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The float room |
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Room size |
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In float centers, the float room should
be large enough to accommodate the tank and a shower cubicle (which
is used before and after the float session).
This will require a minimum room size of 10 square metres / 100
square feet. The diagram
shows a compact float room layout, in a room size 4.0 m x 2.5
m / 13ft x 8ft.
Larger, more spacious rooms are desirable, wherever possible.
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Room recommendations |
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Quiet location. |
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Subdued, dimmer-controlled lighting. |
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Waterproof, textured "non-slip" flooring
material. Ceramic tiles or welded vinyl rolls should be suitable
for "barefoot" or "wet area" use. |
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A small shelf or vanity unit for personal effects and accessories
(such as earplugs). |
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Optimal room temperature is 28 Deg C / 82 Deg F. |
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It is essential to preserve the total
privacy of the float room while a float session is in progress.
The float room should be lockable from inside, but with an emergency
over-ride system.
Pathfinder FX-3 requires a standard 13 amp / 230V fused power
outlet in the float room. For safety reasons, this should be located
at least 1.5m / 5ft-0" above floor level.
For TankMaster
and Standard
systems, no power outlet is required in the float room. The tank
receives its power from the control unit.
For use in USA, we supply transformers for the tank unit and
control stations to enable the system to be run on 115V.
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Floor loading |
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If the float room is not located at ground-level,
operators are advised to check the weight-bearing capacity of the
floor. |
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A safe estimate of the total weight of the tank + filtration unit
+ solution + occupant is 1,054 kg / 10.34 Kilonewton / 2,322 lb. |
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The footprint of the tank + filtration unit (area in contact with
the floor) is 2.68 m (L) x 0.8 m (W) / 105" (L) x 31"
(W). |
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If this loading factor exceeds regulations, this can
be easily remedied by mounting the tank on a shallow platform or
plinth, to spread the weight over a larger area. We can provide
sample engineering drawings to customers. |
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back to top ^ |
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Routine operation |
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Tank operation is simple; running
costs are low |
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Tank operation mainly consists of looking
after the solution. We provide a complete set of test
equipment and conditioning chemicals as part of our package. |
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Maintain solution depth at recommended
level. The floatation chamber is fitted with a sensor that sets
of an alarm on the control unit whenever the level falls too low,
prompting the owner or operator to add water. |
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Maintain cleanliness of filter elements. Two filter
elements are supplied. These are swapped over every 30 floats, and
the soiled element is cleaned and stored for re-use. |
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Maintain pH
and bromine
levels in the solution. We supply a Lovibond test kit. Checking
the levels only takes a couple of minutes. In the standard
filtration system an in-line bromine dispenser automatically
boosts bromine levels during each filtration cycle. |
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The optional natural
oxygen filtration system does not require chemical balancing. |
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Maintain salt concentration. Checking the salt concentration
with a hydrometer takes less than 30 seconds. This should be done
every 60 floats. |
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Pathfinder's automatic
filtration system maintains the solution in optimal condition
with minimal effort. |
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If the solution is correctly maintained, it will
have an indefinitely long lifespan. If the solution looks clear,
smells clean, and (for chemically sanitized tanks) is kept within
recommended pH and bromine
levels, there is no real need for a complete change of solution. |
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The solution is continuously being topped-up with fresh water
to compensate for water lost through evaporation. |
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Some operators choose to drain the tank and replace the solution
every 12-18 months to facilitate cleaning. |
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Draining the tank - if required - is easily accomplished
using a small submersible pump, and takes around 20 minutes. |
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Running costs are mainly the costs of replacements
salts and chemicals. |
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Salt adheres to the body of each floater
and is showered-off after the float session, so approximately 0.3
kg / 0.7 lb of Epsom
salt is lost during each float session. |
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Salt has to be topped-up at the rate of 20 kg / 44 lb every 60
float sessions or so. Epsom
salt is easy to obtain, and costs approximately a dollar a kilo. |
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Conditioning chemicals are readily available from spa or pool
suppliers, and their cost is negligible. |
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Power consumption is low. |
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The maximum power draw is 4 Amps at 230 Volts AC.
Overall power consumption is less than leaving a 200-watt light-bulb
switched on continuously. |
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back to top ^ |
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Commercial operation |
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Pathfinder - a profitable capital
asset. |
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Charge rates for a 50-60 minute float session (tank
time) vary considerably around the world, depending on location,
target clientele, and type of business. Operators of top-end floatation
equipment such as Pathfinder are obviously in a position to command
premium charge rates. |
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The norm for a single "one-off" float session in UK
and Europe is US$ 50-80; in USA it is US$ 30-60. |
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Most commercial operators maintain a high "one-off"
charge rate, but promote repeat business by offering generous incentives
to first-time floaters (such as 3 sessions for the price of 2),
and discounted prepaid packages or membership schemes for frequent
floaters. |
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Customer turnaround time on a 50-60 minute float
session is 70-80 minutes, allowing time for the 15-minute end-of-session
filtration cycle plus the time needed to tidy the float room. As
a "rule of thumb" most operators use a 90-minute turnaround
time. |
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A well-run commercial operation can achieve 8 customers per tank
in a 12-hour day. |
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Efficient commercial operation |
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The high levels of automation offered
by Pathfinder's AutoPilot
and TankMaster
control systems reduce supervisory time and effort to a minimum,
and - by cutting down "human error" - help guarantee a
consistent and high standard of customer service.
"Over-staying" is a common problem in float centers.
Customers are often so deeply relaxed that they fail to respond
to the end-of-session light and music.
During a float session the control unit displays a countdown
of remaining time till the end of the float session. When the
session ends - and the light and music fade-in - the control unit
displays a count-up of minutes since the session ended.
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As the customer exits the tank, he or she is detected
by the electronic
sensor that triggers the final filtration cycle. The display
on the control unit immediately confirms to the supervisor that
the pump has started running and that the customer has therefore
left the tank. It is not necessary for the supervisor to physically
check the float room to determine whether the customer has left
the tank. |
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The AutoPilot
and TankMaster
controllers feature a programmable "beep" that can be
set to alert the supervisor if the customer has not left the tank
within a reasonable time. Once alerted, the supervisor can use the
intercom
to rouse the customer from deep relaxation. |
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Pathfinder assists the supervisor to maintain efficient
customer scheduling, while preserving total customer privacy in
the float room. |
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