Questions for you portable gurus..

[Mikey P]

Willy
Frank
Zee
Steve
Art...

If you use an RE, which is the best for portable power, the 360I? 3 or 4 port?

Are you leaving fans to help dry? Or only while you're there?

Your thoughts on heat above and beyond tap water?

Would you say you use twice as much chemicals as a truck mount?

Lets hear your method explanation for those that had a TM last time..


Thx!!

 

[Goomer]

Questions about adding heat and RE's to porty's make my foam at the mouth, so here we go......................

Larger commercial work is the only situation where I have pondered the addition of a RE due the accessibility of additional amps, easier water management, and additional space to setup and maneuver.

Residentially, I fail to see the logic and benefit of tethering an additional amp-consuming contraption to setup that already pushes the limits of available power, further limits mobility, and most likely increases water consumption, making auto-fill/apo practically a necessity under most situations.

I know there are guys that use them with success, but the uniqueness of my urban market is not favorable to attempting such an endeavor.

My operation mainly consists of REMOTE porty work in the purest sense, which limits me somewhat in regards to what equipment I can efficiently transport and utilize.

This leaves my to rely on my primary, bread n butta cleaning "formula", which is my chems, agitation, flow and suck.

Simply put, residentially, the additional power requirements of any heating element limit the available juice for my flow and suck, and don't produce enough heat to warrant their use, especially under constant flow.

I relation to portable work, I am not a fan of..........

*APO .......due to it's hindrance of mobility, and the void of efficient, user friendly waste filtration mechanisms available, other than a stockings/knee-highs or a full size in-line filter.

*Heat.....Not enough ROI, and not worth limiting your mobility and limiting the BASIC cleaning mechanisms of flow and recovery.

RE's.......Why torture yourself???

Why increase your consumption of an already limited water accessibility, and limit your CORE cleaning mechanism of flow and recovery by trying to make a porty into something it is not?

The only way to stop this insanity, is to accept a porty for what it is, work within it's limitations and incorporate the joyous benefits of the miraculous process of AGITATION.

I find it so much easier to stay mobile and compact, and just nuke, scrub, and settle into wanding efficiently under a good flow and a good stiff suck, than to over-complicate things and fool myself into believing it is better.

I was in the same boat and faced the same conundrum until I discovered my precious little Oreck.

Only with an Orbiter is the addition of agitation on a smaller scale so quick and efficient.

It's so easy to whip out an Orbiter and effectively scrub an area, that I find it silly to instead try to add heat, or anything else to a porty, that doesn't even come close to delivering a benefit equal to the benefit of agitation.

It's a no-brainer.

A porty and an Oreck is a match made in heaven.

Buy the Oreck FIRST, and only then go off to drivel over some 1500 watt weinie heater.

Not sure this answers your question, but I had to get it out.

Mikey, get a fooking Oreck will ya??

You should talk to Deron................if that tells you anything.........

 

[Old Coastie]

I use a porty, with a heater. It provides mobility and security in that I can close doors behind me, or take it anywhere a elevator can reach. If HWE is called for, I vac, spray with Releasit, then brush in with a CRB. That makes the HWE go fast and productively, at least as much as a porty can do.
We also do other types of cleaning and need versatility out of each machine.
No question that a TM could go faster within reach, but I had to pick my poison for what we do. It seems to work fine.

 

[Jimmy L]

Ah the old method of shampooing and using HWE to rinse..................I knew it well...................20 years ago.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Mikey, seriously?!?! After using a Vortex and an Aerotech you're considering going portable?

Hell, indeed has frozen over.

 

[Old Coastie]

Ah the old method of shampooing and using HWE to rinse..................I knew it well...................20 years ago.

As I say, it seems to work fine. Each business model and budget has its' sweet spot.

 

[Willy P]

The porty pumps just don't seem to have the balls to keep pressure up enough to suit me, with the exception of the big ass cat on the dwell and I doubt highly the vacs are capable of extracting enough water unless the wand or rotary is down jetted . Old Rusty, my 25 year old 175 or my little Sebo duo is what I use if the carpet needs a kick in the ass. I have a 12, a 15 and a 20 inch scrubber at my service.

 

[ruff]

Stephen, I agree, if it works, that's great.
Did you try pre-spray and scrub with say Flex or RedLine and not an encap product?
Are you getting better results with release it, or that you did not try something else?

