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Following on from [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/portable-bike-washer ]this thread[/url], has anyone made their own portable bike washer?
I would like to give it a try, it can't be that hard right? 😉
pump £4
[url= http://www.virtualvillage.co.uk/mini-12v-water-pump-3-litres-for-cpu-s-fountains-007522-001.html ]linky[/url]
water carrier £8
[url= http://www.outdoorworld.co.uk/23-ltr-waste-water-carrier-p-363.html ]linky[/url]
What else do i need?
A big tub of elbow grease.
hmmm, might take a bit longer to find a pressure switch....
EDIT: found one, but it would push the cost way too high
Pressure sensor £20
[url= http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Stainless-Steel-adjustable-pressure-switch-15-2-bar_W0QQitemZ150409619547QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item23051ca85b ]Ebay linky[/url]
Nobody playing? ok i'll stop. Seems the caravanning market already has everything you need in kit form, but surprise, surprise, everything you need works out about the same price as a Dirtworker!
i just make do with a £15 hand pump jobby that you get from garden centres, enough power to blast most crap off without damaging stuff, plus i can also use it for my vegatables 🙂
I've got the hand pump pressure sprayer bought from a gardening shop on eBay and it works perfectly. 5L of water should be enough to wash a bike and the pressure is high enough to wash mud off but won't damage seals. You can borrow it whenever You want, just drop me a line first to arrange a time (check whether You like it and if You want to get one it's just over £10 from a gardening centre near Edinburgh - I bought mine on eBay and got it the same day!). 🙂
Similar to this one: [img] 
[/img]
I also use the 5L hand pump jobby. I also use it to wash the car which is handy in a hosepipe ban.
Get yourself a refillable water fire extinguisher. I've got an old 9l one, pump it up with a compressor and it easily washes away the worst yorkshire winter mud, only downside is it weighs a fair bit. But cost diddly squat!!!
This is better:
[url] http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-CARAVAN-PORTABLE-12V-ELECTRIC-SHOWER-DOG-WALKING-_W0QQitemZ370153732779QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=076a7dde1270a0aad4930883fff80fc0#ht_537wt_939 ][/url]
(got mine from Maplin for £6)
Change the shower head (I had a spare which I hacked the rose off and replaced with an uncut nozzle off a silicone sealant tube)
And one of these:
[url] http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CARAVAN-CAMPING-JERRY-FRESH-WATER-CONTAINER-CAN-25L_W0QQitemZ170425566860QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories?hash=item27ae27c68c#ht_827wt_939 ][/url]
Enough power to shifter quite a bit of dirt with a fair amount of pressure. Only problem is that it feels like you're painting a wall with a 1" brush.
25 litres cleans 4 bikes easy enough, plus a bit for legs/shoes.
Ben
Some great suggestions in there, thanks guys!