Gutter vacs

[Deleted member 5762]

@marlowswindows I used to get booked for a gutter clear, go up the ladder at the job and they might be rammed full, completely empty or anything in between. If it's not obvious how blocked they are you could charge a smallish fee for inspection with your camera (let the customer keep some photos or a take little video for them) and judge how long the job will take. Then offer the inspection fee taken off the bill if they have them cleared. Only happened to me twice, but at least I didn't waste my time or the customers money. I would have felt really bad charging a gutter clear fee when they had nothing in them - although people that book gutter clearing without actually knowing if it needs doing or not tend to be elderly ladies who are usually very good for keeping their homes in good order anyway (but I do understand why some companies do still charge when they have much bigger overheads than a one man band does).

 

[Deleted member 5762]

Thank you. Xline do this camera will.it be up to the job do you think with getting the right angle to see.
Think I'm going for the sky vac atom I like the look of it.

Do any of the companies selling gutters vacs do black friday? Window cleaning warehouse will probably be 20-24 percent.

Photo of camera

View attachment 29391

I use a similar camera that was £50 odd on Amazon. You can tilt the camera back and forth on the bracket with the lever you can see sticking out on bottom of the clear camera housing, so usually no issues being able to get pictures or videos with it.

 

[marlowswindows]

I use a similar camera that was £50 odd on Amazon. You can tilt the camera back and forth on the bracket with the lever you can see sticking out on bottom of the clear camera housing, so usually no issues being able to get pictures or videos with it.

I just need to find a phone mount then that will fit a 50 mm pole

Perfect this forum is awesome. Thanks all for all your advice.

 

[Deleted member 5762]

I just need to find a phone mount then that will fit a 50 mm pole

Perfect this forum is awesome. Thanks all for all your advice.

No worries. Have a look at gutter vacuum systems. I'm pretty sure they sell a bracket you can put your phone on and clip it to the pole.

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I bought a camera and I have never used it. If I hit any problems then I get the ladder out. £50 minimum for a gutter clear.

 

[Crystalalan]

Like ched I have a panther with ali poles to. Absolutely love it to bits. Love the toughness of the poles. really durable. I do miss not having an outlet though for water that has been caught up in the gutter and unlike the atom it dosen`t have a blow feature which I reckon could come in handy. I use a bullit camera in accordance with a 5 inch monitor which works on a 2.4 ghz frequency. great picture quality.

If you choose a panther, I highly recommend upgrading to to 10 metre hose it really saves you time from moving the vac around so much. Overall purchasing a panther in my view is money very well spent indeed.

 

[ched999uk]

Thanks all good advice there @che.
99van anybody recommend a good cheapish camera (probably no suck thing)

i will be honest i dont know where i will find the time to try and earn the top.money from it as my window round is full on bit I do have 3 or 4 good sized jobs that will make its money back after doing them SAFELY.

I have the Pro version of this
EK7000 Action Camera it's on a Black Friday deal at about £45, comes with 2 batteries and a dual charging usb charger plus other adapters.
I find it good, but you do need to switch off mobile data to get a decent signal.

 

[ched999uk]

I just need to find a phone mount then that will fit a 50 mm pole

Perfect this forum is awesome. Thanks all for all your advice.

Gvs sell an ali one which is ok, not perfect as it doesn't tilt but it takes my rugged phone that is 15mm thick.

 

[marlowswindows]

I have the Pro version of this
EK7000 Action Camera it's on a Black Friday deal at about £45, comes with 2 batteries and a dual charging usb charger plus other adapters.
I find it good, but you do need to switch off mobile data to get a decent signal.

Perfect mate don't suppose you could send me that link for thr bracket I'd need for that could you please

 

[ched999uk]

Perfect mate don't suppose you could send me that link for thr bracket I'd need for that could you please

Have a look here: Gutter Inspection Camera Accessories Archives - Gutter Vacuum Systems I bought both phone mount and action camera mount for the 51mm poles.

 

[marlowswindows]

Have a look here: Gutter Inspection Camera Accessories Archives - Gutter Vacuum Systems I bought both phone mount and action camera mount for the 51mm poles.

Thank you.

 

[spruce]

I have a friend that will lend me a generator. Happy to throw money into it eventually if the business is there and more the time. I do like the fact you can do these in the rain

I think we need to bring a little sanity to this discussion.

You should not be clearing gutters with an electric gutter vac in the rain. Period. It's dangerous, even if you are plugged into an earth leakage (RCD) unit.

You will also be using an electric cable drum as an extension lead, which is another item that shouldn't be used in the rain.

Imho the vac works well when the gutter contents are wet and there is a little water in the gutters. If the weather has been dry, I fill the gutter with water before we start the job.

If your round is full @marlowswindows why would you want to add additional work to it? We have numerous window cleaners in our area who won't clear gutters, clean gutters and fascias or conservatory roofs. These are jobs I don't like either, and although I will begrudgingly do it for existing customers, I'm not doing it for customers who already have a window cleaner who won't do the job. I'm not taking on their monkeys as I'm to busy with my own work.

I have a small 1500 watt Spacevac purchased on one of Mark Munro's window cleaning shows. It works well tbh. But its the clean up afterwards when you get home nobody mentions.

 

[marlowswindows]

I think we need to bring a little sanity to this discussion.

You should not be clearing gutters with an electric gutter vac in the rain. Period. It's dangerous, even if you are plugged into an earth leakage (RCD) unit.

You will also be using an electric cable drum as an extension lead, which is another item that shouldn't be used in the rain.

Imho the vac works well when the gutter contents are wet and there is a little water in the gutters. If the weather has been dry, I fill the gutter with water before we start the job.

