Telescopic WFP Poles

Q: "What is WFP?"

This means 'Water Fed Pole' and our whole website section of items related to these poles is here.

Q: "What is a Telescopic Pole?"

A Telescopic pole is made up of several sections that can be slid into each other to lengthen or shorten the working height of the pole. The top section (section 1) is a smallest in diameter and slides into the next one, section 2, which in turn slides into section 3 and so on. To stop the sections sliding when working with the pole there are clamps .

Telescopic Poles are different to Modular Poles.

Q: "What is the Brush?"

The brush is the part that actually touches the window. There is a complete Brushes section.

Q: "What is the Gooseneck?"

This is an adapter between the pole itself and the brush on the top. It can be in the form of a fixed gooseneck or a plastic angle adapter.

Q: "What is Pole Tubing?"

This is the small pipe that runs up the pole to carry the water up to the brush.

Q: "What is the Connector?"

The tubing going up the pole needs to have a quick release connector on the bottom so it can be plugged onto the hose coming from the customer's van. He can choose what type of connector. For more information see the Fittings page.

Q: "What is Aluminium?"

Q: "Why choose an Aluminium pole?"

Aluminium is the metal used for making the sections of the pole (not the clamps).

Aluminium is usually the heaviest, cheapest and most flexible of the materials used to make Waterfed Poles with. The metal gets very cold in the winter time, especially when the customer gets their hands / gloves wet.

Due to the small gap needed between each of the sections (or else it would seize up) these poles can feel like they are rattling when they are in use.

Because aluminium is a metal it can bend or dent if it gets hit hard or strained. This means that a customer can easily damage an aluminium pole by knocking it on a wall or gutter while trying to reach over to a window above it.

The only 'proper' WFP aluminium poles we sell are the Unger nLite Connect poles.

The maximum length our aluminium poles should be used up to is about 25ft. If they need higher they will need to go up to the next material, fibreglass.

Q: "What is Fibre Glass / Glass Fibre?"

Q: "Why choose a Fibre Glass / Glass Fibre pole?"

Fibre glass (sometimes called 'glass fibre', 'glass' or shortened to 'GF') is a material literally made from glass (yes, the window stuff!). They get the glass and make it into really fine threads and then weave them into a cloth. To make things from it they have to mix the cloth with glue. For poles they usually weave the stuff around the pole as well, often in a criss-cross pattern, so it becomes almost plaited around the pole.

Fibreglass poles are, like aluminium poles, heavy, cheap and flexible but usually not as bad as the aluminium ones.

Fibreglass will not dent or break under pressure but can split and as they wear the fibres can create tiny splinters that stick in the hands or gloves.

The maximum length we advise using our fibreglass poles up to is about 35ft. If they need higher they will need to go up to the next material, Hybrid.

Q: "What is Hybrid / Part Carbon?"

Q: "Why choose a Hybrid / Part Carbon pole?"

Hybrid poles (also known as 'Part Carbon' or "Composite") are made from a mixture of carbon and glass fibres. The exact mixture can vary a lot from one make of pole to another and this is the main thing that defines the exact characteristics. They can be made with one material on the inside and the outside that, or they can have the fibres mixed into a pattern. Our Spot-Lite Part Carbon poles are 50:50 carbon fibreglass.

Hybrid poles are middle of the range between Glass and Carbon in weight, price and stiffness.

Hybrid poles will not dent or break under pressure but can split and as they wear the fibres can create tiny splinters that stick in the hands or gloves.

The maximum length we advise using our hybrid poles up to is about 45ft. If they need higher they will need to go up to the next material, Carbon.

Q: "What is Carbon Fibre?"

Q: "Why choose a Carbon Fibre pole?"

Carbon Fibre (sometimes shortened to 'CF' or known just as 'carbon') is, like fibreglass, a fibre material made into a cloth or woven into a pole. When you look closely at carbon poles you can often see this pattern and it's a good way to identify types of poles and materials.

Carbon poles are light, middle price range, and reasonably stiff.

Until recently carbon was the best kind of material used for poles. Then the Hi-Mod and then Ultra Hi-Mod kinds came out.

