin cant be that deep !
My 10 L bin is 7" x 6" and 12" high .
This means the base area of your container is 100 square inches
Mine is only 42 square inches , thats half of yours !
Therefore , if you have used a quater of a bag of resin , i estimate that your resin is only 4" deep , am i right ?
My resin is at least 8" deep , so , my water is having to flow through twice the resin that yours is , change your container to the same sizes as mine and i bet it solves your problem .
Rich P @ F
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Your bang on rich!
Are you a maths teacher??? ;D
The problem is I cant find a bin the same as yours anywhere ???
I have looked in every shop where I live and can find nothing close :'(
Clear Vision
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Just racking my brains to think of somthing you can use , give me a minute
Rich
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I aint got a clue , just went through the argos book as a last resort !
All i can suggest is looking in homeware shops and places like that , remember it does not have to be a bin , toyshops , the little buckets you get them building blocks in !
TESCO , ASDA , ALDI , It needs to be 6" x 7" or as close to .
Rich P @ F
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Can't you use one of those brown waste food bins, sounds like the size you guy's are on about???
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Tried all of those places rich :'(
sick of looking :'(
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Go to you'r builder's merchant and buy a 6'' plastic soil pipe and a plug then you can cut it to the length you want and have a 6'' diameter DI to hold any amount of resin.
You will probably need some sealant but the inlet can be in the center of the plug and the outlet however high you want it.
Try a 4'' pipes if no 6'' available.
28'' lenth holds about 6 liters.
pur
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buy this sort of bin, looks to be roughly the size, small swing lid www.thebincompany.com
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Hey jouk,
Cant get that link to work?
Maybe its my browser
Clear Vision
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it was on earlier, may it just down for maintainance
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Mathew , i can still get you the same bin as i use , the postage wont be naff all , and besides , i know you is good for da wonga !
Rich P @ F
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i know you is good for da wonga ! What do you mean?
Would love the same bin as you!
Matthew
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I mean , YOUR GOOD FOR THE PAYMENT !
If you want me to get you one i will pick it up in the morning , it could be with you for Tuesday , let me know by the morning and i will sort it for you .
Rich P @ F
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Rich ma man, that would be great!
Cheers.
Let me know the cost.
Matthew
Clear Vision