[Adam P]

i bought a basic window cleaning system last year which has worked out fine for the limited use we needed. the only downside i really had was when the customers hose had bad pressure it made the work very slow, so would like to get a pump. I was recommended getting a cheapo pump (£20 sort of area) from the guys on here before, any suggestions what I could have a look at that'll work with the system i use?

this is what i have some what: http://www.cleaningspot.co.uk/acatalog/Professionnal_kit.html

Also i notice in the tiny picture on that site that there is a few steps i'm missing. the pump being one, but the 2 steps before that. any ideas what these are and if they're something i should look into getting? unfortunately the image is so small i can't read the words of what they are.

thanks

[Spruce]

Before anyone can help you, you need to tell us exactly what you purchased - size of tank, r/o spec etc.

I'm a bit confused. For example, if you need a pump, how are you managing without one now? If you are asking about booster pumps then this becomes more difficult to answer. (Small booster pumps are 24v whereas larger units are 230v. Small booster pumps usually also have a duty cycle so shouldn't be used continuously.)

It sounds to me like you have a very small tank and are trying to use a customers water supply to clean the windows. This may be acceptable and work in America, but its not ideal here.  In our part of the woods we can't rely on a tap being available and those that are, the majority are switched off inside over winter. Most customers are on a meter and will see you as a water waster. Waste water from your r/o running down the road can look like a water pipe has burst.

Most small r/o systems won't process water fast enough to use as 'plug and play'.  So most of us process water into an IBC tank and draw from that once a day.

We have found that a single operator uses 350 - 400 liters of pure a day cleaning all windows wfp,  so each of the small vans are fitted with 500 liter tanks so they have a bit of spare capacity.

Whilst it sounds as though you are on a budget, you aren't going to get a good quality pump that will last you for £20.00.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that if you are going wfp you have to do it right, right from the start.

[Adam P]

sorry i should have mentioned in my first post.

atm we simple plug into the customers outside hose, this goes into a DI cannister and then straight into our pole. All the pressure is from the customers water supply.  no tank, no R/O.

i know we should use a pro window cleaner, however the situation is that no one wants the work. For instance i've just booked a job for this wednesday where we are cleaning the whole house as she's moving out and she wants the externals done too. To get someone to agree to go to this town, with 2 days notice, and at a price the customer would pay, it's never going to happen and i've tried. i offer this service as a small additional extra, let them know exactly what to expect and that they must have an outside tap for us to use.

we do this service so infrequent and when we do it's just one house, so little water is needed. Having an R/O system that fills up a small tank while we are cleaning the other parts of the house is fine, and then i guess draw from this with our pole, but i'd need a pump. I would need recommendations as to what /o, tank, pump etc.

the pump would only be used 20 or so minutes and then not again for another day or so.

[Matt.]

Go on eBay mate there will be everything u need.

Shurflo brand new are about £70 used I would only give half of that.

Tanks are always on eBay try and get sutton between 175 - 350 this will be sufficient, I have seen these sell for around £50
U  Can pick a battery up from scrap yard for £10

Hose and connectors £20

[Rob@Blast off]

Another option would be a backpack fill some barrels at home then your good to go.

[Adam P]

something like this? http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/big-boy-backpack.html

will this work with water that has only come from a DI canister, or will it need to go through an r/o system too?

[Spruce]

sorry i should have mentioned in my first post.

atm we simple plug into the customers outside hose, this goes into a DI cannister and then straight into our pole. All the pressure is from the customers water supply.  no tank, no R/O.

i know we should use a pro window cleaner, however the situation is that no one wants the work. For instance i've just booked a job for this wednesday where we are cleaning the whole house as she's moving out and she wants the externals done too. To get someone to agree to go to this town, with 2 days notice, and at a price the customer would pay, it's never going to happen and i've tried. i offer this service as a small additional extra, let them know exactly what to expect and that they must have an outside tap for us to use.

we do this service so infrequent and when we do it's just one house, so little water is needed. Having an R/O system that fills up a small tank while we are cleaning the other parts of the house is fine, and then i guess draw from this with our pole, but i'd need a pump. I would need recommendations as to what /o, tank, pump etc.

the pump would only be used 20 or so minutes and then not again for another day or so.

I agree ^^^^^^^^

I'm not sure how well a Shurflo pump would work as a booster pump TBH. It should be OK if it was fitted before the di vessel.

I would be inclined to gravitate toward using a Gardiner backpack for the little work that you do and decant water from a couple of 25 liter plastic containers that you have filled up using the di vessel.

Another option would be a backpack fill some barrels at home then your good to go.

If you went with the Shurflo pump I would also add a controller so you can regulate water flow. As you do very little work I would suggest you would be fine by wiring directly to the van's battery via a 10 amp fuse as your power source. I would also add a 'kill' switch to the positive circuit before the controller. You will then switch everything off once you have finished. These controllers use battery current even when switched off, especially those ones that monitor battery voltage and battery's state of charge.

[Spruce]

something like this? http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/big-boy-backpack.html

will this work with water that has only come from a DI canister, or will it need to go through an r/o system too?

Di only is fine provided water is as close to zero tds as possible.

You might find the Big boy rather heavy to lug around when full. If you went with that option this I would short fill it.

The Gardiner unit is a little cheaper.

http://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/pure-water-systems/portable-systems/the-gardiner-backpack/new-gardiner-pure-water-backpack-v3-22-litre.html