Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Slash on December 08, 2025, 06:31:27 pm
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Does it effect the heater if you use a univalve or tap .
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Does it effect the heater if you use a univalve or tap .
Just that it stops hot water going to the brush head. If your heater doesn't have a by pass valve then the internal hot water circuit will continue to heat up until it reaches the temperature when power down is triggered by the boiler.
The plate heat exchanger/s is/are designed to take the pressure difference between the internal hot water circuit and the pressure in the brush supply hoses with the Univalve or tap is switched off.
Why are you asking?
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I was told that you were supposed to keep them running all day and only use a bypass into the tank when driving between jobs as stopping the water with a tap or univale will damage the unit.
I wasn't sure so thought I'd ask especially now as it will be getting colder.
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I was told that you were supposed to keep them running all day and only use a bypass into the tank when driving between jobs as stopping the water with a tap or univale will damage the unit.
I wasn't sure so thought I'd ask especially now as it will be getting colder.
It's important to stop your heater from going into its 3 min shut down cycle so you need to plug your hose into return valves in between jobs. You can turn off the water in between windows but don't leave it turned off for longer than a minute or it'll shut down.
Diesel heaters work best by keeping them running all through your working day.
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I was told that you were supposed to keep them running all day and only use a bypass into the tank when driving between jobs as stopping the water with a tap or univale will damage the unit.
I wasn't sure so thought I'd ask especially now as it will be getting colder.
I wish my memory was better, but under normal flow conditions (3 on our Varistreams so about 30 on Spring controllers), we were running at a pressure of just less than 50psi when I did fit a pressure gauge on our delivery hose. Sorry, but that was over 15 years ago, probably longer. Granted, we were still on pencil jets and minibore hose, but we were also using cold water. Hot water will require less pressure for the same flow rate.
Remember, the first Shurflo pumps we were using were rated at 65psi and we didn't have any issue working with a 40' pole fully extended.
Back in 2019 there was a windie on the other forum (P & F) who reported the following:
"This is self built, air heater to water heater conversion, once the pole is turned off the water diverts to a 50 psi pressure relief valve and then back to tank
The way I have it set with my simple pump controller pictured earlier means the pump draws 2.5 amp with open flow and 3 amp when the PRV is in use."
This means the pump pumps water through the heat exchanger all the time. When you shut the flow off with your tap or Univalve the hot water is diverted back to the tank. This keeps the boiler working.
Simply you tee off the hose to the hose reel to the inlet of this pressure relief valve. The other end of the pressure relief valve is connected to the tank.