Please try to help me understand how this works…
I’m using a small DI tank, short garden hose and the orange water line connected through the pole to the brush head.
Someone mentioned a ball valve to shut off water instead of that frustrating UniValve, but I can’t quite picture how that works. If the pole isn’t fully extended I’m looking at 30’ of line dangling all over the place, with the valve at the end of that? Doesn’t seem very ergonomic.
I have a shutoff valve at the end of my xero pole. I place it on the end of the hose that comes from my DI tank, before it gets to my xero pole orange water line “quick connect”. I just “pinch” the line, and put that end into the bottom end of my xero pole.
Use this XERO In-Line Shut-Off Valve | Window Cleaning | WCR – WindowCleaner.com
The hose will flop around if you don’t hold it, but that is easy to do.
I don’t use a valve, I run the hose outside the pole and just hold it
while I scrub and pinch it off when needed.
I don’t find the UniValve all that frustrating. I have tried a few options and have learned to find the UniValve is my better choice. You do have the hose running inside the pole (I suppose you could do a modification to attach it to the outside somehow?). Yes, you do have to contend with hose around your feet but just flip it out of the way as you move so your not stepping on it and you should be fine. As with anything it takes a little practice to make it habit.
I used the inline setup for a while and it was great but I did have to attach it to the exterior of the pole if you really want the line dangling; I found it more cumbersome navigating landscaping which is why I went to the internal method. The UniValve does pretty much the same thing but instead with a tug on the line.
Regarding have to contend with hose around your feet.
Have done this.
NO MORE TRIPPING ON WATER FED POLE HOSES
You da man He_Man.
Simple brass shut-off valve attached to the end of your hose that connects to your Water fed pole hosing. If in pinch, I have used multiple brands of WFP---- you could always just get a few hose clamps that are wide enough to go on the outside of the WFP and run the pole hose through those— it would keep the line on the pole and not dangling around.
As for in the pole tubing, that’s all I am used to-- you learn to dance with the pole. I dont remember the last time i tripped over my pole hose, but I have tripped over my WFP 
lol
I like the Univalve idea and I would consider it if I was only DI. I like cool gadgets and that one is pretty neat— but with RO I am not worried about water usage— you can pinch an end of the hose and insert it pinched into the bottom of your pole---- works for me lol. RO coming out at around 8-20TDS…i dont even use a DI tank to “finish it to 000” anymore as it has not been needed in over a year.
Good luck, I have read your previous posts and i know you were getting into WFP going from traditional. I bet in a year’s time you will say “I can’t believe I worked so long without this”. I am one of those people who say that now. Cheers
I must have a defective UniValve then, when the pole is over 15’ or so the hose just stretches and doesn’t shut it off. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. I took it off and tried working it by hand, very difficult to operate. It’s as if the internal spring is much stronger than it should be.
As for WFP use, I’ve tried it a few times but it’ll never replace ‘nose to glass’, that’s for sure. I usually explain to the customer it does a halfway decent job and I can go that route if they want to save some money.
Wow, I found the opposite to be true. Certainly there are those first cleans that the WFP can’t beat nose-to-glass, but for the majority of jobs, most assuredly quarterly jobs, it works great. Also because of it I now call my LLC Limited Ladder Climbing.
I never ever look at windows done by WFP and say “Well, that was sub-par”. I am happy with the results and customers are happy with the results. Perhaps look a little deeper in how you do it?
We always hit exterior frames with a duster head to pull off spider webs, resting dust and the like; but washing the frames with the wfp in addition leaves the whole package looking far better.
Glass is crystal clear and the frames are thoroughly washed. Can’t tell you how many times our customers have expressed appreciation for the “thorough cleaning”. You might try adding bronze wool, bores hair or an Alpha Scrubber if you’re having subpar results with nylon or hybrid.
I’m a bit confused though, when you say you “can go that route if they want to save some money.”
You charge less when you use your wfp?
I’m just thinking, the thousands invested in wfp gear, wear and tear on that gear. I generally leave my prices the same, and the extra time and money I save by using the right tools for the job go in our account for the next time I need to upgrade/ replace those tools. Just a thought.
Either way, good on you for wanting a quality result for your customer and doing what it takes to get it; that’s going to keep you in business for the long haul.
I’d agree with you here. After 25’, it’s nearly impossible to use.
Having said that, you do have to yank hard. A little tug won’t do the trick.
Again, 100 dollar Univalve or a 5 dollar shut off valve that will work at any height, just attached to your WFP hose…while it is a neat tool, you can get by just fine with a 5 dollar brass shutoff valve…
Also, WFP is a tool to add in the arsenal-- not the go-to, end all-say-all. In fact, I am using WFP to be cheaper than what it would take by hand. For example:
I did this job on Saturday. Looks like a tough house by hand— probably 4-5 at minimum. By WFP? 1 hour and 30 minutes…200 dollars. If I had to do this by hand you are looking at at LEAST 400 dollars.
While I love my WFP and RO pure water set-up— it is still just one tool of many I use for this trade. I do not use a WFP on sliders, that is what my 30+ inch Ettore Super channel and Unger (I think its a 30 inch) ninja wand is for. Or any window that honestly, I can clean faster instead of setting it up. You will know when to use and not use this tool. It is a GREAT addition to any window cleaners truck. I sure as hell did not want to try this job the old fashioned way by hand— not to mention falling off that metal roof-- no thanks, WAY too much of a slope to even attempt that. I did give the customer two options, and was very happy with the end result-- as was I. While I saved time doing the job, we ended up talking for an hour lol-- but I know I now have a routine, regular maintenance job 6x a year and a new friendly customer with similar interests.
That being sad, I have to agree-- there are some jobs that need nose-to-glass, especially 2nd and 3rd story territory-- I don’t know about you, but without binoculars I can’t see that well from the ground when you get above 3 stories. I will say Nylon only brushes are good for routine cleans (getting salt off the windows, once a week, monthly, bi-monthly)-- they DO lack that extra scrub. I have a Tucker Hybrid brush with the nylon AND the boar’s hair in the middle and I will say, that boar’s hair is good. My next step is to get a full boars and a phantom brush when Tucker has their BOGO sale later this month-- full boars hair, with a bronze wool pad-- I think then almost any job can be done on first clean.
I will not lower my price to do the job by way of an expensive purchase of a WFP system. Perhaps one day I may have to do that same job “by hand” then what? Charge the customer more? Yea right. The price is the price.
There was another person who mentioned above 25 feet it is tough to work the univalve-- this wouldn’t be an issue with a regular shutoff valve. I am in no way saying the Univalve isn’t any good-- I have yet to use one. I also like the little in-line valve that WCR sells, you could always try that and position it to where you wouldn’t have to leave the pole.
