# Mobile Valeting/Detailing



## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

Hi Guys, 

Looking for some advice if possible...

I've been valeting/detailing for a little while now and am about to buy a van so that I can be completely mobile.

I'm obviously going to get a water tank and jet wash in the back etc, but wondered what the best way would be to get hot water?

Also, does anybody have any recommendations on jet washes, generators etc? Don't want to spend a fortune!

Thanks in advance,


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## Defined Reflections (Jun 4, 2009)

All i do is fill my tank with hot water from the kitchen tap


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## scotty_boy (May 1, 2010)

if you do a search on the forum im sure you will find the answers about the equipment


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## dcj (Apr 17, 2009)

Hot water pws are very expensive and often very bulky and heavy so youll probably need a decent sized van to fit it in. On very cold days I sometimes fill my tank up with hot water but the problem there is you use more water to rinse off the suds with it being warm.
You also need to watch out for stonechips in windscreens if youre using hot water in case you cause the screen to crack.


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

great advice, thanks very much guys. do you have any recommendatoins for generators/pressure washes to look into?

i'm also using turtle wax shampoo at the moment which doesnt seem to very foamy. i recently used some shampoo when at a car dealers that was excellent but no idea what its called


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

honda-engined generator for reliability, kranzle K7 pressure washer. get in touch with your local autosmart rep for products 
(a shampoo does'nt need to foam to work)..


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## P.A.D (Jun 26, 2008)

Regarding Shampoo's etc get in touch with your local Autosmart rep.

They do some excellent products.








Russ


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

Brilliant, thanks so much for your help. I will get in touch with them and look into the products! Cheers!


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

Just had a look at the Kranzle k7 pressure washer - on a website it says 'Good for 6 to 8 hours use a day' what would it mean by this? I also gather this machine is powered by electricity, not petrol?

It also says it is capable of sucking water from a tank.. does this mean I wouldnt need a pump to draw the water out of a 500 litre water tank in a van?

Cheers,


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## Defined Reflections (Jun 4, 2009)

Autosmart do a shampoo that foams quite well through a foam lance,its needs about 3 to 4 inches in the foam bottle then the rest water to get it nice and thick  (thats if you want it foamy)


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## cheeks (Aug 26, 2010)

woppers18 said:


> Just had a look at the Kranzle k7 pressure washer - on a website it says 'Good for 6 to 8 hours use a day' what would it mean by this? I also gather this machine is powered by electricity, not petrol?
> 
> It also says it is capable of sucking water from a tank.. does this mean I wouldnt need a pump to draw the water out of a 500 litre water tank in a van?
> 
> Cheers,


the Kranzle is electric yes, so would need mains/generator to power it, and the kranzle or any other jet washer will pull its own water from a tank without a pump, mines been doin so fine for 7 yrs 6-8 hrs a day use is just saying that it will take some hammer as some of the lesser jet washes on the market may not be so robust and may not last as long


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

woppers18 said:


> Just had a look at the Kranzle k7 pressure washer - on a website it says 'Good for 6 to 8 hours use a day' what would it mean by this? I also gather this machine is powered by electricity, not petrol?
> 
> It also says it is capable of sucking water from a tank.. does this mean I wouldnt need a pump to draw the water out of a 500 litre water tank in a van?
> 
> Cheers,


6-8 hours use a day is good, it means it is up to heavy duty useage, unlike cheaper domestic washers. You won't be using the washer for 6-8 hours a day doing mobile valeting/detailing unless you do a lot of washing and rinsing of fleets or forecourts or something. I had a K1150T Kranzle and it was the duck's guts after having had a domestic spec Karcher previously. For commercial use you need commercial gear and Kranzles are worth every penny in my book. Karcher do some heavy duty machines too mind.
The Kranzle is electric but you can power it off your generator as long as your genny can manage the start up or connecting load of the washer you get. Kranzle helpfully list that in their specs. 
Yup, it'll draw water from a tank without using pump.

