My review of the Sonberg 5.1 KW water heater single operator unit.
I bought this after a Squeaky clean Dave review did on YouTube.
Bought and fitted in April and I used it throughout the summer. I had steam on the glass everyday, customers also noticed enough to ask if the water was hot.
November I came back to the van after the unit had run for 5 hours to find the van full of smoke. I turned the unit off and finished my day.
Sonberg’s customer service was excellent, nearly.
I returned the unit myself as they are 40 miles from me. It was repaired and returned via post within a week. Brilliant. However they would not say what was wrong with it other than it needed a service.
Refitted and two days later it filled the van with smoke again. Sonberg arranged collection this time, I refrained from asking if it required another service and it was repaired and returned within a week again. Excellent service.
Sadly they would only tell me that I must have used poor diesel. Where would you buy poor diesel, I only ever used a high street fuel station. I honestly wouldn’t know where to buy poor diesel.
I lost confidence in it after the second return and now rarely use it. When I do it doesn’t seem to get as hot as it used too, I’m sure they’ve dumbed it down.
So do I rate it, yes, it initially worked very well with hot water to the touch.
Sonberg have been good but I feel frustrated in their reports they claimed that it needed a service or poor diesel was used. On each return they had replaced parts.
It works, recycles each time the univalve is used so it continuously runs avoiding the shut down/recycle, choke it up bit!
I think I’m going to try another unit from another supplier.
Open to offers on this if anyone wants to tinker with it.
Tony

Quote from: Scottish Cleaning Service on March 15, 2026, 09:11:18 am

Quote from: cgh window cleaning on March 14, 2026, 08:10:57 am

I find similar problems with commercial window cleaning.People just don’t want to pay good money at the the minute.
You’re always going to be safe with residential because the job value is low people can’t be bothered to shop around for £20-£25 .

Retail is on a downward spiral. Bumped into a guy after he had cleaned Greggs and he was saying some shops he cleans have not went up in price for decades. They have told him if the price even goes up a pound then they will cancel. M & S used to get cleaned ever day but now its once a week inside and out. I reckon its only a matter of time they get the staff to do it.

Usually when one side goes down another side goes up and that's what I'm seeing on the domestic side. With a home being an increasing asset, folk want to keep making it more attractive. That's the reason when I clean the new estate and a new window still has the protection tape on it, the ladder comes out and up I go to remove it. I don't want any complaints so I can pick up more during the build process. They still have more than half to build and they own both fields either side of the estate. All front gardens don't have any obstacles, only a side gate, so one can clean a 4 or 5 bed detached in less than 10 minutes.

   so how many windows, doors and french doors do these 5 bed detached houses have?

One each side, 4 big windows on the front and 6 on the back and garage door. Because they are new then not much dirt just dust as its still a building site. Hot water and high flow means I can race through them in less than 10 minutes and that's cleaning a gutter and fascia low down on the front. Another thing is very few van moves. If I decide to buy a house up there then I'm going to offer a wheelie bin service.

Which brush you looking at?

Quote from: cgh window cleaning on March 14, 2026, 08:10:57 am

I find similar problems with commercial window cleaning.People just don’t want to pay good money at the the minute.
You’re always going to be safe with residential because the job value is low people can’t be bothered to shop around for £20-£25 .

Retail is on a downward spiral. Bumped into a guy after he had cleaned Greggs and he was saying some shops he cleans have not went up in price for decades. They have told him if the price even goes up a pound then they will cancel. M & S used to get cleaned ever day but now its once a week inside and out. I reckon its only a matter of time they get the staff to do it.

Usually when one side goes down another side goes up and that's what I'm seeing on the domestic side. With a home being an increasing asset, folk want to keep making it more attractive. That's the reason when I clean the new estate and a new window still has the protection tape on it, the ladder comes out and up I go to remove it. I don't want any complaints so I can pick up more during the build process. They still have more than half to build and they own both fields either side of the estate. All front gardens don't have any obstacles, only a side gate, so one can clean a 4 or 5 bed detached in less than 10 minutes.

   so how many windows, doors and french doors do these 5 bed detached houses have?

Are the screw holes for the socket compatible with Gardiners Quick-Loq sockets?