If your round is full @marlowswindows why would you want to add additional work to it? We have numerous window cleaners in our area who won't clear gutters, clean gutters and fascias or conservatory roofs. These are jobs I don't like either, and although I will begrudgingly do it for existing customers, I'm not doing it for customers who already have a window cleaner who won't do the job. I'm not taking on their monkeys as I'm to busy with my own work.

I have a small 1500 watt Spacevac purchased on one of Mark Munro's window cleaning shows. It works well tbh. But its the clean up afterwards when you get home nobody mentions.

Thanks for that spruce. You make a lot of valid comments.
In an ideal world I would be buying a second hand machine that I could just use as and when with out the need to try and earn the money back. You've made me think twice now about purchasing one whi h is a good thing I think will have a good think whilst at work today.

 

[spruce]

On the subject of generators!

Many years ago, we sold either a 2.5kw or a 5.5kw for construction site use. The 2.5kw was sold for hand power tools, such as a 500watt drilling machine and the 5.5kw was sold for powering the 2200w 220v paving breaker.

This is the actual vacuum unit I have;

Vacmaster Power 30 PTO | Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner

Power 30 PTO. Powerful Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner designed to capture everything from cement dust to water, and everything in-between. Comes with an integrated power take-off socket for on-board dust extraction. Free Next Working Day Delivery. Model no. VQ1530SFDC-01.

www.cleva-uk.com

When I enquired about what the start-up current was for this 1500w motor, the factory advised that it can use up to 5kw, so they recommend a 5.5kw or larger generator.
This fits in with what we supplied when I was working for Bosch Power Tools in South Africa.

I'm more than surprised that some suppliers are suggesting a 2kw will start and power a 1600w vacuum motor. The only thing I can think of is that some vacuum motors have soft start. Mine doesn't. Flashing a 2kw generator with a current start up draw of 5kw won't do the generator any good. I doubt that a hire shop will hire a 2kw generator to power a 1600w motor, as they know the likely outcome.

 

[ched999uk]

On the subject of generators!

Many years ago, we sold either a 2.5kw or a 5.5kw for construction site use. The 2.5kw was sold for hand power tools, such as a 500watt drilling machine and the 5.5kw was sold for powering the 2200w 220v paving breaker.

This is the actual vacuum unit I have;

Vacmaster Power 30 PTO | Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner

Power 30 PTO. Powerful Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner designed to capture everything from cement dust to water, and everything in-between. Comes with an integrated power take-off socket for on-board dust extraction. Free Next Working Day Delivery. Model no. VQ1530SFDC-01.

www.cleva-uk.com

When I enquired about what the start-up current was for this 1500w motor, the factory advised that it can use up to 5kw, so they recommend a 5.5kw or larger generator.
This fits in with what we supplied when I was working for Bosch Power Tools in South Africa.

I'm more than surprised that some suppliers are suggesting a 2kw will start and power a 1600w vacuum motor. The only thing I can think of is that some vacuum motors have soft start. Mine doesn't. Flashing a 2kw generator with a current start up draw of 5kw won't do the generator any good. I doubt that a hire shop will hire a 2kw generator to power a 1600w motor, as they know the likely outcome.

One difference of the genys to power the smaller 1500 to 1700 watt vac is that they are inverter generators. Which handle motor inrush/surge current at starting period efficiently without oversizing. So the Champion 2200 watt mighty Atom has a starting power of 2500 watts for about 15 seconds, a max running watts of 2200 for a couple of mins and a rated output of 1900 watts continuously.
You are right that 'traditional' genys need to be oversized by quite a margin to cope with high inrush current of motor starts.

 

[ched999uk]

As for using electric gutter vacs in the rain, it's advisable not too. I have yet to see a vac that is IP rated to work in the rain safely. You can get extension leads that have enclosed sockets that are IP rated but you have to search them out.
One other thing, if you are using a geny in the rain then I very much doubt that is IP rated appropriately and nobody uses an earth spike let alone will have the kit to test it's adequate so an earth leakage trip probably won't protect you!
I have read people put a flexi tub over the top of the vac but you have to let the air outlet breath or it will overheat.

If you can avoid emptying gutters in the rain do so, if not be aware of the risks and mitigate them.

 

[marlowswindows]

Thanks all for advice I've just bought a predator ?

Could anybody recommend a generator for it.

I've bought an recommend 2.5mm cable which I will use fully un reeled.

Does the generator have to be sine wave or will any one do. Looking at a 5.5kwh one

 

[Pjj]

Thanks all for advice I've just bought a predator ?

Could anybody recommend a generator for it.

I've bought an recommend 2.5mm cable which I will use fully un reeled.

Does the generator have to be sine wave or will any one do. Looking at a 5.5kwh one

You don’t need a sine wave for a gutter vac they are for delicate electrical things like computers, step hill Honda genies are very good but not cheap

 

[THL4KEL]

SkyVac Industrial is IP64 rated.

 

[marlowswindows]

You don’t need a sine wave for a gutter vac they are for delicate electrical things like computers, step hill Honda genies are very good but not cheap

That's what I thought I will go purchase a 5.5kw then expensive day ??

 

[DansClearView]

Loving this post as trying to decide panther or atom at the moment. Not intending on pushing gutter clearing but don't want to sub it out to others who also window clean.
How bad are the aluminium poles weight wise? I mean, I can read the weights on the description, but what does that mean when they are 25ft in the air ?.
I'm not the strongest of individuals so have been thinking about carbon. Having said that, I might be looking at one or 2 gutter cleans a week/day so would the extra expense be worth it?
Thank you