 

[Willy P]

Kleenrite heatrite 2 or the perfect heat give me fitting burns, but both need the stock thermostats at 190 pulled out and replaced with at least 220 or 240 degrees units. Dry times are usually 4 to 8 hours depending on the weather. I do have 2 omni mini snails and a dry pod but rarely use them.Chemical use is what it says on the jug and most times less as we have really soft water.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Ah the old method of shampooing and using HWE to rinse..................I knew it well...................20 years ago.

More like 45 years ago Jimmy...we're getting old.

All old things get new again?

 

[Art Kelley]

Questions about adding heat and RE's to porty's make me foam at the mouth, so here we go......................

...

Heat is the most overrated aspect of carpet cleaning and the reason for millions of dollars of wasted money by manufacturers and cleaners, and at the end of the day, the consumer buying our product. A rotary extractor matched with a porty will beat a TM with a wand every day of the week all over the country every single time (all right the last claim is bluster but WTH).

 

[Old Coastie]

Stephen, I agree, if it works, that's great.
Did you try pre-spray and scrub with say Flex or RedLine and not an encap product?
Are you getting better results with release it, or that you did not try something else?

Oh sure, Ofer. With a really gross carpet we use stronger detergents and acid rinse, but the overall procedure is the same.

However, because a porty is limited, it takes a good deal of time to really rinse and suck. We all know that; the use of a good encap lets me not worry if any residue is left behind, as it will crystallize and be removed by later vacuuming.

I have nothing against TM cleaning but only limited experience with it. As of yet, no real market to justify one.

I'm hoping Marty won't mind letting me see the error of my ways, one of these weeks.

 

[ruff]

(all right all these claims are bluster but WTH).

Yea.
WTH

 

[ruff]

I'm hoping Marty won't mind letting me see the error of my ways, one of these weeks.

That statement is so wrong in so many ways that.............
Well......oink vey.

Stephen, (not criticizing,) just curious- Have you actually compared results of pre-spray followed by HWE, next to same procedure done with an encap product?

Does it look better?
Does it perform better, long term?

Or is it more of an insurance policy, assuming that the left over encap polymer will do some magic?

P.S. Be quiet Richard.

 

[Old Coastie]

Side by side, no. I have found that the Releasit "Punch" cuts through most soil, but it boils down to a judgement call. If the soiling is heavy, greasy or just plain calls for a nuke, we go with a nuke.

We do look at the fiber (especially with residential) before and after, to see how caked it is. If it hasn't cleaned enough, we haul out the pickaxes and have at it some more. Not common, because the CRB seems to stroke fibers all the way down. Then there are the pee parties etc. which require their own suite of suffering.

To answer the unasked question, my experience is that Releasit products are very good performers. Since van (or truck) space is limited, good all-rounders serve in place of a multitude of specialty products. bear in mind we also provide other forms of cleaning from the same platforms.

Never claiming to have the best equipment, the greatest knowlege or the ultimate answers, I think we're giving good service that's just a bit better than the last guy they hired.

 

[Old Coastie]

As followup, I believe I can get Flex from Dixie Steamway in Gadsden, AL. They are an interlink dealer.

Thanks for the suggestion, Ofer; When I get a good chance, I'll do a side by side.

Would be very glad to finally settle on an effective, easily rinsable detergent. Fiber Zone and End Zone work well, but I'm open to suggestions.

One of the bennies of the encap, though, is that it seems to control wicking very well. It also makes a sailor-proof spotting agent to leave behind.

Live and learn

 

[Willy P]

It used to get under my skin a bit with the crap about being a POG. You just get the point that you don't really don't care. I can go out and make $800, have a quick nap and still cook supper, more on days I bust my ass. I could buy a brand new truck mount with cash in hand, but it just doesn't suit where I'm at in my business plan or approach. There's a good market for green cleaning and electrical options abound. I've got an adapter hose to fill with and a toilet high dump hose, so the bucket brigade is a myth. I rarely run my pump above 350 psi with a 3 flow. The weaker point of the powerflight is the 5.7 vacs, but they never go beyond 50 feet and in most cases 35. I replace them every 9 to 12 months as needed. I saw a "boutique" market to green folk and with a ton of high rise buildings came a lot of opportunity. It works quite well for me, but It's not everyone's cup of tea. The key is to be as organized as possible. I bring everything in at once, because if I have to go to truck it's an utter waste of time and if I have to go,it usually means extra $. Look around- there's always a market for a quality cleaner. What you choose to achieve your customer's enthusiasm is up to you.

