[Kwackers]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me what they have their Varistream set at? I can't seem to get a decent flow unless I have it on 4 (pressure - after holding both + & - buttons) and the flow on 3, but that's using water too quickly.

Thanks

[BVC]

Full whack with one pencil jet........ smash em baby.

BVC.

[Spruce]

I'm not sure what you are trying to ask.............

There are two settings on a digital Varistream which you allude to. If the volume of water is too much for you at the rate rate of 3, then reduce it to 2. You should hear the pump reduce speed. If the Varistream works without pulsing on 3 then you won't have a problem on 2.

Now you want to set the pressure switch side to suit your slower flow.

I would couple up everything including your hose and pole with the tap open. Start the pump and increase the flow to 3 or perhaps 4 for those occassional times when you need a higher flow rate. Get into your pressure setting and decrease it until the pump starts to pulse - stop and go. Slowly up the pressure until the pump runs smoothly. I would then increase it another point or 2 and save that setting. Now you will have no pulsing problems with your preferred flow setting of 2 and you will still have the pressure set right if you need to increase your flow for a first clean etc.

I run my Varistream on 4. I like the flow of 5 for rinsing, but I use more water at this flow rate. My pressure setting is on 3. I have 100 meters of Minibore hose and a Gardiner pole and brush with 2 x 2mm jets. But what works for me may not work for you.

Now BVC has made a point albeit in a rather unconventional way. You may find that working more quickly on each window at a slightly higher flow rate will save water and time. To illustrate; if you need 1.5 litres of water to wash and rinse a window and your pump is pumping water at 1 litre per minute, then you will take 1.5 minutes to wash and rinse that window. If you increase the flow to say 1.5 litres per minute, then the window will take you 1 minute to wash and clean. The higher flow rate will also flush the dirt off quicker where you may find that the slower rate doesn't and you end up using more than 1.5 litres to rinse that window.

Getting the right flow to work rate can save you water and speed up your work rate. But you can also go the other way where you aren't able to clean and rinse fast enough, so you will waste water even although you are quicker.

Water saving is very important, especially if you are using a backpack or trolley.

My son uses a backpack and uses his van mount to fill his backpack up. He finds another way of saving water is to wash the window quickly, switch the water off, scrub and then switch the water back on to rinse. He also advises that the Aqua-adpter on his pole has also helped with water saving.

Spruce

[Spruce]

I also was going to add:-

Look at the topic "Aqua-Dapter Mk3 close up video by WCM" currently on the go. Richard Lingford was asked to report on the new Mk3 Aqua-dapter in action. Richard is using a Gardiner trolley that looks totally standard. It's a single speed trolley pumping 1.8 lpm at the brush head according to Gardiner's website.

The flow of water from Richard's brush head is about right for a quick wash and effective rinse. He demonstrated how quickly the flow can be stopped with the Aqua-dapter fitted to save water.

Spruce

[gto]

i don't see how the aqua adapter will help with flow rate.

i have had me varistream nearly 2 years, never set it up, used straight from the box.
i was using it on 3 but, reduced to 2 to save water.
but tried 3 again recently and found the rinse to be so much better.

[Spruce]

i don't see how the aqua adapter will help with flow rate.

i have had me varistream nearly 2 years, never set it up, used straight from the box.
i was using it on 3 but, reduced to 2 to save water.
but tried 3 again recently and found the rinse to be so much better.

Fitting an Aqua-dapter won't alter the flow rate or help it, just helps to switch off water quickly and reduce water waste.
Spruce

[Kwackers]

Thanks for your replies. I was just basically asking:

What do you have your flow rate on?
What do you have your pressure setting on?

3 seems to absolutely eat water. I've changed the pressure setting along side this, although this makes no difference. I drop it to two and even if I play around with the pressure here, the flow is ridiculously low, especially seems as though its one pressure setting down.

So basically I'm saying 2 is not giving a high enough flow and 3 is giving too much.

[Spruce]

Thanks for your replies. I was just basically asking:

What do you have your flow rate on?
What do you have your pressure setting on?

3 seems to absolutely eat water. I've changed the pressure setting along side this, although this makes no difference. I drop it to two and even if I play around with the pressure here, the flow is ridiculously low, especially seems as though its one pressure setting down.

So basically I'm saying 2 is not giving a high enough flow and 3 is giving too much.

Hi,

This is one fault of the Varistream - it needs a step inbetween. But it also has a bit to do with manufacturing costs and selling prices. If they put in more speed steps then they would need to incorporate another display screen etc.

Although this is the only grip I have experienced with the digital Varistream Mk1, I would be tempted to look at the latest analogue unit from Spring as you can dial in the speed more finely from what I understand.
What I don't like is that to switch the unit off, you turn the speed controller to zero. This means you lose your flow setting. However, if it works the way the analogue Varistreams did, you can fit an on/off rocker switch to solve the problem. (The analogue Varistream was switched off by pressing the speed controller numpty (k nob) which meant you didn't mess your speed settings up. But we used to locate the Varistream near the pump and operate it with a water resistant on/off switch at the back doors of the van.)

Spruce