As mentioned earlier, a Honda genny would be ideal, there are a lot Chinese gennies about, best avoided really. You need reliability and the old saying of buy cheap buy twice is very true. If your budget allows it, get the best stuff you can and it will pay off in the long run.


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

ah ok - yep foamy i like haha


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

cheeks said:


> the Kranzle is electric yes, so would need mains/generator to power it, and the kranzle or any other jet washer will pull its own water from a tank without a pump, mines been doin so fine for 7 yrs 6-8 hrs a day use is just saying that it will take some hammer as some of the lesser jet washes on the market may not be so robust and may not last as long


I see, I wasnt quite sure what it meant. it sounds a good machine, think i may look to invest in that..


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

Multipla Mick said:


> 6-8 hours use a day is good, it means it is up to heavy duty useage, unlike cheaper domestic washers. You won't be using the washer for 6-8 hours a day doing mobile valeting/detailing unless you do a lot of washing and rinsing of fleets or forecourts or something. I had a K1150T Kranzle and it was the duck's guts after having had a domestic spec Karcher previously. For commercial use you need commercial gear and Kranzles are worth every penny in my book. Karcher do some heavy duty machines too mind.
> The Kranzle is electric but you can power it off your generator as long as your genny can manage the start up or connecting load of the washer you get. Kranzle helpfully list that in their specs.
> Yup, it'll draw water from a tank without using pump.
> 
> As mentioned earlier, a Honda genny would be ideal, there are a lot Chinese gennies about, best avoided really. You need reliability and the old saying of buy cheap buy twice is very true. If your budget allows it, get the best stuff you can and it will pay off in the long run.


totally agree - you get what you pay for! i suppose the next question is, does anybody have a reliable generator they can recommend so i dont waste loads of time searching a load of sh*t generators and wasting money lol!


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## Driftland Liaison (Sep 17, 2009)

woppers18 said:


> totally agree - you get what you pay for! i suppose the next question is, does anybody have a reliable generator they can recommend so i dont waste loads of time searching a load of sh*t generators and wasting money lol!


Honda is the only genny i would buy :thumb:


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> Honda is the only genny i would buy :thumb:


Is there a model you can recommend to run a K7?


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## Driftland Liaison (Sep 17, 2009)

this is the ones i use
http://www.generators.co.uk/Product/Honda_Generators/Pramac_Generators/E4000


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> this is the ones i use
> http://www.generators.co.uk/Product/Honda_Generators/Pramac_Generators/E4000


brillaint, thank you! looks pretty reasonably priced too! That's been pretty reliable for you then and you can simply mount it in the van and run the k7 off it?


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## geoff.mac (Oct 13, 2010)

theres a honda one up for sale in the sales section http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=248826


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

geoff.mac said:


> theres a honda one up for sale in the sales section http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=248826


would that one be sufficient for the k7 pressure washer do you know?


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

woppers18 said:


> would that one be sufficient for the k7 pressure washer do you know?


Should be, the connection load on the K7 is 1.6kw so it should be up to the job. Same goes for your vac/extractor mind you, you need a genny capable of powering them so you need a genny that outputs more than either your vac or genny needs when first switched on.


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## woppers18 (Dec 23, 2011)

Multipla Mick said:


> Should be, the connection load on the K7 is 1.6kw so it should be up to the job. Same goes for your vac/extractor mind you, you need a genny capable of powering them so you need a genny that outputs more than either your vac or genny needs when first switched on.


ok, i'll have to look what my vac needs. its a numatic wet and dry, same colour as a charles but slighly bigger. i think mine is this one http://www.numatic.co.uk/products4.aspx?id=60&r=6&sr=5


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## Multipla Mick (Feb 5, 2006)

woppers18 said:


> ok, i'll have to look what my vac needs. its a numatic wet and dry, same colour as a charles but slighly bigger. i think mine is this one http://www.numatic.co.uk/products4.aspx?id=60&r=6&sr=5


1200w which is presumably it's running draw, but it should be fine. But, I'm no expert so do get confirmation from someone else on all this


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