 

[Goomer]

A rotary extractor matched with a porty will beat a TM with a wand every day of the week all over the country every single time (all right the last claim is bluster but WTH).

That statement may be true if only considering the end results, but when all the other intangibles involved are factored into the big picture (setup, power, water mgmt) overall efficiency and productivity often take the hit.

I think that ones market of operation, especially relating to the demographics of it's residential structures, is a big factor in considering matching a RE to a porty.

I notice a common denominator in most of the successful RE porty guys out there, including yourself Art, and it has to do with the available "sprawl" of your market.

The ability to conveniently "stage" your setup and operation from such close proximity to a residence such as a driveway or front/main entry can lessen some of the burdens otherwise involved.

As I recall, most of your videos show you setting up your equipment conveniently right at a entryway in close proximity to your van.

This is a huge plus, and gives you easier access to a broader range of tools at your disposal having your van so close.

A exterior hose spigot nearby, as well as the ability to pump out into the nearest bush is another advantage when servicing single family individual homes that makes it easier for you to use a RE.

Newer construction and generally larger sized homes will often compliment power requirements better with dryer hookups, garages, etc.

The filter capacity of your Airhog takes care of the last obstacle that I find to be an absolute necessity when running an active pump-out.

So I guess running a RE porty combo is somewhat feasible, but only under very specific conditions, and the question still remains as to weather it is worth the extra work involved.

Not going to happen in my market.

Rarely do I have the luxury of being within close proximity to my van, so that alone is a deal breaker.

My residential market forces me to live by a key 15/20 rule that must be a factor in any equipment consideration I have.

I can never assume I will have more than ONE 15amp circuit and ONE 20amp circuit available to me, and even that can be a challenge sometimes with older construction and awkwardly divided units.

With one cord pulling 12+amps for one vac, and the other cord pulling 16-17 amps, every setup needs consideration of this, and leaves little room for any additional equipment that must run simultaneously with my main system.

A 500spi adjustable pump and 2 3-stage high performance vacs is something I will not compromise for any reason, and unfortunately it already pushes the limits of the available power on most of my residential jobs, so unless I go with smaller vacs and a smaller pump, I'm shit outa'luck, and that ain't happening.

Does any benefit gained from a underpowered heating element remain if overall flow/suck has to be lowered to compensate?

The benefit of agitation is that my pump and vacs do not have to be running at the same time, and this keeps my under the 15/20 rule.

 

[Mikey P]

Willy and Frank

What vans do you use/prefer?

 

[Willy P]

Dodge Caravan. I have a 2004 and a 2014.I looked at the Transit and the Nissan unit, but it was a Dodge and a half for the same money.

 

[Willy P]

And to play Frank's foil, I usually run 3 fifteen amp cords or 4 if I'm using the Worrier/ Heatrite combo,as I like heat.

 

[Mikey P]

Dodge Caravan. I have a 2004 and a 2014.I looked at the Transit and the Nissan unit, but it was a Dodge and a half for the same money.

Can you post a pic of the 14 loaded up?

 

[Art Kelley]

That statement may be true if only considering the end results, but when all the other intangibles involved are factored into the big picture (setup, power, water mgmt) overall efficiency and productivity often take the hit.

I think that ones market of operation, especially relating to the demographics of it's residential structures, is a big factor in considering matching a RE to a porty.

I notice a common denominator in most of the successful RE porty guys out there, including yourself Art, and it has to do with the available "sprawl" of your market.

The ability to conveniently "stage" your setup and operation from such close proximity to a residence such as a driveway or front/main entry can lessen some of the burdens otherwise involved.

As I recall, most of your videos show you setting up your equipment conveniently right at a entryway in close proximity to your van.

This is a huge plus, and gives you easier access to a broader range of tools at your disposal having your van so close.

A exterior hose spigot nearby, as well as the ability to pump out into the nearest bush is another advantage when servicing single family individual homes that makes it easier for you to use a RE.

Newer construction and generally larger sized homes will often compliment power requirements better with dryer hookups, garages, etc.

The filter capacity of your Airhog takes care of the last obstacle that I find to be an absolute necessity when running an active pump-out.

So I guess running a RE porty combo is somewhat feasible, but only under very specific conditions, and the question still remains as to weather it is worth the extra work involved.

Not going to happen in my market.