Carbon will not dent or break under pressure but can split and as they wear the fibres can create tiny splinters that stick in the hands or gloves.

The maximum length we advise using our carbon poles up to is about 60ft. If they need higher they will need to go up to the next material, Hi-Mod Carbon.

Q: "What is Hi-Mod?"

Q: "Why choose a Hi-Mod pole?"

Hi-Mod Carbon Fibre (full name is 'High Modulus Carbon') is a fibre material made into a cloth or woven into a pole. The 'Hi-Mod' comes from the special grade of carbon used in making them.

Hi-Mod poles are very light, near the top of the price range, and very stiff.

Hi-Mod poles will not dent or break under pressure but can split and as they wear the fibres can create tiny splinters that stick in the hands or gloves.

The maximum length we advise using our Hi-Mod carbon poles up to is about 75ft. If they need higher they will need to go up to the next material, Ultra Hi-Mod Carbon.

Q: "What is Ultra Hi-Mod?"

Q: "Why choose a Ultra Hi-Mod pole?"

Ultra Hi-Mod Carbon Fibre is a fibre material made into a cloth or woven into a pole. The 'Ultra Hi-Mod' comes from the special grade of carbon used in making them.

Ultra Hi-Mod poles are incredibly light, by far the most expensive, and amazingly stiff. They are viewed as being a luxury product so the price / performance / weight are set as such. For now the only ones we sell are the Unger nLite Connect poles.

Ultra Hi-Mod poles will not dent or break under pressure but can split and as they wear the fibres can create tiny splinters that stick in the hands or gloves.

The maximum length we advise using our Ultra Hi-Mod carbon poles up to is about 100ft. If they need higher they will need to go up to buy a helicopter.

See the Comparison of different pole materials to compare with poles made from other materials.

Q: "My pole is slipping"

Q: "When I close my pole I cant get it tight"

This is a common wearing out issue. As the pole wears the top of the sections, just under the clamp, tends to wear more than the rest of the section. This means the clamp on the next section down will not grip properly. The best thing to do is replace the section in question ⇗. The next best thing is replace the clamp ⇗ that holds it. If there are several sections slipping then it's probably better economy to buy a whole new pole.

Q: "What are Clamps?"

The clamps are the plastic parts at the top of each section of the pole, and that hold the section above them. They are fixed to the lower section and have a lever to allow them to be opened when the pole is being extended and closed when the pole is being used. 

Q: "Why do you sell so many different clamps?"

Each type of pole (Spot-Lite, Unger nLite Connect, nlite One, Xtel, Unger HiFlo,  etc etc) has it's own type of clamps. They are usually not compatible with others. So the customer has to order the right clamps for their pole.

Each clamp of a telescopic pole has to straddle two sections of the pole. The lower of these sections is bigger in diameter (because the section above has to slide inside it) and the clamp is fixed to it with glue or screws. The upper part is made to close or open (tighten or loosen) when you move the clamp lever.

Q: "What is a Qleen Pole?"

Great but very specific poles. They are a form of Modular Pole and the sections screw together. Best used with their rotating brushes.

Q: "What is an Unger nLite Connect Pole?"

The Unger nLite Poles are a mixture between Modular and Telescopic Poles. The Master Poles (the basic pole) are a 4 section Telescopic Pole that is about 22ft in length when open. In order to extend these poles there are extensions, each of which is a 2 section telescopic extension. Another extension can be added at the bottom end of this extension, making the pole a further 10ft longer. As these poles are also modular, they are also mentioned on the Modular Poles page.

Q: "Why Choose an Unger nLite Connect Pole?"

They give the best of both worlds between Modular Poles ⇘ and Telescopic ones

All versions made from whatever material can be used together

There are very few clamps and other spares (they're all the same few sizes)

In most cases you don't use all extensions of the pole all the time so not everything will wear out together (meaning you just buy replacements for the worn out bits)

Q: "Why Choose a Spot-Lite Pole?"

Lightweight

Short when compressed (making it easy to transport and use)

Small diameter sections (which are less tiring for the hand to grip)

Best value for money!