Washing your BMW E60 with a DUNNY ;^)
01-20-2007, 02:51 PM
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My Ride: BMW E60 530i, Production Date May 2005
Hi,
Hopefully you'll find this thread a little amazing, while educational at the same time.
I'm not sure how the rainfall in your area is going, but with Australia the driest continent on this earth, the last couple of years have been very dry.
Water Restriction Level 3 was introduced in most states of Australia from 1 January 2007 to try and reduce the water consumption as most of the water now consumed was being pumped from our dams because some of our rivers have now dried up.
To try and help out Australia, my mother decided to change her three single flush 9 litre toilets to dual flush 3/6 litre flushes, she paid about A$500 for them. She received a quote from a plumber to install the 3 and it was extravagant at A$1750, there was less than A$75 in parts as she purchased the toilet cisterns and pans.
Being a good son like we all are
, I decided to do it for her, she's 80 yo.
Being a bloke, we all hate throwing away stuff that we may be able to use during our lifetime, and our women hate us for that.
With Water Restriction Level 3, we are no longer able to use High Pressure Washers, some states were actually paying you a rebate if you purchased a high pressure washer upto December 2006. All you can use now is a bucket, mains pressure hoses are now banned to wash cars.
Being a bloke, I thought, what can I use the single flush toilet cistern for. After thinking for a few minutes, I came up with the idea to make a GRAVITY FEED car wash that is connected to mains pressure, but the water level is controlled by the cistern's internal water float. As you can see from the photos, I connected the mains pressure hose to the right inlet connector via a quick fix, snap hose connector. On the left side which is normally blocked with a stopper to allow you to have the float inlet on the right or left side of the cistern, I connected a quick fix hose connector so I could connect the gravity feed hose.
I tested the gravity feed pressure and was alittle disappointed. I then drilled out all of the quick fix connector to 3/8" and this has improved the pressure to an exceptable level.
Now, the downside is that it takes slightly to wash the E60, but I can actually chamois/shammy the E60 quicker as I remove the end nozzle with the final rinse and the water flow from the hose end tends to remove a lot more of the water rather than using a spray nozzle that leaves little beads of water.
I rang my local water authority and was advised that my car wash complies as it's not using main pressure from the hose.
I can wash the E60 using less than 20 Litres of water. After finishing, the water remains in the cistern until the next wash.
Cheerz
Hopefully you'll find this thread a little amazing, while educational at the same time.
Dunny
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Australian colloquial word for a toilet, and for the American slang usage of 'dunny' and 'dunn.' For the Age from the fictional Myst franchise, see D'ni.
Dunny is Australian slang for toilet, either the room or the specific fixture, especially an Outhouse, portacabin or other outdoor toilets. It is often used to specify a distinction between a flushing toilet and a non-flushing toilet (e.g., a longdrop). The word is believed to be derived from the much older 'dunnakin' (also spelled 'dunnigin'), but the origin of these terms is much older and remains unknown.
Traditionally, dunnies were found in unsewered areas, and consisted of little more than a seat placed over a can (or "dunny-can") or deep hole (or cesspit). The latter variation can be referred to more specifically as a longdrop. Dunnies were maintained at some distance from houses for obvious reasons of smell and hygiene. The sheds themselves were generally made of either wood or corrugated iron, to facilitate the moving of the dunny if required (for example, if the hole in the longdrop was filled up).
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Australian colloquial word for a toilet, and for the American slang usage of 'dunny' and 'dunn.' For the Age from the fictional Myst franchise, see D'ni.
Dunny is Australian slang for toilet, either the room or the specific fixture, especially an Outhouse, portacabin or other outdoor toilets. It is often used to specify a distinction between a flushing toilet and a non-flushing toilet (e.g., a longdrop). The word is believed to be derived from the much older 'dunnakin' (also spelled 'dunnigin'), but the origin of these terms is much older and remains unknown.
Traditionally, dunnies were found in unsewered areas, and consisted of little more than a seat placed over a can (or "dunny-can") or deep hole (or cesspit). The latter variation can be referred to more specifically as a longdrop. Dunnies were maintained at some distance from houses for obvious reasons of smell and hygiene. The sheds themselves were generally made of either wood or corrugated iron, to facilitate the moving of the dunny if required (for example, if the hole in the longdrop was filled up).
Rainfall deficiencies in 2006
As at November 2006, the late-winter to mid-spring rainfalls had failed. The average rainfall in the state of South Australia was the lowest since 1900. Across Victoria and the Murray-Darling Basin the season was the second driest since 1900. New South Wales rainfall was boosted by above normal falls along the north coast of the state, however the state average rainfall for the season is the third driest since 1900. The situation has been exacerbated by temperatures being the highest on record since the 1950s.
As at November 2006, the late-winter to mid-spring rainfalls had failed. The average rainfall in the state of South Australia was the lowest since 1900. Across Victoria and the Murray-Darling Basin the season was the second driest since 1900. New South Wales rainfall was boosted by above normal falls along the north coast of the state, however the state average rainfall for the season is the third driest since 1900. The situation has been exacerbated by temperatures being the highest on record since the 1950s.
To try and help out Australia, my mother decided to change her three single flush 9 litre toilets to dual flush 3/6 litre flushes, she paid about A$500 for them. She received a quote from a plumber to install the 3 and it was extravagant at A$1750, there was less than A$75 in parts as she purchased the toilet cisterns and pans.
Being a good son like we all are
, I decided to do it for her, she's 80 yo.Being a bloke, we all hate throwing away stuff that we may be able to use during our lifetime, and our women hate us for that.
"Bloke" is a slang term for "man," much like "guy" or "dude." It is used primarily in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Being a bloke, I thought, what can I use the single flush toilet cistern for. After thinking for a few minutes, I came up with the idea to make a GRAVITY FEED car wash that is connected to mains pressure, but the water level is controlled by the cistern's internal water float. As you can see from the photos, I connected the mains pressure hose to the right inlet connector via a quick fix, snap hose connector. On the left side which is normally blocked with a stopper to allow you to have the float inlet on the right or left side of the cistern, I connected a quick fix hose connector so I could connect the gravity feed hose.
I tested the gravity feed pressure and was alittle disappointed. I then drilled out all of the quick fix connector to 3/8" and this has improved the pressure to an exceptable level.
Now, the downside is that it takes slightly to wash the E60, but I can actually chamois/shammy the E60 quicker as I remove the end nozzle with the final rinse and the water flow from the hose end tends to remove a lot more of the water rather than using a spray nozzle that leaves little beads of water.
I rang my local water authority and was advised that my car wash complies as it's not using main pressure from the hose.
I can wash the E60 using less than 20 Litres of water. After finishing, the water remains in the cistern until the next wash.
Cheerz
01-22-2007, 06:09 AM
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Well done!
I must admitt, that when I read your titel well I thought your dunny-solution was to wash your car with.......ok, let's forget about it. :'(
And you do not have to climb up and press the flush button to let the water flow, do you?
Matts
I must admitt, that when I read your titel well I thought your dunny-solution was to wash your car with.......ok, let's forget about it. :'(
And you do not have to climb up and press the flush button to let the water flow, do you?
Matts
01-23-2007, 03:25 AM
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My Ride: BMW E60 530i, Production Date May 2005
Originally Posted by Matts' post='381614' date='Jan 23 2007, 12:39 AM
And you do not have to climb up and press the flush button to let the water flow, do you?
Matts
Matts
Nah, the toilet doesn't have to be flushed at all, it's using the gravity feed, as soon as the hose nozzle is opened, the water flows.
Cheerz
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