Rarely do I have the luxury of being within close proximity to my van, so that alone is a deal breaker.

My residential market forces me to live by a key 15/20 rule that must be a factor in any equipment consideration I have.

I can never assume I will have more than ONE 15amp circuit and ONE 20amp circuit available to me, and even that can be a challenge sometimes with older construction and awkwardly divided units.

With one cord pulling 12+amps for one vac, and the other cord pulling 16-17 amps, every setup needs consideration of this, and leaves little room for any additional equipment that must run simultaneously with my main system.

A 500spi adjustable pump and 2 3-stage high performance vacs is something I will not compromise for any reason, and unfortunately it already pushes the limits of the available power on most of my residential jobs, so unless I go with smaller vacs and a smaller pump, I'm shit outa'luck, and that ain't happening.

Does any benefit gained from a underpowered heating element remain if overall flow/suck has to be lowered to compensate?

The benefit of agitation is that my pump and vacs do not have to be running at the same time, and this keeps my under the 15/20 rule.

You are correct about my setup Frank. I treat my CFX as if I was using my van. I do not do high-rise work because it is such a PIA. This was a setup from my job this last Saturday. Six hours of carpet and upholstery. Running the TM would have saved ten minutes. I used the 360i with just the white pad, no swoop head, as it was a delicate white berber carpet. TM power would have wasted. A mountain of upholstery in each room. The UpholsteryPro set to continuous flow hooked to the customer faucet worked like a charm.

 

[ruff]

Totally agree with Frank's last statement. That's been exactly my experience here in San Francisco and I assume in every other large, highrise built, metropolitan area.

And that's why, in this stage of my career, I finally stopped offering cleaning with a portable.
There's definitely a good market for it though.

 

[Willy P]

Can you post a pic of the 14 loaded up?

Yeah - But I got to clean it up first. It ain't much, but I don't need much.

 

[Mikey P]

Caravan or Promaster City?

 

[Goomer]

Willy and Frank

What vans do you use/prefer?

Just downgraded from a full size E150 last month to a cherry Astro/Safari van which is comparable in size to a Transit.

Came to the conclusion that I carried around waaayyyy too much stuffs on a daily basis to warrant a full sized gas guzzler for hacking with a porty.

If your considering something smaller than a full-size to hack out of, I would be more concerned whether or not YOU would comfortably fit in it, than whether you can fit your Pallio-Porty, 5-gal buckets, and pump sprayers.

 

[kevinj6121]

I use a mytee M5 portable, 95% of the time i only need to use my 50ft section of 2inch vac hose, this is also leaving the porty outside the the front door. After i vac the carpet i use my CRB with has a spray system on it, i run a 50 foot solution house from the CRB to my Mytee big boss battery sprayer, fill the sprayer with hot tap water add chems (using encamp chems-vacaway & releasit products) so i am spraying and agitating at the same time using the CRB, friggin works great. I can do a 3 bedroom, LR/DR combo and a hallway with just under 10 gal of water/chems, then i just use the portable to extract using my wand. Carpets dry in less than an hour. I also have a 17 inch 175 with solution tank and carpet brush at my disposal, but lately been loving using the CRB. I'm with GOOMER, "AGITATION is key" but I find it works better to be able to both spray and agitate at the same time as opposed to spraying, then going back to agitate.

 

[Doug Cox]

Heat is the most overrated aspect of carpet cleaning and the reason for millions of dollars of wasted money by manufacturers and cleaners, and at the end of the day, the consumer buying our product.

First of all I didn't know Art was a porty guy. Second of all is, until you have high heat, and I mean upwards of boiling water at the wand, you have NO CLUE what the difference is. Heat makes all the difference. I had a HM CDS and switched to a Powerclean Genesis and basically work the same amount of hours a day and make 50% more. How does that sound Art? That'll pay a TM payment in 1 day, dude.

 

[Doug Cox]

You are correct about my setup Frank. I treat my CFX as if I was using my van. I do not do high-rise work because it is such a PIA. This was a setup from my job this last Saturday. Six hours of carpet and upholstery. Running the TM would have saved ten minutes. I used the 360i with just the white pad, no swoop head, as it was a delicate white berber carpet. TM power would have wasted. A mountain of upholstery in each room. The UpholsteryPro set to continuous flow hooked to the customer faucet worked like a charm.

I'm curious as to what one might make for 6 hours of their time in Clawson, MI. I know I would expect to make somewhere between $800- $1000.